SPR or Recce?

[benthughes]

The only 7.62 platforms I'm interested in carry a fairly hefty price tag, primarily the Larue OBR or LMTs offering. I'm not sold on the LWRC SABR and the SR-25 is way beyond what I'm willing to spend. For my uses I can't justify a AR-10 style rifle over a bolt action with a magazine. My current .308 is a FN PBR with 18" barrel and brake and it gets he job done.

That being said I've set up my ARs to be almost identical in 5.56 and 6.8 SPC. I can practice and compete with my 5.56 and hunt or whatever with my 6.8 which feels almost identical. The operation is the same with a negligable difference in recoil, weight and ammo capacity ( using Barrett mags). I don't think you necessarily gain any range, just better effect at any range you'd use your 5.56 for. My 6.8 has a Larue stealth upper reciever, WOA barrel, 13.2" Larue handguard and PWS muzzle break and mirrors my 5.56 Larue stealth upper. I use a nightforce 2.5-10 with FC-2 reticle and get sub MOA results ( awesome barrel !!). I wouldn't use it in close quarters and, thank God, shouldn't ever have to. I would love to have a 1-4 with FC-2 reticle but will likely go with a Trijicon TR-24 with green arrow reticle.

At this point, ammo prices for 6.8 and .308 are about the same with much better availability of .308 and of course the .308 will do everything the 6.8 will do and do it better.

For anything beyond 300 yards I'd prefer a bolt action rifle over AR platform anyhoo. Within 300 yards 5.56 is fine for 2 legged critters, 6.8 is better. I've taken caribou at just under 200 yards with a 6.8 with 115 Gr Barrett ammo ( using a sierra hollow point ). I'm interesting in loading up lighter 90 Gr Barnes TSK to see how those do. Thanks for listening to my rambling.

[TehLlama]

If you've already got a .308 that will have similar handling, the 5.56 makes the most sense in a Recce setup, especially with the 1-4x24mm optic on it (I've got an SR-15E3 that will wear a Vortex PST 1-4x soon). I don't see the FC2 reticle as a limitation until you're pushing past 400m. Something like a TSX 62gr is underrated for performance out to 300m.

A relatively light, handy 16" rifle with a variable optic and a light should handle most anything you throw at it, if you don't have a specific mission for an SPR, then it's not necessarily the best use of funds (though they're fun)

[et2041]

[QUOTE= For example, if you wanted to punch through the door of a 1974 Ford LTD at 800 yards, with a .223 SPR do it? [/QUOTE]

Note to self: Forget possible home invasion - Prepare for 74' Ford LTD's.

[decodeddiesel]

Personally I am leaning toward a Noveske 16" Recon barrel with a Rifle Length URX-II as my next upper. I am thinking this will be a great all around rig, with an honest 1 MOA capability, but it should also be able to hang in there during a high intensity carbine class. Like F2S said, it all comes down to optics...

[wild_wild_wes]

I guess I'll never know unless I shot both....

Thank you all for the input; I will have my 5.56 SPR build completed, and start buying parts for the 7.62....expensive, so it will take a while to get that one together. Then I'll trial it with the SPR's scope, and decide if it is worth it to buy another NF, or keep it on the 7.62 and sell the SPR upper. The Recce project is a go anyway, since that seems the best use for the NF 1-4X.

[sayndesyn]

.223 and then for long range threats homemade claymores to wake you up as they become close range threats?

[TAZ]

Not sure about the SPR being limited to 400m, but I'll defer to people who have had to use it in real situations.

If I were in your shoes, and had the Rece and SPR available the Rece would get the 1-4 and the SPR the 2.5-10. The Rece with the 1-4 will meet most urban needs be it CQB or reach out over a few blocks. The SPR I wouldnt want to have to take into a building. I love my SPR and it shoots very well, but when I think about needing to clear a room or anything short ranged like that it wouldnt be my first choice for sure.

I am also thinking about putting together a 308 gas gun, since I cant afford to buy an LMT (hoping they start making parts available over the next year or so to build with). That kind of rifle IMO screams for a 1-8.

[wild_wild_wes]

Got the first component for my .308 precision rig....a Noveske 16" barrel. So, I guess this will be a heavy Recce....

[decodeddiesel]

Got the first component for my .308 precision rig....a Noveske 16" barrel. So, I guess this will be a heavy Recce....

Good choice, honestly it won't be that heavy.

I like Noveske's Recce Light barrel but it just isn't readily available. The more and more I think about it the more I am leaning toward a BCM 410SS 16" and having it dimpled under the hand guards by ADCO (ala SR25 EMC). This could be an option with your Noveske if you are really worried about weights, but probably not worth it.

[boltcatch]

Threads like this is why I like my carbine that as a 12" rail and 16" barrel w/ Ops Inc brake and suppressor. I'm too cheap and lazy to deal with 2 different uppers or rifles, but an extra optic or two is easy.