Ruger is discontinuing 6.8 SPC Ranch and Bolt rifles?!

[m657]

I've seen a parade of calibers over the past 35 years introduced by Ruger, that have had minimal market interest.

Reading the pros & cons of 6.8 etc, makes me reconsider 30-30 as even more desirable for a host of reasons.

 

[mrwickwire]

I am definitely sorry to see this one go. I was waiting for Ruger to release a 20+ round magazine for this rifle before buying one.

 

[Leucoandro]

The gun rags don't do the 6.8 SPC any favors either. I have a AR Rifleman 2012 Buyer's Guide. One Article talks about it being a great Coyote Rifle, the other says it is good for Hogs. Nothing about larger game. A 22LR or 22 Mag will take down a Coyote. A 223 is the most you could possibly need. A .223 works pretty well for hog as well, but a 6.8SPC would work as well.

Ammunition manufacturers need to make more medium size game (Deer) rounds. Rag writers need more articles about the rifle as a woods deer rifle.

I am continually tempted toward the 6.8, but the lack of deer capable ammunition, combined with the requirement for new magazines, and price of ammunition turns me away. I keep finding myself looking harder at a AR 7.62x39 upper, because the 6.8SPC is sold as a better 223. If I am going to have to change out my magazine, bolt, etc. I might as well get a round that has more deer loads, and is less expensive to shoot.


Charlie

 

[308dave]

Leuco,
The first deer I took with my 6.8 mini was a 9 pointer using Rem 115gr. Core-Lokt Ultras - expensive and hard to find. Since then (2008) I've been using 110gr Sierra Pro-Hunters from Silver State Armory - a little over $1 per round shipped. SSA also loads a 110gr Nosler Accubond and 110gr Barnes TSX. I don't visit often but there's a 6.8 Forum and the hunting page has lots of photos and stories of folks who've taken deer with the 6.8. Since the 9 pointer I've taken a doe, a spike, and a nubbin. Not only do I know where to find Pinske's summer sausage - I also know the 6.8 will drop a deer.

 

[wunbe]

There are scads of deer loads and multiple bullet makers. Far more vartiety than I can find on many more acpeted rounds like the 6.5 Swede, .260 rem etc. Barnes in 95 gr are dealy and accurate. At thje other end of the scale are all the 130 gr .270 bullets out there.

The lack of usefuld ammo is bunk based on ignorance.

wunbe

 

[m657]

Can't claim to be up on the 6.8 issues, but after seeing a test online here about 6 months ago, I've been cruising through my various LGS. Most of them have barely heard of let alone 'seen' let alone 'HAVE one in stock'.

The only evidence I personally have it exists, is rarely coming across a random used brass at the range.

It's stories like this, that make me lean more back on the old antique calibers.

Speaking of which, in looking for a 6.8 at Cabelas last week, I actually physically ran into a guy who was snatching up a couple bags of .218 Bee components they had there. Hadn't come across anyone in about 20 years that admitted they even knew what those were.

 

[Leucoandro]

308dave,

I do not disagree with you. I actually think that the gun rags have things all wrong (billing the 6.8 as a better 223). The 6.8 SPC should be billed as a rifle for White Tail Deer, that also excels as a coyote and hog rifle. Even market it as being able to work for antelope in a pinch.


wunbe,

I do not know anyone that owns a 6.5 Swede, or 260 Rem. Where I am from people generally stay away from rifles that they can not get ammunition from the LGS or Walmart....That limits deer hunting bullets to (in no particular order) 45/70, 30-30, 30/06, 270 win, 243, 308, 7mm rem mag, 300 win mag, and maybe a few others. With deer season being so short, people do not chance catalog ordering ammunition and banking on it being in hand for deer season.

Federal, Winchester, and Remington have a very limited (if any) selection of rounds suitable for deer hunting in the 6.8. Sure Double Tap, Silver State Armory, Corbon and others make 6.8 Deer hunting ammunition, but they are seen as specialty ammunition makers.

-Federal does not list any 6.8SPC ammunition on it's page.
-Remington has redesigned the ammunition section so it is useless. They do not lable the intended use of the ammunition.
-Hornady labels the 6.8 SPC V-MAX 110 as varment, and do not label any of the other loads as to what they are for.
-Winchester does not appear to sell 6.8SPC ammunition.

Remington and Hornady have to do a better job of labeling what they product is suitable for use. Similar to Federal with Small Game, Medium Game, Self Defense, etc.


Here is another bit of information for you.

-AR Rifleman in an article says that the Hornady 110 BTHP, Hornady 110 V-Max, Hornady 120 SST, Silver State Armory 110 Accubond are all very capable coyote rounds.....It says nothing about using them for deer.

-AR Rifleman in another article in the same magazine says that the CorBon 115 HPBT, Hornady 110 V-Max, and Remington 115 BTHP all make very good Hog Rounds.

-AR Rifleman in another article in the same magazine says that the RRA 6.8 is serious predator poison.

Not a single article about the use of the 6.8 as a Deer Rifle or an Antelope rifle.

Basically the AR Rifleman magazine is telling me that the 6.8 can do everything that the 223 can. The 223 is also often overkill for Coyote (we use 22 LR or 22 mag most often), and the high end of what you need for a hog where I am from.

The lack of usefuld ammo is bunk based on ignorance.

As to the "scads of deer loads", and this "ignorance" crap, show me a walmart that sells Corbon, Double Tap, S&B, Silver State Armory, and I will rethink my stance. Yeah, I know that I can get the ammunition from MidwayUSA, but most people are buying there ammunition are getting it from either Walmart or the LGS neither which I have found to have an abundant selection of 6.8 ammunition.


Charlie

 

[wunbe]

Duh?

The clowns at AR are brain dead on the 6.8 issue. The 6.8 was designed by the USA to be more lethal than the .223 -- which they are deeply invested in by the way-- and it is. Their, and your, ignorance about the round as a deer killer make a poor showing against the stacks of down deer anyone can read about from actual users of the round in the 6.8 Forum. Somebody better tell the deer.

I never buy any ammo -- exccept maybe the odd brick of .22LRs when I can find the right ones-- from Wallieworld or LGS. My local gun store has the Corbon and plenty of SSA but he is way more expensive than the catalogues. (Three of the staff there own 6.8s and (gasp) use them on deer. That is probably why the vareity is so large..) The Walmarts in my urban area have very little in the way of any hunitng/shooting supplies anymore. You just do not get more "available" than catalogues --unless you make a habit of only buying rounds the day you hunt that is.

The catalogue price for the 6.8 rounds I use -- SSAs, Federal, and Hornadys -- is in the moderate range and SSA regularly runs sales on their products too. Then again, I'm not in the habit of loosing that many rounds at paper or animals -- maybe 3-4 boxes a year tuning up the rifles (four of them) and then during deer season. You are talking pennies different than your green box ammo at any LGS. I do have some laid away when the UN troops with black parachutes come to take away my flintlocks. The 6.8 will put them down while the .223s will leave some of them firing back.

wunbe

 

[Leucoandro]

Duh?

The clowns at AR are brain dead on the 6.8 issue.

The gun rags are the ones that spread the word about what a round is good for. Also AR Rifleman is by no means the only mag that is putting out 6.8SPC coyote rifle articles.

The 6.8 was designed by the USA to be more lethal than the .223 -- which they are deeply invested in by the way-- and it is.

See, you are saying the same thing the gun rags are...The 6.8SPC is a better 223.....People do not think of the 223 as a deer round.

Their, and your, ignorance about the round as a deer killer make a poor showing against the stacks of down deer anyone can read about from actual users of the round in the 6.8 Forum. Somebody better tell the deer.

Apparently your reading skills are lacking, let me quote myself.

I actually think that the gun rags have things all wrong (billing the 6.8 as a better 223). The 6.8 SPC should be billed as a rifle for White Tail Deer, that also excels as a coyote and hog rifle. Even market it as being able to work for antelope in a pinch.

The gun rags don't do the 6.8 SPC any favors either.

Rag writers need more articles about the rifle as a woods deer rifle.

Now, if you had been accuratly following this thread, you would understand that I am talking about why the 6.8SPC is not more popular. 1) It is not billed as a Deer Round.
2) Limited Main Stream Ammunition Makers (Remington / Federal / Winchester) make loads specifically for deer hunting.
3) The Gun Companies (Ruger / RRA / DPMS / Bushmaster) do not bill it as a Deer Round.
4) Walmart has a very limited selection of 6.8SPC ammunition. Most LGS's do not have a wide selection, and they are not knowledgable on which loads are best for deer

These factors combine to make the 6.8SPC a hard sell...I.E. the marketing and packaging campaign is all wrong.....

You even support this misdirection when you say the below.

The 6.8 was designed by the USA to be more lethal than the .223

That says to the local joe you are a mall ninja, and not a serious hunter....

My local gun store has the Corbon and plenty of SSA but he is way more expensive than the catalogues.

One LGS in your area that charges a premium for ammunition will not bring signifigant popularity to the round

The Walmarts in my urban area have very little in the way of any hunitng/shooting supplies anymore. You just do not get more "available" than catalogues --unless you make a habit of only buying rounds the day you hunt that is.

This is what I am talking about. Most people buy what is locally available. They tend to stay away from items you have to catalog order. I have a friend that thought the he had the last box of 284 Winchester, because he never thought to look at the catalog stores. I another guy that thought he could no longer buy 357 Max.

Many people think that if the LGS or Walmart do not carry the round, it is not made, and do not ask.


Charlie