6.8 Western or 300WSM

[JAYgs8163]

Ok decisions have been made... Im going to build a rifle in 270WSM with a 1:8 twist barrel. Any recommendation on where I can find an economical barreled action

Preferred Barrel Blanks can do the entire build for you. Here's my 300 WSM I just back from them. If you buy the action from them it's 3-4 weeks turn time, which is what I did.

 

[tooth doc]

I'm from Williamsburg county. Nice to see another Lowcountry member on board. A lot has to do with the distance you're hunting and if you plan on hunting in other parts of the country. I've been shooting the 7 mag for decades and it works fine out to 1100 yds on deer. I had no problems with it in Africa on plains game animals either.

good reason that gunwerks originally offered their top of the line longrange rig in 7mm rem mag.

 

[tooth doc]

Preferred Barrel Blanks can do the entire build for you. Here's my 300 WSM I just back from them. If you buy the action from them it's 3-4 weeks turn time, which is what I did.View attachment 344848View attachment 344849

benchmark for me

 

[JAYgs8163]

Here's what I just did on PBB, probably get a little discount also buying both action and barrel.Thats fluted, lapped, threaded for muzzle brake, take about $250 off for none of those.

 

[cariboo crawler]

2ten:
In these times of intermittent brass availability, expecially for the short mags and newer exotics, the old classics still work as well as they did back when. A 270 wincester is hard to beat and ammo is readily available If you are going to hunt elk, you can go with a 30 magnum but the whomp and stomp is not that easy to get good with. Especially in these times where primers and powder are harded to come by. My experience has me back to the old standbys. I shoot a 270 at deer and antelope and a .30-06 at big bucks and elk.

Now here's a man talking my language

 

[cariboo crawler]

2ten:
In these times of intermittent brass availability, expecially for the short mags and newer exotics, the old classics still work as well as they did back when. A 270 wincester is hard to beat and ammo is readily available If you are going to hunt elk, you can go with a 30 magnum but the whomp and stomp is not that easy to get good with. Especially in these times where primers and powder are harded to come by. My experience has me back to the old standbys. I shoot a 270 at deer and antelope and a .30-06 at big bucks and elk.

Here's a man talking my language. Well done

 

[Web1350]

Hey Fellas I am new to the site and I am looking for some suggestions. I am 52 years old and have been hunting and shooting all of my life. I live in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and I own and operate a sporting clay range and I have a private rifle range also.
I am thinking about buying a new rifle and I really like the way the 6.8 western looks on paper but not really sure its going to be around long enough to prove itself unless some other companies start making ammo for it (I'm not a reloader). So my other thought was 300WSM. I know one is a 30Cal and the other is a .270 so there is that. I don't want a 270WSM because I can't go past 150gr. Thoughts?

The 6.8 Western caught my eye but, I believe, there might only be 2 rifles chambered for it right now. I, personally, have the 300 WSM and am not giving it up so there really is no need for me to get the 6.8 so I recommend the 300 WSM.

 

[Charles De Salme]

Where I live there is 6.8 western on the shelf all the time. Problem is no shops ever get a rifle in stock to look at it.

 

[NMMerriam7401]

Hey Fellas I am new to the site and I am looking for some suggestions. I am 52 years old and have been hunting and shooting all of my life. I live in the Lowcountry of South Carolina and I own and operate a sporting clay range and I have a private rifle range also.
I am thinking about buying a new rifle and I really like the way the 6.8 western looks on paper but not really sure its going to be around long enough to prove itself unless some other companies start making ammo for it (I'm not a reloader). So my other thought was 300WSM. I know one is a 30Cal and the other is a .270 so there is that. I don't want a 270WSM because I can't go past 150gr. Thoughts?

Personnally I like the 6.5 PRC. The ballistics on the 300 WSM is not substantial enough to exclude the 300 Win Mag. Plus Ammo is not as widely available and cost more on the 300 WSM. I think the 6.5 PRC is here to stay and there are plenty of bullets to select from if you ever do start reloading. Ammo is becoming more available by all the major ammo manufacturers. I was looking for a round ballistcally close to the 300 Win mag without the recoil for back country hunts. We could go to some LR Comps with it too! Just my opinion! Good luck and yes I do like that 270 WSM. Ballistically it does make since over the 270 WIn. Ammo still a bit high for that one too!! Of course it all is high now! LOL

 

[xsn10s]

Stay on task fellas. He's not a handloader. Components don't matter. Brass doesn't matter. Bullets don't matter. The guy wants to walk in a store buy a few boxes of ammunition and go shoot. He isn't shooting 215 Bergers or Lapua brass. Factory ammunition for 300 wsm means 150, 165-168, 178, and 180's. That's 98% of the ammo. If he special orders I'm sure he could find a 200 eld-x or 210 Berger at $65 to $100. The 6.8 Western is geared towards this kind of shooter. 162, 165, 170, 175 grains bullets available. 2900 to 3000 fps is stellar performance. $50-$60 box and I saw stacks of it at my local Sportsmens Warehouse. In the Browning rifle or Winchester it doesn't matter what animals he's hunting it's a coin toss. I have a 300 wsm and like it. I also have a 270 wsm with an 8 twist (basically a 6.8 Western) and I adore it. Accuracy I lean 300 but for pleasant shooting I go 6.8. I see your dilemma here. Years ago I bought a 308 Marlin Express. Super charged 30-30. It didn't have a big following and only Hornady produces one Leverevolution 160 grain type of ammo. It died out. This was in 2008 I believe. If you go look in my truck right now guess what rifle is riding shotgun to go out to the ranch every day?. The Marlin Express. I'd buy the 6.8 Western and let'er rip!!

He could always load later on. Like I said 300 WSM or fast twist 270 WSM.

 

[Retired Coast Guard GMC]

Don't think I'll ever own another Short Mag since I have had nothing but problems with them. Only animal I have ever had run after being shot was a whitetail deer shot with a .300 WSM and have had problems with feeding in both rifles of that caliber I have owned. One a Ruger M77 .300 WSM and a Remington 700 SPS in .300 WSM. Got rid of the Ruger and am planning on getting rid of the Remington. I have shifted to the 7MM Rem Mag/.30-06/ and .300 Win Mag for my primary choices.

 

[65x55Shooter]

I have a Tikka, 300 WSM, and love it..but the twist in my barrel is a bit slow for the 200+ higher BC pills. Can't beat the action for an over the counter rifle and it is accurate with 150-165 grain bullets. I have a couple of other rifles in cartridges that are not commercially available or have gone by the boards like a 223 wssm. Stick with a cartridge that is available in your area…BTW there are Hammers and Barnes bullets that will handle large game and stay below 200 grains.

 

[WildRose]

I have a Tikka, 300 WSM, and love it..but the twist in my barrel is a bit slow for the 200+ higher BC pills. Can't beat the action for an over the counter rifle and it is accurate with 150-165 grain bullets. I have a couple of other rifles in cartridges that are not commercially available or have gone by the boards like a 223 wssm. Stick with a cartridge that is available in your area…BTW there are Hammers and Barnes bullets that will handle large game and stay below 200 grains.

This is true but Mono's being about 30% less dense require a faster twist barrel for bullets of equal weight (equal to conventional).

As a rule if you've got an adequate twist for a 200gr conventional bullet you won't be able to stabilize a mono of similar shape heavier than about 180gr.

 

[Goldengun]

My vote: 6.8W. I like the looks of the external ballistics (wind drift), COAL and sectional density.

I almost view it as a 270 WSM improved.

I'm praying it's around long enough for it to stay. If I could buy enough ammo for my hunting purposes…

270WSM Improved? Stop it. More like a 270 Creedmoor!