6.8 Western or 7 PRC?

[3325]

Don't see 6.8 western sticking around. An answer to a question absolutely nobody was asking.

Yeah, when you consider the .270 Winchester, .270 Weatherby, and .270 WSM, along with odds and ends like the 6.8 SPC and the .277 Fury, just what niche is the 6.8 Western supposed to fill?

Of course much the same could be said of the 7 PUC: 7 Remington, 7 Weatherby, 7-08, 7x57, .280 Remington…….does the 7 PUC do something special that another 7 doesn’t?

Some folks just love to tinker on the margins, I reckon.

 

[Rick M.]

I don't really dig either, honestly. The fact that the 6.8 Western is tied up with Browning and Winchester may make it struggle to be adapted in factory offerings. The 7 PRC just takes so much more powder to get minimal velocity gains over the 7RM, that it's only real feature is being able to handle the newer, long and sleek, high BC bullets. Not worth it. I'd personally rather go with the regular .270 or the .280 AI.

 

[3325]

I still own several rifles but most are just sentimental pieces that don’t seem to get used much. They’re old and the cartridges they’re chambered for are old and no longer as inspiring as they once were.

I believe I could cogitate on that notion for two minutes or two weeks and still wouldn’t be able get my mind wrapped around it.

 

[Xavier]

I’d agree with Dirtriding4life.

The 30-06 check many boxes. Really available ammo at a decent price. You’ll save at least $20.00 a box on factory ammo. Unless you are trying to reach out passed that 500 yard mark. I’ve gone out to 650 with my 30-06. On targets. But must of my big game is taken within 2-300 yards. I’m a big fan of the Federal Terminal Ascent 175GR. However, if it’s a toss up between the 7PRC and the 6.8 western. I’d go 6.8 it seems to be the perfect balance of weight, G1 BC 0.617, and recoil.

 

[Dirtriding4life]

I’d agree with Dirtriding4life.

The 30-06 check many boxes. Really available ammo at a decent price. You’ll save at least $20.00 a box on factory ammo. Unless you are trying to reach out passed that 500 yard mark. I’ve gone out to 650 with my 30-06. On targets. But must of my big game is taken within 2-300 yards. I’m a big fan of the Federal Terminal Ascent 175GR. However, if it’s a toss up between the 7PRC and the 6.8 western. I’d go 6.8 it seems to be the perfect balance of weight, G1 BC 0.617, and recoil.

Don’t listen to me! I’m a hypocrite that just built a 7SAUM and 6.5 CM to make a lighter and heavier recoiling combo. I haven’t had a chance to shoot either yet so I don’t have any feedback yet on recoil compared to the old 30-06. One thing I noticed shooting that 30-06 Tikka this year was the difficulty I had getting back onto the target after my shot and spotting my impact definitely wasn’t going to happen. Something with reduced recoil will be very nice to improve precision.

The 6.5 CM is using the same chassis and action as the SAUM so it should make a great trainer and still about as cheap to shoot as the 30-06.

 

[BCsteve]

Yeah, when you consider the .270 Winchester, .270 Weatherby, and .270 WSM, along with odds and ends like the 6.8 SPC and the .277 Fury, just what niche is the 6.8 Western supposed to fill?

High BC fast twist .270 bullet launcher.

 

[3325]

High BC fast twist .270 bullet launcher.

Well, now I know what it’s for.

Now I just have to wonder if it really leads to more dead elk.

 

[Bayouhunter]

6.8western ammunition is readily available on ammoseek... no 7PRC.... for what that is worth...

 

[Sevens]

6.8western ammunition is readily available on ammoseek... no 7PRC.... for what that is worth...

I believe that the demand is higher for the 7PRC. I see it on ammo seek fairly regularly, often marked up significantly, and it’s still is sold out by the EOD.

 

[Bayouhunter]

I believe that the demand is higher for the 7PRC. I see it on ammo seek fairly regularly, often marked up significantly, and it’s still is sold out by the EOD.

I agree, that is kind of what I was thinking as well.. demand issue outpacing the current supply...

 

[bmart2622]

Theres lots of 7 prc ammo available

 

[Xavier]

Don’t listen to me! I’m a hypocrite that just built a 7SAUM and 6.5 CM to make a lighter and heavier recoiling combo. I haven’t had a chance to shoot either yet so I don’t have any feedback yet on recoil compared to the old 30-06. One thing I noticed shooting that 30-06 Tikka this year was the difficulty I had getting back onto the target after my shot and spotting my impact definitely wasn’t going to happen. Something with reduced recoil will be very nice to improve precision.

The 6.5 CM is using the same chassis and action as the SAUM so it should make a great trainer and still about as cheap to shoot as the 30-06.

I love my 30-06. I find it easy to get back on target with my browning stalker. I also have a 6.5 CM and a 30-30win. I shoot a 175gr terminal ascent perfect amount of stopping power. A bit over kill on WT. But allows me to be confident on elk and moose. Since where I hunt allows me opportunity on different big game.

 

[z987k]

Yeah, when you consider the .270 Winchester, .270 Weatherby, and .270 WSM, along with odds and ends like the 6.8 SPC and the .277 Fury, just what niche is the 6.8 Western supposed to fill?

Of course much the same could be said of the 7 PUC: 7 Remington, 7 Weatherby, 7-08, 7x57, .280 Remington…….does the 7 PUC do something special that another 7 doesn’t?

Some folks just love to tinker on the margins, I reckon.

Like said above, the 7PRC just like the 6.8W is suppost to be a high velocity, high BC bullet launcher. All those other 6.8's and 7's don't do that due to factory twist rates. If you handload and have custom barrels, then it's redundant, but you can generally buy a whole rifle for what a custom prefit goes for. Nice to be able to get something off the shelf that does what you want.

If the 277 fury takes off like it should(the military actually fields it), that'll make the 6.8W redundant. It's faster and has an even faster saami twist spec.

 

[Unckebob]

If the 277 fury takes off like it should(the military actually fields it), that'll make the 6.8W redundant. It's faster and has an even faster saami twist spec.

I used to think that, but did some research and was surprised by what I found. To get that faster speed, the 277 needs cases with the steel case heads. Those have to be expensive to make and cannot be reloaded. Right now, they aren't available at all. I think civilian access to that cartridge is going to end up very limited unless someone other than Sig can make the hot brass.

With the all brass the only thing around, the round only gets 2700 to 2800fps with 130 grain bullet which does not compare favorably to a 3100 fps 170G .

277 SIG FURY, 130GR, VENARI Soft Point Hunting

Traditional Soft-Point Hunting Ammunition from SIG SAUER ADULT SIGNATURE REQUIRED

www.sigsauer.com

SBST68W | Winchester Ammunition

winchester.com

I only recently discovered the 6.8 Western has a huge amount of case capacity for a short action. Slightly more than my 280AI and significantly more than the 277 Fury.

For a short action build, the 6.8 Western is hard to beat.

 

[z987k]

I used to think that, but did some research and was surprised by what I found. To get that faster speed, the 277 needs cases with the steel case heads. Those have to be expensive to make and cannot be reloaded. Right now, they aren't available at all. I think civilian access to that cartridge is going to end up very limited unless someone other than Sig can make the hot brass.

With the all brass the only thing around, the round only gets 2700 to 2800fps with 130 grain bullet which does not compare favorably to a 3100 fps 170G .

277 SIG FURY, 130GR, VENARI Soft Point Hunting

Traditional Soft-Point Hunting Ammunition from SIG SAUER ADULT SIGNATURE REQUIRED

www.sigsauer.com

SBST68W | Winchester Ammunition

winchester.com

I only recently discovered the 6.8 Western has a huge amount of case capacity for a short action. Slightly more than my 280AI and significantly more than the 277 Fury.

For a short action build, the 6.8 Western is hard to beat.

The steel head brass is not available yet, except that some people are getting it either through the loaded ammo they have sold or maybe some testing range brass or something. We don't know if it can be reloaded or not. It probably can be since there's a guy on accurate shooter that supposedly has. If it becomes ubiquitous as 5.56, I can't imagine anyone will have a hard time finding it.

The steel case outruns the 6.8W with less powder. Published load data for the 6.8W with a 150gr ABLR from a 24" barrel is about 2930. Sig's published numbers with that same bullet from 24" is 3120. Less powder means less recoil for more velocity.

Published load data for the 6.8W with the 170EOL is at ~2850fps not 3100.


Also, note most of the speeds sig puts out are from a 16in barrel.

 

[typical_hunter]

Not going to lie, I lost interest in this post when you said you started shooting a 6.5 creedmoor over a 6.5-284 HaHa crazy

 

[HighUintas]

I used to think that, but did some research and was surprised by what I found. To get that faster speed, the 277 needs cases with the steel case heads. Those have to be expensive to make and cannot be reloaded. Right now, they aren't available at all. I think civilian access to that cartridge is going to end up very limited unless someone other than Sig can make the hot brass.

With the all brass the only thing around, the round only gets 2700 to 2800fps with 130 grain bullet which does not compare favorably to a 3100 fps 170G .

277 SIG FURY, 130GR, VENARI Soft Point Hunting

Traditional Soft-Point Hunting Ammunition from SIG SAUER ADULT SIGNATURE REQUIRED

www.sigsauer.com

SBST68W | Winchester Ammunition

winchester.com

I only recently discovered the 6.8 Western has a huge amount of case capacity for a short action. Slightly more than my 280AI and significantly more than the 277 Fury.

For a short action build, the 6.8 Western is hard to beat.

The steel head brass is not available yet, except that some people are getting it either through the loaded ammo they have sold or maybe some testing range brass or something. We don't know if it can be reloaded or not. It probably can be since there's a guy on accurate shooter that supposedly has. If it becomes ubiquitous as 5.56, I can't imagine anyone will have a hard time finding it.

The steel case outruns the 6.8W with less powder. Published load data for the 6.8W with a 150gr ABLR from a 24" barrel is about 2930. Sig's published numbers with that same bullet from 24" is 3120. Less powder means less recoil for more velocity.

Published load data for the 6.8W with the 170EOL is at ~2850fps not 3100.


Also, note most of the speeds sig puts out are from a 16in barrel.

Sounds like they can be reloaded... Maybe a couple times

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/277-sig-fury.310034/

 

[Unckebob]

Sounds like they can be reloaded... Maybe a couple times

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/277-sig-fury.310034/

I think it is still uncertain whether Hybrid cases an be reloaded in any sane way. They are essentially experimenting on a cartridge design they really don't understand. Until Hornady RCBS, Forster and Redding start offering dies designed to size the Hybrid case, I'll assume the answer is no.

BTW - I think a Rem700 action is likely to be more than adequate to handle the pressure (If a Sig gas gun do it, surely a solid bolt action rifle can do it). It may take a little upgrades to make the M700 work, but they seem easy compared to sizing a steel head down to size without damaging the die or the junction between the steel case head and the brass body.

 

[z987k]

I think it is still uncertain whether Hybrid cases an be reloaded in any sane way. They are essentially experimenting on a cartridge design they really don't understand. Until Hornady RCBS, Forster and Redding start offering dies designed to size the Hybrid case, I'll assume the answer is no.

BTW - I think a Rem700 action is likely to be more than adequate to handle the pressure (If a Sig gas gun do it, surely a solid bolt action rifle can do it). It may take a little upgrades to make the M700 work, but they seem easy compared to sizing a steel head down to size without damaging the die or the junction between the steel case head and the brass body.

It takes no modification at all to any modern action. Every magnum case head has more bolt thrust than the 277 fury.
Forester has dies, but not sure if they can reload the steel head.

 

[cjmikek]

I have hunted with a 30-06 forever and a 7mm-08. Mainly just deer hunted. But last year went out elk hunting and did a bunch more long-range shooting to get ready. Really enjoyed it. Enough so that after getting a good elk round for the 30-06 with 175 Barnes lrx bullets we were pinging steel at 800 yards. That piqued my interest in reloading and building a new gun. So I am working on putting a 7mm PRC together this year.