7.62x51/.308, is it the answer? Or is 6.8 SPC now a better choice for multi roles?

[KnightOfTheOlde]

7.62x51/.308, is it the answer? Or is 6.8 SPC now a better choice for hunting, target and survival?

I haven't seen a thread but am guessing these two have been previously compared and I'm beating a dead horse. However I haven't seen or been able to find a direct comparison between them so forgive me bros

My question is as the case with so many of our hypothetical scenarios refers to your average guy who will for sake of argument only buy/have one rifle for which he will need to hunt, develop marksmanship skills and most importantly defend self, home and hearth during a worst case situation

How do they compare in terms of practicality and balistically? What say ye Glocktalk ammo gurus?

[amprecon]

This article gives some comparisons between the 6.8 spc and the 7.62X39 and .308.

http://coloradomultigun.com/misc/sgn_68spc.pdf

If you haven't read this article, it is a good one and has answered alot of my questions. I'm sold on it, just need the dough to pick up a XCR in that caliber.

[9 Micky Mouse]

I am getting ready to purchase a remington 700 police sniper rifle. The clerk asked me did I want one in 6.8, I said no, as of right now the 6.8 has not taken off and I can get 7.62X51 anywhere.

[9 Micky Mouse]

I guess the 6.8 will take off

[Syclone538]

You can get a .260 Rem in a DSA FAL, DPMS AR10, and maybe a PTR91. Thats what I would get if I were getting a MBR.

If I were getting an AR, it would probably be a 6.5 grendel, but possibly a 6.8 SPC.

[DonD]

It all depends on what you want. The .308 will absolutely dominate the 6.8 and the 7.62x39 no matter what the range. The downside is more recoil obviously. Don

[MSgt Dotson]

The .260 is indeed a very nice round!

[Syclone538]

I think so too, I知 pretty sure I値l get one at some point. I知 sure it doesn稚 hit as hard inside a couple hundred yards as .308, but nothing I would be shooting at with it would be able to tell the difference.


Remington commercialized the .308 case necked to 6.5 mm in the .260 Remington, intended as a flat-shooting, low-recoil short-action cartridge for medium game.
...
It duplicates or beats the .300 Winchester Magnum's trajectory with less recoil than .308.
...
(compared to .308) It has 35% less wind drift and about 10 MOA less drop at 1000 yards than the standard 175-grain M118LR load. Despite a 35-grain deficiency in bullet mass, it has 31% more energy because it loses less along the way due to atmospheric drag, hitting 350 fps faster at 1000 yards.

http://demigodllc.com/articles/the-case-for-260-remington/

[DonD]

The original poster didn't mention the .260 Remington. It is an excellent long range shooter, hardly surprising since it is one of the favorite calibers for silhouette and other long range competitions.

I have a Ruger M77 MKII in that caliber, a sweet sub MOA shooter. Don

[Syclone538]

I know but he has started threads about .308, 7.62x39, 6.8 SPC, 6.5 Grendel, and 5.56 recently. He clearly hasn't decided what caliber he wants and I thought I would mention a round that fits right between .308 and the others.

[KnightOfTheOlde]

This is fun, and great info guys. I already have a .308 AR-10, was thinking about downsizing to a 6.8 SPC in order to save weight and reduce recoil.

I am not recoil sensitive but am debating whether the 6.8 would be a better all around choice/more useful in some roles for instance where fast handling and quick follow up shoots are called for.

As far as the negatives of 6.8, How much do I lose in it's usfulness as a hunting round and the ability to buy the cartridge where ever ammo is sold?

The .260 sound llike a great round. I have no first hand experience with it though, How does the .260 Rem and .243 Win compare?

Thanks!

I think so too, I知 pretty sure I値l get one at some point. I知 sure it doesn稚 hit as hard inside a couple hundred yards as .308, but nothing I would be shooting at with it would be able to tell the difference.


http://demigodllc.com/articles/the-case-for-260-remington/

[Syclone538]

Not too far off, the .260 has bullets in the range of 110-140 I think, while the .243 has bullets from 55 to 100 grains. Most (all?) bullets for the .260 have a higher BC then the bullets for .243, so it will be better at longer ranges.

Think of it this way,
A .243 is a 6mm-08.
A .260 is a 6.5mm-08.

[Mwinter]

If 6.8 is 'hard to find', then the .260 could be an equal needle in a haystack.

In 6.8, SSA, Hornady and Remington all produce several loads, some of which have seen positive end-use (same for .308). I haven't hear of any end-use (besides huinting and target shooting) with the .260, but I also haven't looked that hard.

My advice is that if you settle on a caliber (ie you have 1 or more guns in the caliber and will have for at least a year or so), then you need to buy in quantities sufficient enough to last for whatever you're planning for. That, and consider handloading. This is especially true if you are looking ahead for a possible bad day/week/decade.

People often say, well if I can't run down to WalMart and get ammo then I don't want that gun/caliber. I think that's a foolish, innefficient and expensive way to shoot or plan. Buying in bulk is easier and cheaper--normally there's no tax, no gas, and very little time expended. Some folks say 'heck I can't afford 1k or more rounds at a time'.....they bought the gun??

Ammo wise, I'd stick with the .308 unless you need/want a smaller gun in general (AR, etc.). The 6.8 is a great caliber with some great ammo options, but it won't do what a .308 will do, esp. out past 200-300 yards. .308 is less expensive and has a lot more variety to offer in the way of factory ammo and platforms than a lot of other calibers.

[Shawn Dodson]

...I haven't seen or been able to find a direct comparison between...

The Ultimate Caliber: Myth or Reality (http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2008Intl/Spickert_Fulton.pdf)

Time for a Change: U.S. Military Small Arms Ammunition Failures and Solutions (http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2008Intl/Roberts.pdf)