6.8 Western

[stephenr6565]

You obviously don't research ballistics. They **** near identical, but you want to argue. Get that high dolled ammo from the latest and greatest. I will reload the better of the two.

I do research ballistics. I agree for the hand loader the 6.8 Western offers little to no advantages over the WSM other than in saami spec it was designed for long range bullets the WSM was not. Not everyone has enough spare time to do load development and reload or enough $ to pay someone to else to develop & load them custom ammo. Winchester is going for the person that wants a factory rifle with factory ammo to hunt long range. Like it or not that is a growing segment. With a factory rifle with off the shelf ammo it does have an advantage at long range due to it being designed for long range bullets. If you compare the Winchester 270 WSM 150 grn ballistic silvertip ammo @ 3120 fps with a .496 B.C. which I'm pretty sure but not positive it is the nosler 150 grn ballistic tip bullet with that fancy coating on it or at least it happens to have the exact same B.C. and the 6.8 western with the winchester expedition long range ammo in the 165 ABLR @ 2970 fps with a .620 B.C. it definitely surpasses the WSM. At 1000 yds using sea level , 50% humidity & 200 yard zero with 10 mph 90 degree crosswind. It would have 16" less wind drift 257 ft lbs more energy & still be traveling roughly 167 fps faster. Also if you dive deeper into the bullet design Nosler rates the minimum expansion speed @ 1800 FPS for the 150 grn ballistic tip which would give the WSM a maximum effective range of about 750 yds. The ABLRs are typically rated to expand down to 1300 fps which would give the 6.8 a maximum effective range of about 1340 yds though I probably wouldn't test that out on a game animal but definitely would give it a try on a coyote I'd probably cut the 6.8 off somewhere around 1k on a game animal. as my point is in a factory rifle with factory ammo it does have advantages over currently offered 27 caliber short action saami approved cartridges with available off the shelf ammo. But at the end of the day none of this even matters if their factory 6.8 ammo does not shoot good.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I'm shooting the 162 ELD-X and the 168 Berger CH bullets at 3,100 ft/sec from a 25" barrel chambered in 7WSM.
How would the 6.8 Western be a better option than what I'm currently using?

 

[SSG Graybush]

I ran a 130 Berger CH at 3089 fps at 7500 ft 40 degrees 25% RH and a 23.0 baro. What it was the last time I was in WY last fall. Just ran it again. Its correct. AB dont lie

This are your 270 wby #'s, what I get anyway. Ive checked a different 270 wsm out there at 350 yards it was dead nuts. Last year checked my 7mag load and it was dead nuts as well at 475 yards with a 25 mph FV wind.

 

[Lou270]

I'm shooting the 162 ELD-X and the 168 Berger CH bullets at 3,100 ft/sec from a 25" barrel chambered in 7WSM.
How would the 6.8 Western be a better option than what I'm currently using?

#1, You will need to handload to hit those velocities. #2, the 7WSM will kick harder. I have read that Winchester/Browning wanted to approximate 300Win/WSM 4-500 yard energy levels with the 180 Accubond with the least amount of recoil in a short action factory load. The idea being that nobody questions the use of these rounds on Elk sized critters and the 6.5 clan is popular because of their ballistics and mild recoil. You can get more power, but it comes at cost of increased recoil and/or handloading. You can also shoot heavier bullets in the 7WSM (or a wildcat equiv with faster twist) but it also comes at cost of increased recoil. That is my take anyway. I like and have a semi-custom 7WSM, but see merit of what Win/Browning doing here.

Lou

 

[jasonco]

After all the searching and reading on the 6,8 Western, I get what Winchester is trying to accomplish and it doesn't suck. They're taking a logical approach to current cartridge/chamber design, trying to catch lightning in a bottle, as Hornady did with the 6.5CM and the many variants it spawned.
Designing a cartridge for long heavy for caliber bullets, with a fast twist barrel, with long range use in mind, with accuracy, with off the shelf boxed ammunition, for those that don't handload.
Obviously there are those that are just going to not approve of it, like the Creedmoor, but it just plain works. And if you handload these new designs, work even better!
It's always a given, in the sport, that new cartridges chaps folks hide, for better or worse. I love this life time hobby of shooting & handloading and I welcome the new, improved and updated.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

#1, You will need to handload to hit those velocities. #2, the 7WSM will kick harder. I have read that Winchester/Browning wanted to approximate 300Win/WSM 4-500 yard energy levels with the 180 Accubond with the least amount of recoil in a short action factory load. The idea being that nobody questions the use of these rounds on Elk sized critters and the 6.5 clan is popular because of their ballistics and mild recoil. You can get more power, but it comes at cost of increased recoil and/or handloading. You can also shoot heavier bullets in the 7WSM (or a wildcat equiv with faster twist) but it also comes at cost of increased recoil. That is my take anyway. I like and have a semi-custom 7WSM, but see merit of what Win/Browning doing here.

Lou

Take two similar rifles shooting 165gr bullets, one at 3.000 ft/sec and another at 3,100 ft/sec. I doubt there would be a detectable difference in recoil.

 

[Jcub]

Anybody neck this baby down to 6.5 yet?

 

[Moose47]

Lots of great info for all to digest ! The new 6.8 from Browning Hell's Canyon Long Range with a 26" barrel is on my list for the simple reason of the new barrel twist. I live in Alaska and the140/150 grain bullets for the 270 WSM are a little on the lite side for my hunting needs. I reload for my 300 Weatherby and 375HH, hopefully there will be some dies and bullets available soon. For me it's just another hunting tool to have fun with at the range and to hunt with. Thanks to all for the comments.

 

[can1010]

Anybody neck this baby down to 6.5 yet?

have dies on order will be using 6.5-270 WSM reamer ran in short and shortening the die and going to rechamber my 6.5 PRC barrel.
have had enough with the PRC and its sizing issues. Will be another month before any info to post.

 

[SSG Graybush]

have dies on order will be using 6.5-270 WSM reamer ran in short and shortening the die and going to rechamber my 6.5 PRC barrel.
have had enough with the PRC and its sizing issues. Will be another month before any info to post.

Thats what Winchester should have done, a 6.5 wsm.

 

[derfssor]

6.8 came a day late and dollar short. I just had Benchmark place a #3 26" with a 8.5 twist on my Mark V. Runing 170 EOLs at 2950 and .500 groups all day long with 7828. I am happy happy happy. This setup does everything i was hoping for.

 

[Nomosendero]

6.8 came a day late and dollar short. I just had Benchmark place a #3 26" with a 8.5 twist on my Mark V. Runing 170 EOLs at 2950 and .500 groups all day long with 7828. I am happy happy happy. This setup does everything i was hoping for.

Is it a .270 Wea., I see you used a MKV ?

 

[Moose47]

6.8 came a day late and dollar short. I just had Benchmark place a #3 26" with a 8.5 twist on my Mark V. Runing 170 EOLs at 2950 and .500 groups all day long with 7828. I am happy happy happy. This setup does everything i was hoping for.

Sounds like a nice project!! I would think this is exactly why the 6.8 has been developed. You can't expect a bullet with a OAL of 1.49 to work well with a 270 WSM with a 10 twist. However I do believe you can use the existing 270 bullets in the 6.8 Western. Sounds like a Win Win to me.
UpDate: Latest Hodgdon reload data. 24" barrrel, Retumbo @ 65.5C 170GR Ber EOL @ 2903 FPS, 62,700 PSI. 26" barrel should get close to your 2950. The site shows a full range of powders for the 165 and 170 GR bullets.

 

[Moose47]

After all the searching and reading on the 6,8 Western, I get what Winchester is trying to accomplish and it doesn't suck. They're taking a logical approach to current cartridge/chamber design, trying to catch lightning in a bottle, as Hornady did with the 6.5CM and the many variants it spawned.
Designing a cartridge for long heavy for caliber bullets, with a fast twist barrel, with long range use in mind, with accuracy, with off the shelf boxed ammunition, for those that don't handload.
Obviously there are those that are just going to not approve of it, like the Creedmoor, but it just plain works. And if you handload these new designs, work even better!
It's always a given, in the sport, that new cartridges chaps folks hide, for better or worse. I love this life time hobby of shooting & handloading and I welcome the new, improved and updated.

Great response !! If you want it buy it !! In some ways it fills a niche for some of us. Sure there's lot's of other rifles that will do more so what, don't buy it.