One evening around 10:30 pm, Richie M. and two friends were hanging out in the community of Haiku on the island of Maui.
Without warning, three men wearing hooded sweatshirts stormed into the house.
One of the intruders was armed with a “shiny handgun.”
The intruders forced one of the victims into the bathroom as they searched the rest of the house for valuables.
While the bad guys were going through the house, Richie was able to grab his AR-15.
He then confronted the intruders and opened fire.
None of the intruders were hit but all three immediately ran from the house.
As they ran from the house the suspects fired their weapon back at the residence.
The intruders fled with about $3,000 worth of stolen items before jumping into a getaway car.
Now, the process of buying an AR-15 in Hawaii isn’t easy – and you have to jump through a lot of hoops since it’s not a gun friendly state.
First, you have to be 21 years old and be fingerprinted and photographed for a background check.
In addition, you have to provide an affidavit regarding your mental health and drug use.
Finally, you have to authorize the release of medical records and give your doctor permission to share any information such as alcohol/drug treatment.
But there is no doubt that the AR-15 saves lives, as this story proves.
The AR-15 is proven in both the civilian world and in combat.
And as we’ve seen throughout history, innovations and trends in firearms and popularities usually follow in the footsteps of military designs.
Which is why it’s important to know what the next version of military rifles will be.
And coming soon, the rifle of choice will be different from what we are used to.
You see, the military’s Next Generation Squad Weapon is going to be chambered in 6.8 mm.
That’s because the Army has officially decided to replace the M4 and M16 with the Sig Sauer XM7 in 6.8 mm.
Considering this, here are some things to know about the 6.8 SPC because it might be the next popular round for the civilian market.
What is the 6.8 SPC?:
The 6.8 Special Purpose Cartridge was developed by Remington to provide better terminal performance compared to the 5.56 NATO.
It’s designed to be an in-between bullet for the 5.56 and the 7.62.
The round was first designed in the early 2000s to address the limitations of the 5.56 NATO round.
The 6.8 has a diameter of .277 inches compared to the .224 inches of the 5.56 NATO.
In addition, the 6.8 operates at higher pressures.
Benefits of the 6.8 SPC:
One of the biggest benefits of the 6.8 is that it delivers more energy to the target compared to the 5.56.
So, it has more stopping power and improved terminal performance than the 5.56.
In the end, this means that the 6.8 has a better chance of incapacitating the target with fewer shots.
This is especially important when shooting beyond 200 yards.
Another huge benefit is that the 6.8 SPC can commonly be used in AR-15 platforms.
So, if you love the design of the AR-15 you can find one chambered in 6.8 SPC.
There are many companies that produce ammo in 6.8 SPC so it’s not hard to find like some other rounds can be.
In the end, the 6.8 has great ballistic performance with a good balance of speed and accuracy.
Drawbacks to the 6.8 SPC:
The 6.8 is a heavier bullet than the 5.56, which means it will have more recoil compared to the 5.56 – but it’s a trade-off that you can adjust to.
Another thing about the 6.8 is that it’s a costly bullet.
Even a cheap round for the shooting range can cost around $1.50 per bullet, and a high-quality self-defense or hunting round is closer to $2.50.
Additionally, as of now, the 6.8 SPC has not gained a massive following from the civilian world.
So, while there are plenty of online retailers that sell 6.8 SPC ammo, it may not be on the shelf at your local gun shop since it’s currently not the most popular caliber.
There are also not as many accessories, parts, and ammo options for the 6.8 SPC as there are for the 5.56 NATO.
Of course, this could change if the U.S. military makes the 6.8 SPC the primary round for its rifles.
The military will play a key role in the innovations and capabilities of the 6.8 SPC, and the future of the 6.8 SPC is going to be interesting.
Bottom line, I wouldn’t run out right now and buy an AR-15 chambered in 6.8 SPC, but I may in the future as more ammo and accessories become available.
