6.8 Western, the perfect middle ground?

Compared to the PRCs and creedmoors the 6.8 Western felt like it died straight out the gate. Nothing WRONG with it, it just didn't catch the attention of shooters like the PRC line. I like 7mm, and this is too close to a variety of more popular 7mm options for me to bother with.

My speculation on why they called it 6.8 is they saw the success of other metric named cartridges in recent times and tried to jump on that bandwagon.
 
Suther said:
Compared to the PRCs and creedmoors the 6.8 Western felt like it died straight out the gate. Nothing WRONG with it, it just didn't catch the attention of shooters like the PRC line. I like 7mm, and this is too close to a variety of more popular 7mm options for me to bother with.

My speculation on why they called it 6.8 is they saw the success of other metric named cartridges in recent times and tried to jump on that bandwagon.
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It sounds like recent batches of factory 7 PRC ammo has been underperforming up to 150 fps lower than advertised so in some cases the 6.8's are actually outperforming the PRC's.

I'm hoping Federal takes on the 6.8, that will really help boost it's popularity.
 
Northern Shooter said:
It sounds like recent batches of factory 7 PRC ammo has been underperforming up to 150 fps lower than advertised so in some cases the 6.8's are actually outperforming the PRC's.

I'm hoping Federal takes on the 6.8, that will really help boost it's popularity.
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Even if the 6.8 is winning from a performance perspective the PRC has brand recognition on its side. I can't help but wonder if calling it 6.8 Western makes some people think it's designed for hunting rather than targets, meanwhile the PRC has precision in the name... might even be a subliminal thing where people aren't consciously making those connections...
 
Personally, the 6.8 Western is the lastest crave for fast twist, heavy/long lathargic bullets for long range. I like velocity, whereas, this cartridge contridicts my liking. The only latest cartridge which peaked my interest is the 277 Fury however, nowhere to be found in a conventional bolt action, not interested in contemporary rifles either.
 
todbartell said:
I've owned two of them, an Xbolt Mountain Pro and currently have a Model 70 Extreme Weather. I am just about to start handloading for the m70, have a slew of projectiles to play with (155gr LRX, 165gr ABLR, 170gr NBT, 170gr Berger, 175gr Sierra TGK). It's a nice round, similar to 6.5 PRC, 280 Rem, 280 AI, 7mm PRC - good company)
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I would be curious on the LRX performance. Nice to see the selection is getting better now.

B
 
bdb.hunting said:
I would be curious on the LRX performance. Nice to see the selection is getting better now.

B
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BadLands Precision is shipping a 150 grain.710 bc bullet for the 6.8 that should be interesting
More people are taking a second look at the 6.8.
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the 175 gr has a .326 sd, which is almost as high as the 220 gr 30-06 at .331....and in solids that was enough for dangerous game, so it's a penetration monster and case capacity by h2o is a few grains more than the 30-06....lots to like on paper, as it blends the modern heavy for cal formula into that powder class but it would be a beast with solids and could do dg if it needed also, Africa should be all over this cartridge imo...squishy bullets for the ungulates and keeps some 175-180gr solids for the dg protection...although I think most minimum laws and requirements aren't made with the full understanding of things lol, back in the day this formula was used as small as 6.5 man licker and 7x57 to kill things but I think the 9.3 x whatever or 375 h&h are majority minimums over there even though it's not hard to get the formula wrong with them by choosing wrong bullet for job at hand...
 
blakeyboy said:
the 175 gr has a .326 sd, which is almost as high as the 220 gr 30-06 at .331....and in solids that was enough for dangerous game, so it's a penetration monster and case capacity by h2o is a few grains more than the 30-06....lots to like on paper, as it blends the modern heavy for cal formula into that powder class but it would be a beast with solids and could do dg if it needed also, Africa should be all over this cartridge imo...squishy bullets for the ungulates and keeps some 175-180gr solids for the dg protection...although I think most minimum laws and requirements aren't made with the full understanding of things lol, back in the day this formula was used as small as 6.5 man licker and 7x57 to kill things but I think the 9.3 x whatever or 375 h&h are majority minimums over there even though it's not hard to get the formula wrong with them by choosing wrong bullet for job at hand...
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The TGK is popular with loaders in the US due to early availability. A lot of folks have had great results with it and H1000 (Ramshot Grand has some attention now too). Other popular loadings using ABLR 165 gr. and 4831sc and Berger 170 gr. EOL Vihtavhouri N150. It would be great if Federal would load some ammunition as a lot of 6.8W customers could be boxed ammo buyters.
 
I think the 6.8 western is a perfect round. It's like the 270wsm done right. The .277 caliber really shines when it is loaded with heavier bullets. The fastest I have ever seen animals go down and stay down have been with the old ladies browning a-bolt micro midas in 270wsm. A buck with a 130 grain nosler ballistic tip at 3300fps. And a moose with a 180 grain woodleigh running 2840fps. The woodleigh was made to stabilize in a 1-10 twist, but it's right on the line. It would be a perfect bullet in a 6.8 western with the faster twist rate. I would like to load some of the newer high BC bullets in it, but it won't stabilize them. There isn't much talk about the 180 grain woodleigh, but it's an absolute hammer. Blew right the the mooses chest, dropped in its tracks.
 
They are both very similar in speed when you use same barrel length and same bullet weights. 270wsm has an edge on the lighter weights by a bit, and struggles a bit one heavier longer bullets are used. Not only on twist rate, but the bullet has to be seated so far into the case, it takes up so much of the powder space. So compressed to highly compressed loads are needed with heavier bullets to really get any speed. If the 270wsm is long throated and fast twist, it wins all day. But that is only available in custom built rifles. Off the shelf I would say the 6.8 western is the better cartridge. Especially once better brass stars coming out for it, hopefully later this year.
 
My moose and elk hunting load for my old lady's browning xbolt micro midas is a 180 grain woodleigh bullet. Heavier than most people are even shooting in their 6.8 western, bullet has been around for years, and it stabalizes in a 1-10 twist rate.
 
Denver Steve said:
They are both very similar in speed when you use same barrel length and same bullet weights. 270wsm has an edge on the lighter weights by a bit, and struggles a bit one heavier longer bullets are used. Not only on twist rate, but the bullet has to be seated so far into the case, it takes up so much of the powder space. So compressed to highly compressed loads are needed with heavier bullets to really get any speed. If the 270wsm is long throated and fast twist, it wins all day. But that is only available in custom built rifles. Off the shelf I would say the 6.8 western is the better cartridge. Especially once better brass stars coming out for it, hopefully later this year.
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At least us 6.8W owners are on the list.
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Wild_Thing said:
The TGK is popular with loaders in the US due to early availability. A lot of folks have had great results with it and H1000 (Ramshot Grand has some attention now too). Other popular loadings using ABLR 165 gr. and 4831sc and Berger 170 gr. EOL Vihtavhouri N150. It would be great if Federal would load some ammunition as a lot of 6.8W customers could be boxed ammo buyters.
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agreed! start with the affordable end the Fusion line up! always stupid accurate, bonded but nicely malleable for fairly large opening up....then get into some premium stuff options, and some eld-m type options although I doubt hornady is going to play with the competition but for the guys who know there's tons of sd to go around and will utilize the rapid expansion constructions and high bc's for high impact probabilities at distances....then a ballistic tip eld-m type range would likely go over, match whatever, but also make affordable like hornady match, or federal blue box etc., I'm rooting for it, I like my hornady but I like competition to keep things healthy also ;)
 
Denver Steve said:
I think the 6.8 western is a perfect round. It's like the 270wsm done right. The .277 caliber really shines when it is loaded with heavier bullets. The fastest I have ever seen animals go down and stay down have been with the old ladies browning a-bolt micro midas in 270wsm. A buck with a 130 grain nosler ballistic tip at 3300fps. And a moose with a 180 grain woodleigh running 2840fps. The woodleigh was made to stabilize in a 1-10 twist, but it's right on the line. It would be a perfect bullet in a 6.8 western with the faster twist rate. I would like to load some of the newer high BC bullets in it, but it won't stabilize them. There isn't much talk about the 180 grain woodleigh, but it's an absolute hammer. Blew right the the mooses chest, dropped in its tracks.
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didn't know about that 180 either... at .335 sd that's incredible, the velocity range is right to keep things from opening up fast, it must penetrate like it has 2 or 3 animals to get through lol
 
Denver Steve said:
I think the 6.8 western is a perfect round. It's like the 270wsm done right. The .277 caliber really shines when it is loaded with heavier bullets. The fastest I have ever seen animals go down and stay down have been with the old ladies browning a-bolt micro midas in 270wsm. A buck with a 130 grain nosler ballistic tip at 3300fps. And a moose with a 180 grain woodleigh running 2840fps. The woodleigh was made to stabilize in a 1-10 twist, but it's right on the line. It would be a perfect bullet in a 6.8 western with the faster twist rate. I would like to load some of the newer high BC bullets in it, but it won't stabilize them. There isn't much talk about the 180 grain woodleigh, but it's an absolute hammer. Blew right the the mooses chest, dropped in its tracks.
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I'm the opposite - I think the 270Win is already the perfect 277cal hunting rifle. If you can't kill it with a 130gr premium bullet going 3100fps, then I'd be reaching for a bigger diameter, not just a heavier bullet. I know for a fact the 130gr Interbond will go straight through a black bear and leave a blood trail a blind man could follow, and at least for me that is about all I could ever ask for.
 
That 180 goes broadside through a moose at 200 yards no problem. Looks like it opened up great as well, as it had a very wide wound channel with surprisingly very little bloodshot for the speed it was going. No bullet of lead fragments to speak of either in the wound channel. Just a nice large permanent one inch hole right though the animal.
 
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