6.8 SPC Build

Kerry & Kathy

Kerry & Kathy

Member #007
Location
Fredericktown, Farmington and Viburnum MO
First Name
Kerry
Last Name
Owen
First some clarification…

I build and recommend ONLY flat top AR’s with optics. Scopes or Red Dot sights. For a hunting rifle open metallic sights are much too limited. The old fixed front sight / gas block assembly with rear metallic sights are obsolete. Plus… for many of us… our eyes need more help than open sights can provide.

Also I do not recommend two piece non floating hand guards. They are OK for a battle rifle but not a precision hunting rifle.

The 6.8 SPC uses fast burning powders that can provide nearly a full powder burn in the first 16” of barrel length. As a result...Longer barrels are unnecessary.

Also barrel accuracy has nothing to do with barrel length. It only influences bullet velocity…but marginally so with the 6.8 SPC. There is only a moderate velocity gain with a 18” or 20” barrel over a 16”. This means that a 16” barrel is your best choice for versatility, weight, balance and overall performance. I have built 20”, 18” 16” 14.5” and 12.5” barreled uppers. The one I recommend for hunting, home defense, hogs, or coyotes is the 16”.

There are many barrel manufacturers with a variety of specifications, but the barrels of choice will be mid length gas…NOT carbine gas length… (Too violent on the bolt/carrier) Plus a 11:1 to 12:1 twist rate, with SPC II chamber and preferably 5R polygon rifling. NOT conventional rifling. The 5R compresses the bullet less, provides increased velocity and is very accurate. Barrels made from Chrome Moly Vanadium steel and Melonite treated are superior to stainless barrels for both velocity and wear resistance.

The combination I will recommend can achieve .25-.75 MOA with off the shelf ammo if the shooter does his part.

The barrel I strongly recommend is a 16” lightweight scout profile made by ARP. Cost is $190 delivered.
http://www.ar15performance.com/inc/sdetail/1685/4305

An assembled upper receiver from SOTA Arms is about your best value at $80 plus these have the necessary M4 feed ramps cut into the receiver.
http://sotaarms.com/component/jshopping/product/view/3/11?Itemid=0

Lower receivers from Aero Precision, Spikes, Surplus Ammo, or Palmetto State Armory are all good lowers and will run you $89-$129.
Palmetto currently has cosmetic blem lowers for $70
http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/palmetto-state-armory-blemished-lower-receiver.html

A lower parts kit from Palmetto State Armory with a Magpul MOE grip is a good value at $50
http://palmettostatearmory.com/inde...arts/palmetto-state-armory-gen-2-moe-lpk.html

A Midwest Industries Gen 2 SS 12” hand guard would be the correct length to cover a low profile mid-length gas block. A little pricy but you can find them on sale for less than $140 if you search. I highly recommend a floating Hand Guard for best accuracy and this hand guard for its quality and low profile.
http://www.primaryarms.com/Midwest_Industries_Gen_2_SS_Series_Free_Float_p/mi-ss12g2.htm

A necessary low profile gas block
http://sotaarms.com/component/jshopping/product/view/3/24?Itemid=0

A 6.8 Bolt from Stag Arms for $60
http://www.stagarms.com/product_info.php?cPath=16_27&products_id=254

A M16 Bolt carrier complete
http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-Bolt-Carrier-Auto-M16-p/bcm carrier with gas key.htm
Note that the M16 is perfectly legal and adds additional weight which is helpful for proper timing with the 6.8

You will also need:

6.8 Magazines by CP Defense…ONLY. These are by far the best value and very reliable. $10-$13 each

An AR firing pin, cam pin and cotter pin to complete the bolt carrier assembly. $15

A mid-length gas tube available from several sources. $15

A 5/8-24 muzzle device. $5 to $100

Optics and mount for top rail.

Butt stock of your choosing. I use a lot of Magpul CTR and ACR stocks in commercial tube size. $50-$80

A commercial buffer tube / spring / carbine buffer from several sources for $30-$50


You can build a cheaper rifle with cheaper parts…but these are the ones I recommend for best value and performance. There are other satisfactory combinations but if you do intend to deviate…please bounce your choice off me first. Hopefully I can save you some grief and frustration from personal experience with parts I can no longer recommend.

Be aware too that many of the parts listed above are out of stock or in high demand. However, I have enough parts in reserve to cover those items you may need that are unavailable.

If you have never breached an AR barrel to an upper… I have all the tools and fixtures to do it for you.

Also…if funds allow I strongly suggest a Geissele SSA-E match grade trigger assembly. It is a precision adjustable trigger that WILL improve your groups. On sale it can be bought for about $170 and is worth every penny.

These details are not totally complete but will get you started…

HTH

Kerry
 
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Thanks Kerry,

Great write up and information. My AR is chambered in .556 but I only hunt paper and small objects so it's quite adequate. It's a 1.5 MOA gun right now but I blame myself for that, I need a better bench rest. I have been thinking about the Geissele trigger and I believe that you have made up my mind, thanks. I don't shoot it enough to justify a progressive press just yet but I recently bought one of the Original Lee loaders in .556/.223 and a Lee Perfect powder measure that are great fun to try different loads with at the range.

Tom
 
Thanks Kerry, that is exactly what I was looking for.
I would have the same question as Rich as far as buying directly from you or maybe a group buy!
So for under a $1000 you can have a hell of a gun that would rival most $1500-2000 off the shelf set ups?
 
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itzdapig said:
Thanks Kerry, that is exactly what I was looking for.
I would have the same question as Rich as far as buying directly from you or maybe a group buy!
So for under a $1000 you can have a hell of a gun that would rival most $1500-2000 off the shelf set ups?
Click to expand...

Actually...below $870... without the Geissele Trigger...that would rival much more expensive factory rifles. Below $770 with your purchased lower receiver.

I have all the parts necessary to build multiple examples of what I outlined.

However, each of you would need to purchase your own stripped lower receiver from a local FFL. If you don't have someone you trust I can recommend Ben Minkle at Cedar Falls Tactical.

Once you have the stripped lower registered in your name, then I can provide the other parts, many of which are out of stock, in high demand and sky high on price right now due to the feeding frenzy.

I can either assemble the rifle for you or assemble it with you. It would be faster if I do it, but a much better learning experience if I help you do it. With the proper tools and fixtures it is a relatively easy process. But there are right and wrong ways to assemble and a few tricks that help to insure excellent accuracy.
 
As of 1/1/2013....Disregard all of the prices and details posted in this thread.

The politically motivated feeding frenzy that is taking place has prices doubling to quadrupling...with all suppliers out of inventory.

Some manufacturers are quoting Oct of 2013 before inventory of critical parts will be available again.

If you intended to build or buy an AR rifle...unless you are Craig, Keith or Rich...who I made commitments to previously....you are...unfortunately.... too late.

Stripped lowers that were $100 are now $400-$1000.

Rifles that sold four weeks ago for $890 are now $4000.

30 round magazines that sold for $10 a month a go are now selling for $40-$100 each.

At the KCI show 10 days a go I saw a used HK-91 worth $1100....sell for $7500.

It is crazy what is happening in the firearms industry because of the threats being made by politicians.

The current environment is worse than it was during the 2008 election and even worse than the 1994 so called "assault rifle" ban.
 
I bought a CMMG .22LR conversion for my AR about 3 weeks ago before it all started so I could keep fun shooting with Andy and conserve my .223 & .556 ammo which I can't even buy brass for any more. I stopped by Denny Dennis yesterday to buy some .22LR ammo, I picked up 1,600 rounds which was the limit and they only had another 4-5,000 left. They say that they have a half million dollars of ammo back ordered from various suppliers with no promises or firm delivery dates. It's going to be a little crazy for a while.
 
Not so sure that the .22 is in short supply but anything related to an AR or SKS style gun,ammo or accessories are literally out of stock everywhere.
 
Any and all ammo needed to feed CC pistols is in high demand. I have sold 20+ 500rd bricks of .22lr at every show since the election.

The supply can't meet the demand for .22LR, .22WM. 9x18, 9x19. .45ACP, .40 S&W, 10mm, .380 ACP....

For rifles...cheap Russian steel case .223 that sold for $149 / 500 one month ago is now selling on Gunbroker for $350 / 500 today.

Good brass Federal surplus M193 5.56 that was selling for $0.38 / round one month ago is selling now for $1.00 / round.
 
Richgrsc said:
So Kerry, whats the thoughts on have a gun, but no ammo?
Click to expand...

Reload....or wait until the supply chain catches up with demand.

That's what Keith is doing today as we speak.

I would still reload anyway as you can shoot reloads for 1/4th the cost of buying new ammo.

You can offset the cost of equipment very fast. And there is always the chance of future ammo restrictions.

I have been stockpiling components for many years.
 
The .223 chamber neck dimensions were made smaller to aid accuracy.

The 5.56 neck dimensions and head-space tolerance were larger to accommodate the heat and expansion of full auto fire.

If you shoot .223 in a 5.56 chamber with wider tolerances...accuracy suffers.

If you shoot 5.56 surplus ammo in a.223 chamber a round can often get stuck and fail to extract due to the smaller neck dimensions.

The .223 Wylde is between the two dimensionally to still allow 5.56 surplus to be shot without experiencing extraction issues yet be tight enough at the neck to allow good accuracy with premium .223 ammo.

The best of both with no real disadvantages. The best barrel manufactures are switching more and more to the .223 Wylde chamber dimension. Also sometimes referred to as 5.56 Wylde
 
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