Whether at the range or in the field, these 6.8 SPC ammo options will split the bullseye.
What Are The Best 6.8 SPC Ammo Options:
For many, the 6.8 SPC II is better off eating home-cooked meals. Given the cartridge’s—more exactly its chamber design—troubled history, factory-loaded ammo leaves many shooters wanting. Not that the stuff is ineffective, it’ll still put down game and hit the mark. But given the original 6.8 SPC chamber design is what’s on file at the Shooting Arm and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI) many offerings are a bit mild.
That said, not all is lost for those without a press and a die library. Those dedicated to turning out 6.8 SPC ammo at this point in the cartridge’s history cook up some pretty potent options. Purpose loaded to take game, split the bullseye or defend the homestead, there are quality choices fit for the cartridge’s primary purposes. Here are six we load up on when it’s time to dust off our 6.8 rifles.
Hunting
Hornady 100-grain GMX Full Boar
Hog hunting buoyed the prospects of the 6.8 SPC, a fact not lost on Hornady. Specifically tailored to get pigs squealing, its 100-grain Full Boar 6.8 SPC ammo is designed to hold together against the notoriously tough critters. This is thanks to Hornady turning to its rock-solid GMX monometal bullet.
A solid-copper projectile, the 100-grain bullet (.274 BC*), retains 95-plus-percent of its original weight, ensuring ample penetration, even through bone. At the same tick, the GMX bullet has a respectable expansion profile. An old trick by Hornady, the projectile’s polymer tip guarantees it mushrooms even at decreased velocities. Range-wise, like most 6.8 SPC ammo, 300-yards in is optimal—plenty enough for most dedicated hog hunters.
American Eagle 90-grain Varmint & Predator
Certainly, the 6.8 SPC doesn’t reach out like a .22-250 Remington or .204 Ruger. The right load, however, and the cartridge is solid in medium-range attempts at pint-sized critters and predators. Topped with Speer TNT bullets and loaded hot, American Eagle’s 85-grain small-game medicine is one such option.
TNT bullets are the real deal when it comes to varmint hunting. First off, the bullet’s terminal ballistics are in a word, explosive. A thin, internally fluted jacket around a core of soft lead leads to instant bullet disruption at the target producing dramatic and definitive hits on small game. An added bonus for fur hunters, there’s rarely pass through, thus a better pelt.
As to reaching the target, TNT offers an excellent ballistic coefficient—.275 in this case—leading to flatter trajectories. As to the 6.8 SPC ammo’s velocity, just shy of 3,000 fps at the muzzle (2,990 fps to be exact) it definitely gives the cartridge some reach.
Hornady 120-grain SST Custom
Hog hunters aren’t the only ones who benefit from taking the 6.8 SPC afield. Those shooting to fill a deer tag in environments where medium-range shots are the norm find the nearly two-decade cartridge a boon. Floating at the top of the weight spectrum for the 6.8 SPC ammo, Hornady’s 120-grain Custom fills this role admirably and perhaps expands its use—say elk.
Again, we’re talking about a close to short-medium range choice, 300-yard in for the best results. The SST (Super Shock Tip) bullet does boast a respectable ballistic coefficient—.400—and the ammo has decent muzzle velocity for the bullet weight—2,460 fps. Still, at 400 yards, the projectile falls in excess of 30 inches, which isn’t the easiest to control for.
Get the round on target and you can expect excellent results, however. The SST is essentially Hornady’s Interlock bullet with a polymer tip, an improved design of a projectile generations of hunters have trusted.
More Info On The 6.8 SPC:
Home Defense
Silver State Armory 90-grain BSB
Granted some of the more famed loads are no longer part of SSA’s catalog since it was acquired by Nosler. But the brand still maintains a dynamite selection of options, particularly in the realm of defensive 6.8 SPC ammo. For all intents and purposes, it’s 90-grain BSB (Bonded Solid Base) is a rehash of Nosler Defensive Rifle offering for the caliber. This is good, given the line has some desirable qualities.
First and foremost, the bullet design (the protected tip in particular) guarantees it functions flawlessly in nearly any rifle. An important quality, unless you live for the thrill of clearing malfunctions in life or death situations. Furthermore, the projectile hits hard and opens a devastating wound channel.
There are a couple of things at work here. The soft point tip is semi-flattened, in turn, offers more surface area to initiate expansion. Then there’s the bonded core. Done at the molecular level, the core and jacket stay in one piece pushing a greater amount of mass through the target on a straighter course.
Aim at vital, you’ll hit a vital and bore a neutralizing hole through it.
At 90-grains (.227 BC, 2,850 fps) the BCB is also extremely easy to manage, even out of a short-barreled rifle or pistol. In turn, it can run fast shot to shot.
Target/Match
American Eagle 115-grain FMJ
Range ammunition, despite its lowly status, has a tough job. It has to run reliably, shoot accurately and not tax a shooter’s wallet. American Eagle pulls it off. Its 115-grain 6.8 SPC ammo is topped with an FMJ bullet that offers a best-in-class BC at .378 and is kicked out at 2,675 fps. Overall, the stuff hits what it’s aimed at and doesn’t leave you broke in the process.
Sellier & Bellot 115-grain Match
Gaining popularity stateside, Sellier & Bellot has kicked a decent toehold in the range ammunition market. Its 115-grain 6.8 SPC match ammo isn’t the absolute cheapest it offers for the caliber, but the extra coin is worth the accuracy it delivers. The HPBT projectiles offer an excellent .324 BC that leaves the muzzle at 2,477 fps. A little milder option than some might desire, but certainly shootable and on target.
*All ballistic coefficients are off the G1 model.
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