6.8 SPC for brown fur?

[BARatdistance]

Hello all, I am trying out a new barrel for my TC contender G2 rifle; a 23" 6.8 Rem SPC, 1/10 "twist bull barrel, topped with a rock solid mounted Leupold Vari-XII, 3-9x40. From what I've read, in the real world, it should haul a 110 gr accubond bullet or TSX bullet about 2750 FPS at the muzzle. I generally hunt the Adirondack Mountains of New York, which hold some of the biggest bodied whitetails in the east and am wondering if it will get the job done. I hunted those mountains long enough to know that I want to be carrying a lightweight gun that hits where its pointed up to 150 yards, and will pass through the deer at any angle, putting him on the ground sooner than later, should the weather make it tough to track him. This 6.8 SPC is supposed to have an edge over the 30-30 at all distances. Knowing what my 30-30 can do, do any of you have experiences with the 6.8?

 

[NomadPilot]

Yep. Mine's an AR, though. The 110gr Sierra ProHunter is probably more commonly used on whitetail deer. It'll put them down as well as any other. If you're going to use TSX, use the 85gr instead of the 110. And watch for pressure signs. They've gone to a 1:11 twist (vs the 270Win 1:10 twist) and SPCII (larger) chamber as standard to decrease pressure and increase MV. If your factory ammo is intended for those guns, you might see some flattened primers.

 

[cavtrooper94]

It will work just fine. Just do your job and put it in the right spot. On deer your good up to 200 yards or so.

 

[dk17hmr]

110 V-max loaded with 28.2gr of H322, Remington cases, winchester Large Rifle primer.....roughly 2650 out of my 20" barrel 1:9.5 twist

42 yard shot it ran another 50 yards and tipped over, blood on both sides of the trail in the snow, I pulled his heart out in 3 peices. The 110gr V-max did exactly what everyone said it wouldnt do, exit. He was on his feet for 15 seconds after the shot and didnt kick much once he was on the ground. 160 pounds dress and sported a 9 point rack.

I have since changed my barrel out to a Bison Armory barrel with a 1:11 twist and upped my powder charge a bit. I think for hunting I would opt for a Accubond or a Barnes, but if your shots a close dont over look the V-max. Its a great little round, if I ever have kids they will be using a 6.8 for hunting. Light recoil, decent bullet selection, and enough horse power in my opinion for everything up to elk at close range.

 

[RT2506]

I don't have a 6.8 but I have used the Accubond bullets and they are great. They fly and are accurate like the ballistic tips and start to open up like the ballistic tips on impact but they hold together and keep on trucking like the partitions. If you put one through the shoulders of a deer from your 6.8 at 2700 fps with in the yardage you stated you better have a sharp skinning knife because you will be using it to skin out your deer.

 

[Darren H]

Obviously the V-max worked this time at close range. I would not advise using this round as a deer hunting round though. There are better bullets such as the barnes XXX . The V-Max has too thin of a jacket to penetrate med skinned animals to hit the vitals and fragments copper and lead into all ajoining meat surrouding the entrance wound.

 

[BARatdistance]

thanks for the photo, once the deer is lying on the ground, thats pretty convincing that the caliber is up to the task

 

[dk17hmr]

Obviously the V-max worked this time at close range. I would not advise using this round as a deer hunting round though. There are better bullets such as the barnes XXX . The V-Max has too thin of a jacket to penetrate med skinned animals to hit the vitals and fragments copper and lead into all ajoining meat surrouding the entrance wound.

When pushed to the top end of what the bullet is designed it wont penetrate, in theory. The bullet was designed long before the 6.8 hit the gun racks. So that leaves prertty much just the 270 Win or 270 Weatherby....both can push that bullet to 3500 prertty easy. When you slow the bullet down you slow the expansion....at 2650fps it is far less explosive than at 3500fps.

Dont get me wrong there are better bullets but the V-max works at slowerr speeds.

 

[BARatdistance]

some guys think I'd better off with my bolt action 30-30 within 150 yards and they have a legitimate point, so we'll see if the accuracy of the 6.8 is the tie breaker.

 

[adam]

Take a little hike over to the 6.8 forums and look in the hunting pictures area.... you will see some LARGE animals taken...
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I have such confidence in my 6.8 that I put away all of my bolt guns for the Wisconsin deer season. I have and love a variety of super magnums, and hunted with them for 20+ years. however the 6.8 just works so well for me.. i love it.

I have shot six DRT deer over the last 3 years. Last year i shot a pair of large does at 22o yards. high shoulder, bang flop. complete pass through. postmortem is convincing... anyone who says its not enough , well, lets just smile and let them pretend they know all! We know the truth. If you lost an animal, it certainly wouldn't be the fault of the cartridge.


I am shooting a pretty mild load under 110 seirras. really only pushing them @2550 fps, and i would have no problem tangling with even the largest whitetail out to 300yds with that combo. SOOOO acurate....

I echo the earlier posts about getting a 1:11 twist with the spcII chamber... MUCH better, easier to load hot. I would also have switched to the 85 gr Barnes had i not already purchased so many Prohunters. Seems to really be a killer on the big hogs.

90gr TnT's are also very accurate. I put 10 semi rapid fire rounds into one jagged hole @100yds measuring 7/8" during load development. Lets see ANY 30-30 do that.

There is really no advantage to go longer than 18 or 20 inches of barrel or bullets heavier than120gr. The case capacity is simply not suited to the larger bullets and 16 inches will get you 90-95% of the performance of the 18-22 inch barrels.

The cartridge was designed for effective performance from short barrels in lightweight packages. If you attempt to "improve" the performance, by seating heavy bullets way out there, you will have worked very hard to create a 7mm-08 with lesser performance.

 

[adam]

I Just re-read your first post.. you should have no problem getting that velocity from that package. I would consider the 85 gr Barnes in a shorter barrel however.. for all practicable purposes we are looking at a 300yd max gun.

The 85gr can achieve 3000 fps from barrels as short as 12" and will shoot much flatter across that distance. It will also be much easier to load really hot without pressure problems using the common chambers available, even if you ended up with a 1:10 Saami chamber. Drop and drift past 300 will definitely be more pronounced, however at that distance.... I'm hauling out a bigger smoke pole.

Its still capable of deep penetration with excellent wound cavity. Many many tough hogs to 400lbs have been with that bullet.

That said, nothing wrong with your choice... it will drop them like a hammer to the forehead.

 

[BARatdistance]

thanks adam......definately restored my confidence, I'll keep you guys posted with the accuracy, but from a break action barrel, I suspect less than MOA@100 yards.