6.8 Western

Gila

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Nearly 3000 fps out of a 24" factory barrel shooting 180gr factory ammo.
A very small “niche” for a very small number of hunters. With a very small selection of ammo available. Obviously ballistic superiority isn’t everything.
 

bmart2622

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A very small “niche” for a very small number of hunters. With a very small selection of ammo available. Obviously ballistic superiority isn’t everything.
You dont get it. You like your 6.8, I get it and its a cool cartridge but youre trying to pass off your own subjective biases as facts!!
 

Gila

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Who’s built one? I’m thinking of planning a build. Tikka action, 1-8T 20” Carbon barrel blank that I’ll have a local guy chamber for me, either a Mesa precision, or McMillan. Planning on shooting factory for awhile til I get reloading. Thoughts? Suggestions?


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That will be an excellent choice in a rifle. I was going to build a 6.8 Western on a Tikka action. However I happen to have a T3 action with a .473 bolt face so I am building a 284 Winchester instead. I have all of the parts, waiting on the barrel to be finished. The dies, powder and bullets arrived today...I would say go for that 6.8 Western and have fun. I don’t think there is a better choice for a chambering in a light weight Tikka rifle! The 6.8 Western is very versatile and capable.
 

bmart2622

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That will be an excellent choice in a rifle. I was going to build a 6.8 Western on a Tikka action. However I happen to have a T3 action with a .473 bolt face so I am building a 284 Winchester instead. I have all of the parts, waiting on the barrel to be finished. The dies, powder and bullets arrived today...I would say go for that 6.8 Western and have fun. I don’t think there is a better choice for a chambering in a light weight Tikka rifle! The 6.8 Western is very versatile and capable.
So wait a minute....after all that shit you talked you are now building a rifle in 7mm?!?!?
 
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BCsteve

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I seriously doubt Hornady will not be able to keep up with the demand for 7 PRC ammunition. If you are not going to handload why own a 7 PRC?

Plenty of ammo out there for the 7mm rem mag, 28 Nosler, 7’08. Looking beyond the ammo shortage that is.

I see that Savage will chamber for the 7 PRC by the end of the year. The other three of the big 4, probably won’t chamber for it any time soon. Will, Remington, Browning, Federal, Nosler chamber for it? Time will tell. Hunters are happy with what the 6.8 Western has to offer. That support and adoption has been very positive. I just don’t see it happening with the 7 PRC.

Available Rifles in the 7mm PRC​

A cartridge is only as good as the number of firearms makers that agree to chamber it. And by this measure the 7 PRC is off to a good start. Although I’m sure there are plenty of smaller custom rifle makers champing at the bit to build rifles in the this round, too, the official list of companies planning to make rifles in this round includes the following:

  • Allterra Arms
  • Best of the West
  • Christensen Arms
  • Fierce Firearms
  • Gunwerks
  • Hill Country Rifles
  • H-S Precision
  • Horizon Firearms
  • J.P. Sauer & Sohn
  • McWhorter Custom Rifles
  • Proof Research
  • Remington
  • Ruger (coming later 2023)
  • Savage
  • Seekins Precision
  • Short Action Customs
  • Springfield Armory (coming 2023)
  • TS Customs
  • West Texas Ordnance
 

Gila

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Unbelievable
You are the one who came on this thread and trashed the 6.8 while talking smack about the 7 PRC. The OP wants to build on a Tikka action. The 7 mm PRC is too long to realize the potential of the cartridge in a Tikka action. The 6.8 Western is the perfect cartridge for the Tikka T3 lite, hands down. The .284 Winchester is one of the best 7mm solutions if you want to shoot the heavies in a Tikka....period. If you want a fully capable 7 PRC you won’t be buying a Tikka!
 

bmart2622

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You should go back and re read my posts!!! Literally the first thing I said was that the 6.8 is a cool cartridge!! You started spewing your ignorance about the 7PRC and were proved wrong in ever claim you made about it. And while you are re reading the posts look at the one on this thread about a guy who successfully built one on a Tikka action for his kid!!
 

Gila

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You should go back and re read my posts!!! Literally the first thing I said was that the 6.8 is a cool cartridge!! You started spewing your ignorance about the 7PRC and were proved wrong in ever claim you made about it. And while you are re reading the posts look at the one on this thread about a guy who successfully built one on a Tikka action for his kid!!
What a bunch of BS! I’m done with you here. Get a clue!
 

Tex68w

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I like the 6.8 Western and I hope it has great success. Now to decide on a 28N or 300WM for my next Elk rifle.
 

Buzby

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I certainly wouldn’t label it a void that is filled. Capabilities that some hunters may want but most hunters do not think they need, which they don’t. If you don’t handload, you won’t be able get the best capability out of the 7 PRC and that levels out the playing field. The 6.8 Western ammo is available just about anywhere and you won’t be limited in capability by factory ammo. The 6.8 Western just gets better with handloading. If you want a powerhouse, the 7 rem mag has done just fine and isn’t going anywhere.
“If you don’t hand load you won’t be able to get the best capability out of” ANY chambering. The 6.8 is no exception.

If you get a fast twist 7rm and hand load, it will do mostly what the 7prc does. As would a 7saum, 7wsm, 280ai etc. Factory loads/rifles is where the 7prc will beat them. Not to mention available bullet selection.

After all the marketing, and a year or so later, there is still only one company making factory 6.8 ammo. That will be its downfall.
I think the PRC/creedmoor line of cartridges has been well established and well received. Hornady is leading the pack, and it’s not even close.
 
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Building on the Tikka action should not be a problem since they only make one length action and the cartridge length is controlled by the bolt stop. Magazine length is usually the Tikka's biggest issue. Great action and great rounds (6.8 & 7PRC).. Depends on your personal rationale for owning/shooting one.. Lots of good points brought up here to consider in the choice.. No absolutely best answer for every shooter.. Like comparing Ford, Chevy, Ram, etc.. Sometimes local support and parts become the deciding factor.. Good luck whatever the choice..
 

westcoasthunter

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My son used the 6.8 western To kill his first bull this weekend . Got it opening day. 150ish yards off hand took 2 shots with the 162 copper impacts.
 

Gila

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Building on the Tikka action should not be a problem since they only make one length action and the cartridge length is controlled by the bolt stop. Magazine length is usually the Tikka's biggest issue. Great action and great rounds (6.8 & 7PRC).. Depends on your personal rationale for owning/shooting one.. Lots of good points brought up here to consider in the choice.. No absolutely best answer for every shooter.. Like comparing Ford, Chevy, Ram, etc.. Sometimes local support and parts become the deciding factor.. Good luck whatever the choice..
6.8 Western and 284 Winchester can use the Tikka magazines just fine. Shooting the 180 VLDs in the 284 Winchester puts OAL a tick over 3.31” with .220 freebore. The Tikka magazine is good for a 3.34” OAL. The 6.8 Western is less than that, so no problem running a 175 gr VLD in the Tikka magazine with the 6.8. Now with the 7 PRC which is 3.34” max SAAMI COAL, that is the same COAL as the 300 win mag. The 300 win mag case is .3” longer than the 7 PRC case, BUT max OAL with the heavy VLDs is typically over 3.6“, which will not fit a Tikka Magazine and it exceeds the action length as well.

The 7 PRC case is .110 longer than the 284 win case. Using the same bulllet, in this case a 180 VLD, the 7 PRC OAL could very well be 3.40 plus, which will not fit a Tikka magazine. If you replace the bottom metal and run AICS mags, the limit is 3.5” with a stock inlet modification. You supposedly can get up to 3.6” with an action and trigger housing modification but then you are out of real estate. Cost of the bottom metal and two AICS mags is $500. If you have a gun smith do action/trigger mods then you could go past $700 for the installation. But then you have to ask yourself if after spending all of that money is it worth the risk of having feeding issues when you are out hunting. And if you want to change bullets or decrease the seating depth for some reason you could be SOL because the 7 PRC OAL could then exceed the action length.

If you aren’t going to handload and are worried about ammo availability, then just stick to the 270 win or the 280 rem and be done with it. Those outstanding young hunters who knock the bulls and the bucks down seem to be perfectly satisfied with their 6.8 Western factory ammunition.
 
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Who’s built one? I’m thinking of planning a build. Tikka action, 1-8T 20” Carbon barrel blank that I’ll have a local guy chamber for me, either a Mesa precision, or McMillan. Planning on shooting factory for awhile til I get reloading. Thoughts? Suggestions?


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I just purchased the recently released Browning 6.8 X-bolt speed SR =(Suppressor Ready) 20 inch barrel threaded 5/8 24 . I'm putting the Thunderbeast 9 on it. Once i get time to test some factory ammo to see if the
engineers got this caliber as good as the 6.5CM..
 
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