6.8 SPC vs 6.5 Grendel: Pimp My AR-15

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In the early 2000’s, there was a big push from the U.S. Army to adapt new, more powerful cartridges to the M4 carbine. This initiative was prompted by battlefield reports of enemy combatants taking multiple hits from 5.56 NATO rounds and remaining combat effective.

The 6.8 Remington Special Purpose Cartridge (SPC) and 6.5 Grendel were two new cartridges developed to increase the lethality of the AR-15 platform. Although their terminal ballistics were impressive, neither cartridge was adopted for mainstream military use.

The 6.8SPC and 6.5 Grendel may not have seen frontline combat, but they have enjoyed moderate commercial success from shooters who want a little more “oomph” out of their semi-automatic sporting rifles.

However, many 2A enthusiasts are perplexed over which cartridge to select for their new AR-15 if they want something other than the standard 5.56 NATO/223 Remington chambering. Is the 6.8 SPC better than 6.5 Grendel? Or does the 6.5 come out on top?

Picking between the 6.8 SPC and 6.5 Grendel really comes down to determining what you want to do with you AR. If you want a close in CQB rifle, then the 6.8 SPC is an excellent choice but not so good at long range shooting. However, if you need a cartridge that can reach out and touch something, then the 6.5 Grendel is the way to go.

The 6.5mm bullet is right in the sweet spot for long range accuracy, while the 6.8mm or 0.277" bullet is an excellent choice for close encounters. Both calibers only require a bolt, barrel, and magazine change for a conversion. However, many shooters prefer to have dedicated upper receivers and simply swap it out with their every day 5.56 NATO upper.

The versatility of the AR-15 is really showcased in these two calibers as both are excellent hunting and self-defense rounds.

If you want to read more, check out the full article at https://ammo.com/comparison/68-spc-vs-6.5-grendel
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