6.8 or .308 Help spend my money..

AR/M4 Beyond 5.56/.223
1

Project Bambi!

With deer season 8 months away it’s time for me to get off my butt and build a rifle. The two that I am thinking off are a 6.8 upper to use on one of my lowers or building a DPMS or Armalite .308. Both would serve well where I hunt as most shots are less than 300m.

My thoughts for the 6.8 are a Vltor MUR, Midwest SS FF rail, and a Bison or White Oak barrel. What do you guys think of those two barrel choices?

What are the pros and cons for DPMS and Armalite .308 rifles. From what I have read the DPMS is the way to go since Magpul is making mags for it, or am I wrong in thinking this.

2

6.8spc would do you fine for the parameters you stated.

3

That’s kind of the way I am leaning. Going that route will keep the cost down so there is more money for a good optic. Any thoughts on the barrel choices?

4

I was torn between either 308 or 6.8spc for my next build(long range). Just a few days ago I decided the 308 was more practical for me. The 2 rounds are great, the 6.8spc is a bit more accurate, not by much though. The big factors in my decision were the cost and more importantly the availability of ammo and spare parts should I need them. The fact that I can pick up 308 ammo all day long at walmart is a big plus. Its damn near the only ammo on the shelf half the time (i notice because im in there looking for 9mm several times a week:() I really wanted to build a 6.8spc and was hoping my research would allow me to easily pick it over the 308 but found otherwise. I may still end up with a 6.8spc rifle but not before I finish a 308 build which is just more practical for me. Theres plenty of good info on this topic on this site and also do a google search for 308 vs 6.8spc and youll find a lot of good info out there on other forums too. Good luck with the build.:slight_smile:

5

I just went through a similar decision, I chose the 6.8. The factors for me were, lighter overall weight, smaller package and the fact that I rarely shoot at ranges over 300 yards. I’m not worried about SHTF in terms of this application and I’ve already got plenty of spare parts. Ammo and mags are easy to find.

Those barrel choices sound fine to me. I just shot an inexpensive factory Stag upper and it shot incredibly well. Wilson makes some great barrels. I purchased my upper from Titan Armory, I’m very happy with accuracy. There are lots of good choices out there, the 6.8 looks like it’s really gaining some steam.

6

I’ve been doing a lot of reading on the 6.8 myself. I think if I build it from parts myself that I’ll buy the Wilson barrel. I think that the Wilson is the same as a Bison, but Wilson has a history of good parts. That, and its only $199.

I think I would more than likely buy a complete upper from ar15performance. I personally want a Deer/Hog gun for suppression, and think that that would be the way to go.

Whatever you get, make sure it has the SPC II chamber, and a 1:11 twist is preferred to shoot the better ammo. Can’t go wrong with most of the big names like Noveske.

With that said, beware that LMT and even LWRC don’t use barrels with the better 1:11 twist, but instead use a 1:10. While the twist is faster, thats not what they have found that the 6.8 needs, slower is better. Noveske uses 1:12, with their Mod 0 chamber, and most others are using the SPC II chamber with a 1:11 twist.

ar15performance uses a SPC II chamber with 1:11 twist and the 5r contour. 6.8 is a different animal that is growing, and will continue to get better with time.

68forums can answer most of the tech questions, as well as the members here. Most are very knowledgeable.

Edit to add: Sorry, saw your barrel choices above. The bison is cheaper of the two, and has a good reputation. But its hard to beat a White Oak. Can’t really go wrong. Might check out ar15performance and see if they’re selling any barrels, because I think they make some of the best for the 6.8, or also check out Noveske, and Wilson. All are good barrels…sorry I tend to rant.

7

While it looks like they are competitive choices, they really aren’t.

6.8 is a great medium game, intermediate cartridge that works well out of a AR 15 lower. The total package is light, recoil is easy, followup shots quicker and a shooter will try more often. Easier to carry in the field, handier, and all the fun qualities of a carbine - like a lever gun. Parts and availability are high.

A .308 is it’s own build, more expensive as it requires a complete matching lower. The result is heavier, has much more recoil, follow up shots take more time, and are less likely if the shooter dislikes it. It takes more work to carry in the field, the longer length snags more stuff, and has all the qualities of a main battle rifle - work. Parts and availability are less, but its out there.

Ammo? Same price. No, 6.8 is not on the shelf at the 'Mart, neither is .308 in large quantities here. Things are slowly catching up, but my perception of .308 prices is that the surplus is all gone. I know I tried to shoot up my share. And as for buying ammo, the best prices are on the web in bulk. Grabbing another box from the store is a little short sighted, and for the cost of the time, trip, mileage, and other impulse buying, not that cheap after all. Better to have it ahead.

Caliber choices in a one vs. other work best when they both can be shot from the same platform. In this case, they are too different to be comparable. It’s not a question of caliber as much as carbine vs. battle rifle, which brings in a lot of other stuff.

Both will kill deer. I sold my .308 a long time ago, I’m building a 6.8.

8

I like the lighther weight and smaller package of a 6.8 AR15 over the AR10

I like the 308 round, a lot.
I have a tack driving LTR but I use my 6.8 out hunting way more

a good 6.8 is capable of sub MOA out to past 300 yards and will cleanly kill deer and hogs at that distance.

downside of the 6.8 is you can’t go to Walmart and buy ammo for it and the 308 is a better 500 yard deer killer, but then again, there are very few people that are truly capable of clean and ethical shots at that distance.

both have their pluses and minuses
the 6.8 is better if you like to get out and walk/stalk a lot
the AR10 is better if you tend to stay in a blind and need the longer range

9

Ok time for more questions. Some of the barrels are 5 groove and others are 4. What are the pros and cons of this. I noticed that arperformace barrels have a .080 leade while others have a .100. Both are better than the .050 on the “old” barrels but is there any real world difference between the two?

BTW, I think it’s safe to say I have ruled out the .308.:smiley:

10

Everything I’ve read on the subject leads me to believe that the fewer the better.

When they first started with 6.8SPC it was offered with a 1:9 and 1:10 twist barrel, with similar rifling to the 5.56/.223. Over time they found that the higher twist, and the similar rifling lead to much higher pressures.

They found that by making the chamber looser, a la 5.56 help keep the pressures down with the hotter loads. The SAMI spec chamber is like the .223 chamber and the SPC II chamber is kinda like the 5.56 chamber.

But they found that to further help reduce pressure, that they needed to slow the twist. They also found that to further reduce pressure to reduce the lands and grooves. Hence the 5r profile from ar15performance. So yeah, there is some difference.

Check out 68forums, they can answer a lot of this that I just can’t articulate.

11

the “standard” right now is SPCII, 1 in 11, 4 groove

12

This is the million dollar question…6.8 or 7.62. If money were no object and I was staying within 300 yds then 6.8 it is!!! (just for the smaller packaging).

13

Money no object, drop $2,500 and get a Larue 308. Since I don’t operate in that world, the thousand dollar 6.8spc works.

14

6.8 seem to have a lot going for it. I recently purchased a DPMS 6.8 spec II, it shoots great and for my 1st black rifle in 20 plus years, I’m happy with it and the accuracy is much better then 223/5.56. If your going to hand load, it will do the things you want. I think you’ll find more comfortable to shoot then a 308.

15

I have a JP LRP-07 18" 308 and a Noveske 12.5" 6.8 with switchblock.

I like them both. The next time I hunt whitetail or hogs with a rifle, I’ll take my 6.8.

You can’t go wrong with either, but you are obviously going to get more KE and extend your ethical hunting range with the 308. However, if you are hunting whitetail at < 300m, the 6.8 will serve you well and be lighter than a 308 build. You will likely have to order your 6.8 ammo online or reload if you go this route.

Noveske had a great deal on some 6.8 lightweight uppers for hunting on their website for a while, but they sold out pretty quickly. The 6.8 options that you are considering should work very well.

Let us know what you decide!

It looks like I basically said the same thing ccoker did, but my description sounds more like someone who speaks English as a second language.