Not sure if the 6.8 is right for me.

[monkeystomach]

So a few months ago (as you can see I have been lurking here since November) I really really really wanted a 6.8 (I have a .223/5.56 AR and am not too fond of the round) and I was lucky enough to be on the first pre-order for the extreme upper. Now that the time has come to buy I don't know if I should invest the money here or in a "more practical" rifle. I mean, what if, what Glenn Beck is saying does come true really quickly and the economy and life as we know it stops... I'm thinking that 6.8 ammunition might become really hard to find. I haven't started reloading yet and I was planning to learn how with the 6.8 round, but with the economic/political turmoil I am now thinking it might be a safer bet to invest in shotguns and maybe something chambered in .308 for hunting. I know the 6.8 can be used for deer and even larger game but it is really the availability of the round that is making me think this... input please.

Thanks,
Monkey

[paulosantos]

That is a very tough decision. The only way I see the ammo not being available is if the economy absolutely tanks, which I don't think it is going to be any worse that it already is.

[coldair]

6.8 is a lot lighter then .308. if you are worried about just buy some brass, primers and the rest of what you need to reload. I only have about three k worth of brass but I plan on buying more

[ron169]

Your fears are definately understood. The problem is that if your waiting until now to prepare for the **** to hit the fan, it may be too late if its gonna happen in a couple months. If you do decide to drop the 6.8, go with either a mossberg or Remington pump 12 guage. A used one can be had for around 200 I would guess. Also invest in a ruger 10/22. And go ahead and buy 2000 rounds or so, shouldnt cost but 60 bucks for 2000 rounds of 22LR. As for the Xtreme, you probably wont find another 6.8 upper of that quality for the price ever again

[constructor]

You are right about availability and cost, I told myself- I can only carry 1 rifle, the 6.8 is a true do it all caliber when mated to an AR15. I can shoot everything from P. dogs to elk and I can defend my home or patrol with the best of them, it is accurate enough to take head shots at 500yds.
I doubt seriously the US economy will ever collapse like Argentina's.
308 surplus ammo is almost impossible to find now so forget cheap 308 ammo, I sold all but 1 308. The .223 ammo is still available and cheaper than the 6.8.
There is a saying- "beware of the man with only one rifle, he may know how to use it."

[dark1]

I have decided to stick with to stick with mt 6.8 for a shift gun befor that i was going to use my 7.62 CETME or my BNZ 8mm Mauser for long work(picked up 1k rounds for each when it was still cheep) and a m-4 for my close up work and patrolling but seance i gut a 6.8 i have decided that is all i will need it can retch out ant touch some one like the 308 and is light for patrolling like the m-4 and if i run out of 6.8 ammo i can throw a m-4 upper on the 6.8 and role on heck i am even going to be using my AR for small game hunting i have a CMMG .22lr convention sitting in my 5.56 upper atm

[Bull001]

Think i need to buy a 5.56 upper and a few thousand rounds...

[marinesg1012]

I would always recommended both a 556 and a 6.8 then you can train and blast with the 556 (or even a 22 upper) and then hunt and use the 6.8 a little more sparingly...

[Rod_T]

Even .556 ammo is starting to creap up in price towards the 6.8.
I recently made an order for various things from Cabelas and I thought I would throw in a small order of ammo to top it off.(They had a shipping rate special I wanted to take advantage of.)
The price for just 300 rounds of Rem UMC gave me heartburn!

[marinesg1012]

That is why I would also suggest a 22LR upper I am thinking about getting one next to use as a training tool.

[Rod_T]

That is why I would also suggest a 22LR upper I am thinking about getting one next to use as a training tool.

Thats a good idea.

[dark1]

yup that is y i gut a CMMG 22LR conversation kit works grate

[BLACK LION]

I would sell the 5.56 upper and any applicable accessories to that caliber and use that money on the 6.8 xtreme... then take the other money and get a mossberg 500 cruiser and an xd.45 ..... :mrgreen:

stock up on ammo for all of it and then get some good body armor and night vision ... :o



oh yah..

then get a .50bmg upper



shyt hitting the fan sux huh?? too much shyt to get :wink:

[monkeystomach]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm going to get the xtreme. And did search but it said there were too many results, i just want to make sure... I can use the .223/5.56 lower right?

[rushca01]

You can use any standard AR 15 lower. You might run into porblems with your buffer and springs but I amagine you could tune one lower to run two different uppers.

[Tim_W]

Just about any 5.6 will run with a H buffer and SSS spring and it only takes 5 seconds to switch out as buffer if you really wanted to.

[HTR]

I switch my 6.8 and 5.56 SBR's back an forth on my SBR lower all the time. If anything is going to be finicky it would them. They all run 100%. Get a SSS flat wire spring, and find the buffer that all your uppers like. Then you can just change them out accordingly. I have been buying surplus .223 for 15 years, loading for 5, and now I just dollar cost average premium ammo in with it, which averages out to about $.30 per round overall. Not that bad, and I can still shoot / train/ practice / hunt with it. .22 LR is still cheap, and .40 S & W can still be found for some deals.

Spend the extra money you have on things like PMags for the 5.56, extra LPK's, "pin and spring kits" and slowly start accumulating 6.8 ammo. Tune up your lowers so that they are in perfect working condition. Think about it. If the S really HTF, I don't think you are going to need 6,000 rounds of 6.8. You are more likely then, to need 2-3 bricks of .22 LR (10K rounds) and .45 ACP for your pistol. I hope you already have lots of pistol ammo. The 6.8 will be for those times you have to actually kill your food when it is larger than you, or shoot something from a distance, and that will be rare. If some superior force wants to overrun your dwelling, they will just do it with a bulldozer.

Get what you can afford, but yes, by all means get the 6.8 extreme. It is truly an all-purpose rifle, as H said.