fartgamer
.223 Rem
Advantages and disadvantages in the AR platform. Hunting, home defense?
300 vs 6.8
300 vs 6.8
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300...6.8?
- Thread starter fartgamer
- Start date
post 17 in your other 300 BLK thread
School me on the 300 Blackout
300
Advantage: Cost
Disadvantage: limited range
6.8
Advantage: Excellent range
Disadvantage: Cost
School me on the 300 Blackout
300
Advantage: Cost
Disadvantage: limited range
6.8
Advantage: Excellent range
Disadvantage: Cost
I think this is a fair and excellent breakdown.
fartgamer
.223 Rem
Would you then say a 300 is good for a pistol build other than 223?
Other cals for pistol?
Barrel length?
Other cals for pistol?
Barrel length?
fartgamer
.223 Rem
Forget about that thread.....age issues....ugh!
Eddie Gunks
.338 Win Mag
Huh? What cost difference? Ammo is about the same price. The 6.8 bolt may be a couple of $$$ more but not significant. Barrels are similar.
Buy the 6.8.
If you can have a suppressorbuy the 300 bo. No suppressor, no blackout.
BDSKJCHRIS
.40 S&W
exactly what BG said. 300blk is best suited for being shot suppressed, subsonic, from a short barrel. if you aren't going to do that then the 6.8 is a way better option. also, if you have ever wanted a 6.5grendel AR but were concerned about bolt durability and availability you can reload the 6.8 brass as SIX5 (wildcat that ARP makes a barrel for).
You have to buy three parts vs buying one.
Barrel = Wash both calibers require a new barrel
6.8 = new magazines
Magazines cost more than standard AR mags
AR-15/M16 6.8SPC MAGAZINES | Brownells
Then there is the bolt like you mentioned.
AR-15/M16 6.8SPC STRIPPED BOLT | Brownells
That one is stripped and there seems to be a lot of discussion about the 5.56 vs 6.8 extractors either being or not being compatible (they do sell both sizes).
Advantage in cost (be it ever so slight) is 300 BLK
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meketrefe
.450/400 Nitro Ex
Comparing these two calibers is like comparing Oranges and Ribs.
They both shoot from AR15 barrels but they are in two completely different categories.
One is a straight pistol cartridge the other a bottleneck design rifle cartridge.
The Whisper(Blackout) family of cartridges are pistol cases originally designed for subsonic work. That is what they do
best. In the supersonic world they are pretty limited in terms of ballistics and power. The whisper (blackout) in 30 caliber
is great for close quarters and falls between the +P 30 carbine and 357 magnum in terms of power from a carbine for
close quarters. But where it really excels is with heavier bullets in subsonic mode ideally suppressed.
The 6.8spc (now SPCII modern chambers) was designed from the ground up to provide a potent yet compact combat
round to potentially replace the 5.56. This cartridge is also a powerful hunting round with 80gr-120gr bullets that provide
high striking speeds this way assuring not just wounding potential but also substantial hydro-static shock.
The 6.8spc is a lot more potent and accurate round not just in the standard 16"-18" carbine but also in 10"-11" pistol barrels.
Cost for both in commercial loads is about the same with a few $12-$15 brands for practice to very expensive using
premium bullets. Reloading is also about the same cost.
The whisper has the advantage that one can use 5.56/223 brass to make it although it needs to be cut with a saw,
sized and trimmed. But both can be found inexpensively from once fired brass sources.
The 6.8 you need a couple of 6.8 magazines to use it. C products work great and they are inexpensive.
You will find people defending either one with great vigor and arguments. Just take some time to really understand
the designs and ballistics involved in an objective way and this way you can make sure how each will suit your needs and desires.
They both shoot from AR15 barrels but they are in two completely different categories.
One is a straight pistol cartridge the other a bottleneck design rifle cartridge.
The Whisper(Blackout) family of cartridges are pistol cases originally designed for subsonic work. That is what they do
best. In the supersonic world they are pretty limited in terms of ballistics and power. The whisper (blackout) in 30 caliber
is great for close quarters and falls between the +P 30 carbine and 357 magnum in terms of power from a carbine for
close quarters. But where it really excels is with heavier bullets in subsonic mode ideally suppressed.
The 6.8spc (now SPCII modern chambers) was designed from the ground up to provide a potent yet compact combat
round to potentially replace the 5.56. This cartridge is also a powerful hunting round with 80gr-120gr bullets that provide
high striking speeds this way assuring not just wounding potential but also substantial hydro-static shock.
The 6.8spc is a lot more potent and accurate round not just in the standard 16"-18" carbine but also in 10"-11" pistol barrels.
Cost for both in commercial loads is about the same with a few $12-$15 brands for practice to very expensive using
premium bullets. Reloading is also about the same cost.
The whisper has the advantage that one can use 5.56/223 brass to make it although it needs to be cut with a saw,
sized and trimmed. But both can be found inexpensively from once fired brass sources.
The 6.8 you need a couple of 6.8 magazines to use it. C products work great and they are inexpensive.
You will find people defending either one with great vigor and arguments. Just take some time to really understand
the designs and ballistics involved in an objective way and this way you can make sure how each will suit your needs and desires.
capitalcrew
.44 mag
You can shoot 6.8 out of regular AR mags depending on the mag. I have a 5 rounder that doesn't work and a 10 that works great.
capitalcrew
.44 mag
I only load 5 at a time for hunting with that rifle though, so I can't say it'll load to full capacity. I'm assuming not.
Yeah, you can bulge the mag if you try to stuff it to full capacity. In the same mag lengths the 6.8 results in less rounds in the mag. The 300 BLK was designed with that in mind. like Mek posted it is comparing apples to oranges. They are both designed for 2 different missions. The 6.8 is the ballistic superior round. Which is its advantage.
here is an article that covered both rounds in 2012.
Ask Foghorn: 6.8 SPC versus 300 BLK? - The Truth About Guns
Uzi
.308 Win
Oh my god here we go yet again..... 
Uzi
.308 Win
meketrefe
.450/400 Nitro Ex
Lets be a bit realistic and pragmatic and unlike other forums, provide some objective information.
That article from 2012 is a joke. It seems like a blackout infomercial with so many inaccurate things.
They compare it to the rounds they want to compare it and not the best rounds for each caliber.
They also say it improves on the 7.62x39 that is a false statement. I even read online some people comparing
it between the 7.62x39 and the 30-30. Maybe in another world, not on this one.
People believe the marketing mambo jambo because the average guy has no clue about ballistics and/or
he/she is too lazy to look it up... or it might be a caliber or tacticool evangelist or marketing guy trying to
sell people something. We had rsilvers in other forums trying to sell us the blackout when we had been shooting
the whisper and many others for many years. As a result he has been banned from many places not becuase
of the caliber but for misrepresentations and for pushing the marketing BS.
Once I get some time I am going to put a comparative thread with all popular AR15 calibers that I own and
have tested with a wide selection of commercial ammo and reloads. I am not even going to get into
more exotic wildcats and just the most popular ones.
That article from 2012 is a joke. It seems like a blackout infomercial with so many inaccurate things.
They compare it to the rounds they want to compare it and not the best rounds for each caliber.
They also say it improves on the 7.62x39 that is a false statement. I even read online some people comparing
it between the 7.62x39 and the 30-30. Maybe in another world, not on this one.
People believe the marketing mambo jambo because the average guy has no clue about ballistics and/or
he/she is too lazy to look it up... or it might be a caliber or tacticool evangelist or marketing guy trying to
sell people something. We had rsilvers in other forums trying to sell us the blackout when we had been shooting
the whisper and many others for many years. As a result he has been banned from many places not becuase
of the caliber but for misrepresentations and for pushing the marketing BS.
Once I get some time I am going to put a comparative thread with all popular AR15 calibers that I own and
have tested with a wide selection of commercial ammo and reloads. I am not even going to get into
more exotic wildcats and just the most popular ones.
I didn't get that from the article. What I got the 6.8 was superior ballisticly and the 300 was good out to 200 with a simple barrel swap.
The summary of the article
"Like I said at the beginning, it all depends on what you want to do.
If all you’re looking at is muzzle energy and long distance performance, then 6.8 SPC is the clear winner. Its a field tested and battle proven cartridge with a huge following that can put animals down at longer distances than 5.56 NATO. And if you’re comfortable with the slightly more complex world of parts and ammunition, then go for it.
But if you’re looking for something for hitting living animals up to 200 yards away, does better than 5.56, uses all your existing gear, can swap easily from supersonic to subsonic and is easily suppressed, then 300 BLK is the winner. It may not be a great long distance round, but the compatibility with existing gear really was the feature that sealed the deal for me.
I like 300 BLK. But then again, you knew that already. And really, if I wanted something harder hitting or for longer distances, 7.62 NATO would be my choice."
Ask Foghorn: 6.8 SPC versus 300 BLK? - The Truth About Guns
The summary of the article
"Like I said at the beginning, it all depends on what you want to do.
If all you’re looking at is muzzle energy and long distance performance, then 6.8 SPC is the clear winner. Its a field tested and battle proven cartridge with a huge following that can put animals down at longer distances than 5.56 NATO. And if you’re comfortable with the slightly more complex world of parts and ammunition, then go for it.
But if you’re looking for something for hitting living animals up to 200 yards away, does better than 5.56, uses all your existing gear, can swap easily from supersonic to subsonic and is easily suppressed, then 300 BLK is the winner. It may not be a great long distance round, but the compatibility with existing gear really was the feature that sealed the deal for me.
I like 300 BLK. But then again, you knew that already. And really, if I wanted something harder hitting or for longer distances, 7.62 NATO would be my choice."
Ask Foghorn: 6.8 SPC versus 300 BLK? - The Truth About Guns
fartgamer
.223 Rem
ManrisFrack
6.5 Creedmoor
I've got a 6.8. I've killed a couple mature bucks with it. Mine is set up with a 6" MPBR at about 240 yrds and it's still got right around 1000 ft-lbs at that range. But I'll be honest - it's tough to feed in this state without reloading. It's primarily an AR-15 caliber (no manufacturers make anything other than ARs in 6.8 anymore). In a state with a ban, it's not surprising that there isn't much reasonably priced ammo around.
As an example, Ventura Munitions has the XM68GD load for $17 per 20 (Palmetto State Armory had it as low as $10 per 20 a year ago, but I think those days are gone). It uses a bonded, Fusion type bullet and has developed a great reputation as a deer and hog killer but good luck getting it in NY. Sure, you can almost always find the Remington crap or the Hornady 120SST load that is decent, but you'll definitely pay over $1 per round to source it locally.
The gem in this situation is this... there are at least 4 different major brass manufacturers and a large number of bullets that work well. You can also net $0.25/case for your once fired if you want to offset factory ammo cost. Basically it's a very manageable caliber if you reload or can order ammo online.
What exactly do you want out of your AR build? You want a pistol or a rifle? How much viable hunting range do you need? What do you consider the cutoff for ethical hunting? Will you reload and do you trust your reloads for defense? Are you okay using special mags that will probably be metal? Do you really need to save the money that a bolt and mags are going to cost? Both will do the job of HD and hunting in a lot of situations so you really need to figure out what details matter most to you.
As an example, Ventura Munitions has the XM68GD load for $17 per 20 (Palmetto State Armory had it as low as $10 per 20 a year ago, but I think those days are gone). It uses a bonded, Fusion type bullet and has developed a great reputation as a deer and hog killer but good luck getting it in NY. Sure, you can almost always find the Remington crap or the Hornady 120SST load that is decent, but you'll definitely pay over $1 per round to source it locally.
The gem in this situation is this... there are at least 4 different major brass manufacturers and a large number of bullets that work well. You can also net $0.25/case for your once fired if you want to offset factory ammo cost. Basically it's a very manageable caliber if you reload or can order ammo online.
What exactly do you want out of your AR build? You want a pistol or a rifle? How much viable hunting range do you need? What do you consider the cutoff for ethical hunting? Will you reload and do you trust your reloads for defense? Are you okay using special mags that will probably be metal? Do you really need to save the money that a bolt and mags are going to cost? Both will do the job of HD and hunting in a lot of situations so you really need to figure out what details matter most to you.