7 Hard-Charging, Versatile AR-Platform Rifles in 6.8 SPC

stag arms model 7-s 6.8 SPC — Stag Arms’ scoped Model 7-S package was specifically designed to harness the power of the 6.8 SPC for hunting deep in the backwoods.

Model 7-S 6.8 SPC rifles — Like the Model 7, the Model 7-S features upper and lower receivers forged from 7075-T6 aluminum. The rifle also has a 6.8 SPC II chamber and a flared mag well.

Model 7-S 6.8 SPC — Just add ammo! The Model 7-S comes with a 3-9x40mm Nikon Active Target Special hunting scope mounted in a one-piece Nikon M-223 XR mount with a 20-MOA offset.

Model 7-S 6.8 SPC stock — Stag Arms equips the Model 7-S with a Hogue grip and forend as well as a fixed, synthetic, A2-style buttstock with an internal storage compartment and a sling loop at the toe.

Barrett REC7 DI 6.8 SPC — Barrett REC7 DI: Barrett’s REC7 garnered attention for its piston-driven system when it was first introduced, and now the company has released REC7 DI rifles, which use the more common direct-impingement operating system. Models are available with 16- or 18-inch barrels to maximize the 6.8 SPC’s ballistic capabilities, with the barrel free-floating inside a KeyMod handguard for mounting mission-critical accessories.

LWRCI Six8-SPR 6.8 SPC — LWRCI Six8-SPR: The self-regulating, short-stroke gas piston system in LWRC International’s Six8-SPR keeps the bolt carrier cool and clean while reducing felt recoil. The barrel is cold-hammer forged with a 1-in-10-inch twist rate. The Six8-SPR features proprietary upper and lower receivers optimized for the 6.8 SPC. The 12-inch SPR rail system is designed so users can place accessory rails where needed while maintaining a low profile.

Rock River Arms LAR-6.8 SPC Coyote Carbine — Rock River Arms LAR-6.8 Coyote Carbine: The Coyote Carbine is designed for hunting and features Rock River Arms’ two-stage match trigger and a heavy 16-inch, chrome-moly barrel to achieve the company’s 1.5-MOA accuracy guarantee at 100 yards. The barrel has a 1-in-10-inch twist rate and sports a Smith Enterprise Vortex flash suppressor. Various stock/forend options are available.

Armalite M-15 LTC 6.8 SPC rifle — Armalite M-15 LTC 6.8: Armalite was the first AR manufacturer, and the company continues to innovate. The M-15 Light Tactical Carbine (LTC) 6.8 is built with a free-floating KeyMod handguard that makes it easy to add mission-critical accessories. The rifle also comes with a 16-inch, chrome-moly, chrome-lined barrel with a 1-in-10 inch twist rate as well as a mid-length gas system.

Lewis Machine & Tool CQBPS68 6.8 SPC rifle — Lewis Machine & Tool CQBPS68: This particular model from Lewis Machine & Tool (LMT) features a piston-driven operating system that runs cooler and cleaner than the traditional direct-impingement system. The 16-inch barrel has a 1-in-10-inch twist rate. The rifle also utilizes LMT’s MRP (Monolithic Rail Platform) Defender design, where the upper receiver and handguard are one piece. The handguard makes it easy to attach accessories.

Wilson Combat Recon SR Tactical 6.8 SPC rifle — Wilson Combat Recon SR Tactical: The Recon SR (Suppressor-Ready) Tactical from Wilson Combat is the ideal package for those who want a truly short AR. This carbine features a 14.7-inch barrel with a 1-in-11-inch twist rate, Wilson Combat’s TRIM handguard, a single-stage Tactical Trigger Unit (TTU), Armor-Tuff-finished upper and lower receivers and a collapsible Wilson/Rogers Super-Stoc.

The Stag Arms Model 7 in 6.8 SPC has been my go-to deer rifle for years. I like its balance and heft as well as the performance of the 6.8 SPC cartridge. There are some excellent AR-platform rifles being built in 6.8 SPC that are well suited for hunting, but when I heard that Stag Arms was offering the Model 7-S—basically the Model 7 with a Nikon 3-9x40mm Active Target Special scope—I knew the combination would be good.

The Stag Arms Model 7-S is equipped with a 20.77-inch barrel so it can really squeeze more speed and energy out of the 6.8 SPC cartridge than a typical 16-inch barrel. Depending on the cartridge, I have collected data that suggests longer barrels increase velocities by 30 to 70 fps. The Model 7-S’ free-floating barrel has a medium contour, tapering down to 0.7 inches in diameter at the muzzle, which has an 11-degree crown. The rifle has a 6.8 SPC II chamber, and the barrel’s four-groove, 1-in-11-inch-twist rifling means it prefers bullets weighing between 90 and 110 grains.

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The low-profile gas block has a rail on top for mounting a front sight, and surrounding the barrel and rifle-length gas system is a round Hogue handguard with rubber overmolding for a comfortable grip.

Like Stag Arms’ Model 7, the Model 7-S uses upper and lower receivers forged from 7075-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum. The lower features a fixed A2-style buttstock, a Hogue finger-grooved pistol grip and a nice two-stage trigger. The rifle also comes with a five-shot magazine, which makes it compliant with hunting laws in certain states. Of course, like Stag’s other offerings, the company makes a left-handed version as well.

Deer-Dropping 6.8 SPC Combo

Just add ammo! The Model 7-S comes with a 3-9x40mm Nikon Active Target Special hunting scope mounted in a one-piece Nikon M-223 XR mount with a 20-MOA offset.

As mentioned, what sets the Model 7-S apart is that it comes from the factory with a Nikon 3-9x40mm Active Target Special scope in a one-piece Nikon M-223 XR mount with 20 MOA of elevation built in. The Active Target scope features spring-loaded Instant Zero Reset turrets as well as a quick-focus eyepiece that is easy to adjust in the field.

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The scope comes with a bullet-drop compensating (BDC) reticle that allows you to compensate for the trajectory of your cartridge through your rifles. The reticle features a vertical stratum with circular aiming points. According to Nikon, the circles are positioned based upon an average trajectory for popular projectiles and cartridges on the market. Of course, you’ll still need to see how your preferred loads match up to with the markings on the reticle. I only had a 100-yard range for testing, but I used the additional aiming points because I knew the hits would be higher at 100 yards. I also compared my cartridge data using a ballistics calculator. This all may seem overly complicated, but I like data and I like knowing how my bullet travels. You can just use the aiming circles below the horizontal stratum in order of 200 yards, 300 yards and so on as a general guideline.

At 100 yards, the Stag Model 7-S gave me 1.01-inch five-shot groups with a Federal Fusion load as well as Hornady’s 120-grain Custom SST ammo. Another load from Hornady, the 110-grain V-MAX, produced a 0.65-inch group, and Silver State Armory’s 100-grain load came in second with a 0.74-inch group. This is impressive performance, and it all translates to a dead deer in a real hunting scenario.

Check out the photo gallery to learn about six other hard-charging 6.8 SPC models for hunting and self defense.