# 6.8 Western - new caliber



## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Holy smokes, the ballistics look great for this thing. Bad time to launch a new gun with the lack of ammo going on though.

At first glance, this looks to be leaps and bounds over the 6.5 Creedmore. Bullets with SDs up to .7828! Yowza!

https://outsider.com/outdoors/hunti...-range-cartridge-launch-is-changing-the-game/

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog...&utm_campaign=winchester-browning-6-8-western

I'm curious if handloaders can get ahold of that 175gr .7828BC for use in a normal 270 (which would need a faster twist of course). Imagine the ballistics of that combo... wow.

-DallanC


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Huh... apparently today is media release day. This is popping up on all my feeds, from lots of sources.






-DallanC


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## BPturkeys (Sep 13, 2007)

Longer heavier bullets in any given caliber, shot through a rifle with the appropriate twist rate, have been around for decades in the wildcat world. It's all about the BC attainable in those longer bullets. This combination with the heavier bullet than the 6.5's should prove to be an absolute great hunting round at any range. If I was in the market for a new hunting rifle I would definitely look at this round providing reloading components will be available.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

Been hard to find nice long high BC .277 bullets. Nice to see MFGs stepping up to make them. Matrix has the 175 gr .7827BC bullet... but they are hard to buy.

-DallanC


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

DallanC said:


> Been hard to find nice long high BC .277 bullets. Nice to see MFGs stepping up to make them. Matrix has the 175 gr .7827BC bullet... but they are hard to buy.
> 
> -DallanC


Everything that goes bang through a steel pipe is hard to find.  Give it about six years and it will all be good.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

taxidermist said:


> Everything that goes bang through a steel pipe is hard to find.  Give it about six years and it will all be good.


What's funny, I was in Sportsman's Pro-house today and if I was in the market for some 7mm WSM's, I would be able to get at least 6 years worth of shooting inventory.

Glad I don't shoot a big heavy magnum caliber, I'd have to peddle a kidney on the black market to buy a box.


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## Brettski7 (May 11, 2020)

There are plenty of rounds that are great and extremely accurate for long range with more power. I guess this hits a certain area people are wanting though. I mean the 300 Weatherby, 300PRC, etc all meet what the publisher was talking about unless the goal is not big magnums. 

This does looking interesting and I may have to consider one. I am looking for a more whitetail/antelope type rifle. This may be it. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

i'm interested for sure but it'd be for handloading only. given the current situation it may be awhile before purchasing a gun in this caliber wouldn't be considered foolish.


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

For the past several months, the only ammo I can reliably find in retail stores has been 6.8 Western. Likely due to the new caliber and lack of rifles chambered in it. When I do see it on the shelf, the cardboard is worn or torn, it seems a lot of people are 'caliber curious' and opening up the boxes in the stores.

I thought, why not, and started buying 6.8 Western ammo several months ago, with plans to purchase a rifle in the future. I finally found a Browning X-Bolt Hell's Canyon chambered in 6.8 Western and had a chance to site it in. There are only two available factory loads for it: 165 gr. Accubond LR from Winchester and 175 gr. Sierra Tipped GameKing from Browning. I can't find any reloading dies, but the factory ammo grouped well enough that I'll just stock up and not worry about reloading for now.



















Does anyone have experience with the Sierra Tipped GameKing bullets? They grouped better than the Accubond's in my rifle, so I'll probably roll with that round, but I'm curious how they'll do on elk.


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I’ve had this thought many times as I’ve looked at ammo shelves and seen oodles of 6.8 Western ammo virtually every place and every time I’ve been. Why not just buy the gun?

Good on you!


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

brisket said:


> For the past several months, the only ammo I can reliably find in retail stores has been 6.8 Western. Likely due to the new caliber and lack of rifles chambered in it. When I do see it on the shelf, the cardboard is worn or torn, it seems a lot of people are 'caliber curious' and opening up the boxes in the stores.
> 
> I thought, why not, and started buying 6.8 Western ammo several months ago, with plans to purchase a rifle in the future. I finally found a Browning X-Bolt Hell's Canyon chambered in 6.8 Western and had a chance to site it in. There are only two available factory loads for it: 165 gr. Accubond LR from Winchester and 175 gr. Sierra Tipped GameKing from Browning. I can't find any reloading dies, but the factory ammo grouped well enough that I'll just stock up and not worry about reloading for now.
> 
> ...


They will make elk have a really, really bad day.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Vanilla said:


> I’ve had this thought many times as I’ve looked at ammo shelves and seen oodles of 6.8 Western ammo virtually every place and every time I’ve been. Why not just buy the gun?
> 
> Good on you!


I thought the same but with few factory offerings, no components and every other ammo mfg struggling to fill orders for common rounds....I passed. But, If you get lucky with one of the two boxes on the shelf you won't have trouble finding ammo.


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

APD said:


> But, If you get lucky with one of the two boxes on the shelf you won't have trouble finding ammo.


That’s the risk you take, fortunately I did get lucky with Sub-MOA grouping in one of the two factory rounds. The bigger long-term risk is if the cartridge isn’t widely adopted.


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

We finally had a chance to put the 6.8 Western through an elk yesterday.









She was shot a little high and back, but was quartering away and hit the lungs on the back side. It ran about 30 yards before expiring. The 175gr Sierra Tipped GameKing had a complete pass through at 325 yards on a pretty big cow. The recoil wasn’t an issue for my 15 year old to handle either. So far, I’m happy with the purchase.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Congrats on the cow!!


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## utskidad (Apr 6, 2013)

Very interested in the caliber, but at this point, guns are only available from Browning/Winchester. I'd buy a Ruger American or similar 6.8 Western tomorrow if it hit the market. My guess is, this is going the way of most Weatherby cartridges -- too tied to one gun maker. That's the beauty of bullet makers pushing new cartridges (e.g. 6.5 PRC, 300 PRC) -- a lot more choice in gun makers.


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## DreadedBowHunter (Sep 22, 2021)

I checked out the 6.8 western and figured it’s “ok” but not anything to get one. I don’t mind the old .270 to need a revamped cartridge. That’s my opinion. 🤷🏼‍♂️


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## TheOtherJeff (Oct 7, 2021)

I saw outdoorlife.com has had a bunch of stuff on 6.8 Western over the last couple of weeks under the guise of picking the best rifle for western hunts, in case anyone is interested in reading more about it. As for me, I am taking my last box of .303 British to the field this weekend, because why not?


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## bthewilde (Feb 8, 2018)

I always wonder how the staying power will be on these, I get that we have better tech now than when .308 and .30-06 came out. I myself have jumped on the Creedmoor bandwagon, but I always fear I'll get stuck with a rifle I can't find ammo for.


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## High Desert Elk (Aug 21, 2012)

bthewilde said:


> I always wonder how the staying power will be on these, I get that we have better tech now than when .308 and .30-06 came out. I myself have jumped on the Creedmoor bandwagon, but I always fear I'll get stuck with a rifle I can't find ammo for.


If an inch of bolt throw is a thing, then there will always be the crowd that prefers the shorter bolt (short action mags, and anything on the .308 casing design). As far as downrange performance goes, this cartridge will be a winner.

The key to this and the Creedmoor line is the barrel twist rate.

If I were in the market for (another) rifle, it would be this one.


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

bthewilde said:


> I myself have jumped on the Creedmoor bandwagon, but I always fear I'll get stuck with a rifle I can't find ammo for.


It seems you’re already stuck with a rifle you can’t find ammo for. I haven’t seen 6.5 Creedmoor on the shelf since September of 2020.


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

It’s interesting to see what is available on gunbroker for ammo nowadays. 270 and 308 seem to have a healthy supply at near normal prices. I’m thinking about picking up one or the other simply because of the availability of ammo.


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## PBH (Nov 7, 2007)

With the Army moving closer and closer towards their 6.8mm NGSW-R and NGSW-AR, I would think that the 6.8 should become a pretty standard cartridge and weapon for us as well. I hope this happens -- I've held off of jumping on the 6.5 bandwagon - which might have been smart considering the direction the Army is going....which is away from 6.5mm.

I don't know. Maybe my logic is flawed. Here's to rooting for the 6.8.


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## Irish Lad (Jun 3, 2008)

brisket said:


> It seems you’re already stuck with a rifle you can’t find ammo for. I haven’t seen 6.5 Creedmoor on the shelf since September of 2020.


That's how it is with my .280 Remington. I very rarely seen in a store. Fortunately I reload for it now.


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## DallanC (Jan 13, 2009)

The original name for the 280 Remington was the 7MM Express... but U.S. sportsmen hated that name and the cartridge didn't do well... so they reinvented it as the 280 Remington, and now it has a bit of popularity. Its a great cartridge due to the bullets available in the 7MM size vs say the 270. 

Remington really likes the 7mm based calibers due to their offerings (7MM-08, 280, 7RemMag, 7STW etc).

-DallanC


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## Irish Lad (Jun 3, 2008)

DallanC said:


> Its a great cartridge due to the bullets available in the 7MM size vs say the 270.
> Remington really likes the 7mm based calibers due to their offerings (7MM-08, 280, 7RemMag, 7STW etc).
> 
> -DallanC


I agree!!!


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## bthewilde (Feb 8, 2018)

brisket said:


> It seems you’re already stuck with a rifle you can’t find ammo for. I haven’t seen 6.5 Creedmoor on the shelf since September of 2020.


Yeah...about that. I luckily stocked up when I bought it in 2019, it's scary though how much it's jumped up in price! I bought a box of Hornady for $25.99 and that same box I saw at my friend's gun store in Idaho this year was going for $84.99.


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## brisket (Mar 3, 2015)

Finally tried out the new(ish) copper offering from Winchester in 6.8. Not too shabby.


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Looks good brisket! 

I'm working up new copper loads for the 270wsm. The best thing about the new western is the renewed quest for .277 projectiles. They're making longer bullets with better bc for distance shooting. In the meantime I'm dropping down in grains to move them quicker.


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## Blacdog (Nov 24, 2019)

APD said:


> Looks good brisket!
> 
> I'm working up new copper loads for the 270wsm. The best thing about the new western is the renewed quest for .277 projectiles. They're making longer bullets with better bc for distance shooting. In the meantime I'm dropping down in grains to move them quicker.


The .277 potential has always been overlooked. The .270 WSM went the way of the dodo bird due to that reason. You’re WSM version will everything the 6.8 western will do plus some it has more case capacity. The only advantage the western has is availability due to recent newer is better fads. Not much different than comparing the 30 PRC to the 30 SAUM. What is the point of both?


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## APD (Nov 16, 2008)

Blacdog said:


> The .277 potential has always been overlooked. The .270 WSM went the way of the dodo bird due to that reason. You’re WSM version will everything the 6.8 western will do plus some it has more case capacity. The only advantage the western has is availability due to recent newer is better fads. Not much different than comparing the 30 PRC to the 30 SAUM. What is the point of both?


Yeah, I just rebarreled the 270wsm and thought twice about it. I love the caliber but as components dwindle it makes actually shooting it a tougher choice. It sure would be nice if each new caliber was a large improvement over it's parent case. Until then I'll keep my oddball caliber and have several common calibers for backup.


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## Blacdog (Nov 24, 2019)

APD said:


> Yeah, I just rebarreled the 270wsm and thought twice about it. I love the caliber but as components dwindle it makes actually shooting it a tougher choice. It sure would be nice if each new caliber was a large improvement over it's parent case. Until then I'll keep my oddball caliber and have several common calibers for backup.


Im just putting the finishing touches on a 6mm SAUM. It’s going to be fun to mess with as there’s no current factory 6mms that can run with it. Barrel life will be short but that’s why they make them with threads. The short action magnum cases are impressive it just would be nice if they picked one case and stuck with it.


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