Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Model 70 extreme 6.8 western first shots

Bought the rifle around a month ago, finally put some talley lightweights and leupold 4-12 on it. Didn’t have as much time as I would have liked but got it zeroed and shot a few groups with 2 different factory loads.

I started with 162grn copper impact, zeroed and shot 3 groups, all 3 were 1” to 1 1/4”. I was happy enough with that but not thrilled. Then i shot 4 groups with 175grn browning long range pro, point of impact was about 4” lower and groups were all 2” to 3”, it didn’t seem to like that load at all.

I’ve also picked up a browning x bolt speed SR in 6.8, i’m going to see what it likes next and when time allows i’ll work on some handloads for both. Something else i noticed was with both loads i seemed to be getting pressure signs, both had pretty significantly cratered primers and also had sticky bolt lift with the copper impact load.

You don't load your own? The last 6.8 western I saw at the range was a Winchester like yours. Nice rifle, but the owner was shooting 3" groups with it. With an assortment of factory ammo. Looked like good quality ammo too. I probably wouldn't worry too much about it, until you get it broke in and test different types of factory ammo. That, or load your own and find what it likes. Just hope it's not like my buddies 300WSM EW. That damn rifle copper fouled horribly and shot very poorly, until he lapped the bore out quite a bit. Good luck with your new rifle.

I have 2 6.8W. One is a rebarreled Win 70 WSM with 1-8 HS precision. It shoots both 165 ablr and 175 tgk factory loads very well. Have shot several half MOA groups with both. I am not really a half MOA shooter so that is saying something:). Has shot factory ammo so well I have not felt the need to handload for it though I have all the goodies. I did not want to cut the barrel to run a supressor so bought a Browning HC Speed SR in 6.8W as wel. I just shot it today with Supressor. I did not measure groups as forgot targets at my ranch before driving back to city but eye balling it shot right at MOA with 165 ablr load and close if not under 1/2 MOA with browning 175 load. Incidentally it was near 100 for me when shooting today and did not get prressure signs but the 6.8W is loaded hot. Factory loads in my 24” barrel custom have chronoed right on in colder temps to over published velocitt on hot days.

I am smitten with the round. Like it’s grandpa the original 270, gives terrific ballistics for mild recoil. I have been shooting pigs with 165 ablr and 175 tgk loads this year until it got so hot in TX no fun and they are hammers. Both will shoot through shoulders of big boar hogs and exit so they penetrate well as do lot of damage

FWIW I am in few FB groups and seems most accurate on average is the 175 browning load followed by 165 ablr load. The 162 coppers seem more mixed but probably more positives/meh than bad. Terminal reports for all that use the copper load had been stellar. Barnes has a 155 lrx now for 6.8W in case not aware

Lou

A new sucker is born every day. You gotta give it to the firearms Industry though. They really know how to come up with new ways to fleece people out of their money.

It used to be everyone needs a .300 uber magnum because you might finally get to go elk hunting one day. Now it's everyone needs a glorified target rifle because you might finally get to shoot a deer at 600 yards one day. Hahaha

Funny coming from a guy with 10mm in his name.

Lou

To each their own when it comes to what you hunt and what rifle/chamber you choose to hunt with. For me the 270 WSM and 6.8 Western with 1-8 twist barrels offer a bit more speed but both offer more weight with longer barrel (usually 24”), .532” bolt and greater recoil than needed for long range game hunting. My preference if I was wanting a .277 would be the 270 WCF. It is amazingly efficient with 20” - 22” barrel lengths. It is easy to find a .473” action and spin a 1-8” twist .277” barrel hurling the same 175 grain loads. With 24” barrel it would only lag about 100 fps behind the aforementioned .277s. Imagine how sweet a slender 21” 270 WCF shooting 160 gr -175 gr high BC loads would carry like on a high alpine/mountain hunt. You would not be handicapped in any way and have a more desirable carry weight and rifle length. Some things considered new with just a barrel twist rate change can easily be had on the old 270 WCF (circa 1925) and 270 Wby Magnum (circa 1944) and meet and exceed the newest iterations offered for hunting. Either way it’s personal preference and user satisfaction that counts.

So I must get "fleeced" all the time.

Like a lot of people on here, I enjoy shooting rifles, buying new rifles, trying things out.

I got a dozen rifles in different calibers that all do basically the same thing.

Its a fun hobby and I can afford it

No fleecing here

How much did you spend on Denver257 rifle?

I have the Cabela’s exclusive Model 70 in 6.8 Western as well. I finally shot it two weeks ago, with the same Browning ammo and my groups were about the same as yours. I know where some Copper Impact ammo is currently, I will got buy some. I just really want it for the brass anyways to reload.

Mine is the bass pro/ cabelas exclusive as well. Really like the gun and i’ll fine a load it likes in time.

Wasn’t “fleeced”, i got a new gun to mess with and will either make it shoot well or let someone else have it and i’ll buy something else. I don’t typically shoot at game past 450 or 500 yards anyway, i in no way needed this rifle or the other dozens i have, but since when did “need” matter when it comes to guns?

Well said. Got my first deer in 1955. And have had a lot of fun in the ensuing years using lots of different rifles and cartridges.

But thinking back, I can't think of an animal I got that I couldn't have taken just as well with my dad's '52 M70 270. Guess I've been fleeced a lot!

The above groups sound about par with the one I’ve been playing with , even tried the power points , was sure they would hum , they shot worse than anything else . Was surprised as the fed blue box and power points is usually good to go in most rifles .
Going to run a bore scope in it this weekend and see if there are any bore issues .
Tried a proven scope , same [bleep] .
Torqued the action screws to winchesters recommendations and base , rings and xbolt screws .
Only thing that may be a problem is barrrl is not floated , but also shot groups with cold barrel shots and still 1.25”-1.5” was as good as I could get , so thinking the barrel channel isn’t likely the problem .
Have read reviews on this gun and seems this is what everybody else is getting too .
It’s my foreman’s gun , so he is scheduled to go west on a mule deer hunt in oct , he is relying on a dead zero and luepold sending him the dope for his scope at various ranges
Not sure how all this hi tech stuff works , but seems weak to me not getting behind the gun and experiencing the ranges anticipated.
Anyhow , I’ll do what I can and the rest is up to him .
I suggested handloading , but he doesn’t want to get into all that and I’m not interested in doing the work myself .
Developing loads is time consuming and trying to get my legs back under me before our season rolls in on us .
If I find any barrel discrepancies I’ll give a heads up .
Kenneth

Ran a bore scope in it and it was copper fouled heavily
Gun only has 24 rds through it that I’m aware of .
So my nephew ran some blitz through the bore a couple times and then patched it out wet and dry , still some copper
Done it again and only traces , one rifling disappeared a little before it got to the throat and another was shallow and rest appeared Sharp .
Up through the barrel there was appeared to be pits
Thought about the lugs , one lug was nice and shiny
One was slightly touched and snother was completely unmarked
Called him , told him what I found and he contacted the dealer who is going to send it back for him .

Good call. That’s about all you can do at this point. Hopefully they rebarrel and test for accuracy.

We have a wonderful BDL in 270 Win i bought in the late 60s and gave to my son about 10 years ago. I replaced it with a well used Mark V in 270 Weatherby. Not sure what the 6.8 Western brings except a faster twist barrel. I've been thinking of putting a 1 in 8" twist barrel on the 270 Weatherby but it still shoots so good with 150g Partitions it's hard to justify.

Thats what i try to tell my wife....LMAO.