Last weekend the son and I took our Franken rifles out to the range with a variety of cased reloads for the 6.8 spc chambering.
Bob, a friend and Master re-loader, had taken the cases from about 650 rounds that we had fired through the rifles and returned 454 loaded cartridges for use. He had saved 150 cases for a different project and reserve testing. We also had on hand about 100 rounds of the new S&B 6.8 spc FMJ offering at about $14.95 a box. A bargain!
Now, not all cartridges are the same as we all should know.
We had Bob load each of the cases with whatever Hornady's loading table provided as a standard.
He used 110 grain VMax (Only available bullets at the time), with the same powder loads and primers, except for the Remington cases which used large primers.
The trouble cases Bob had, and felt were an issue, involved Silver State Armory brass.
He stated that the cases seemed thin and he had to ream the primer pockets, thus he had to chuck quite a few cases (about 30%) due to failures of various kinds. All other cases seemed to have no unusual issues.
Firing the Hornady rounds, checking loading, function, accuracy, and ejection results, we found they were very consistent.
Impressive groups.
Then on to the Remington reloads. Similar results.
Then on to the SSA (Silver State Armory) reloads. For my tight tolerance rifle chamber it was a no go. The cases bound up in the loading and extraction processes. (It was able to only cycle 8 times total with that case.) At first we thought it to be a magazine issue (Though we did have a mag that would have issues at the last two rounds being fired) and swapped the rounds to a new mag. Same issues. My son's Bison Armory upper however, had no issues digesting that ammunition.
We chucked the brass into the recycler box at the range. Its the cases that would be melted down for reuse.
We felt the SSA cases are not worth the effort of reloading and will not be using that brand again for reloads.
I then swapped to the Remington and Hornady ammo. Not one problem.
Tried the new S&B ammo. No issues and VERY tight groups I might add.
So all in all we fired through 454 rounds and praise Bob of the Rousche Lake Shooting Range for his help in researching, reloading, and experimenting. Bob also thanked us for the experience in reloading 6.8 spc, his first try at that caliber.
And yes, 1/4 MOA for both rifles. Scoped at 100 yards for the son's firearm, and 50 yards open sight for my own tired, old, and nearsighted behind.
Had a lot of fun and the son found some defense ammo he likes for his SarK2 pistol.
Thanks for reading.
Gunnguy
