NEW 6.8/SR-556

[Tokarev]

Chamber?

Why no 1n11?

Ruger went full SAAMI spec on this one. SAAMI chamber, 1x10 twist and 6-groove barrel, much to the chagrin of 6.8 advocates everywhere.

Still, this should be a good addition to the SR556 line. Hopefully complete uppers will become available shortly.

[Bubba FAL]

SAAMI chamber, 1:10 barrel- meh.

While I applaud Ruger for releasing this 6.8 version, it baffles me as to why they would release this rifle with an obsolete barrel spec. when majority of the industry has standardized on SPCII, 1:11 for the 6.8. Kind of like offering a Ferrari with a governor.

There are better options out there in 6.8 for less money...and you won't need to find a chamber reamer to bring it up to spec.

[Tokarev]

If and when SPC II is SAAMI, Ruger will fully test it.

[deadduck357]

While I applaud Ruger for releasing this 6.8 version, it baffles me as to why they would release this rifle with an obsolete barrel spec. when majority of the industry has standardized on SPCII, 1:11 for the 6.8. Kind of like offering a Ferrari with a governor.

The SAAMI spec chamber is the industries documented and certified standard.

The ammunition industry load to SAAMI specs. Only one ammo company that I know of loads some of their ammo to the SPCII spec chamber. SSA offers 5 Tactical(hot) loads for the SPCII and are labeled with a WARNING. SSA also offer 9 standard(SAAMI) loads. The rest of the indusry offer SAAMI spec ammo. Remington offers 4, Hornady offers 2, CorBon 2, BVAC offers 2, Double Tap offers 6, and Barrett 1. Out of 31 loads available for the 6.8 only 5 from one company are SPCII specific and are WARNING labeled so.

[underload]

No doubt it looks great, so how did it shoot?

[Cold]

Thanks for posting the in depth review!

[deadduck357]

Waiting for some more ammo to come in and then to the range. Want to have a good variety.

[Nathan_Bell]

SAAMI chamber, 1:10 barrel- meh.

While I applaud Ruger for releasing this 6.8 version, it baffles me as to why they would release this rifle with an obsolete barrel spec. when majority of the industry has standardized on SPCII, 1:11 for the 6.8. Kind of like offering a Ferrari with a governor.

There are better options out there in 6.8 for less money...and you won't need to find a chamber reamer to bring it up to spec.

I would guess they went with the SPC I spec, because it is the SAAMI spec. Ruger, unlike most of the companies that have released SPC II 6.8 rifles, is big enough to have to take their legal staff's advice. I am certain that the legal staff told them, "Make it to documented industry standard." Even when shown that the SPC II chamber is not a danger with an SPC I spec load, the legal side probably again stated, "Make it to documented industry standard."

[Boomer]

Its pretty frustrating. Just imagine that we were only able to get .223 chambers instead of 5.56 chambers because of saami, inspite of all the information out there stating 5.56 is a better, more high powered round and you could shoot .223 ammunition and 5.56 in that chamber. But a major manufacturer kept putting out .223 chambered rifles because legal advice, retarding the ammunition that was available. Thanks to Ruger for taking the 6.8 back a step.

[Bubba FAL]

The SAAMI spec chamber is the industries documented and certified standard.

The ammunition industry load to SAAMI specs. Only one ammo company that I know of loads some of their ammo to the SPCII spec chamber. SSA offers 5 Tactical(hot) loads for the SPCII and are labeled with a WARNING. SSA also offer 9 standard(SAAMI) loads. The rest of the indusry offer SAAMI spec ammo. Remington offers 4, Hornady offers 2, CorBon 2, BVAC offers 2, Double Tap offers 6, and Barrett 1. Out of 31 loads available for the 6.8 only 5 from one company are SPCII specific and are WARNING labeled so.

Ever consider that companies continuing to release SAAMI spec rifles is what's keeping the ammo companies from producing SPCII spec ammo? If it weren't for a certain company continuing to market their 1:9.5 twist SAAMI chambered barrels, things might be a bit different in the 6.8 ammo world (except maybe for Remmy - too proud to really understand why their overpriced, underpowered 6.8 ammo doesn't sell).

It is precisely this vicious circle that companies using the SAAMI copout perpetuate. Instead of working to correct a well-documented error in chamber design, they continue to plod along hiding behind lawyers. Since most of the industry (a few holdouts excepted) has seen the light and upgraded their specs, there is clear precedent.

So, does an extra 200f/s matter to you? Maybe not, but for me it means the difference between just another ho-hum botique cartridge (as in, why not just get a 7.62x39?) and a significant boost in performance for the AR15 platform.