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Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

praharin

praharin

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Nov 9, 2005
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Clarion, PA
In use. I understand that it can be used with an AR15 length action, but I am not limited to that.

If I am starting from scratch, does the 6.8 offer anything over a 308 in an AR platform?

For the sake of this thread, lets presume that the rifles are identical in price.

Thanks
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

Felt recoil. Haven't fired a 6.8 but judging from other folks on this forum and friends, the 6.8 is a little more forgiving. That being said, I still don't think a .308 has tremendous recoil, but in a days worth of shooting, you feel it towards the end... The 6.8 probably would have the same affect.

Take it for what it's worth. I'm only a gent whom has read and had secondary information regarding the 6.8.

SS
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

The 6.8 is a great round if you are going to be running a ar-15 platform. That being said the ammo is expensive and it is better suited for about 300 yards and in. If I didn't have an ar and I had a choice between the two I would go with the .308.

The .308 is going to give you longer range, easier to find ammo, components are easier to find, and it is probably cheaper to shoot because you can get milsurp ammo in .308 . I have both so I am speaking from experience.

Chuck
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

6.8 is giving you about as much as you can get out of the AR 15 chassis as far as range, bullet weight, accuracy and energy averaged out.Yes, their are other rounds that do better in some areas ( 6.5 Grendel) but for all purposes they are close....there is no free lunch. If you are not limited to the AR 15 size then yes you can do better BUT remeber there will be a weight penalty.308 is still a VERY good choice....
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

I have both a 308 (bolt action) and a 6.8
I use both for hunting and the 308 for some long range steel
I like the 6.8 because I can have an effective hunting round out 16-18" barrel in a lightweight AR15
Much lighter than an AR10

I am a big fan of the 308 round, just the 6.8 works in the lighter AR15 platform

For deer and hogs, inside of 400 yards, both are highly effective hunting rounds, past 400 the 308 is better of course
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

6.8 is a purpose round,It hits Hard inside 300-400 yards with less barrel,weight and recoil than a AR10 type weapon with more energy than 556..

Not a long range round,But It will make them duck at 700 yards..

You need 300 yards plus with performance 6.8 is not your round..
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

If you're looking for .308 performance from an AR15, go with the 6.5 Grendel. Better bullets, better ballistics at distance, better at bucking the wind.

Ammo is expensive and fairly scarce, but if you reload components are available.

The Grendel was designed to specifically to eek out every last bit of performance from the AR15 platform. Give it a look.
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: eleaf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you're looking for .308 performance from an AR15, go with the 6.5 Grendel. Better bullets, better ballistics at distance, better at bucking the wind.

Ammo is expensive and fairly scarce, but if you reload components are available.

The Grendel was designed to specifically to eek out every last bit of performance from the AR15 platform. Give it a look.

</div></div>

With the caveat that you need a longer barrel to achieve those results.. not a slam, just a fact
the 6.5 bullets are better for long range, no doubt
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

Not that you ask,But a 223/556 AR15 with barnes TSX are unreal on what they can do to tissue...Way diffrent than NATO spec stuff..
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

Biggest difference is the weight, to get a 308 down to an AR15 weight the barrel will be a pencil. I have had 4-5 over the years and sold them all because of the weight.
If you are looking for longer range not hunting ranges there are some that are better than the 308, the 6BR, 6BRX, 6.5BR are all at least 200fps faster than the Grendel and use Lapua brass.
If hunting the 6.8 will do the job on deer and hog sized game out to 300 -350yds especially when Barnes TSX or TTSX bullets are used. The 6.8s trajectory is just as flat as the 308 or Grendel out to 300 yds.
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bustin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Biggest difference is the weight, to get a 308 down to an AR15 weight the barrel will be a pencil. I have had 4-5 over the years and sold them all because of the weight.
If you are looking for longer range not hunting ranges there are some that are better than the 308, the 6BR, 6BRX, 6.5BR are all at least 200fps faster than the Grendel and use Lapua brass.
If hunting the 6.8 will do the job on deer and hog sized game out to 300 -350yds especially when Barnes TSX or TTSX bullets are used. The 6.8s trajectory is just as flat as the 308 or Grendel out to 300 yds. </div></div>

I would ONLY choose the 6.5 Grendel if I was looking to maximize the AR15 platform.

None of those other rounds save the 6.8 SPC will fit in an AR 15. Only the Grendel. If performance from the light AR 15 platform is what you seek, the Grendel is far and away the best choice right now.

If you're looking for a bolt gun, the Grendel shouldn't be too high on the list.
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: eleaf</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bustin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Biggest difference is the weight, to get a 308 down to an AR15 weight the barrel will be a pencil. I have had 4-5 over the years and sold them all because of the weight.
If you are looking for longer range not hunting ranges there are some that are better than the 308, the 6BR, 6BRX, 6.5BR are all at least 200fps faster than the Grendel and use Lapua brass.
If hunting the 6.8 will do the job on deer and hog sized game out to 300 -350yds especially when Barnes TSX or TTSX bullets are used. The 6.8s trajectory is just as flat as the 308 or Grendel out to 300 yds. </div></div>

I would ONLY choose the 6.5 Grendel if I was looking to maximize the AR15 platform.

None of those other rounds save the 6.8 SPC will fit in an AR 15. Only the Grendel. If performance from the light AR 15 platform is what you seek, the Grendel is far and away the best choice right now.

If you're looking for a bolt gun, the Grendel shouldn't be too high on the list. </div></div>
You should get out more, I make all of those other calibers and more (264LBC, 6x41, 6.5BRX, 30ARP(30BRX more or less) in AR15s, I even make a ITS-12 between the AR15 and AR10 in size.
video link to function test
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

I dont think the myth of 308 must be heavier than 5.56 is real anymore. Look at the SCAR 17. It is almost identical in weight to the SCAR 16. And it is a 1 MOA rifle to 800 yards. My POF 308 weighed in at 8.5lbs. That is maybe about a pound heavier than their 5.56 counterpart. I dont let one pound deter me one way or the other. I will take the versatility and fire power of the 308 over 6.8 with the additional pound of weight. Yes, if you are getting some pig heavy LMT 308 that weights 11lbs empty then i definitely see your point. But there are 308 platforms that close the gap between 308 and 5.56 or 6.8 in weight.
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

That's a SCAR not an AR-10.
If you build an AR10 with the same profile barrel on a AR15 the AR10 will be heavier, that's a fact not a myth. the barrel on the AR10 is 1.2" at the breech the AR15 1.0, the carrier of the AR10 is also larger in dia than a AR15 and longer, the receiver is longer the lower is longer, the bolt is bigger, the rail is higher form the centerline of bore. They will be heavier everytime.
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

I think the 308 will be for me then. I have a 308 bolt rifle that I am comfortable using already. It has some stiff recoil (Ruger Frontier) so that isn't an issue here. I don't mind carrying something heavy. I humped a SAW in the Corps for a while. Good times. Actually, if I could get one of them, I wouldn't be asking about ARs at all
wink.gif


I don't actually have the option of hunting with it at the moment, as Pennsylvania doesn't allow it. Maybe someday they will, or I will travel somewhere that does.

Either way, at least with a 308 I will have fewer separate ammunitions to worry about, and cheap surplus (HA!) for practice is (would be) nice.

Even the price for a decent rifle from the low end of the 308 AR, such as the DPMS, isn't too much more than a similarly equipped bolt action.

Time to crunch some numbers and see what it'll take to get myself out and shooting this thing
laugh.gif


Thanks everyone.
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

The best answer is to buy an AR10 in either .260 or .243.

With the .243 you can save anywhere from 50 to 100 grains of weight per cartridge (depending). That is NOT insignificant.

With the .260, or a 6.5 creedmore you will have superior long range performance, slightly lighter ammunition and less recoil.
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

I don't know that i'd trust anything less than a 7mm08 to take down an elk. If I ever do get a chance to hunt with the thing, it would probably be in a western state, so I have to keep that in mind.

Already having a 308 makes the decision easier for me.

I wouldn't be getting an AR10 either. I would really like to get an SR25 or LMT one day, so magazines become an issue.
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

Actually the .260 offers bullets with a much higher sectional density, giving much better penetration than bullets available in the .308.

You would be able to take a Texas brain shot on a bull elk with the heavy 6.5 bullets.

The 6.5x55 was used very successfully to take hundreds of elephants. The .260 is very close in performance to the 6.5x55.
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

I'll keep it in mind, and I can get it from DPMS in 260.

However, common ammo with my bolt gun, mentioned above, is a real driving factor in my choice.

Thanks
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Buckeye Scott</div><div class="ubbcode-body">. . . and you have a 308 bolt gun already. </div></div>

That's almost reason enough to NOT go .308!
grin.gif
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

To add to this conversation... I was doing some more research a few days ago about the 6.8 and hopped on wikipedia (I know it isn't scholarly) and was looking at different bullet weights, muzzle velocity, and drop from 100-400 yards.

The 5.56 with a 77g bullet and barrel at 16" and a 6.8 with a shorter barrel and a 110g bullet had almost identical drop. The 6.8 carried more energy.

The 6.8 had nearly identical stats as well. Only difference I noticed was the 6.8 was flatter shooting and carried more energy than a 168g bullet at 400 yards. Now, I'm not sure who ran the tests and what bias was involved. Regardless, this was interesting info.

I would go 6.8 with a shorter barrel. You'd have less recoil and a flatter trajectory.

SS
 
Re: Does 6.8 offer anything over 308?

Somebody hit on this earlier, but I'd say ammo prices are a big factor - you can find good, reliable factory or surplus 308 that you can shoot all day at a reasonable cost, where with the 6.8 its either make your own or pay the piper.
If you have an existing AR platform that you're trying to beef up, then the 6.8 is a great option. If you're starting from scratch, then go .308 for sure.
 
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