I want a 6.8 Western…but…

[Hoythews71]

…not at all a gun guy. But I need to start expanding season/success opportunities by adding a rifle and muzzy. Always wanted a Browning, and I’ve been smitten with the 6.8 Western.

Not completely sold on the 6.8 Western seriously catching on, even though it’s consistently gaining ground year after year, so I’d want to be able to switch calibers down the road…carbon Sendaro barrel…new stock. Basically would like to be able to build this into what I want if the 6.8W becomes irrelevant. But having a tough time finding aftermarket Browning compatible options. Is it a R700? Is it its own thing? I know these answers exist online and likely within this forum, but I’m having a tough time finding what I’m looking for.

I know the easy answer is to just pick something different right from the start, but I don’t want to. So there! Appreciate the help from the experts.


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[nobody]

Browning is its own beast. The X Bolt is not popular for aftermarket builds because it’s more difficult to rebarrel. This is because of fine thread pitch at action to barrel juncture, copious amounts of thread locking compound, and thin action “walls” mean it’s a higher likelihood of twisting the action in the barrel removal process. It’s totally possible to rebarrel, but most gunsmiths won’t work on them, so you’ll have a heck of a time finding somebody to do the work down the road.

6.8 Western is not a horse I would hitch my wagon to personally. But if you really want one, it might make more sense to buy a donor action (like a Tikka) and twist a 6.8 western prefit onto it. That way, when/if the cartridge follows its brethren the 325 WSM and 243 WSSM off into the sunset, you can easily rebarrel to something like a 6.5 PRC with a new prefit.

FWIW, I owned an X Bolt for about a year. Heckuva rifle, extremely accurate, but I ultimately got rid of it because of the lack of aftermarket support and because I was putting rounds through it at a rate that was gonna burn the barrel out relatively soon. So rather than just junk the rifle when that happened, I stopped with it and traded it in on a Tikka and haven’t looked back. Lots to love about the X Bolt, but not what I wanted long term.

 

[Hoythews71]

Browning is its own beast. The X Bolt is not popular for aftermarket builds because it’s more difficult to rebarrel. This is because of fine thread pitch at action to barrel juncture, copious amounts of thread locking compound, and thin action “walls” mean it’s a higher likelihood of twisting the action in the barrel removal process. It’s totally possible to rebarrel, but most gunsmiths won’t work on them, so you’ll have a heck of a time finding somebody to do the work down the road.

6.8 Western is not a horse I would hitch my wagon to personally. But if you really want one, it might make more sense to buy a donor action (like a Tikka) and twist a 6.8 western prefit onto it. That way, when/if the cartridge follows its brethren the 325 WSM and 243 WSSM off into the sunset, you can easily rebarrel to something like a 6.5 PRC with a new prefit.

FWIW, I owned an X Bolt for about a year. Heckuva rifle, extremely accurate, but I ultimately got rid of it because of the lack of aftermarket support and because I was putting rounds through it at a rate that was gonna burn the barrel out relatively soon. So rather than just junk the rifle when that happened, I stopped with it and traded it in on a Tikka and haven’t looked back. Lots to love about the X Bolt, but not what I wanted long term.

@nobody that’s exactly the sort of info I was hoping for. Thank you sir!


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[ElPollo]

…not at all a gun guy. But I need to start expanding season/success opportunities by adding a rifle and muzzy. Always wanted a Browning, and I’ve been smitten with the 6.8 Western.

Not completely sold on the 6.8 Western seriously catching on, even though it’s consistently gaining ground year after year, so I’d want to be able to switch calibers down the road…carbon Sendaro barrel…new stock. Basically would like to be able to build this into what I want if the 6.8W becomes irrelevant. But having a tough time finding aftermarket Browning compatible options. Is it a R700? Is it its own thing? I know these answers exist online and likely within this forum, but I’m having a tough time finding what I’m looking for.

I know the easy answer is to just pick something different right from the start, but I don’t want to. So there! Appreciate the help from the experts.


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The issue with 6.8 isn’t barrels or actions or other parts, it’s bullet selection. Way fewer options, particularly for the long, heavy, high BC stuff that the cartridge was designed for. No one is getting onboard to manufacture brass for it either.

 

[RockAndSage]

Buy the rifle you want, in the caliber you want - then go on Ammoseek.com and buy a couple of cases of ammo for it at the cheapest prices in the country. If you really want to do it right, buy 1 or 2 boxes of a half-dozen different loadings and see which groups best in your rifle your intended purposes, and then go online and buy 2-3 of cases of that loading, and never have to worry about what some local gun store does or doesn't have in stock again.

Do that, and not only will you likely have what would be a lifetime supply of your big-game rifle's ammo, buy most hunters' standards, you still probably won't have spent as much on ammo as you did for the rifle or the glass, let alone both combined.

Guys worried about what their local gun store may have in stock are thinking like Depression-era survivors, picking up one or two boxes at a time for deer season. It's inane in the modern era, unless that's literally all you can afford. We don't buy our gas 2 gallons at a time, or our groceries 1 bag at a time. Find a good load and buy a few cases of it, and never worry about political BS or supply chain stuff again.

 

[Hoythews71]

The issue with 6.8 isn’t barrels or actions or other parts, it’s bullet selection. Way fewer options, particularly for the long, heavy, high BC stuff that the cartridge was designed for. No one is getting onboard to manufacture brass for it either.

I get that, but where I’m located, I don’t see 6.5/7PRC being any more available than 6.8W or any of the Nosler calibers. Locally, it’s 30-30/06/308/300WM, and I’m looking for a lower recoil option that still carries the high BC advantages that those newer calibers offer. Online ammo is the way to go.

I’m a pretty big dude, but I’m a bit recoil adverse. Don’t have the opportunity to shoot often enough to get more comfortable with recoil, so it is what it is.

I don’t reload and have no intentions of starting, so ammo availability is a factor in this as well.


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[z987k]

The issue with 6.8 isn’t barrels or actions or other parts, it’s bullet selection. Way fewer options, particularly for the long, heavy, high BC stuff that the cartridge was designed for. No one is getting onboard to manufacture brass for it either.

It's factory ammo selection, for handloaders there are crap tons of great high BC 277 caliber bullets.
ADG is making brass now.

 

[z987k]

I get that, but where I’m located, I don’t see 6.5/7PRC being any more available than 6.8W or any of the Nosler calibers. Locally, it’s 30-30/06/308/300WM, and I’m looking for a lower recoil option that still carries the high BC advantages that those newer calibers offer. Online ammo is the way to go.

I’m a pretty big dude, but I’m a bit recoil adverse. Don’t have the opportunity to shoot often enough to get more comfortable with recoil, so it is what it is.

I don’t reload and have no intentions of starting, so ammo availability is a factor in this as well.


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The 6.5PRC is so close to the 6.8W as to not really matter. Factory ammo is a lot more available.

If you're recoil averse and as a new shooter, I'd try to keep the recoil well out of any magnum territory. I think you'll find more success with something in the mid 40gr powder territory. 6.5cm, 7-08. Still put a brake on those. Or if you're not hunting anything bigger than deer, go down to the 6cm.
If you really like the 27 caliber, browning fast twists their 270wins.
The only thing the extra velocity gives you is extra range, and let's be honest. You're not shooting things at ranges where you need that yet.

 

[Taudisio]

It's factory ammo selection, for handloaders there are crap tons of great high BC 277 caliber bullets.
ADG is making brass now.

Have you seen any for sale yet?

 

[z987k]

Have you seen any for sale yet?

Not yet, but it's listed everywhere. Just not in stock yet.

 

[Taudisio]

I have a pile of rifles and cartridges. A 6.8 western is high on my list of wants. Brass availability has been holding me back. Nothing wrong with a browning op. As long as you don’t want to change anything on the rifle down the road, it should serve you well.

 

[Gila]

I had a 300 WM Tikka and didn’t like it. I bought a pre-fit 6.8 West off the shelf from McGowen and had the gunsmith switch barrels. I bought enough Winchester brass to last at least 1,000 rds. Peterson won’t make brass for it anytime soon but ADG brass is coming. The 6.8 West is designed to shoot heavy for caliber, high BC bullets. So far Nosler, Sierra, Barnes, Berger have jumped on the bandwagon. For extreme long range hunters are loading up the Berger 170 EOL. My loads of choice are the 165 LRAB and 175 Gamechangers. The 6.8 Western isn’t going anywhere any time soon….it is just new and was off to a slow start because of the pandemic and now the war. I was determined to own a 6.8 Western regardless.

 

[OKHunter84]

I love Browning and I've had a couple x bolts. Both shot great. I just sold one though because my gunsmith won't rebarrel x bolts for reasons listed above. He'll work on A bolts. I'm going to have an A bolt 300 WSM rebarreled soon. I have an xbolt hells canyon in 6.5 creedmoor that I plan on being my sons first deer rifle. A caliber like that I'll never shoot the barrel out.

I just bought a Tikka 300wm and rebarreled with a proof 7 prc. Hornady is an ammunition company so I like the idea of hitching my wagon to their calibers. 6.8 western seems like a fine round on paper. If you really like the idea then buy one in something you could rebarrel if need be.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I get that, but where I’m located, I don’t see 6.5/7PRC being any more available than 6.8W or any of the Nosler calibers. Locally, it’s 30-30/06/308/300WM, and I’m looking for a lower recoil option that still carries the high BC advantages that those newer calibers offer. Online ammo is the way to go.

I’m a pretty big dude, but I’m a bit recoil adverse. Don’t have the opportunity to shoot often enough to get more comfortable with recoil, so it is what it is.

I don’t reload and have no intentions of starting, so ammo availability is a factor in this as well.


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Given all of your reasons in this post, I would not pursue 6.8W. It will never be as popular as say 6.5PRC or even 6.5 SAUM in my opinion.

Do you need a magnum class cartridge? What distances are you realistically going to shoot at on a regular basis?


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[ElPollo]

I get that, but where I’m located, I don’t see 6.5/7PRC being any more available than 6.8W or any of the Nosler calibers. Locally, it’s 30-30/06/308/300WM, and I’m looking for a lower recoil option that still carries the high BC advantages that those newer calibers offer. Online ammo is the way to go.

I’m a pretty big dude, but I’m a bit recoil adverse. Don’t have the opportunity to shoot often enough to get more comfortable with recoil, so it is what it is.

I don’t reload and have no intentions of starting, so ammo availability is a factor in this as well.


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The bullet issue is present in factory loads as well. There are only about 4 choices in factory loads. The ABLR, TGK, a mono, and a Winchester ballistic tip. My personal opinion is that the first three are all bullets that are too tough and don’t provide sufficient wound channels. I don’t have direct experience with the fourth, but have generally found Winchester/Olin ammo to be lacking in consistency and accuracy. And all of it is loaded by Olin. Compare that to any other popular caliber and you’ll see 4 times the factory options or more, loaded by multiple manufacturers.

My opinions on recoil have also changed significantly over the years, and like you I’ve become less a fan of the big boomers. Part of that is because I really tested myself on how well I could shoot them, and my accuracy was consistently worse with the 300s. The 6.8 is a step down from those, but it still produces significantly more recoil than a 30/06. The rifles I’m hunting with these days all are recoiling about half as much as a 6.8. Given good bullets, I’m not feeling undergunned for anything I need to hunt. I shoot those guns more because ammo is cheaper and they are more fun to shoot. And consequently, I shoot them better.

 

[Hoythews71]

Given all of your reasons in this post, I would not pursue 6.8W. It will never be as popular as say 6.5PRC or even 6.5 SAUM in my opinion.

Do you need a magnum class cartridge? What distances are you realistically going to shoot at on a regular basis?


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Realistic distance is probably 500yds max. The problem is I’m trying to make this a do-it-all rifle. Primarily whitetails here in Va where my absolute longest shot would be 200yds, then a nearly-annual trip out west for anything from antelope to moose. But again…I’m really not a gun guy, so bowhunting is going to continue to be the primary focus.


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[LongWayAround]

Do a search for ammunition. Midway has two factory offerings in stock. At over $3.00 per shot, that doesn't sound like something you are going to shoot enough to be proficient at 500+.

 

[Reddirtrifleman]

I would never recommend 6.8 Western to someone that is not a gun guy. It’s too new and having teething issues. I love .270 stuff, but the only short mags I’d recommend to a non gun guy are 6.5 PRC and .300 WSM just because of ammo availability, variety, and staying power.

 

[SouthPaw]

Realistic distance is probably 500yds max. The problem is I’m trying to make this a do-it-all rifle. Primarily whitetails here in Va where my absolute longest shot would be 200yds, then a nearly-annual trip out west for anything from antelope to moose. But again…I’m really not a gun guy, so bowhunting is going to continue to be the primary focus.


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Given the 500 yard realistic MER, recoil averse, and wanting to shoot factory ammo, you should buy a 6.5cm. It will kill anything in NA within your constraints, ammo is everywhere, and its easy shooting.

 

[wesfromky]

If you haven't yet, you should read the .223/6mm/6.5 threads, along with the "switch to smaller calibers" threads. Then buy a 6mm of some flavor or 6.5cm.

Edit - and I say this as someone who looked pretty hard at 6.8w, 300wm, etc before moving to looking at .308, and finally buying a 6.5cm (that I will probably sell), and now a rar gen 2 in 5.56 that will be my deer rifle when I don't have to use straightwall.