6.8 Western

[gerry]

Saw this the other day and the more I look at this the more I like it. A slightly shorter 270 WSM with a faster twist and a 2.955" over all length. Initial factory loads will feature the 165 gr ABLR, a new 170 gr Ballistic Silver Tip and a new 175 gr Sierra TGK. As a big fan of the 277 cal I really like where this is going and I would far prefer this over the 6.5 PRC because of this and the ability to handle heavier bullets.

https://www.shootersforum.com/threads/6 ... ge.238844/

https://staging.winchester.com/Products ... ip/SBST68W

https://www.natchezss.com/winchester-ex ... 20-ct.html

Once the craziness is over which may take a while and Your President Donald J Trump is back in office (and yes I 100% believe that) I hope to add one of these to my collection.

 

[26NosFan]

seems to be a niche cartridge for the PRS crowd.

 

[Songdog]

Seems dumb as heck..... seriously.

Why not just go 7mm Rem Mag.... or 7 WSM.... or 7mm SAUM.... or .280 AI.... or one of the other veritable cornucopia of 7mm cartridges that fit the niche you’re trying to fill with this off come-lately round shooting boutique bullets?

 

[elkeater2]

Marketing is ongoing, and (as we have seen here) that introducing a new cartridge/rifle combo that fills a specific niche is a standard marketing ploy. Some survive and some don't. What I find interesting is the number of rounds going from 6mm (.243) to 7mm (.284) that have been introduced in recent times. I realize that creates a .041" playground for developers. The gap from .284 to .308 seems wanting until you realize that tooling for barrels and bullet production doesn't exist in that gap. The same is true for the jump from .22 calibers to .243. Of course nowadays they'd have to have metric names. A .296" would have to be a 7.5 mm or something. Likewise a .232" would be a "5.9 mm". Not gonna happen. R&D and tooling costs would be prohibitive. Much easier to slightly modify a case, change twist and lengthen existing bullets. No complaint here, just the way I see it. EE2

 

[gbflyer]

Looks like a .284 Win with a smaller bullet. Perhaps they even made the same mistake, in offering it as a short action. Long bullet eating up precious case capacity. Doesn’t seem like a good time to roll out a new cartridge when they can’t even keep up with demand for the old stuff.

Probably kills stuff pretty dead though if the bullet hits the mark.

 

[Dr. Vette]

Shorter case 270 WSM with a faster twist is what it is.

I don't predict a long life for this one.

 

[warboar]

Where I see this working is with the longer bullets in the shorter actions. The current trend is for long sleek VLD bullets and non traditional twists to stabilize them. Most of the current WSM rifles are built on shorter actions and when you try to load a VLD bulled in them you start to reduce powder capacity. If the WSM was built on a medium action or long action you could then take advantage of the VLD bullets by seating them out longer and getting much higher velocities.

I am actually pulling off a junk 7RM barrel from my Tikka and putting a fast twist 270 WSM barrel on it. My plan was for the 170 EOL and 165ABLR, but now Sierra is throwing their hat into the ring and that excites me even more.

Having more options available to the shooting public is never a bad thing.

 

[Songdog]

In what world, is a fast twist .270.... better than a fast twist 7mm?

 

[JD338]

In what world, is a fast twist .270.... better than a fast twist 7mm?

Sales & Marketing

JD338

 

[Songdog]

Nope..... it’s still not better.

This round will fall on its face.... HARD!

 

[SJB358]

Nope..... it’s still not better.

This round will fall on its face.... HARD!

I’ll have one.... :mrgreen:

You said it the other day, can’t remember the post but you mentioned your boy handing you back a P64 cause it was wood and steel vs his Tikka 7-08.

I’m not saying it is better than a 7. I’m a huge fan of my 8 twist Mashburn but I also really like Winchester and whoever making a run at the 270 and putting it in the game. I agree with you, maybe it’ll flop on its nose, but shoot, I have a safe full of stuff that ain’t easy to get but a few hundred cases last a long time with a little care.

It was a little weird they didn’t just change up the twist on the standard 270 WSM, but whatever. I’ve done sillier stuff and I like to shoot. If it stinks, well, ain’t nothing to sell or rebarrel.

 

[cloverleaf]

Haven't even read or looked at this yet. Came up in my Youtube feed....but I'm not about to interrupt Merle Haggard...maybe later... One mans opinion.. not really interested maself but fyi. CL

https://www.ronspomeroutdoors.com/blog/ ... -cartridge

 

[HodgemanAK]

I'm all for a better mousetrap, but this seems pretty redundant.

So here's the 500 yard figures for the Browning 175gr load.
2135 FPS. 1771ft/lbs -40" drop
Ditto for the 165gr LRAB load
2251 FPS. 1856ft/lbs. -36" drop

Here's my handloads at 500yds for the 270WIN with a 145 ELDX
2157 FPS. 1497ft/lbs. -37.6" drop

It doesn't really seem to do that much more, especially considering that's about 100 yards farther than I've ever shot at game and 300 yards farther than I really like to. A little more energy from a heavier bullet, not sure how significant that would be for anything I'd shoot with a 270 anything. I do know that 270WIN is pretty easy to source with a wide range of bullets. This one is currently only available in 2 varieties...that may grow, or it may not. Winchester doesn't have the reputation for orphaning cartridges like Remington does...but they've done it.

Not sure, but I don't think this one has legs. If I need "more" than a .270...I'll go straight to the .300.

 

[Songdog]

Anybody who looks at “drop” to compare one cartridge to the next..... is living in 1986.

 

[Songdog]

Scotty.... you’re out of your everloving mind man.

I can see a guy buying a .270 WCF.... not me.... but I can see why they’re popular. It’s a great cartridge, and I’ve killed with one.

But that’s where the buck stops with the .270 bullets.... no reason to go .270 WSM or Roy or Arnold or SPC or “Westerner”.

 

[SJB358]

Scotty.... you’re out of your everloving mind man.

I can see a guy buying a .270 WCF.... not me.... but I can see why they’re popular. It’s a great cartridge, and I’ve killed with one.

But that’s where the buck stops with the .270 bullets.... no reason to go .270 WSM or Roy or Arnold or SPC or “Westerner”.

Hey man, I never said I was right or based on any merit other than I know it would work for what I'd want to do with it. While not screaming high in the BC department, .600+ aint too bad either, and around 3000 in speed has worked for me quite a number of times. Plus, I could make a fairly light rifle that it wouldn't kick and buck excessively either.

It's all in my head mostly, and I won't argue or fight that it is better or worse than 50 others, but I know it'll work and I am glad to see a 270 getting a little play. I was sorta oogling Noslers 27 a but as well, which would make a pretty cartridge in my book as well.

I do think a fella could have a bunch of fun with a plain old 270 WCF with a 1-7 1/2 barrel spun on it and worked in a decently configured rifle. I'd think it'd do 2800 or so with the 165 ABLR or similar. Bet that'd be a peach as well in a light rifle with a solid scope on top!

 

[cloverleaf]

Hmm...i was living in 1986...and shooting quite well...even w/o a range finder and an app. More than one kind of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy the experiment and pick the one you like best. CL

 

[gerry]

Since no one is making a lefty in the 6.8 Western I'm getting a Tikka T3x barreled with a Canadian made KS Arms1 in 8 twist SS #3 barrel. Got a lot of the components already and dies. I still believe it is a very well thought out round and I like what it brings. Could care less what that hater Songdog says about it.

 

[Lazy Bushman]

It should be a great cartridge and I'm sure you will enjoy hunting with it. I like it on paper but couldn't justify buying one but for the shooting I do, it is an answer to a problem that I don't have. Who knows, what I do may change one day and this will hit the spot. Or I will put a new barrel on my 270win with a slightly faster twist and slightly longer throat for a similar effect....dunno. If you have hte application for it, or just want one because you can then I say go for it and enjoy it.

 

[gerry]

It should be a great cartridge and I'm sure you will enjoy hunting with it. I like it on paper but couldn't justify buying one but for the shooting I do, it is an answer to a problem that I don't have. Who knows, what I do may change one day and this will hit the spot. Or I will put a new barrel on my 270win with a slightly faster twist and slightly longer throat for a similar effect....dunno. If you have hte application for it, or just want one because you can then I say go for it and enjoy it.

I actually considered a fast twist 270 Win again but thought this new round is too good not to support. I like the 270 Win though and nothing wrong with putting a fast twist barrel on one. All things being equal it looks like the 6.8 W has about a 150 fps edge on the good old 270 Win. Some good bullets coming out now for fast twist 270's and 6.8 W's, I have some 170 gr Berger's, 170 gr Ballistic Tips (super excited for that one) 175 gr Sierra's along with a pile of different 150's. I'll be adding some Hammer's 148 or 156 gr and the Barnes 155 gr LRX this year too.