Buy 6.8 Western now or 7PRC later?

[longhorncadillac]

I'm finding loaded ammo for 6.5 PRC, 7PRC, and 6.8. only thing I rarely see is rifles chambered for 6.8.

A local big box store has had 6.8 ammo in stock for a long time; during COVID it was the only ammo on many, many bare shelfs. However, I have yet to see a rifle so chambered in that store, and I walk through their gun area at least once a month. Meanwhile I've seen multiple 6.5 and 7PRC's there.

Curious to see what endures after a few years; such as it is, I'd bet on the PRC rounds making it longer. Seems more ammo, component, and rifle companies have picked them up, and while there might be more .277 offerings in the works, as it stands, there's many more .264 and .284 options available.

Pretty much the same thing around me. I heard the other day that federal is starting to manufacture 7prc with their terminal ascent. Probably won’t be long before there are a bunch of options.

 

[gerry35]

I wouldn’t be surprised if Tikka drops the 270 WSM and chambers the 6.8 Western. I would buy one. I stated somewhere that one of the 7 PRC’s “cons” is that it is a long action cartridge. Quite a few production guns are currently limited to 3.4” for a DBM. High BC, heavy, low drag bullets typically use a long throat, fast twist and as such the case needs to be short and fat for more powder space to drive the bullets. The 284 WIN and the 7 SAUM can eek out the performance with a handload, and still fit in a standard long action DBM. The 7 REM MAG can shoot quite a few different hunting bullets and the ammo can be found just about anywhere. If you are going to count inches at a thousand yards, well... F-Class has found that the 284 Win and the 7 SAUM do a fine job out there.

A Tikka in 6.8 Western would be sweet and I bet they would sell piles of them. With Browning and Christensen not offering a left hand 6.8 W I'm getting a Tikka rebarreled with a 1 in 8 Twist barrel so I'm all in. With Barnes and Federal offering new 155 gr bullets we should be seeing some factory rounds from them as well. Hopefully Berger jumps in too .Such a well thought out cartridge that I could see fans of the 270 Win adding to their gun safe. I like them both.

 

[Gila]

A Tikka in 6.8 Western would be sweet and I bet they would sell piles of them. With Browning and Christensen not offering a left hand 6.8 W I'm getting a Tikka rebarreled with a 1 in 8 Twist barrel so I'm all in. With Barnes and Federal offering new 155 gr bullets we should be seeing some factory rounds from them as well. Hopefully Berger jumps in too .Such a well thought out cartridge that I could see fans of the 270 Win adding to their gun safe. I like them both.

I think you are going to have a great time with that rifle! The 6.8 Western is a handloader’s dream. Check out this new bullet: https://bergerbullets.com/product/270-caliber-170-grain-extreme-outer-limits-eol-elite-hunter/

 

[gerry35]

I think you are going to have a great time with that rifle! The 6.8 Western is a handloader’s dream. Check out this new bullet: https://bergerbullets.com/product/270-caliber-170-grain-extreme-outer-limits-eol-elite-hunter/

Looking forward to it, thanks! I've got some of those 170 gr Berger's already along with some Sierra 175 gr TGK's and some 170 gr Ballistic Tip's should land on my doorstep in a couple of days. I meant Berger offering some factory loads too. Will be burning through a bunch of different 150's I have already too.

 

[gtriple]

I decided to buy a 6.5 PRC that I can convert to 7 PRC in the future. Currently it is a Howa 1500 barreled action wearing an MDT oryx chassis with a Vortex DB tactical FFP on top. I have a JK Armament VersaX 45 ordered to be my light do-it-all can to swap around between my 45-70, 35 cals, and the 7 PRC once it is built. I’m enjoying the 6.5 PRC so far and may end up keeping it and buying another action for the 7 PRC, or just buying the barreled action from Howa if they start chambering 7 PRC. This is the first Howa I have purchased and I have been pretty impressed so far. After polishing things up a bit, she’s smooth and a great shooter with all ammo I have tried. Howa used the long action for the 6.5, and I am able to reliably run the MDT AICS 300WM mags without modification in the oryx chassis.

Ultimately, I was glad I decided not to go the 6.8 route. It’s a great cartridge, but I think the 7 fits what I am looking for much better.

That's exactly what I'm doing, except with a Tikka. Great call.

 

[Balderdash]

Sportsmans shows 66 6.8W models offered from Browning, Winchester, Seekins, Fierce, and Christensen Arms. Shows 44
Models offered in 7mm PRC from Savage, Remington, Ruger, Christensen Arms; Seekins, Fierce. I am sure both will get more added as supply chains continue to loosen up but lots of good options now.

For those of you who think Hornady is better at supporting cartridges than Win you probably forget the 300 rcm, 338 rcm, 30 tc, 338 marlin express, 308 marlin express, 450 marlin and probably several not thinking of. You can still pretty easily find wsm ammo compared to any of those all introduced after the wsms. Not at all picking on Hornady as a big fan, but they are not any better/worse than others

Lou

Add 376 Styer to the list.

I've been quick to try a lot of new cartridges through the years, so I've watched closely as ammo and components became scarce due to lack of support. You're right on in pointing out that it's not too wise to put much faith in one company over another as far as supporting rounds that have fallen out of favor or never really caught on. Big Green was probably the best in that regard, but that's a whole different scenario these days.

Seems the best a guy can hope for is high quality aftermarket brass and component manufacturers picking up a case. Once it gets over that hurdle, things seem to stick around for awhile.

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

What should I do? There is ammo on the shelves for the Western as I type. The cartridge has more juice than I will need for my hunting, there are affordable rifle options for it, and there are a few bullet options to reload with as well.

BUT… the 7PRC looks like it will best the Western, will do a little more than the 7SAUM, and will have the Hornady marketing machine behind it. That generally means more industry adoption, more rifle and ammo choices, and continued support. The 7 has more options for reloading as well.

BUT… the Western is here now with ammo available. The 7PRC isn’t here yet, and I doubt ammo will be plentiful for a while if it trends the direction the other PRCs have.

BUT… if the 7 takes off like the rocket it may be, I doubt we see further adoption of the 6.8 Western and the cartridge could get sidelined.

Sorry to ramble. Any suggestions are appreciated.

Wait for the .277 fury.

 

[12wander]

The 7PRC is a Long action magnum cartridge that is essentially a modernized 7 Rem Mag.

The 6.8 Western is a modernized 270 WSM and is chambered in short actions. If you get the 6.8 in a factory rifle, you cannot rebarrel to 7PRC. In addition, it is going to have competition from the Army's 277 Fury, I doubt it will offered in rifles not made by Winchester/Browning.

If you think you'll end up with the 7 PRC down the road, why not get a 280AI or 7 RM now and replace the barrel down the line?

That is false in a way. You can take a Tikka action and make it a long or short action just by changing the bolt stops for less than $50.00. I made a 6.8 Western from a 300 WM. You just need to get it in a standard or magnum bolt to get the proper bolt face for the caliber choice.

 

[Unckebob]

That is false in a way. You can take a Tikka action and make it a long or short action just by changing the bolt stops for less than $50.00. I made a 6.8 Western from a 300 WM. You just need to get it in a standard or magnum bolt to get the proper bolt face for the caliber choice.

View attachment 519857

Tikka's and the Savage Axis are exceptions to the rule.

Nevertheless, I stand by my position that any one who seriously considering going to a 7PRC should probably start with a long action to work with.

 

[Balderdash]

Tikka's and the Savage Axis are exceptions to the rule.

Nevertheless, I stand by my position that any one who seriously considering going to a 7PRC should probably start with a long action to work with.

I don't disagree, but it doesn't take much to get 3.6 out of a Tikka.