Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 6.8 Western?

None of them do much of anything different when it comes to downing game. The 270 WCF is now 100 years of age and by all accounts still in the drivers seat.

In N/A, If a Rifleman can get within 400 yards, he can kill it w/ a .270 Winchester.

And if he can't?

In either case, he's not much of a hunter.




GR

100%, but you know the the trendy kids back up to kill stuff farther.

They are LR hunters, different breed for sure. But then I have put a bunch of meat in the freezer with traditional archery equipment at 20 yards or less.

580 yards is my longest kill with a .270 Win 130 grain SGK on a plains mule deer. Worked just like you'd expect it to when slipping a bullet through the heart and lungs.

I have a couple of buddies who shoot the Wolverine in AR-15 rifles. They kill deer on a regular basis with it. The problem is the 90 grain Speer GD they like shooting are hard to get.
I've seen X-Bolts and XPR rifles in stock places in 6.8 Western. If you just want a rifle, they aren't impossible to find.


The Sig Cross is supposed to be able to handle the high pressure rounds of the .277 Fury. They have them listed on Sig's web site. I've not seen one in person yet. You'll probably never see the Fury in a classic bolt action rifle, without a major redesign of the action and barrel. I wonder if a Q Fix rifle could handle the high pressure of the .277 Fury?

I’ve got a .270 WSM, 6.8 Western, and .270 Win. If I was to narrow it down to one, it would be a 1:8 twist .270 WSM.
As far brass for the 6.8 Western, ADG has announced they will be making some later this year. I got on a waitlist for it through an ADG vendor. At the moment, I’m resizing 7mm SAUM Norma brass and fire forming it. I need to get to the range next weekend, and fire form the rest so I can actually develop loads for it.

That's just what I did, Hudge. Had a 1:8 Douglas #3 SS put on my M70 SS 270 WSM, replacing the original barrel. Shoots the 175 TGK great at 2850' with RL 26, and that seems mild in it. Have the 165 ABLR and 170 BT on hand also but so far they haven't equaled the 175 TGK in accuracy.
Not much data out there for heavies in the 270 WSM, but no problem, just use 6.8 Western and work up from there.

Raven Rocks has had Norma 270 WSM in stock off and on for a while, and they are expecting ADG soon. I bought enough Norma to shoot out my barrel but am intrigued to try the ADG if it ever comes available.

I too, would love to put a 1:8 #2 profile barrel on one of my 270 Wins. That would be a fabulous rifle!

Rex

Is the main benefit of WSM over Western, velocity?

Shooting higher BC bullets than what's possible with the .270 WSM and its 1:10 twist. There is getting to be a fairly decent list, here are just a few.

Bullets needing 1:9.5-9 twist.

126-141 grain Hammer Hunter and Hunter Tipped

165 grain NLRAB

Bullets needing 1:8 or faster.

148-162 grain Hammer Hunter and Hunter Tipped

175 grain STGK

170 grain Berger EOL

155 grain Barnes LRX

Taylorce, I wasn't clear when I asked the question above.

I was thinking both cartridges with 1:8 twist barrels. Like Hudge and TRexF16 did with their WSM's.

Gotcha, my mistake. All I've really compared is 150 grain load data, and the WSM is faster by less than 100 fps on average. The 6.8 is almost identical but .08" shorter than the WSM case. I don't know what that equates to case H2O capacity.

I'd imagine the WSM retains that speed advantage with bullets needing a faster twist.

Anyone honestly think the 6.8 ammo/brass/rifles, etc. will be readily available in another 6-8 years?

Seems to already be dying with the introduction of the 7 prc.

LGS has a Winchester Model 70 Extreme Tungsten and the only reason I haven’t bought it is because I’m concerned about ammunition or brass availability.

Different action length, the 6.5 PRC will do more damage to the SAUM, WSM and Western cartridges than the 7 PRC. 200-300 pieces of good brass will probably keep me hunting the rest of my life with either a .270 WSM or 6.8 Western. As long as the military is interested in 6.8/.277 bullets, we'll have only more development for these bullets. That'll keep things moving along for the guys (like me) who like this caliber.

My thoughts also. One reason why I have not gotten too excited about it.

I agree with Taylorce about the 6.5 PRC being more competition.

If I was to get a 6.8 Western, I would lay in enough brass to last. It is a modernized 270 WCF with tighter saami tolerances, but then my gunsmith has built me three WCF's that shoot lights out.

I keep waiting for a top tier brass manufacturer to come out with some 270 WCF brass. Although I can not complain about the Norma brass I have been using.

6.5 PRC easily adjusted to .277 or .284 if those calibers are more your jam while retaining 6.5 PRC bass availability too.

CRS - we think alike I had a 6.8 western built, did some load development work, then loaded enough rounds that as a hunter it will never run out. I got lucky found brass and bought sufficient amount that I will never be on the out of brass situation as a hunter. The rifle does shoot lights out better than i can hold it, 1:8 twist McGowen Barrel. No experience with any other .270 caliber round so I have no comparison I agree with others though good bullets, shot placement = dead critter.

Good thought too. If one doesn't mind wildcatting.

The 7-6.5 PRC seems to be F-class popular.

When looking at the 270 WCF, 270 WSM and the 6.8 Western, I see no advantage from one to the other. If all run an 8 rpm, what’s the gain. With 24” barrels, the WSM is approximately 100 fps faster than the 270 WCF with 130-150 gr loads. The Western produces even less velocity than the WSM. All that’s needed is a comparable barrel twist rate and none is really any better than the 270 WCF. In fact with its std long action length you can use the longest high BC .277 projectiles (175 gr) on the market thereby utilizing case capacity more efficiently with less muzzle blast than a hindered 3.00” COAL SA magnum. Another benefit is the 270 WCF’s ability to create impressive velocities with a 22” barrel and a 6lbs rifle which makes for a better alpine/mountain carry firearm. Lastly, the WSM cartridges are slowly dying on the vine, the Western was never really popular to begin with and is already dead in my opinion. The 6.5 PRC is extensively more popular than both magnums are. If .277 is your thing, rebarrel to an 8 rpm and go for it in a 270 WCF. Even with a 10 rpm neither .277 SA magnums comes close to the 270 WCF reputation on killing game, it’s been out there doing it for 100 years. Only one man’s opinion.