I am very seriously considering the 6.8 SPC for my next AR build. I have read all of the FAQ and anything else I can get my hands on. One thing that I have not found, and I hope you guys can answer, is whether or not you can ethically take a deer with a 6.8 SPC round without having to go for a neck or head shot. I typically hunt with a Savage 110 .270. I use 130 grain ballistic silvertip bullets. I have never had any trouble killing deer with this gun. I have read that you can load 130 grain bullets in the 6.8 but I have not heard results of anyone taking a whitetail with a typical shoulder or behind the shoulder shot.

Have any of you have experience with the 6.8 that you would like to share? I take deer hunting very seriously and have seen too many deer not recovered or wounded from shooters using the wrong caliber. Rifle season is closed now here in Michigan but an acquaintance of mine wounded and/or didn't recover two deer from using is bolt action .223 and taking bad shots.

If I am going to invest the money into an AR hunting rifle then I want to put in the time and effort to make sure that the caliber I choose will ethically take the animal that I am after.

Any help would be appreciated.

I'm using Hornady 120gr SST and took a nice doe last week. Lung shot at 25 yards and the deer made about 15 yds from point of shot.

Several guys I hunt with have used the same round for shots out to 150 yds.  with no problems.

The 6.8SPC is IMHO a great round for whitetail and even the big whitetail in Michigan and Wisconsin. You dont need neck shots and wont track deer for miles with a properly placed vital shot. I used a 300 win mag for years with Remington Core Lokt 150grain  and the deer I shot ran 30-40 yards with a double lung or heart shot. This year I built a 6.8 and I shot a 200lb 9 point. He ran maybe 35 yards from where I first shot him. I was using 110 grain Sierra Pro Hunters from SSA. Check out 68forums.com under the hunting section. The 6.8 is a great round for hogs but they are taking elk, black bear and I think one guy took a caribou. They also have a lot of pictures on the devastation the 6.8 has on the inside of some of these animals and Im sure they will put your mind at ease. I dont know what kind of area you hunt but I hunt corn fields and even thick oak scrubs. I feel that if I had to take a 150+ yard shot that the 6.8 would be able to accomplish that without a problem. If you look around 300-400 yards seem to be the limit for an ethical kill shot depending on the bullet you select.

Perfect information. Thanks

I typically hunt in Oak forests where a long shot is 70 yards.

I am not a fan of folks trying to hunt with calibers that are not up to the task but the 6.8 is not only OK for deer but actually more like very good.

The flat trajectory takes away lots of the error that could come into play with less than great range estamates with something like a 30-30 and
although it doesn't have the power of the bigger 30 cal rounds most folks without a lot of heavy caliber experience are going to shoot it better.

At some point you might want to steer away from the very long range shots but what percentage of whitetail hunting does that cover anyhow?

Take some time to practise with the gun, not just off the bench at the range but some kind of practise shooting from different positions that you would be likely to use in your hunting locations.

Useing premium hunting loads or handloads with premium hunting bullets will also be the way to go. Yeah they are expensive but with hunting and practise you are going to use like 2 or 3 boxes in a year. (yeah,use the regular ammo for most of your practise but finish up with the actual stuff you will be useing on the hunt ).

Ultimately there are very few hunts gone wrong by failure to use a big enough cartridge but  many flubbed shots by folks useing a caliber they
couldn't really handle or didn't have much experience with.

To sum up: Get the 6.8 , practise with it so you are confident of your ability to hit at certain ranges and then limit your shots to those ranges you have confidence in.

The fact that the OP is even takeing the time to worry if he will make good clean kills with this caliber/gun leads me to believe he will be a good hunter.

Final note to the OP-We want photos when you slay Bambi!

If anyone else is interested I found this thread on 68forums:
http://68forums.com/forums/showthread.php?34053-Shot-Placement

Looks like people are not having any problems killing deer with a shoulder shot.

The 6.8 is a great round for white tail, especially for a novice who is familiar with the AR platform.  You really won't find a more well rounded cartridge.  

I've taken 4 with it and the farthest they have gone is about 50 yards.  Check out the 68forums for the best information.

Last year, a buddy of mine took a whitetail buck with his 6.8, 110gr ProHunter, a javelina, 2 coyotes, and a fox.  Then his wife took her deer with it, too - all with the same load.  All one shot kills, and most of them dropped where shot.  Convinced him, and convinced me - it's all he's hunted with this year, all his wife has hunted with as well, and I'm in the process of researching a 6.8 build myself so my scrawny 13yo can have a rifle to hunt with next year.

Very very informative. I have been shopping for a .308 and just recently considered a 6.8.

Thank you guys.

6.8's a great round. i hunted with mine for the first time this rifle season using 120SST's. took a nice 8, 2 does and 3 coyotes. all massive internal damage, heart shots on 2 of the deer, longest tracking job was 25 yards. Build one, you wont regret it!!

68 forums for info. Load with Barnes 110 tsx. After reading all the stuff bill Wilson has put down I went with an 11.3 inch barrel from him like he uses on his go to gun.

All good info above.
Also, another good thing. Bullet(common) range from 85gr to 140 Berger. So you have a caliber with a fast yote(some use an 85gr for deer) load, medium size deer/Elk[small to medium within effective range]/ Even Sambar bullet & long range target round.

Endyo, It depends on your range to hunt & shoot. As said the max effective range is around 350-400 depending on load. So, if you shoot further the .308 will do better. It is better at long range target & hunting 500+. However, it is heavier, more expensive & recoil. Also, the AR-15 platform has more choices & options.

To get back to the OP, yes, you can put many 130gr, not all. (Based on mag length & bullet/powder space inside the case.) Most use 95 TTSX (min effective vel. 1600fps), various 100 & 110 or 120 SST loads for deer.

SSA Prohunters.   3 shots / 3 deer / past 3 years.  WI corn fed whitetails.   No wall hangers, but i felt the round was as effective as any other Ive used.   (max range was 100 yards).  

LOVE the 6.8

I've now killed 12 deer with my 6.8; the largest field-dressed 178, the longest was just over 300 yards.

I've used the 85-grain TSX, the 110-grain V-Max, and the 110-grain Accubond. In all honesty, I still like the V-Max best of all; it performs great at 6.8 velocities and at longer ranges it iwll expand better than other heavier-built bullets.

I've shot deer in the heart, lungs, shoulders, and neck, with no problems recovering any except for the old, overmature doe I shot at over 300 yards; the exit went through her leg (after hitting the heart) and left no blood trail. She ran about 100 yards, but I found her. I've had similar problems with much larger calibers; the solution is to not try to put exit wounds through legs if you can keep from it; broadside or quartering-on shots are best.

I've killed somewhere around 150 deer in my life, with everything from arrows up to .300 Weatherby, and looked over the shoulder at many more kills, and I frankly find -0- reason to ever use anything larger than the 6.8 when shots can be limited to 300 yards; beyond that range I'm still prone to using a much larger caliber, not for the power but for the flatter trajectory.

YMMV.

I've taken three whitetails with my 12.5" 6.8.

All using the 85 grain TSX from SSA.

None made it more than 15 feet. Heart/Lung shots on two, high shoulder on the other.

Great round for deer.

I am in process of building a 6.8 for whitetails. It has more energy than a 30-30 and they have taken plent of deer. For te past five ears or so I have used an M4 in 223 for my whitetail rifle. I think I took 9 in that time and all died within site. I hunt small bodied deer at close ranges in the woods of Missouri. In my opinion the correct load and shot placement is key.

No shootable bucks have crossed paths of my ARP 6.8 (ranch rules are 10 points or better) but it has proven to be wicked killer of hogs, with most being dead in there tracks even the 210 pounder that started charging me at 150 yards

I have a Stag upper with a Spike's lower and RRA 2 stage trigger.
I wanted to use this as my primary deer rifle this year.
I didn't get to shoot a buck but my 6 year old took this doe with it
all by himself..
That is the exit hole you see behind the front shoulder.
Ammo was the 120sst.  He shot her broad side at 100 yards.
I am very pleased so far.  Will be doing more testing next month
on some hogs.

Dang! 10pt or better!
"Can't eat the horns (Antlers)!"
Tag soup taste like paper/cardboard.

_____________

Oh, hey, OP, if your still wondering what a 6.8 will do hunting wise, check out the video in the Thread:

Hunt Wicked Close - DD/ Ambush 6.8

I'd say it works...




My son's first deer was taken this past September with my 6.8SPC using a 100gr Nosler Accubond. 100yd shoulder shot blew through the spine, obliterating the vertebra and exiting the other side.  DRT.  We got 75lbs of meat off of her, so figuring you only get ~50% of the deer's weight in meat, she was ~150lbs on-the-hoof.  
I've taken 3 other deer with the 110gr Accubonds, all pass-throughs:



Entrance:




Exit:









Using the right bullet, the 6.8x43 can be effective on deer out to 300yds if you do your part.





 

 

OP, like all others considering the 6.8, I say go join up on 68forums. Coldair, WVHunter,  myself, and a couple of others are members there, and so are the guys that made it what it is today. You will get straight answers, great info, and they're all a good bunch of folks. Look in the hunting section. Lots of deer taken at 200 yards and much further with SBRs, 10.5" -12.5" and the like pretty much DRT.  16-20" barrels give you a good bit more, especially with a 110gr bullet of good construction.

HTR ( Chris Lucci ) of Wild River Ranch, is testing a new 80gr ( I think that's the final weight ) that is devastating, and can be driven very fast. Raptor is the name if I remember right. Check his industry forum over there. His analysis of damage after he does a necropsy is in depth and detailed. He's a doctor, as well as running a ranch now and being a hunting guide, and his insights are very good. He takes hundreds of animals yearly, and has been key in the testing and development of several bullets by several companies.

Loonybin, the boy looks just like you. No denying that one. lol

Oh yeah!


He's Mine
 
 

lol yeah. Good song. Mine's the same way for me. No denying that boy. Doesn't look as much like me as he used to, but he still looks close enough. Acts like me at times though.

Thanks guys for all of the helpful information. I have joined 68forums and love the hunting section. No denying that the 6.8 will kill a deer. Keep the great pictures coming!

You should be plenty good with 6.8 for deer. I'll bet by now there are a half a dozen rounds that would be ideal for deer.

At least.

I like the 85 gr TSX and the Hornady 120 gr SST.

Another vote for the 6.8

It is my preferred go-to white tail rig.  I can't remember the last time reaching for my traditional bolt guns to hunt.

Highly recommend Silver State Armory ammo.  My RRA prints MOA at 100 yards with 110grn Pro Hunters and 85 grn Barnes TTSX, both in Tactical loads.

I'm curious OP but how do you feel about hunting deer with a .243?  I ask because I wonder why you would question the 6.8 for hunting.  I am honestly wondering what your thinking is about the caliber used for deer hunting.

there quite a few guys that have taken Elk with the 6.8 and bear

This post was dug up from 4+ months ago.. anything .22 centerfire in a rifle cartridge on up is capable of ethically taking a deer. And though I'm not the OP.. .243 is an amazing round for the reasons listed- effectice killing.. true flat projectory, plenty of killing power.


243 Win 100 gr InterLock® BTSP American Whitetail™
Test Barrel (24") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
2960/1945 2729/1653 2509/1398 2300/1175 2101/980 1912/812
Trajectory (inches)
Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
-1.50 1.60 0.00 -7.10 -20.90 -42.50



6.8mm SPC 110 gr BTHP with Cannelure
Test Barrel (16") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
2550/1588 2313/1306 2088/1065 1877/860 1680/689 1500/550
Trajectory (inches)
Muzzle 100 200 300 400 500
-2.40 2.10 0.00 -10.10 -30.00 -62.40

Here are some examples of a typical deer load r/t .243 and 6.8SPC II.. I realize the barrel length difference, however the majority of .243 win are bolt rifles so it's a accurate compairison, and the spc's average hunting barrel is 16".. the .243 win blows the 6.8spc out of the water.. consistently 300+ ft-lbs across the range, a total of 20 less inches of drop at 500 yards, and an average of about 400 FPS faster.

That being said.. OP if your still around, 6.8spcII would be my AR-platform deer rifle.. basically a .270win round, keeping the grains down to get it to fit through a ar-15 mag well, so 120gr and less.. just a fantastic all around compromise type round for all medium sized game, bucks the wind well.. hits hard enough that whatever you shoot.. wont get any deader, and ammo is available at Wal-mart..

I have a 6.8spc dedicated lower coming along I want to finish for deer season, if not my .270wsm bolt will get the call again.

With the ammo shortages of late, you don't have as hard of time finding ammo and bullets for reloading with 6.8.

I recommend it!

I only questioned using a 6.8 because I have only taken deer with larger calibers. Typically 30-06 and 7mm mag. I know that you can kill a deer with just about any caliber but if I am going to build a dedicated AR for deer hunting I don't want to run the risk of wounding a deer with a potentially incorrect placed round that was too small. If my 7 mag is off target a little you bet that deer is still dead. Even though we all practice you have to anticipate being off target at some point.

Thanks to all for the pictures and advice. I have everything I need to build my new 6.8 minus a trigger (just havent got around to it yet), handguard (still trying to decide what would be the best) and bolt carrier (ordered forever ago, still waiting.) Hopefully should be getting it all together within the next month or so as funds and parts become more available. I would like to spend the summer running some rounds and reloads through it so I am good to go next fall.

Really, if you have an AR already, all you need is a new upper & 6.8 mags.

And with the crazy .223 prices the 6.8 is almost as cheap to shoot. I pretty much quit reloading .223 because I can't find components at a reasonable price. I've switched to reloading the 6.8 and finding most of my components at reasonable prices.

Look at it this way.

The 6.8 SPC was designed to take down human sized targets. Most deer are what 85 - 220 lbs. Pretty much the same as most humans. So, if it's good enough for the military to investigate for use in combat it's good enough to use for taking deer within reasonable distances.

6.8 works great for deer, I have taken many MN whitetails with my AR's in 6.8.
I always go for the heart. have never had to track one more then 50 yards or so.
I hand load the 110gr TTSX, but just about any SP or HP/tipped big game round will work fine for them.

it is MORE THEN ethical to take deer with the 6.8