New 6.8spc owner, Help with ammo selection

AR/M4 Beyond 5.56/.223
1

I just got a 6.8spc and now need help with ammo selection. I am not new to the black rifle game, just this specific cartrige. I am wanting a round that will be accurate out to long distances and can maintain its energy and stabilization in flight. I dont reload so new factory ammo is what I’m looking for.

The Rifle:
DPMS Prairie Panther
Spec II chamber
18’’ heavy-barrel fluted, 1-11twist button rifleing
Viper PST 4-16x50, mil/mil

Any help would be appreciated, I am eventually going to upgrade the barrel to a WOA but that will be later on. Also any other upgrades that might be needed later on would be great.

2

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19884

3

Hornady 110 BTHP; it shoots as flat as 77gr 5.56 and delivers a lot more energy on target at every range. It has also been accurate in every 6.8 I’ve owed.

I’m not a fan of DPMS rifles, but the accuracy reports I’ve seen are generally positive. Before you go about changing things, I recommend that you shoot it and see if it’s reliable and accurate enough for your purposes.

4

Good advice right here.

5

I’ve also had very good accuracy from Silver State State Armory’s Pro-Hunter, 110gr Soft-Point. Good on deer as well.

6

I’m also a fan of Hornady 110gr BTHP. Their 110gr V-Max are just as good.

7

All mentioned are great

Stay the f away from remington. Its not powerful enough to lock my bolt back.

8

Indeed. The only time I had my bolt not stay back was with Remi ammo. Even the Sellier & Bellot ammo I tested was good to go.

9

I will also throw my vote in for the 110 Hornady BTHP as a general purpose do it all round and as stated it is superbly accurate.

For hunting bullets I love the 110 Accubond and you can get it from Silver State Armory. Also the 95 TTSX is a very good hunting and barrier round.

10

I have had great luck with the SSA, I use it almost exclusively.

11

The Hornady 110 bthp or the SSA 115 OTMs have both been good shooters for me - nice, tight groups from a 20" 1:11 twist barrel. slightly cheaper factory ammo that shoots about the same or better is the 110 gr sierra pro hunter from SSA.

12

Are there mags for this these days? I reloaded ammo for this cartridge for about a week…

We gave up on this fairly quickly.

13

Mags are out there (like all AR mags right now - a bit scarce), and a few allow 2.3" loads - PRI, the new CPD… Most mags are SAAMI COAL. I am loading to 2.295" in some of my loads for the 6.8 using the CPD 10 rd mags. 2.285" in some older mags from Stag.

14

Barrett, PRI, CPD, & ASC make 6.8 mags.

Good standard capacity mags (Barrett & PRI) were around for about two days longer than 5.56 mags during the latest run. PRI told me their backlog was 30-60 days. Not sure about Barrett.

The CPD and ASC mags can still be found; I would only use them for the range or hunting though.

The earlier days with this cartridge and Remington ammo/brass were frustrating; Hornady, SSA, and Barnes have made this round significantly better over the years. Time will tell if the availability of Federal brass/ammo will bring down the price any.

15

I can load out to 2.275 for my Barrett mags with the Nosler 115 Custom Competition bullets. I get 2.285 with my CProducts and CProduct Defense mags, less with the older Stag marked mags. I know some load longer, but with mine the tips drag where the mag makes the bend, the follower begins to hang, and the spring barely pushes the next round up. I’ve even had them bind to the point where the front of the follower begins to tilt down and the bullet tip drives into the front of the magazine.

I too really like the Hornady 110 HPBT, and have used it as duty ammo. I am currently using Hornady 120 SST, and it too shoots great in my rifles.

16

Thanks for the advice guys! I am currently running PRI mags and Hornady 110gr Vmax, but just came across the 140gr SSA load. Anybody shot that round yet?? When the market stabilizes I would like to try that for a long range shot .

17

I shot this 5 shot group last summer with SSA 140 VLD @ 600 yds using my 18" Kotonics with a Nightforce 2.5x10:

I felt the Hornady 110 HPBT shot just as well for me at that distance.

18

Thanks Cav, once I get my glass mounted I am taking her out to the range with my Hornady 110gr Vmax. Once the 140gr becomes available again I will try it out, I like the higher grain weights for long shots but certainly will take into consideration all of the info here.

Also, has anybody used D&H 25rd mags?? they are the only ones that I can find on the web, should I wait for PRI mags to come back in stock or jump on these??

19

The D&H won’t work with the SSA 140 as it is loaded to 2.30 OAL, but your PRI will work just fine. I have only tried one D&H (Gen II), and it didn’t work at all. That is a sample size of one, however, and it could have just been a bad magazine.

20

Forgot to mention Hornady 120gr SST. My best group was 7/16" at 100yd with those. Average with both the 110 VMAX and the 120 SST is 5/8". I’m using ASC 10rd magazines and haven’t had a problem with any of them.