Keefe Report: On the Range with the LWRC SIX8

by
posted on March 30, 2015
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **

The 6.8x43 mm SPC cartridge was designed to deliver improved terminal performance out of the AR-15/M16 platform, literally doubling the bullet weight over the conventional 5.56x45 mm, while still being able to use the same lower receiver. Change out the upper and the magazine, and you have a much harder-hitting platform without a substantial weight penalty.

But the guys at LWRC, including Senior Design Engineer Jason Miller, were not happy with magazine reliability using existing AR magazines with a just new follower. The magazine is the heart of any firearm; if your magazine is not 100 percent reliable, your entire platform suffers.

So LWRC went to Magpul and asked for a larger magazine designed specifically for the 6.8x43 mm SPC, and it ended up slightly larger than a standard AR magazine. That required a new lower receiver to accommodate it. Thus, the SIX8 family from LWRC that includes the Special Purpose Rifle (SPR), the A2, the A5, the Ultra-Compact Individual Weapon (UCIW) and the SIX8-Pistol, which are all built on LWRCI’s proprietary short-stroke, gas-piston system. The guns are made in semi-automatic, selective-fire and are offered as short-barreled rifles as well.

I had the opportunity to shoot the 16”-barreled SIX8-SPR on a recent field trip to Cambridge, Md., where I made steel plates ring with almost monotonous regularity, I also interviewed Miller about the changes they had to make to the gun and magazine. You can see the video above or directly on our YouTube channel.

Latest

Gotw Bmr X Steel Web
Gotw Bmr X Steel Web

Gun Of The Week: Bergara BMR-X Steel

In this episode, the American Rifleman staff is on the range with a rimfire rifle that’s designed to excel in competition. This is the Bergara BMR-X Steel, a bolt-action that offers some match-grade features at a price that won’t break the bank.

Robert "Bob" Nosler Passes Away

Robert "Bob" Nosler, chairman of Nosler, Inc., passed away on Sept. 2, 2025, at the age of 79.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 5, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

MRDS: Zenith’s American-Made Roller-Delayed Rifle For The 21st Century

While the roller-delayed blowback mechanism has proven reliable in platforms like the Heckler & Koch G3, Zenith Firearms has taken this innovative operating system and paired it with a modern, AR-style feature set in its MRDS.

Remington Announces 4th Annual Shoot To Cure Fundraiser

Now in its fourth year, the Shoot to Cure fundraiser is scheduled to take place on September 19 at the historic Remington Gun Club in Lonoke, Ark.

Rifleman Review: Walther Arms PD380

For its latest compact carry pistol, the PD380, Walther Arms combined elements of its Performance Duty Pistol series with its legacy PK380 platform.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.