The 6.8 Western, By Jesse Werner

[WRO]

The 145 gr is nice but it leaves a lot on the table for 1 in 8 twist 6.8's and 270's. It could easily be 170-175 gr.

There's a lot more out there than you think, at this point more than the 257 bore and they offer both ELD-X and M bullets for them. The 257 might be on it's way to be more popular or maybe not. It's well known that they don't want the 6.8 Western to succeed.

It will unfortunately go the way of the Saum, wsm, nosler cartridges etc, into a niche. They have or had very limited factory chambered rifles and were brand specific (Winchester,browning, and Remington)

No one is talking about fast high .270 cartridges even in wildcats. Fast 25s have been popular for a while and get shot in competition.

There’s no logical reason to own a fast 277, it’s got 10lbs more recoil than a 6.5prc for minimal real world gains.

Do you have any literature/proof that says hornady has it out for the 6.5 western?

The same argument could be made for the 7 back country but once again it’s got limited factory rifles chambered for it.

Hornady is winning the game because they stay in their lane and just make ammo and components, the reason most calibers fail is because lack of long term support and its pretty easy to see the trend of brand specific calibers not having longevity..

 

[Lou270]

The WSMs were the prcs 20 years ago. Everybody chambered them and all the ammo guys load for them (and still do). Supposed to kill the old magnums and did put a dent in them for a while. Saums and rcms were copy cats and the prcs/Western are basically same with fast twist and increased head height. So, while the Western is maybe more like the Saum, the prcs are probably destined to be more like the wsms when the next fad hits (probably high pressure versions). Good thing is can still get ammo and brass for them all.

Lou

 

[z987k]

It will unfortunately go the way of the Saum, wsm, nosler cartridges etc, into a niche. They have or had very limited factory chambered rifles and were brand specific (Winchester,browning, and Remington)

No one is talking about fast high .270 cartridges even in wildcats. Fast 25s have been popular for a while and get shot in competition.

There’s no logical reason to own a fast 277, it’s got 10lbs more recoil than a 6.5prc for minimal real world gains.

Do you have any literature/proof that says hornady has it out for the 6.5 western?

The same argument could be made for the 7 back country but once again it’s got limited factory rifles chambered for it.

Hornady is winning the game because they stay in their lane and just make ammo and components, the reason most calibers fail is because lack of long term support and its pretty easy to see the trend of brand specific calibers not having longevity..

It has like 3lbs more recoil. Not 10. But yes, for effectively the exact same thing.

 

[WRO]

It has like 3lbs more recoil. Not 10. But yes, for effectively the exact same thing.

What you mean what I read on the internets was wrong?

 

[gerry35]

People with inside information have stated the info about Hornady. They have publicly stated they won't support the round. It's also plainly obvious when numerous people have asked for bullets from them like a heavy ELD-X and they won't do it.

As for the 6.8 Western doing "nothing" that the 6.5 PRC does you could say that about a lot of different rounds. What it does do is shoot a heavier bullet and is a 277 cal which lots of people like. Come very close to a 7 PRC in handloads but in a short magnum. In factory rounds the 6.8 Western beats the Hornady factory loads, you have to go to other manufacturers to get a decent 7 PRC load.

 

[RME]

They have publicly stated they won't support the round. It's also plainly obvious when numerous people have asked for bullets from them like a heavy ELD-X and they won't do it.

Oh well, I guess the shooting world is somehow going to have to survive without Hornady making 6.8 ammo. Life's rough in the wild west

 

[mlevimadden]

There's a lot more out there than you think, at this point more than the 257 bore and they offer both ELD-X and M bullets for them. The 257 might be on it's way to be more popular or maybe not. It's well known that they don't want the 6.8 Western to succeed.

257 cal has really gained popularity in the PRS and NRL competition circuits with some of the newer projectiles being offered.

Those guys are shooting thousands of rounds a year in practice and matches. The average 6.8 Western guy is shooting maybe 100 rounds a year for load development, hunting prep, and actual hunting. There's no way the market demand is even remotely close to equal.

People with inside information have stated the info about Hornady. They have publicly stated they won't support the round. It's also plainly obvious when numerous people have asked for bullets from them like a heavy ELD-X and they won't do it.

As for the 6.8 Western doing "nothing" that the 6.5 PRC does you could say that about a lot of different rounds. What it does do is shoot a heavier bullet and is a 277 cal which lots of people like. Come very close to a 7 PRC in handloads but in a short magnum. In factory rounds the 6.8 Western beats the Hornady factory loads, you have to go to other manufacturers to get a decent 7 PRC load.

Or the 6.8 Western is the only 277 cal with a fast enough SAAMI to support the heavy projectiles you want. The only other two popular chamberings 270 win and 270 WSM both have a 1:10 twist from SAAMI. Hornady isn't going to go through the cost and time to develop a new projectile that can only be loaded into one type of cartridge that isn't even that popular to begin with.

I'm fine if someone wants a 6.8 Western to be different, niche, or nostalgic for the 277 bore, but you can't cry wolf when you're stuck with limited component options for your niche cartridge choice. If you want mainstream options, select a popular mainstream chambering.

 

[Leaf Litter]

What you mean what I read on the internets was wrong?

Kinda your own fault for posting garbage math, don't blame the internet for your own fake news.

 

[WRO]

Kinda your own fault for posting garbage math, don't blame the internet for your own fake news.

Rifle Recoil Table: Updated for 2026 with all popular cartridges – Backfire

backfire.tv

Sorry 8lbs difference..

Anyways your caliber is the best, sorry I hurt your feelings..

 

[z987k]

Rifle Recoil Table: Updated for 2026 with all popular cartridges – Backfire

backfire.tv

Sorry 8lbs difference..

Anyways your caliber is the best, sorry I hurt your feelings..

Do you really not know how to calculate recoil on your own?

A table someone makes means absolute nothing. The amount of assumptions you have to make that won't be true in something like that makes it not worth the time to even look at.
Recoil is calculated for an individual rifle firing a cartridge. Not for a cartridge. If you are going to do the latter, you have to make quite a few assumptions, but if you do that, you don't pick an outlier for one and the standard for the other and then say see - more recoil.

 

[WRO]

Do you really not know how to calculate recoil on your own?

A table someone makes means absolute nothing. The amount of assumptions that won't be true in something like that makes it not worth the time to even look at.

No, because I don’t really care nor do I care to learn how to.

The tables seem to be pretty consistent though on recoil amounts and differences.

 

[z987k]

No, because I don’t really care nor do I care to learn how to.

The tables seem to be pretty consistent though on recoil amounts and differences.

Then why would you even comment?

"I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about(and refuse to learn, or even make a half ass attempt to google it), but let me tell you what I think about the topic."

BTW, it's super super hard. Only people with years of study can figure out how to input 4 variables into a calculator.

Those tables are wrong, because recoil energy is always rifle and load specific. Any table on recoil energy will always be wrong, unless it happens to be right like a broken clock.