16" isn't that much less potent for hunting if you want to go shorter.
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New 6.8 build
Im interested in building a 6.8 for the sole purpose of whitetail and hog hunting. Im mostly looking for opinions on barrel, upper reciever, etc. Im not pinching pennies but I would like to keep the price reasonable. As of now all I know is I'm leaning towards an 18" barrel with a 15" Diamondhead VRS handguard but if someone thinks otherwise i would like to know why and what you would use instead. Im new to the 6.8 caliber so any information would be greatly appreciated. I know i can get a decent complete upper from PSA for $500 but i would rather have something to play with until hunting season opens anyway. If i have time i may even build a matching lower. Thanks for all of the help.
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What brands produce good barrels for a good price? Doesnt need to be match grade, furthest shot ill get in my area is about 200yds.
I have a lightweight 16" Bison barrel and a 16" lightweight ARP barrel and they sure are handy when hunting from a tree stand or from a ground blind. Also easier to maneuver in and out of a pick up if you're getting in and out a lot.
I'll second, third or forth what others have said about barrel length. Really not giving up much by going 16" over 18". I've shot a couple of Axis deer (200+ lbs) and fair number of large hogs at and beyond 200 yards with a 16" barreled SPC II. Plenty of energy to do the job. I recently added a 12.5" barreled upper and with that I only gave up about 75 fps over the 16". I really like the shorter barrel. Very handy. The 6.8 works well with shorter barrels.
The 16" is a Wilson Combat and the 12.5" is an AR Performance. Both shoot very well. The ARP is under $200.
The 16" is a Wilson Combat and the 12.5" is an AR Performance. Both shoot very well. The ARP is under $200.
Make sure you check out ARP. My 16 ARP Scout is 40 fps faster than my 18" PSA, and is also more accurate. They are a screamin' deal for under$200.What brands produce good barrels for a good price? Doesnt need to be match grade, furthest shot ill get in my area is about 200yds.
ARP barrels are generally considered much better than PSA. Most are very accurate. And they are in your pricerange of reasonable. Longterm you will likely wish you had gone ARP. Some complete uppers or maybe even rifles are probably still available here and there.Im interested in building a 6.8 for the sole purpose of whitetail and hog hunting. Im mostly looking for opinions on barrel, upper reciever, etc. Im not pinching pennies but I would like to keep the price reasonable. As of now all I know is I'm leaning towards an 18" barrel with a 15" Diamondhead VRS handguard but if someone thinks otherwise i would like to know why and what you would use instead. Im new to the 6.8 caliber so any information would be greatly appreciated. I know i can get a decent complete upper from PSA for $500 but i would rather have something to play with until hunting season opens anyway. If i have time i may even build a matching lower. Thanks for all of the help.
I agree with others. 16" for me. The 6.8 round does very well with short barrels. That is the advantage 6.8 has over the grendle. No real benifit to 18" unless its a personal thing. I shoot 12.5" and 16" barrels.
Any upper reciever recommendations? I currently have a Colt lower. Id like something with a decently tight fit and clean finish.
Aero uppers are great , barrels usually fit snug in them.
Small pin or large pin Colt lower?Any upper reciever recommendations? I currently have a Colt lower. Id like something with a decently tight fit and clean finish.
I like my 18" arp barrel a lot, it gets 3050 fps with a 90gr bullet with a stout charge of re 7 during Texas summer. .6 " groups as well. Depending on how much you want to spend mega makes really good receivers or if you want to go the less expensive route aero precision is good but you should true the receiver if going with them.
Small pin Colt.
Start with an ARP barrel and bolt. From there you can decide what "reasonable" is. Aero or PSA blem upper at ~$75 or Baddle Arms or Mega for $250-300.
Hand guards are a preference thing. I like the Midwest Industries stuff, but that diamondhead looks nice.
If you don't want to build, look at Bison Armory, I believe they a sponser here. It would give you an idea what the cost would be to buy a very nice complete upper. Good luck. Keep us updated.
Hand guards are a preference thing. I like the Midwest Industries stuff, but that diamondhead looks nice.
If you don't want to build, look at Bison Armory, I believe they a sponser here. It would give you an idea what the cost would be to buy a very nice complete upper. Good luck. Keep us updated.
You didn't say anything about your hunting style, but for me I like to keep the weight down and don't expect to shoot much past 200 yards. So, for me, an 16" ARP Scout is about perfect (and I just rec'd a 12.5" for an SBR build). For handguards, the Bravo Company KMR-A is pretty hard to beat all the way around. Very light weight, feels great, reasonably priced (~$160 if you know where to look), and perhaps the best mounting system on the market (no indexing required...but follow the instructions / torque specs carefully and you will need a heat gun).
Here is my BCM KMR-A13 over a 16" ARP Scout:
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It's a great rifle in the field and very accurate.
As far as stripped uppers go, I generally go with Aero Precision. The Bravo Company uppers, however, are undersized for the barrel extension on purpose to make for an extremely tight fit (you pretty much have to heat the upper and cool the barrel for it it to work) if that is very important to you. I have one but haven't used it because I don't like the idea of how difficult that will make removing the barrel.
Here is my BCM KMR-A13 over a 16" ARP Scout:
It's a great rifle in the field and very accurate.
As far as stripped uppers go, I generally go with Aero Precision. The Bravo Company uppers, however, are undersized for the barrel extension on purpose to make for an extremely tight fit (you pretty much have to heat the upper and cool the barrel for it it to work) if that is very important to you. I have one but haven't used it because I don't like the idea of how difficult that will make removing the barrel.
I hunt in very thick brush, usually in a climber. Keeping weight down would be a plus but im not too concerned being that im accustomed to carrying a heavy firearm. As of now im looking into an ARP 16" scout barrel, aero precision upper reciever, and a diamondhead vrs handguard. I will probably top the build with a Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40. Havent decided on muzzle brake yet. (Mainly want one because i dont have one on any of the other ARs.)
Don't discount the SBR for hunting. I have been hunting with a 12.5" 6.8 and have taken hogs at just shy of 200 yards. The best thing about it is that surpressed it is still very light weight and I can carry it all day. As far as accuracy, it is a half minute rifle, the upper I purchased it from Brett at IWT.
I will be the token dissenter. I have no problem with an 18"Bison, an ARP 20" and rebuilding a 20" Bison to an ARP 22". Also use a 700 24". Just like all the velocity I can get. Lower velocities certainly will take deer but extra velocity is not a penalty. My first 6.8 was a 16" but did not keep it very long after deciding I liked the 6.8.
Would love ❤ to be able to do that. Although cans and sbr's are legal here now, (not necessarily new) we are not allowed to hunt with them.Don't discount the SBR for hunting. I have been hunting with a 12.5" 6.8 and have taken hogs at just shy of 200 yards. The best thing about it is that surpressed it is still very light weight and I can carry it all day. As far as accuracy, it is a half minute rifle, the upper I purchased it from Brett at IWT.
OP, any new progress?
Small pin lower, can find SIG AR uppers for $59 recently and are some of the best I have used. I prefer 18" barrels for hunting and use White Oak Armament, ARP and Bison. All of my 18" barrels are faster than my 16" barrels and 14.7" hold up close to 16" velocity but below that fall off fast with every inch. FYI, believe they say it in their site but many of Bisons barrels are made by WOA. If it's truly a hunter use an 18" heavy barrel with 11° target crown and don't have additional length of flash hider to contend with. By time screw a flash hider in a 16" barrel it's about same length as an 18" without muzzle device.
+1 on the Aero receivers. I have 2 rifles with them and they are fantastic. For barrel, you can't go wrong with the ARP scout but if you want to cut a few more ounces off, I run the Wilson Combat 16" recon lightweight tactical hunter and its absolutely fantastic.
Either way, you can't go wrong with the 6.8 for deer hunting. I hunt in thick brush in a climber in norther MN and northern WI and having a lightweight 6.8 AR is the only way I will go now. Have taken two bucks with the 120 grain SSTs and am planning on trying out the Fusion 115's this fall. Both deer dropped in their tracks.
My AR10 is just a safe queen or range day girl now.
Either way, you can't go wrong with the 6.8 for deer hunting. I hunt in thick brush in a climber in norther MN and northern WI and having a lightweight 6.8 AR is the only way I will go now. Have taken two bucks with the 120 grain SSTs and am planning on trying out the Fusion 115's this fall. Both deer dropped in their tracks.
My AR10 is just a safe queen or range day girl now.
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