6.8 Western… Who’s shooting it?

[AlpineAssassin907]

Has anyone bought & shot the 6.8 western yet? Seen it the other day & definitely wouldn’t mind trying it out. Seems pretty similar to the 270 WSM? Thanks in advance guys. Definitely looking forward to hearing about this “new” caliber.

 

[Truaxdw]

I picked one up, Browning X bolt Hells Canyon long range using factory Winchester Accu bond long range 165 gr we killed two cow elk and 1 whitetail buck with that rifle this season I like it. What kind of questions you got?

 

[yak]

Picked up an x-bolt mountain pro and managed to get a nice Mulie buck and a cow elk using factory Browning 175 gr ammo. Great shooting gun with low recoil. Shot 30 rounds at the range in a tee shirt and felt just fine.


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[lilharcher]

Not sure it’s been as popular of a round as the creators originally thought……virtually all of the hunting/ammo store that I have gone to during the last 6-months (especially Sportsman’s) has been plugged with it. Asked one of the employees why they had so much and he laughed and said, “b/c no one buys it”….makes sense. Never saw the appeal personally either, but to each their own.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I was thinking about it but when I went to the store there was a stainless tikka 270 and like 40 boxes of Ammo so I got that instead.

 

[blacktail sniper]

Someone educate me on this cartridge. I have a 6.5 saum an 280ai and selling the ai to build a dedicated elk rifle and leaning toward a short barreled 7 saum but looked at the 6.8 but the more I look at the numbers why not just take a 270wsm and have it barreled with say a 1:8 twist vs the common1:10 and shoot 160-175's?

 

[bmart2622]

I dont know if the 6.8 Western would be any better of an elk gun than your 280AI or a 7SAUM. All 3 are cool calibers and would own all of them

 

[bmart2622]

I picked one up, Browning X bolt Hells Canyon long range using factory Winchester Accu bond long range 165 gr we killed two cow elk and 1 whitetail buck with that rifle this season I like it. What kind of questions you got?

What kind of velocity were you seeing with that bullet?

 

[JeffRaines]

Someone educate me on this cartridge. I have a 6.5 saum an 280ai and selling the ai to build a dedicated elk rifle and leaning toward a short barreled 7 saum but looked at the 6.8 but the more I look at the numbers why not just take a 270wsm and have it barreled with say a 1:8 twist vs the common1:10 and shoot 160-175's?

If I were a hand loader having a custom rifle built and wanted to run .277 bullets, I'd sooner chamber it in 270WSM, spin on a 8 or 7.5 twist barrel, and have the throat cut for heavy bullets. I'd also use a standard length action so I could run them really long.

There really is no reason to have a 6.8 Western in that case. The only advantage, best I can tell, is for people who don't handload who want to do the "long range" thing with a factory rifle using factory loads. For that guy, it makes sense.

 

[Truaxdw]

What kind of velocity were you seeing with that bullet?

2825 fps

 

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

Someone educate me on this cartridge. I have a 6.5 saum an 280ai and selling the ai to build a dedicated elk rifle and leaning toward a short barreled 7 saum but looked at the 6.8 but the more I look at the numbers why not just take a 270wsm and have it barreled with say a 1:8 twist vs the common1:10 and shoot 160-175's?

Your 6.5 saum will do everything the 6.8
western will do.
For elk I'd go with a short wsm throated for 180s

 

[chadcharb]

I'm waiting on my barrel for my custom build. Can't wait to get it together!

 

[eddiewiggles]

I can’t answer the OP’s question but I think it will become more popular over time. I don’t personally need one for the hunting I do, but I feel there is a market for it. People who are fans of 270 but want a little more range and don’t reload. Only time will tell. But right now certain rifles are still hard to come by and I think people care more about stocking up on the basics calibers. We shall see


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[Wingshooter]

I shot one a while back recoil was very pleasant but the rifle was heavier than I would carry on an elk hunt. To me the ballistics just aren't any better than my 7mm. I realize I am being a grumpy old timer but most new calibers seem like answers to a problem that would be better fixed with more time at the range.

 

[chadcharb]

I shot one a while back recoil was very pleasant but the rifle was heavier than I would carry on an elk hunt. To me the ballistics just aren't any better than my 7mm. I realize I am being a grumpy old timer but most new calibers seem like answers to a problem that would be better fixed with more time at the range.

I don't think your wrong in your thought process at all. If I already owned a 7mm I probably wouldn't consider it either

 

[nobody]

Someone educate me on this cartridge. I have a 6.5 saum an 280ai and selling the ai to build a dedicated elk rifle and leaning toward a short barreled 7 saum but looked at the 6.8 but the more I look at the numbers why not just take a 270wsm and have it barreled with say a 1:8 twist vs the common1:10 and shoot 160-175's?

It's funny you suggest rebarreling a 270 WSM, because that is EXACTLY what the 6.8 Western is. It's an updated version of the 270 WSM. Winchester/Browning took the case, inserted a longer, heavier for caliber bullet, throated it for the heavies, and tightened the twist. What you suggest is exactly what they did at the factory.

 

[chadcharb]

It's funny you suggest rebarreling a 270 WSM, because that is EXACTLY what the 6.8 Western is. It's an updated version of the 270 WSM. Winchester/Browning took the case, inserted a longer, heavier for caliber bullet, throated it for the heavies, and tightened the twist. What you suggest is exactly what they did at the factory.

You forgot the part where they shortened the case so it will still fit a short action with the longer high b.c. bullets. You can re-barrel your .270wsm and have a custom throat cut to run these bullets by you'll likely have to move to a long action while your at it

 

[nobody]

You forgot the part where they shortened the case so it will still fit a short action with the longer high b.c. bullets. You can re-barrel your .270wsm and have a custom throat cut to run these bullets by you'll likely have to move to a long action while your at it

Yes, you are correct. Thank you for calling that out!

 

[cmahoney]

I was in sportsman’s yesterday and they had a ton of ammo for it, that was about all they had.


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[blacktail sniper]

Only reason i bring up the 270 wsm is it just doenst make a lot of sense to me anyway to go to a 6.8. I bring u the 270 wsm as my son has a tikka llights out with 130 and 140s thought later on mabye rebarrel to a 1:8 twist and since have the dies etc maybe go that route as well or hell rebarrel to a 7 saum and we can both shoot the same caliber.