SSA’s 110-grain AccuBond load was exceptionally accurate in the Stag 7, and the combination proved deadly in the field, too.

Once again, the wound channel was pretty impressive, but that is to be expected given the AccuBond's design.

The 6.8mm SPC's ability to deliver a bigger payload from the same package as a .223 AR with mild recoil makes it, in my opinion, ideal for shooters of small stature. My eight-year-old son, Cole, is such a shooter. He also happens to be an experienced hunter and AR shooter. He was itching to try the Stag 7, so I let him tag along as I stalked a herd of javelinas.

We crawled to within 120 yards before the cover ran out. I unfolded the Harris bipod's legs, and Cole settled in behind the rifle. At the shot, the peccary dropped in its tracks without so much as a squeal. I was pleased to see an exit wound and an impressive amount of damage. Cole was thrilled that the bigger cartridge didn't seem to kick any more than his .223 AR.

The next week, Cole used the Stag 7 to drop a coyote at 54 yards, a spike at 121 yards--and the biggest buck of his life. The heart-shot spike ran 30 yards before piling up in a heap. The coyote dropped in its tracks.

But Cole's big buck, a big-bodied South Texas bruiser, was chasing does back and forth across the sendero all morning. It was always on the go and just out of range. Eventually, it followed a doe to 152 yards and turned almost broadside for just a second.

It was just starting to move again when Cole stuck a 110-grain AccuBond right behind its shoulder. The bullet raked through and exited at the base of the buck's neck. The heavy 10-point piled up just off the edge of the sendero, less than 10 yards from where it stood at the shot.

As much as I was impressed by the SSA ammunition's performance, I doubt I would have even bothered to take another look at the 6.8 were it not for the introduction of the Stag 7 Hunter. It's is an exceptionally well-made and incredibly accurate piece. In fact, it is one of the most accurate ARs I've ever tested, regardless of chambering. And that includes some pretty damned expensive custom guns.

My only complaint about the Hunter is a cosmetic one. I would like to see Stag coat the entire gun in its new S7 finish. It's a great looking finish, but the almost-all-black rifle looks odd with a tan barrel. A single color or perhaps a camouflage paint scheme would look much better. And its corrosion resistance would be most practical.

I need another AR like I need yet another drop in my retirement account. But I've never let need or a lack thereof influence my gun purchases, especially when said gun is so darn accurate. And Cole says Stag's new Hunter isn't going anywhere, so that settles that.