280 ackley vs 6.8 western

[#publiclands]

I started shooting 280 AI about 2 years ago. During the factory ammo drought. Nosler brass is definitely more expensive, but readily available. Peterson is a good bit cheaper but only available once a year or so. 6.8W still not available. Now factory ammo for both is abundant. It’s still $40-$50/box on the low end to crazy on the higher end. I reload mine because I want to shoot fragmenting monos like Hammers and Cutting Edges. Fast, flat shooting 140-150 grain and it just kills them but I’m not shooting 600 yards…250 is my longest shot thus far. I’m certain that holds up without issue to at least 500 though. The AI over the past 2 years has had damn near an explosion in popularity. Which makes me think it will hold up better over time. Ultimately, in my mind they perform equally well. Do you want to reload or use factory is the primary question. Then which one tickles your fancy more? FWIW I had an x bolt pro 1st generation with carbon stock. For factory stocks it was ok but if I did it all over again I would buy the least expensive model and an aftermarket vertical grip type carbon stock. It will be much easier to shoot accurately. One of the issues with factory stock is the bolt release configuration on safe forces you to mount your scope higher which creates an issue since the scope is too high for the stock. Aftermarket stock with higher cheek fixes that. Also FWIW again with the AI Federal has finally come out with the terminal ascent 155 grain. That’s the ammo I would shoot if confined to factory. They just had a flood of it available and it shoots great with a great all around bullet

Planning to reload which ever caliber I go with. Kinda strange that more companies don’t make brass for the 280 ai especially since it’s risen a bit on popularity as of late

 

[#publiclands]

Both are fine cartridges, but I'm not encouraging anyone to go with the 6.8 Western due to the bullet diameter. American shooters have settled on .224, 6mm, 6.5mm, .284, and .30 cal bullet diameters. Those are the present and future. Like it or not, .277 and .257 are in the past.

If you want a modern short mag, go 6.5 PRC instead of 6.8W. The .280 AI is the sensible choice if you like .284 bullets and don't want a "common" cartridge. Now, if you want an even cooler round, consider the .284 Win. like someone mentioned above. Brass availability? I doubt that's a concern for a big-game rifle. A few hundred cases will last a looooooong time.

Hmmm … 284 win … seems like quite a few on hear are recommending that caliber. I’ve haven’t seen many rifles chambered in that caliber so I’m assuming I’m have to build something. I do have a rem 700 adl currently wearing a 243 win barrel I could use for a donor action. I would assume that I would not be able to seat bullets long though in that caliber and in the Short action?

 

[colegeiser51]

The only thing that is worrisome with the 6.8 western, is that it hasn't got any traction with popularity. The 280AI is more popular. Brass is still difficult to find for the 280AI but not as hard as it is to find 6.8 western brass

 

[Robobiss]

The only thing that is worrisome with the 6.8 western, is that it hasn't got any traction with popularity. The 280AI is more popular. Brass is still difficult to find for the 280AI but not as hard as it is to find 6.8 western brass

And the brass that you get for the 6.8, sucks.

I’ve loaded some for my dad that was once fired in the nickel plated stuff from browning that seems to be alright.

But he was super pumped to score a couple bags of brand new Winchester brass. We loaded 25 rounds to frig around with and look for pressure signs with and trying to prime just those 25 I found 3 cases that had primer pockets so loose the primer falls out with just the help of gravity. Nothing short of super glue was going to get the primer to stay in the brass. Brand new too…

Junk

 

[colegeiser51]

And the brass that you get for the 6.8, sucks.

I’ve loaded some for my dad that was once fired in the nickel plated stuff from browning that seems to be alright.

But he was super pumped to score a couple bags of brand new Winchester brass. We loaded 25 rounds to frig around with and look for pressure signs with and trying to prime just those 25 I found 3 cases that had primer pockets so loose the primer falls out with just the help of gravity. Nothing short of super glue was going to get the primer to stay in the brass. Brand new too…

Junk

That is rough. I personally would love to get a 6.8 western. The ballistics are fantastic, and it would be a great hunting round out west. The reason I wont end up getting one is because of the brass issue and the lack of options or availability. If starline, hornady, nosler, or norma would start making brass for it, I think it would start picking up traction.

 

[z987k]

And the brass that you get for the 6.8, sucks.

I’ve loaded some for my dad that was once fired in the nickel plated stuff from browning that seems to be alright.

But he was super pumped to score a couple bags of brand new Winchester brass. We loaded 25 rounds to frig around with and look for pressure signs with and trying to prime just those 25 I found 3 cases that had primer pockets so loose the primer falls out with just the help of gravity. Nothing short of super glue was going to get the primer to stay in the brass. Brand new too…

Junk

Ya, I had a friend sell his 6.8w due to brass availability.

 

[z987k]

Hmmm … 284 win … seems like quite a few on hear are recommending that caliber. I’ve haven’t seen many rifles chambered in that caliber so I’m assuming I’m have to build something. I do have a rem 700 adl currently wearing a 243 win barrel I could use for a donor action. I would assume that I would not be able to seat bullets long though in that caliber and in the Short action?

To use 284win to its full potential you need to build on a medium or long action. It'll just slightly outpace the 280ai with 140-150gr if you do that but it'll run the heavies faster.

I don't think anyone factory chambers it anymore but brass is very available.

 

[Lou270]

Both are fine cartridges, but I'm not encouraging anyone to go with the 6.8 Western due to the bullet diameter. American shooters have settled on .224, 6mm, 6.5mm, .284, and .30 cal bullet diameters. Those are the present and future. Like it or not, .277 and .257 are in the past.

If you want a modern short mag, go 6.5 PRC instead of 6.8W. The .280 AI is the sensible choice if you like .284 bullets and don't want a "common" cartridge. Now, if you want an even cooler round, consider the .284 Win. like someone mentioned above. Brass availability? I doubt that's a concern for a big-game rifle. A few hundred cases will last a looooooong time.

This is not true at all. The 6.8/.277 is very much the future. More so than any other >22 cal. The Army has started deploying the 6.8x51 this year as new battle rifle with full deployment in 25 once new ammo site is done. The 6.8 common will very likely be adopted by other branches and rest of NATO down the road. Support troops will still use 223. There is a request for quote out for a 6.8x51 match round now as well so maybe will show up in something likr fclass tr like 223/308 down the road. Any case, the 6.8 is not going anywhere and is going to get very popular not just with hunting, but tacticool crowd.

Lou

 

[StupidLightweight]

You may be right, Lou, but time will tell. Since the 1960s, the 5.56 NATO and M16/M4 have been considered "placeholders" until the perfect battle cartridge/rifle combo is perfected. The 6.8x51 might be the one. Then again, it could fizzle out like countless others.

The case technology is significant, but until big-game starts wearing Chinese body armor, I have a hard time believing hunters will swap from traditional rounds to this 80,000 psi monster.

 

[ericacymcdonald]

To expand on what lou20 said about .277 being the future... my situation may be different then most being in California and being forced to use copper, but I recently switched from an .280ai to a .270 win with a long throat and 8 twist barrel. I now have cheaper brass and every single copper bullet manufacturer has just as many high bc .277 bullets. I'm not sure if .277 is the future but I do believe the manufacturing of bullets is becoming more available to small startups and with it the ability to make more bullet options.

That said if I wasn't forced to shoot lead free I'd go back to a small 6mm

 

[Mule3006Elk]

280 AI especially if reloading.

Recoil 6.8 Western > 280 AI. Per online review ~ 23.5-24 ft/lbs for the 6.8 Western vs 19-20 ft/lbs for the 280 AI. Stay on target more with the 280 AI.

 

[Lou270]

I was reading about the 6.8 x51. They have the high pressure stuff for battlefield but also “normal” pressure brass case rounds for practice, special close range tasks, and match. I don’t see it going backwards simply because the Chinese already field a round that outperform the 5.56 and have body armor that can stop it. This combined with poor performance of 223 in open terrain (vs jungles) in Iraq/Afghanistan are driving factors.

Any case assuming it sticks, there will be umpteen match bullets coming out in 6.8. When you look at hunting bullet availabilty, the 277 is same as 6.5 or 7mm. Actually more than 6.5. The other cals however have lot of match bullets compared to few in 277.

Lou

 

[kevingm1987]

That is rough. I personally would love to get a 6.8 western. The ballistics are fantastic, and it would be a great hunting round out west. The reason I wont end up getting one is because of the brass issue and the lack of options or availability. If starline, hornady, nosler, or norma would start making brass for it, I think it would start picking up traction.

ADG is testing the waters and hopefully it will push the others to follow suit. I have a pre order in for ADG and hope to get 100pcs. This should last 500+ rounds. Hornady will never get on board, Nosler chances are slim, not sure about Norma or starline. Peterson said not at this time, don't think Lapua is interested. So it appears to be an up hill battle but if ADG sticks it out and produces, this would be enough to keep most handloaders happy.

Being a "niche" round, I think the brass only guys are the best hope.

 

[Lou270]

In shot show blog Nosler said they are looking at 6.8W and 300 prc next. Not sure they will do either. ADG is doing initial run this month to get feedback on set up and production runs after - at least that is what dealer said. I don’t know about others. In post on here Petersen said wait and see then latet said they see 6.8W getting lot more popular so maybe. They are doing wsms this year so does not seem stretch 6.8W would follow soon

Lou

 

[Unckebob]

Both are fine cartridges, but I'm not encouraging anyone to go with the 6.8 Western due to the bullet diameter. American shooters have settled on .224, 6mm, 6.5mm, .284, and .30 cal bullet diameters. Those are the present and future. Like it or not, .277 and .257 are in the past.

If you want a modern short mag, go 6.5 PRC instead of 6.8W. The .280 AI is the sensible choice if you like .284 bullets and don't want a "common" cartridge. Now, if you want an even cooler round, consider the .284 Win. like someone mentioned above. Brass availability? I doubt that's a concern for a big-game rifle. A few hundred cases will last a looooooong time.

I disagree with your assertion that that the .277 is not a popular bullet.
- For target shooters, I agree.
- For hunters, I strongly disagree. For over a century, the 270 Winchester has been a big seller. Now that there are heavy for caliber hunting bullets available, I expect the 277 to remain popular.

 

[StupidLightweight]

Unckebob, I hope you're right. I have no issues with .277 cartridges. The .270 Win. is one of the finest big-game cartridges ever devised.

That said, I still discourage anyone from jumping into the 6.8 Western realm because it'll be largely be dead in a decade and the 6.5 PRC will still be going strong. Even if the .277 is holding on, component wise, they'll be nowhere near the number of 6.5 or 7mm projectiles.

 

[Unckebob]

Unckebob, I hope you're right. I have no issues with .277 cartridges. The .270 Win. is one of the finest big-game cartridges ever devised.

That said, I still discourage anyone from jumping into the 6.8 Western realm because it'll be largely be dead in a decade and the 6.5 PRC will still be going strong. Even if the .277 is holding on, component wise, they'll be nowhere near the number of 6.5 or 7mm projectiles.

I was at Bass Pro today (sales tax free weekend on clothes) to buy my daughter hiking shoes.

Most loads available 30-06 and/or 270. The 270 isn't going away anytime soon.

Other really popular cartridges based upon number of loads: 308, 6.5CM, 7mmRM, 243.

6.5 PRC - Two Hornady loads
7PRC - One Hornady load.

An employee asked me if I needed help.
Me: Do you have any 6.8W?
Employee: We did, but sold it all.

 

[StupidLightweight]

I’m horrible at cartridge predictions. 6.8W might make it. I’m doubtful though, and just because the first run of ammo sold out in one store doesn't mean this new cartridge so close to the performance of others that came before it will succeed and be abundant in 10 years. Like every new cartridge, it’s unlikely.

Again, no knock on the round itself, but I see it following the paths of the WSMs. Invest accordingly.

PS: did you see any .270 WSM ammo on the shelves? My brother in law could really use some.

 

[Lou270]

I’m horrible at cartridge predictions. 6.8W might make it. I’m doubtful though, and just because the first run of ammo sold out in one store doesn't mean this new cartridge so close to the performance of others that came before it will succeed and be abundant in 10 years. Like every new cartridge, it’s unlikely.

Again, no knock on the round itself, but I see it following the paths of the WSMs. Invest accordingly.

PS: did you see any .270 WSM ammo on the shelves? My brother in law could really use some.

My local Cabelas has Win, Hornady, and Nosler 270 WSM ammo in stock. At least it did when I was there last week

Lou

 

[Montana'eer]

Planning to reload which ever caliber I go with. Kinda strange that more companies don’t make brass for the 280 ai especially since it’s risen a bit on popularity as of late

It's not been said and maybe it's widely assumed, but you can load regular .280 and fireform the brass in the .280ai. You can also use .270 brass. One of the reasons I like the .280 / .280ai is the commonality with the parent case. That being said- I picked up several hundred pieces of Peterson .280ai brass so I'm all good. But I also have a ton of .270 brass saved, well, because I'm a hoarder.