As much as it pains me to say it; I think with the introduction and industry support that .300 AAC Blackout is getting that 6.8x43mm SPC is a dead round walking.
The only people carrying 6.8 stuff anymore are the expensive boutique type places.
It failed, just barely, to make it to the mainstream.
All from one small mistake in the leade dimensions submitted to SAAMI.
Unless you use the SPC II chamber dimensions, you can't use the ammo that really lets the round shine. Ammo companies were understandably reluctant to load ammunition for the SPC II spec since it would chamber and fire in SAAMI chambers; at dangerous pressures.
.300 AAC Blackout is not better than 6.8 by many metrics.
But it is available and it will be cheaper.
Dammit.
PS: The 6.8 forum turning into a surly old-boy's club does not help new people considering the round. I asked a simple question there and was treated like an idiot. The snob level is very high; it wasn't always.
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I must say if I ever buy an AR-15, first I'll get one in .22 LR because .22 LR ARs are AWESOME and you can shoot them LITERALLY all day long on the cheap.
ReplyDeleteBut for centerfire the .300 BLK is very attractive. It appears to be here to stay, and pre-ban magazines are easy to find.
I just don't like 5.56x45 as a round. So sue me!
My lawyer will be in touch with your lawyer. Eventually. Maybe. Someday.
ReplyDeleteThe jury is still out on the magazines and the bullets hitting the front rib with .300BLK. If you load them so the ogive doesn't hit the rib you have excessive freebore and that hurts accuracy in the supersonic loads.
.300 BLK is a modified 5.56x45 so you've managed to overcome some of the dislike.
Much of the negative about the 5.56x45mm round out there is anecdotal. There are a lot of apples to oranges comparisons and a lot of taking all of the negatives about M193 and all of the negatives about M855 and claim they exist in all loadings; but they don't.
Some of the negatives about the round stem from NATO being bound by treaty to only use ball ammunition. Negatives that don't apply to the civilian shooter. I can, and do, use expanding ammunition for my 5.56 1:9 guns. I have no doubt that it will kill because there's a shit-ton of dead people who have been killed with it.
That said, I don't think it's the BEST round you can fire from an AR platform. 6.5 Grendel, and 6.8 SPC are bringing more energy to the target. Out-ranging it too. 5.56 out distances 7.62x39 and .300 BLK's supersonic loads are identical to our favorite Soviet round. .300 BLK will be more accurate than 7.62x39 because of better bullets and barrels and is more useable in an AR because the case is better suited for the magazine well. They really did make a 7.62x39 for the AR here.
In other comparisons, far more people live through a 7.62x39 hit to get to medical care than 5.56x45. It's doing something right even if the raw energies are nearly the same. Also, the Soviets didn't change to 5.45x39 on a lark, they looked hard at the terminal effects before making the change and they are brutally pragmatic about testing media.
SOLD! I'll stick with 7.62x51mm :)
DeleteIts all really gravy at this point.
The main reason I sought the 6.8 (or a round like it) was because 7.62x51mm guns are at least two pounds heavier than their 5.56 equivalents.
ReplyDeleteYou feel that at the end of the day.
Even with the optics and light the Dottie is pound lighter than Jasmine with iron sights. Nature of using a real full power rifle round instead of an intermediate.
I've been eyeing SCAR-H's and AR10's. Beaucoup bucks I don't got.
i suppose it depends on which job one has in mind as to which tools one employs. i have a .30-06 for smacking deer and 'yotes at long ranges and a 5.56mm M4 for two legged varmints at closer ranges. both do well at their respective jobs and to confuse one with the other would be self deception on my part.
ReplyDeleteoh, and one can never have too many .22 rifles. smoking crack would be cheaper.
ReplyDelete