7mm Rem Mag VS 6.8 Western

[ntsqd]

To me the advantage of a SA is insignificant. Then again, I'm not a "weight weenie" counting every 1/4 once. I choose the appropriate action length to fit the cartridge that I want to shoot.
I.E.:
.22 Hornet -> No. 1 or No. 3
7.62x39 -> Howa Mini
.223/5.56 -> 788 or Howa Mini
.243 AI -> SA
.308 Norma Mag -> LA

Something like a 7mm WSM I would likely put in a LA just because it simplifies things. No trying to fit a cartridge with a long, heavy, shallowly seated bullet into an SA's short mag box.

 

[Buckys]

If you start down the "what were they thinking?" path with the perspective of someone marketing factory rifles for:

1. A market segment begging for 277 guns that shoot heavier than 150 gr ammo.

2. Part of that market does not reload so they want factory ammo heavier than 150 gr ammo.

Then the 6.8 western makes sense. Selling fast twist 270wsm rifles and or 160-175gr 270wsm ammo is not a good way to service that market.

Because most of that market has no idea about barrel twist rates and what bullets they can stabilize.

So that market who owns 1:10 270wsm hates your 170gr ammos 6" groups.

So it's just a fast twist 270 cartridge that supports most people buying rifles.

 

[Muddyboots]

The 6.8 Western IMO, is just the beginning of "new" cartridges that will be designed for fast twist and high BC, longer COAL required receivers to allow factory rifles provide this "higher" performance to shooters that don't build their performance. I will not be surprised by a bevy of new ones, let's guess the next "new" one? I am thinking quarter bore will be next, how about 25 Eastern.

Which is why I built a fast twist .270Win that will toss a 170EOL 3075 all day no pressure with RL26. If you are going to build a rifle for .270 caliber why not .270Win cartridge? Brass no problem, RL26 is magic with it, use standard or mag primer.

 

[ntsqd]

I think that they'll call it the ".250 Mannbun"......

 

[FEENIX]

Strictly from a Hunting perspective. How do these two Cartridges compare? What can the Western do that my 7mm Rem Mag cannot? I looked up the BC on the bullets that I see for sale in loaded ammo and they are not comparable to the 7mm at all. I was lead to believe they were all high BC .277 pills. This left me scratching me head.

I am not sure why you compare two different calibers (.284 vs. .277) and chambering and expect the same performance - apples to oranges. In addition, one cartridge is for a long action (7MM RM) and the other short action (6.8 Western, parent case .270 WSM). 6.8 Western vs. 270 WSM is a closer comparison (apples to apples), same caliber but different chambering; both designs are for a short action.

The current factory offering for the 6.8 Western is 1:8" twist and 1:10" for the .270 WSM. "IF" the .270 WSM is offered in the same barrel twist rate to stabilize the longer/higher BC bullets, "I" would take the .270 WSM. Depending on the source, the case capacity is 74.0g for 6.8 mm Western compared to 78.6g for the.270 WSM.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

Thats a Great question. Looking for 277 bullets last night on line , I noticed how many 150grn , 160 grn. and 170 Grn . bullets in .277 are actually made by Nosler, Sierria and Berger and others. With a fast twist barrel , the differences between 7 Rem Mag ; and 270 Win. Short Mag, and Win 6.8 Western become very fine. All are excellent long range deer ,antelope, and elk calibers. As I shoot a .270 Win and a .270 Weatherby Mag, two old school calibers, with slow twist barrels , I am limited to 130 gran and 150 grn. I am interested in what you finally choose.

 

[tonechaser88]

I think the 6.8 western does fill a nice niche gap in the market. Apples to apples though, I'm choosing a 6.8 western over a 6.5 PRC because of the outside diameter and heavier projectiles. It's nice to have a good BC in that 160-175 class. However , a 7 SAUM seems to fit a similar niche but it never caught on as a commercially viable option. I'm curious to see if the 6.8 western is going to be as popular of a "plug and play" in accuracy as far as factory ammo and factory rifles like the 6.5 PRC and 6.5 creed are. The market follows the trends of the average shooter and this gives the average guy the ability to own a rifle that performs well out of a short action, has fairly light recoil but would be enough in terminal ballistics for elk out to reasonable distances.

The one thing all of the market trends have helped improve for us that enjoy reloading and building is that it creates more bullet selection for given calibers. Now a .270 win guy could have a barrel made for a fast twist and shoot heavier bullets of so desired and have some more options.

 

[Quintus]

The 6.8W does not fill a need performance wise, but it does open the door to the new fast twist .277 barrage that is sure to come. I would love to see the 270RPM with an 8 twist. That case pushing a 148 or 156 Hammer would be impressive.

 

[chutinlead]

The 6.8 Western IMO, is just the beginning of "new" cartridges that will be designed for fast twist and high BC, longer COAL required receivers to allow factory rifles provide this "higher" performance to shooters that don't build their performance. I will not be surprised by a bevy of new ones, let's guess the next "new" one? I am thinking quarter bore will be next, how about 25 Eastern.

Which is why I built a fast twist .270Win that will toss a 170EOL 3075 all day no pressure with RL26. If you are going to build a rifle for .270 caliber why not .270Win cartridge? Brass no problem, RL26 is magic with it, use standard or mag primer.

It is exactly because you had to "build" it. "They" want it "built" for them, and that requires a SAAMI spec that calls out a fast twist barrel and suggested bullet weights.

The problem I see with the 6.8Western is that Winchester and Browning haven't pushed it with all the other rifle and ammo manufacturers in the same way Hornady pushed the 6.5CM. It's only chambered in their rifles and that makes it less appealing. If Hornady would have made it and called it the 270 Creedmoor, it would have been a hit.

 

[Reelamin]

Strictly from a Hunting perspective. How do these two Cartridges compare? What can the Western do that my 7mm Rem Mag cannot? I looked up the BC on the bullets that I see for sale in loaded ammo and they are not comparable to the 7mm at all. I was lead to believe they were all high BC .277 pills. This left me scratching me head.

Not a dang thing, and you did the right thing. Firearms industry and the internet is full of FAKE NEWS so they can make money. Keep smiling and pushing all the new stuff while you stock up on the old stuff that works better and worst case just as good.

 

[Muddyboots]

If Hornady would have made it and called it the 270 Creedmoor, it would have been a hit.

Gotta be metric to imply ungodly performance so just a bigger man bun needed for 6.8CM.

 

[chutinlead]

Gotta be metric to imply ungodly performance so just a bigger man bun needed for 6.8CM.

Oh no excuse me that's 6.8PRC because it's a big boy Magnum

 

[Idaho Lefty]

The 6.8 Westerner's New Design, should have been, a LONGER, Necked, 7MM WSM+P+ ( 1-8 Twist ) round and then, we'd have, a real,.. "Winner" !
Put it in, a midsized to Long Action ( TIKKA Sized, W/ correct Magazine length, like IT SHOULD have been, 20 years, ago) and THEN,.. "Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner" ! Once again, the Winchester Engineers,.. "Muffed it" !
But, we can build, a 7 Sherman Short, 7-.270 WSM, or, 7 SAUM, to DO, what's,. really, NEEDED !
SORRY, but the 6.8 Western, doesn't Impress, me and, the 7MM Rem Mag. "choice", is BETTER !

 

[GrayCreed]

Strictly from a hunting perspective there are still lots more guns and ammo in 7mmag. Also the bullet selection for 7mm is only topped by 30cals. Nothing wrong with the 277 bore but at this point it's just not there yet. 6.5 and 6 have more bullet options. I like the fact that they are making new calibers but hate how they have to constantly lie about stuff to sell new guns.
Example
The 350 legend isn't legendary and IS NOT more powerful than the 30wcf. Also Winchester doesn't make AR15s
The 6arc does not have the same downrange energy of a 308. (also no government agencies have adopted this caliber)

While the 6.5 creed is basically just a moderized 6.5x55sweed there are things that it also is not (300wm)

Also using the hotest loads of the highest BC bullets in 6.8wsrn does not prove it's better than 300wm/7mmmag with lighter loads of lighter or same weight bullets.

Well I guess the reason the 224valk never took off is cuz nobody lied and said it was more powerful than a 22-250....

From a hunting perspective alot of it is what sweet spot a cartridge occupies which makes it fun to shoot and therefore easier to learn to shoot accurately. The real question is could a 12yr old tell the difference in recoil from a 68wsrn vs a 7mmag. Many people consider the 7mag VERY shootable. If you can handle recoil of both why settle for the lessor? If you cant handle 7mag recoil, or your buying the gun for a small frame shooter, it may be better to just skip both and go with the 7-08/308/65creed class of cartridges and limit range to 300yds. I mean who needs a 68wsrn when Randy Newberg kills everything with a 7mm-08!