Caliber specifications can be confusing. The information presented on this page is intended to make clear the specifications for the calibers we carry. This information includes the differences between similar calibers such as 5.56mm NATO and .223 Remington, and 7.62mm NATO and .308 Winchester.
Like all things firearms, the 6.8 Remington SPC is the subject of much misinformation, half truths, old wives tales, and questionable rules of thumb. For now, we'll stick to the facts and, time permitting, address some of the misinformation in the future.
The 6.8 Remington Special Purpose Cartridge was designed by some fine folks in the US military and the Remington Arms Company. The design purpose of this "special purpose cartridge" was to make up for the perceived deficiency of the 5.56 NATO round in its role as our standard combat caliber. Often expressed in terms of external ballistics, barrier penetration, knockdown or stopping power, etc., the different measures of performance were to be exceeded with a new AR-15 compatible cartridge.
From the civilian shooter's point of view, the 6.8 SPC cartridge is a step up from the .223 in one major regard: it is a legal caliber for hunting big game with an AR-15 rifle. For deer and blackbear sized game, it is proving to be outstanding in this capacity. For hunting hogs in TX and other areas where hogs are a problem, the 6.8 SPC is second to none.
While not the source of misinformation that we see with the 6.8 SPC, the 7.62 mm cartridges are definitely a source of confusion, and on two separate fronts: 1. the cartridges themselves, and the different AR platforms available.
Info coming soon!