450 bushmaster or 6.8 Rem for AR build

[UniversalFrost]

Ok,

AR bug bit me again (was 2 year hiatus). I already completed a nice 16" CAR build and am already looking to do another, but want to deviate from the .223 /5.56 realm

I am looking at a Bushmaster flat top upper with the 20" barrel and rifle length free floated handguard in .450 bushmaster $550 price tag

of

a yankee hill machine 16" upper (flat top) with free floated carbine length handguard and includes flip up front and rear sights in 6.8 rem spc $676 price tag

I reload so that will save cash for either round. the lower will be an aeroprecision with an A2 stock. I am going to use this for plinking and maybe deer or varmints. either upper would sport an aimpoint or eotech as primary optic.

the bushy has the ability to take down just about anything on the continent at under 200 yards, but brass looks to be expensive

the YHM 6.8 upper has the BUIS already there which is a $100-140 savings and the 6.8 round seems to be cheaper to reload and also to buy factory ammo for (and have read good things on the 6.8 forum)... but what if a darn grizzly or bigfoot wanders my way?? (if the 6.8 was a midlength or rifle length it would be a dead done deal!)

your input please

 

[Mags]

If you go 6.8 check out Bison Armory, they have a better quality upper at about 100 bucks less or more depending on your build.Oh yeah they make mid length and intermediate length gas systems on their uppers.

 

[UniversalFrost]

just built the same upper at bison armory website and it was 854 (without the rear sight).... did like some of the options they offer, but was not cheaper when all said and done. and most of the parts were YHM anyway, which is the same as what i can get $200 cheaper with a rear BUIS

 

[amprecon]

I didn't like AR's at all until they became offered in a more significant caliber such as 6.8. Now I just can't put the thing down, I love it. I got to shoot my first 5.56 AR carbine last week and between it and my 6.8 middy neither of us could really tell the difference in recoil. So, why not go to a larger caliber?
I don't have an opinion on the 450, I figure it's more of a specialty round than the 6.8. I feel the 6.8 is akin to a .270 short and in a versatile platform.

 

[Mags]

Okay, I built a rifle length hand guard mid length gas system with stag bolt for 587, add som MBUS for 80 bucks and you are at 667. http://www.bisonarmory.com/store_1618_rifle.htm

 

[UniversalFrost]

no stag bolt (they are junk from my experience). and i wanted free float barrel (built to same specs as the YHM upper) and bison was more expensive.... if i wanted to build or buy on the cheap I would look at the bison.

 

[NWCP]

For plinking and varmints the 6.8 SPC would seem to be the logical choice. I can't see varmint hunting with a .450.

 

[Mags]

Also check out 68forums if you want more info on the 6.8.

 

[UniversalFrost]

Also check out 68forums if you want more info on the 6.8.

already did , but thanks for mentioning.

 

[Mags]

Wow, you seem on it. Looks like you have done your research. What are you waiting for then go and get that new 6.8! Oh and pics are expected.

 

[UniversalFrost]

Well here is what the upper will look like

 

[MCMXI]

Personally, I'd choose the .450 Bushmaster since the 6.8 SPC is too close to the 5.56x45mm to be of much interest to me. In fact, that's exactly what I plan to do for a BM lower that I have laying around. I'm planning on a 20" barrel. In your case, if you want to "plink" or hunt varmints then use your 5.56. If you want to hunt deer then use the .450 Bushmaster. Do you own any .45 caliber handguns such as .45 ACP, .45 Colt or .454 Casull? Since you reload, if you have .45 cal handguns, you can use the same bullets and won't need to invest in bullets just for the 6.8 SPC.

The only downside of the .450 BM that I can see is that BM doesn't offer followers/springs to convert 5.56 mags to .450 BM mags. They sell .450 BM mags but they're not cheap.

 

[aubie515]

I'd get a 458 Socom over a 450 Bushmaster only because you get a huge variety of bullets and you can use AR15 mags. the 458S does not require different mags and AR15 mags are dirt cheap.

The 6.8 is a neat hunting cartridge. I just picked one up not too long ago. I wanted something with more power compared to .223, but I wanted it light enough to be able to carry it in the field for hunting all day long.

 

[TonyAngel]

If you are going to plink with the rifle, I'd look to a 6.8. I haven't shot the 6.8 that much and really haven't been too impressed with the accuracy results that I've seen, so I haven't taken much of an interest in it, although I'm sure that someone must have a 6.8 that will shoot sub MOA.

That having been said, I've never had nor even shot a 450 Bushmaster, but I have had a .50 Beowulf. I've gotta tell ya, the thrill that I got from that rifle didn't last long. Anything over 20 rounds got to be more like work than fun.

 

[Rokman]

My 6.8 SPC was my first build and I have been completely satisfied with it. Mine is a mid-length 18" and it actually shoots very well. My plan is to deer hunt with it and leave the varmint/plinking stuff to my 5.56 AR's.

 

[UniversalFrost]

well, after some reading and thinking over everything I settled for the 6.8

I had planned on building another dedicated AR for it from a noveske matched upper and lower, but I found a complete gun on gunbroker for about half of what I had planned on spending.

 

[UniversalFrost]

Here is the gun i just won for $600



SPC II chamber and 1:11 twist.

I already have a cardinal forge flat topped stripped upper I am going to use and switch out the A2 upper. Might also switch to a YHM gas block with flip up sight.

 

[carnaby]

Nice rifle. What brand? I put that Magpul CTR stock on my son's rifle, I really like it.

 

[Wild Bunch]

Have you checked out AR15performance.com? The guys on Snipershide, 6.8Forums, and Calguns all say pretty good things about the guns he builds. I was planning on a 6.8 upper but decided to go 308 instead, as they have new lighter weight upper that yields a complete gun at 7.5 lbs. Regardless of whether my next purchase is 6.8 or 308 I know who I'm going to have build the upper.

 

[carnaby]

Here's a couple of my Bison rifles. First, my 16" 6.8 recon:

This is built on a billet receiver set from Mega Machine. The PRI carbon fiber fore end is as light as they come, and the Geissele trigger is superb. This one has the ITS Super Bolt, and a chrome carrier from Young Mfg.

And my 20" 6.8 target gun:

Built on a matched billet receiver set from SI Defense, this one has the adjustable Geissele match trigger, LMT enhanced bolt, Young Mfg Match carrier, Magpul PRS stock, and the varmint fore end from White Oak.

It's fun to play with toys like these when it's part of your job

 

[momchenr]

If you're looking for the thump of a .45 caliber AR platform I'd recommend .458 socom over the .450B as well. Feeding the specialty calibers gets to be expensive, so as long as you're reloading your own ammo, you might as well take advantage of the wide range of bullet weights for the socom round. I think you're more limited with the .450B in terms of bullet weight, though they probably sport the same effective range. If I'm not mistaken, you can use the same mags as you're already using for 5.56, so that's one less thing to buy. I'm pretty sure you have to modify stock GI mags to accept the .450B round.

 

[UniversalFrost]

the gun i picked up has an LMT lower with RRA 2 stage trigger and well I already described the rest of the upper.

sending out the money order today.