[Brazos]

Have any of you shot a deer w/ a 6.8SPC? What are the specifics (distance, size of animal, etc.) How did it perfrom? Thinking about a G2 Contender in that caliber but it seems marginal but it should work for shots 150 yards and less.

Thanks,

Brazos

[R.W.Dale]

I'm far from an spc fanboy

but with the right bullets you should be good on whitetail out to 300yds EASY

[bpl]

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/comparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=PRC68R4*R270W2

I'd say a 200-250 yard deer cartridge. Above is compared to a 130gr 270 Win, as its basically a 270 short.

[Bigfoot]

I'd say a 200-250 yard deer cartridge. Above is compared to a 130gr 270 Win, as its basically a 270 short.

That's because you used those Remington graphs. With a longer OAL and higher pressures in a single shot or bolt action he could have a 110 grain Accubond with a .37 BC at or above 3000 fps. Like Krochus, said whitetail at 300 EASY.

Of course a if a fella had one of those rifles he isn't limited to the short OAL and a 257 Roberts, 260, 7mm-08 could be loaded down to the same recoil as the 6.8 and still could be as effective and they maintain the advantage of shooting factory loads for less expense, more power, etc.

[Brazos]

So far nobody has claimed actually using a 6.8 to take a deer. Lots of AR15's were sold this year so maybe after deer season gets underway some people will try out the 6.8 for hunting. On paper it should work but its no 270 Win. I just thought it may be a good fit for a G2 Contender pistol. I could get an Encore pistol with plenty of proven choices in deer calibers but the Encore is a little big.

[R.W.Dale]

I have not killed deer with a 6.8 BUT I have killed deer with a similar though not quite as powerfull cartridge, from an ar15 no less.

See the top link in my signature

[Bigfoot]

IC. People have killed elk with it but it's a bit small for that IMHO. It's a heck of a deer/hog caliber. Here is the hunting section of a great 6.8 forum, I think it requires registation but if you're interested in the 6.8 it's THE place for good information.

http://68forums.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=59

[rbernie]

115gr Hornady OTMs loaded to 2500fps gave me thru-and-thru shots on several deer (120lb) at 100-125 yards and on several 200lb-250lb hog (75 yards or less, usually around 35 yards).

It's not marginal for thin-skinned game under 400lbs and inside of 300 yards.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=480040

[kanook]

I have shot 2 deer with the 6.8spc. The first one was a nice 6 (seven one tine broke) point that came in at 135lbs. He came up from behind me and walked under my stand, so pretty much anything would have worked. He walked out about 15' turned, looked up at me and I sent one in the boiler room. He went about 20' and piled up nicely.

The second one was a doe at about 75 yards. DRT. The bullet (SSA 110) went in behind the left shoulder and destroyed the right shoulder when it exited the body. So much so, we left the shoulder attached because of meat damage.

Do I like the 6.8? Yes

Would I rather have one in a bolt over the AR platform? Yes

Ruger says that they have one out, but I haven't seen one yet at the shows. I have a NIB 300 win that I'm hoping to trade for it.

[Kernel]

Conventional wisdom says you need a minumum of 1,000 ft-lbs to anchor a deer sized animal. If we accept this as a good rule-of-thumb, then with a 130 gr bullet the 6.8 SPC should be good well past 400 yds. With the 115 gr bullet it's good out to a hair over 200 yds.

[rbernie]

I'd never heard that specific "conventional wisdom" until it was posted it in another subforum here last week. The "minimum energy' used to be 800ft/lbs, and even that gave a large margin of error.

My experience has been that bullet construction is far more important than energy level theory.

[Kernel]

You see different values for ft-lbs. It varies, just like the size of deer can vary, and so many other things. The connection between effectiveness and kinetic energy is arbitrary, anyway, but it‘s still fun to try and hang a number on it.

[Zak Smith]

I posted to several threads about my "6.8 SPC" deer.

[bpl]

Well, the max loads I see listed for 110-115gr loads in the 6.8 SPC seem to get about 2600fps. Are there really safe loads that send this weight bullet at over 3000fps? If so, a 6.8 SPC bolt gun might be more interesting!

[Zak Smith]

No.

That's .257 Roberts+P territory.

You don't need it for deer, though.

[R.W.Dale]

Well, the max loads I see listed for 110-115gr loads in the 6.8 SPC seem to get about 2600fps. Are there really safe loads that send this weight bullet at over 3000fps? If so, a 6.8 SPC bolt gun might be more interesting!

NO, I've seen velocities claimed for 6.8 carbines that outperform 270 in a rifle

6.8 ophiles will justify such loads by going with MAGIC twist rates and throwing words such as "optmized" about. But essentally all that means is that they have no idea whatsoever as to the pressures they're running.

[bpl]

So, its basically a 200-250yrd deer cartridge. :D

[JASmith]

200-250 yards for confidence with both aiming and lethality for deer with the 6.8 SPC is about right.

You can see a more detailed discussion in http://shootersnotes.com/?page_id=133