6.8 western be 6.5prc

[RockyMtnUT]

Well, ain't you just a daisy.

40 New 6.8 Western Rifles from Winchester and Browning - Shooting Times

The Winchester 6.8 Western long-range powerhouse rifle cartridge is already heavily represented in the Model 70, XPR, and Browning X-Bolt lineups; here's a look at 40 unique models.

www.shootingtimes.com

X-Bolt Now in 6.8 Western

Browning welcomes the Winchester® 6.8 Western cartridge to the X-Bolt rifle line. Winchester and Browning, two-storied outdoor brands, have successfully collaborated yet again and developed the new 6.8 Western cartridge and a wide selection of Browning X-Bolt rifles it will be chambered in.

www.browning.com

Winchester Repeating Arms Model 70 Chambered in New 6.8 Western

www.winchesterguns.com

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Browning and Winchester both have rifles out in 6.8 Western

I know I have one of the first. I’ll slow down for the old guy. I know there are few rifles now, still very few. They were also advertising them long ago. But mass rifle production was much slower than expected compared to ammo. Go to sportsman’s or any other retailer and they most likely don’t have them yet.
Still must be single aren’t you?

And really… who cares? You’ll argue just to argue. I’m Done. You beat me with your experience.

 

[Lou270]

6.8 ammo is on shelf because Winchester is making it, probably to get their new round out there. I see it dwindle and get stocked back. Last several times been to big box and LGS stores there was a ton on 223 and 308 and little else. I guess that means they are not popular or selling well.

Point is Win is making ammo to push it. Every 6.8 rifle on gunbroker gets tons of bids. That being said, will others pick it up? Do not know. The 6.5 creedmoor was around for 8 years before took off and internet experts at the time said it was a fad and never last. 6.5 prc drafted on this success and it was couple years before anybody other than Hornady/Ruger did anything with it. The 6.8 is following in same footsteps and drafting on success of these designs, just marketed of hitting that gap between 6.5 and 300 prc

Back to original question, with Elk and bear on menu I would go with 6.8 and heavier bullets. I have one and marvelously accurate with both 175 and 165 bullets. I dont have a PRC but do have a creedmoor and the 6.8 is accurate and easy to get to shoot for same reasons creedmoor is

Lou

 

[mbse20]

One of a group camped next to me last fall had a new 6.8 xbolt with the Burris range finder scope on it. Shot a nice bodied mule deer buck with a 175 Sierra at 330ish yds. Bullet went in the front shoulder and came out just a couple inches shy of the opposing rear hip. Shouldn't have any problems with penetration on a big fat fall black bear. Didnt leave much an exit wound though. My pinky didn't fit in it.

 

[WildRose]

I know I have one of the first. I’ll slow down for the old guy. I know there are few rifles now, still very few. They were also advertising them long ago. But mass rifle production was much slower than expected compared to ammo. Go to sportsman’s or any other retailer and they most likely don’t have them yet.
Still must be single aren’t you?

And really… who cares? You’ll argue just to argue. I’m Done. You beat me with your experience.

I didn't have to beat you down with anything but facts. You came running in looking for a fight leading with your chin and ran it into the wall.

I'm always glad to see new options on the market but this round isn't offering anything new, no significant improvement over the original .270 win much less the wsm or saum.

It's a cool option between the 6.5 and 7mm that will appeal to a small niche following and that's about it.

Ten years from now it's going to be another "left behind" like so many others that came before not because it's "inferior" but because there's just nothing about it that is going to pull people away from the 6.5's or 7mm's that are already dominating the market.

Personally I love Winchester and prefer their M70 CRF over all others. In the last century they came up with three of the most impressive and dominating rounds we've ever seen in the US with the .264, .270, and 300wm. Their wsm's created a market for short action magnums and a significant desire on the part of the public for more but again, mainly appealing only to a smaller niche market.

Enjoy your new Western and shoot it to your heart's content but it is what it is and it's not going to be anything else.

 

[WildRose]

6.8 ammo is on shelf because Winchester is making it, probably to get their new round out there. I see it dwindle and get stocked back. Last several times been to big box and LGS stores there was a ton on 223 and 308 and little else. I guess that means they are not popular or selling well.

Point is Win is making ammo to push it. Every 6.8 rifle on gunbroker gets tons of bids. That being said, will others pick it up? Do not know. The 6.5 creedmoor was around for 8 years before took off and internet experts at the time said it was a fad and never last. 6.5 prc drafted on this success and it was couple years before anybody other than Hornady/Ruger did anything with it. The 6.8 is following in same footsteps and drafting on success of these designs, just marketed of hitting that gap between 6.5 and 300 prc

Back to original question, with Elk and bear on menu I would go with 6.8 and heavier bullets. I have one and marvelously accurate with both 175 and 165 bullets. I dont have a PRC but do have a creedmoor and the 6.8 is accurate and easy to get to shoot for same reasons creedmoor is

Lou

The CM came was standardized in 07 and by the time the rifles and ammo hit the shelves it was already dominating long range small bore competition creating an instant demand.

2 years later it was the most common round being shot in most of those venues out to 1,000 yards with new records being set regularly with the round.

In the minds of many with the market already primed by the .260 Rem which was also performing excellently the CM came along at the perfect time giving them a low recoiling option with equal or better ballistics (other than retained energy) that the 300wm which can be quite fatiguing through a long day's course of fire in competition.

In this era what's dominating LR competition has an instant leg up on the competition which is why we saw an explosion of rounds over the last 15 years coming onto the market debuting in LR and ELR competition. A few caught hold, most quickly faded for various reasons except in niche market of mainly custom rifles because some folks, including myself just like to be different.

 

[Buck300]

I bought the 6.5 PRC. It has Lapua, ADG and Peterson making brass for it the 6.8 has no quality brass being made and most likely wont. The 6.5 s also have a much larger bullet selection. When loaded with the heavy bullets it gives up nothing to the 6.8 w. and the one I have has shot three different bullets/loads into .5 or less with very little load development. I had a 6.5 CM and the PRC is just as easy to load for as the cm.

 

[7.62 Gunner]

I can't help but chuckle a little ^^^^^^^^^
This is exactly how every Creedmoor/PRC thread started several years ago

 

[WildRose]

I can't help but chuckle a little ^^^^^^^^^
This is exactly how every Creedmoor/PRC thread started several years ago

I hope that doesn't mean we'll have 83 threads a week for the next two years hearing about miracles being performed with the 6.8.

I bought into a lot of the hype when the 6.8SPC cam roaring out and bought one. Today you say 6.8SPC and people look at you and say, "What?".

The Westerner is going to be a superior round to the SPC but a decade from now I see it being in the same niche with a dedicated but small following who can't understand why everyone else isn't as enamored with the round as they are.

 

[7.62 Gunner]

I hope that doesn't mean we'll have 83 threads a week for the next two years hearing about miracles being performed with the 6.8.

Haha
You nailed it
Please no

 

[Teri Anne]

I agree. The 6.8western ammo is around because they haven’t sold enough guns. That’s the single biggest stepping stone to gettting a new cartridge mainstream, have available ammo and budget friendly to exotic firearms chambered in it so people try it out. Everybody says Hornady marketing made the 6.5creed, yes and no, they also designed a cartridge/reamer and provided ammo that was accurate in an age of cnc machining so suddenly a budget rifle printed SubMOA groups and guys raves about it to friends. 6.5, 7mm, and 30 will dominate market, there’s too many good 7mm cartridges and bullets. For the majority of North American big game hunting a 7mm is really hard to beat for performance vs recoil package

I have to agree about the 7MM and have a few comments about, UGH!!!! the 6.5 Creedmoor. I have no idea why it was so hyped by the gun writers. but then again gun writers are being paid to write and who pays them, of course the gun/ammo manufacturers who are looking to sell a zillion new guns and millions, perhaps billions of rounds of a new caliber ammunition. I watched as the glowing reports from the gun writing industry lauded the 6.5 Creedmoor causing an instantaneous demand for this new, "Miracle Cartridge." Rifles were sold, ammo was sold and over the ensuing few years a lot of rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor are finding their way onto the used/auction market. Why? Simply because the hordes of hunters who were duped into purchasing these new rifles in thin miracle cartridge found out the truth. It wasn't what was promised. Are these rifles still available? Certainly, and they most likely will be for awhile as the manufactured love affair with the 6.5 Creedmoor winds down as just another shot in the dark as a hunting cartridge that is excellent at punching holes in paper failed as a long-range hunting cartridge.
How well regarded is the 6.5 Creedmoor these days? Look on the shelve of your local gun store? Do you find any 6.5 Creed ammo there? Probably not since the ammo manufacturers are producing their bread and butter rounds, which you are seeing on the shelves these days.
On a lighter note, you can order ammo direct from the manufacturer from both Federal and Sig Sauer for a couple of sourcee, all sold at current MSRP and mostly shipped free of charge. My suggestion is to quit whining and look at all the available avenues for ammo and components. Don't sit back in your chair at your computer and whine when time would be better spent searching for available outlets.

 

[WildRose]

I have to agree about the 7MM and have a few comments about, UGH!!!! the 6.5 Creedmoor. I have no idea why it was so hyped by the gun writers. but then again gun writers are being paid to write and who pays them, of course the gun/ammo manufacturers who are looking to sell a zillion new guns and millions, perhaps billions of rounds of a new caliber ammunition. I watched as the glowing reports from the gun writing industry lauded the 6.5 Creedmoor causing an instantaneous demand for this new, "Miracle Cartridge." Rifles were sold, ammo was sold and over the ensuing few years a lot of rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor are finding their way onto the used/auction market. Why? Simply because the hordes of hunters who were duped into purchasing these new rifles in thin miracle cartridge found out the truth. It wasn't what was promised. Are these rifles still available? Certainly, and they most likely will be for awhile as the manufactured love affair with the 6.5 Creedmoor winds down as just another shot in the dark as a hunting cartridge that is excellent at punching holes in paper failed as a long-range hunting cartridge.
How well regarded is the 6.5 Creedmoor these days? Look on the shelve of your local gun store? Do you find any 6.5 Creed ammo there? Probably not since the ammo manufacturers are producing their bread and butter rounds, which you are seeing on the shelves these days.
On a lighter note, you can order ammo direct from the manufacturer from both Federal and Sig Sauer for a couple of sourcee, all sold at current MSRP and mostly shipped free of charge. My suggestion is to quit whining and look at all the available avenues for ammo and components. Don't sit back in your chair at your computer and whine when time would be better spent searching for available outlets.

As bad as I hate to say it, the 6.5CM is the wave of the future for mild recoiling "deer rifles" not to mention for competition shooters.

There's no shortage of ammo for them either because their popularity is growing rather than waning.

6.5mm Creedmoor Ammo

In-stock best prices for 6.5mm Creedmoor Ammo | Best 6.5mm Creedmoor Ammunition - AmmoSeek.com

ammoseek.com

Now for the long range crowd the PRC is rapidly gaining ground as well and I expect those to be the two most dominant 6.5's' on the market for at least the next couple of decades.

The problem with the .277 is simply that it fills such a narrow niche it's never going to have much of a following. Even the venerable .270Win has always had a limited following since long before the 6.5's began to dominate the market.

There's just too much factory support for both ammo and rifles in the CM and the PRC is gaining rapidly in market share as well as is the Secondary market in loading components.

There's just nothing you can't do as well with the 6.5's and 7mm's that can be done with any of the .277's and without tremendous support in the industry in the form of both rifles and factory ammo they just aren't going to begin to compete for a notch in the top five or even ten selling rifles this century and that kind of support just isn't there and won't be unless someone just starts tearing up the LR and ELR competition circuits with them.

The only thing that could change that equation would be for the Military to go to one of the new 277's as the main round for our future battle rifles.

Those who get hooked on shooting a given platform or caliber in the service naturally gravitate to them when they go back to civilian life thus the popularity of the .30-06 and .308win.

As badly as we need something as an improvement over the 5.56's for our battle rifles I just don't see the .277's winning that fight.

 

[Lou270]

You are kidding on 270 right? The 270 has been a top 5 selling rifle round in ammo, dies, and rifles for over half a century and probably nearly a century. Off and on it was number 2 behind 30-06 but always top 5. The 270 alone is more popular than the 7mm Rem Mag iwhich is far and above the most popular 7mm. If you add a bunch of the 7mms together you probably get to the number of rifles sold in 270 then you double or triple that and are probably in ball park of 30-06s out there

In more recent years as more people have embraced tacticool the 223 and 308 moved up to 1-2 spots in new sales and even more recently, the 6.5 creedmoor and the 270 is out of top 5 probably The 6.5 cm has been a success not because of prs, but becuase it was adopted by hunters and general target shooters who love the accuracy and mild recoil. I see the 6.5 prc being a niche round probably like the 6.8 western is destined (there are very few big successes) since does not have the light recoil.

I read a quote in one of the NRA rags not long ago there are more hunters in 2 counties in PA than participate in PRS in the whole country. Dont know if that is true but there are 15 million hunters in US which I am guessing is vastly more than prs and that is what 6.8 Western is after. Get the benefit of PRS rounds (high bc, tight tolerances which the hornady marketing machine touted) but with more punch for big game. Who knows what the next big thing is. There have been many 7mms but only one really took off and rest are niche Same with 6.5. 30s by far most success.

There are not bazillions of target bullets in the 270 because it is a hunting round and has sold quite well that way. There are no more “hunting” bullets in 6.5/7mm than 270 but there are more target options. Maybe the 6.8 W or one of the new military 270s (Sig or true velocity) will be it. I doubt it though as people are moving to less recoil these days not more, but may open the doors for more target bullet in 270 which does not gave the military history of traditional target diameters like 6.5, 7mm, 30

Lou

 

[WildRose]

Interesting article on trends in ammunition sales.

Ammo Sales Data - What's Growing & What's Dying?

A look at some of the ammo trends were seeing here at AmmoToGo.com. What's growing fast, is the 40 S&W dying? Here's the data!

www.ammunitiontogo.com

Note that the Needmore's market share increased by 13x between 2015-2018 and that growth appears to be unrelenting when you look at all of the offerings available today in both factory ammo and components.

Note too that the venerable .308 while still consistent, remains at essentially 0 growth. The Needmore is grabbing more and more of the growth in the market.

An Official Journal Of The NRA | Department of Defense Chooses Hornady 6.5 Creedmoor Ammunition

A specialized group from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is purchasing an undisclosed amount of 6.5 Creedmoor ammunition from Hornady for use in its long-range sniper platform.

www.shootingillustrated.com

If the DOD goes through with replacing both the .308 and .300wm as their choice of round for the next generation Sniper Rifles, we may never see it fade and instead just accelerate it's growth.

If it's eventually chosen for LMG's and battle rifles, it will be the 06/.308 of the 21st century.

 

[WildRose]

You are kidding on 270 right? The 270 has been a top 5 selling rifle round in ammo, dies, and rifles for over half a century and probably nearly a century. Off and on it was number 2 behind 30-06 but always top 5. The 270 alone is more popular than the 7mm Rem Mag iwhich is far and above the most popular 7mm. If you add a bunch of the 7mms together you probably get to the number of rifles sold in 270 then you double or triple that and are probably in ball park of 30-06s out there

In more recent years as more people have embraced tacticool the 223 and 308 moved up to 1-2 spots in new sales and even more recently, the 6.5 creedmoor and the 270 is out of top 5 probably The 6.5 cm has been a success not because of prs, but becuase it was adopted by hunters and general target shooters who love the accuracy and mild recoil. I see the 6.5 prc being a niche round probably like the 6.8 western is destined (there are very few big successes) since does not have the light recoil.

I read a quote in one of the NRA rags not long ago there are more hunters in 2 counties in PA than participate in PRS in the whole country. Dont know if that is true but there are 15 million hunters in US which I am guessing is vastly more than prs and that is what 6.8 Western is after. Get the benefit of PRS rounds (high bc, tight tolerances which the hornady marketing machine touted) but with more punch for big game. Who knows what the next big thing is. There have been many 7mms but only one really took off and rest are niche Same with 6.5. 30s by far most success.

There are not bazillions of target bullets in the 270 because it is a hunting round and has sold quite well that way. There are no more “hunting” bullets in 6.5/7mm than 270 but there are more target options. Maybe the 6.8 W or one of the new military 270s (Sig or true velocity) will be it. I doubt it though as people are moving to less recoil these days not more, but may open the doors for more target bullet in 270 which does not gave the military history of traditional target diameters like 6.5, 7mm, 30

Lou

Like I said, they have a dedicated following but a steadily falling market share.

There are more quality .277 bullets available today than there ever has been and they still are more limited than the 6.5's, 7's, and .30's.

Even the 30-30Win beats out the 270 in total sales.

Those are simply facts.

Does that mean it's not a great all around medium game caliber? No, it's just losing ground steadily in popularity.

As for the numbers of competitive shooters it really doesn't matter what their numbers are, they drive sales because every wannabe in the country thinks they'll shoot better with whatever is succeeding in competition.

That was true with the BR crowd for decades, and it's truer today with all of the "taciticool" venues.

There are a lot more recreational shooters today than there are hunters and they will continue to drive the market.