6.8 Western. A year later

[ccmdfd]

Was watching one of my usual YouTube favorite channels the other day and the presenter brought up the fact that the 6.8 Western has now been out for over a year. In his opinion it's faltering.

I had some initial interest in this round. Seems like a great modern 270, able to throw out heavier and more aerodynamic bullets then the regular 270. Although some would say that the 6.5 PRC is actually the modern version of a 270.( there was a great discussion on this forum not too long ago about Elk cartridges and how the 6.5 PRC is not living up to the hype)

Looking at the big box stores, don't see any 6.8 rifles available. Is that because people are buying them up like crazy, or no one's making them anymore?

A year into it still only reportedly Winchester and Browning making the ammo for it. A quick look on ammo seek today shows only Winchester loads available. Personally have never found a good Winchester load for any of my other rifles. Would have thought that if this round was taking off we would see some ammo made by Federal, Barnes, Black Hills, Nosler, Hornady, etc.

Thoughts from the experts? Ready to take off, or on life support??

[OlongJohnson]

Not an expert, but I wouldn't think about it for ten seconds over a number of well-established 7mm options, if for no other reason than the availability and selection of high-BC bullets for all purposes at (as well as above and below) the weight range the 6.8W is supposed to be about.

Just had an interesting thought: I've previously noted how there is no commercial .277 version of the .308. Because why would you, when the .270 is more and the 7-08 has that great bullet selection? It's almost like .277, by its lack of sexiness, is somehow immune to redundant permutations. The 6.8 SPC was a good development for a good reason, but outside the box of "maximizing all-around ballistic effectiveness while feeding through an AR mag well," it's kind of pointless.

The only two cartridges for .277 bullets so far that make sense to me are .270 Win and 6.8 SPC. I'd have been on board for a 6.8 USA (this new-fangled Sig stuff is just silly to me) and an AR-12 rifle to shoot it through, but the world hasn't delivered that.

[pangloss]

I hunt with a .270 Win and handloaded for a while. I've had an attraction to heavy for caliber bullets since I was in highschool and shot a number of deer with 160 grain Nosler partitions out of my .270 Win. If you want heavy for caliber loads, the 6.8 and it's faster twist make a lot of sense. The next rifle on my list is a .223 bolt gun, but if I wanted another deer rifle, I'd get a 6.8. For a long time I thought about getting a fast twist .270 Win, but heavy bullet selection was a limitation before the 6.8. Regardless, file 6.8 under "want" and not "need." I hope it catches on, though frankly the .270 Win is overkill for the deer I shoot.

EDIT: I am also NOT an expert.

Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk

[HCM]

Was watching one of my usual YouTube favorite channels the other day and the presenter brought up the fact that the 6.8 Western has now been out for over a year. In his opinion it's faltering.

I had some initial interest in this round. Seems like a great modern 270, able to throw out heavier and more aerodynamic bullets then the regular 270. Although some would say that the 6.5 PRC is actually the modern version of a 270.( there was a great discussion on this forum not too long ago about Elk cartridges and how the 6.5 PRC is not living up to the hype)

Looking at the big box stores, don't see any 6.8 rifles available. Is that because people are buying them up like crazy, or no one's making them anymore?

A year into it still only reportedly Winchester and Browning making the ammo for it. A quick look on ammo seek today shows only Winchester loads available. Personally have never found a good Winchester load for any of my other rifles. Would have thought that if this round was taking off we would see some ammo made by Federal, Barnes, Black Hills, Nosler, Hornady, etc.

Thoughts from the experts? Ready to take off, or on life support??

Winchester makes the browning 6.8 W ammo.

Hornady and Nosler have said they will not support 6.8 W. Including Hornady not making dies.

[okie john]

I'd be really hard pressed to take the 6.8 Western over something like the 7mm Magnum.

Or 270 Weatherby if .277" was not negotiable.


Okie John

[ccmdfd]

Winchester makes the browning 6.8 W ammo.

Hornady and Nosler have said they will not support 6.8 W. Including Hornady not making dies.

I'd be really hard pressed to take the 6.8 Western over something like the 7mm Magnum.

Or 270 Weatherby if .277" was not negotiable.


Okie John

The fact that both Hornady and Nosler are blackballing the 6.8 certainly gives me pause. Of course that maybe entirely them trying to avoid competition, Nosler's 27 Nosler (which also hasn't set the world on fire), and Hornady's 6.5 PRC and upcoming 7mm PRC.

Will be interested to see what Federal does. They have jumped on the 6.5 PRC bandwagon despite that being a Hornady invention.

Does the 270 WBY launch and stabilize the heavy for caliber bullets?

[okie john]

Does the 270 WBY launch and stabilize the heavy for caliber bullets?

I don't know. It's still 1:10 like most 270 Winchesters but somehow it stumbled into a reputation as a long-range hunting cartridge despite lacking all the latest hotness.

At some point the heavy-for-caliber-bullet thing just becomes a numbers game for marketers. Based on what I've seen around here, very few people who buy fast-twist rigs ever shoot at anything more than 200 yards away. They know the drop charts cold but you get a blank stare if you say, "Man, that wind is really starting to fishtail..."

Their heads explode when you mention that the 30-06 has a 1:10 twist so it can use 220-grain bullets.


Okie John

[OlongJohnson]

At some point the heavy-for-caliber-bullet thing just becomes a numbers game for marketers.

If you compare load data for 155 and 175 gr target bullets in .308 and then put the velocities into a ballistic calculator, it's not obvious that 155gr isn't some kind of sweet spot for the cartridge.

@Lost River sure likes that load for hunting.

[okie john]

If you compare load data for 155 and 175 gr target bullets in .308 and then put the velocities into a ballistic calculator, it's not obvious that 155gr isn't some kind of sweet spot for the cartridge.

@Lost River sure likes that load for hunting.

A lot of R&D dollars have gone into the 155-grain .308" bullet because of Palma shooters. I think it's a coincidence that the Scenar works so well on game.


Okie John

[OlongJohnson]

Understood.

What I don't understand is why apparently none of the bullet companies see the value in bullets with jackets and lead characteristics engineered for meat that have aerodynamics identical to those uber-optimized 155gr bullets. Would probably be a few grains lighter due to more copper/less lead, but I don't think the animals would notice.