What is a 6.8 Western? Browning/Winchester new release, I’ve never heard of one. I’m guessing more powerful than a 270 WSM on a long action.

Looks like an attempt to WSM ize the .277 bore size. 165 grain @ 2970 with a rebated rim 2" case length.

https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2021/1/15/new-cartridge-for-2021-68-western

So I guess the 270 WSM is twisted too slow.

In a nutshell it’s a slightly shortened 270 WSM case (0.08” shorter than 270 WSM case) for utilization of high BC very long .277 projectiles in a standard length WSM magazine with 165gr to 175gr weight bullets. Rifles will have faster twist rates in the 1:8 - 1:7.5 range. Can’t really see the benefits unless you are constantly pulling the trigger and bucking wind on game at 700 yards plus. Another reinvention full of intrigue? Probably not, but this is another part of the new wave of rifle/hunting needs being sold to the public.

What’s next? A 6.8 Winchester Magnum on a .300 Win Mag case? No wait, we already have that one. It’s called a .270 Weatherby Magnum.......
Happy Trails

So if you shorten a cartridge so you can use longer bullets why not just seat the bullet to the same overall length in the original case? You can still use the longer bullets unless it has a super short neck in the original cartridge. I would rather have the longer case with powder around the deeper seated bullet rather than lose capacity. Just use the faster twist barrel and be done with it. I guess then though you wouldn’t have a new whiz bang cartridge to sell as the greatest thing since sliced bread

6.8 Creedmoor
6.8 Super Creedmoor

What RossImp said. I’ve been reading on another forum about a guy that rebarreled his 270 WSM to a 1:8 twist barrel. He’s shooting the heavier/longer bullets and is getting good results. I have thought about doing the same thing to mine, but we will see. I asked why Winchester didn’t just start putting 1:8 or faster twist barrels and boy did I hear it. I was told people don’t understand how twist rate works etc., and that was kind of my point. Put a 1:8 twist on the gun to begin with instead of reinventing the wheel. It will allow a person to shoot 130 gr bullets or 175 gr. bullets and no one would probably know the difference. They probably would with 110 gr bullets, but most people aren’t shooting them in. 270 Win or WSM. All I heard was how Joe Blow would load 170 gr bullets in his 1:10 twist 270 Win and get keyholes. This was from the same people saying people don’t understand twist rate and ballistics.

I think this was a natural move as we’ve seen 1:8 twist and faster barrels taking over it seems at least for the newer cartridges that are designed for heavier/longer bullets in other calibers, so why not those in .277. We’ll probably see a new fast twist .257 caliber commercialized soon a well.

What is it? Useless waster of ammo factory capacity

If you've got a .270 that you wished would stabilize big bullets and money to burn, why not? The "this is pointless because it overlaps with other stuff" argument could be made about 90% of the cartridges people tout on here.

I read somewhere online that it was a 270 WSM with 1:8 twist. Some people...

The WSM is 2.100" and the 6.8 West is 2.020".

Sounds like a competition chambering to me.

Ron Spomer put together a pretty good video on it.

It’s dead before it gets here

Seems like a bad financial time to roll out a new one.

Not sure of the necessity with a 270 Win, 270 WSM and 270 Wby. A 270 Win w/1:10 twist will shoot the160 gr Partition or 150 A-Frame just fine at elk and moose out to 400-500 yards. If twist bugs you you could simply rebarrel to a fast twist 270 Win LA and get the most out of powder and bullet combo. That 270 Win would easily run with the 6.8 Western using less powder and a handier barrel length for alpine work.

I don’t know if run with is exactly right. With RL26 in a 270 Win I get about 3050 tops, with 26 is my 270 WSM I get 3150 to nearly 3200. Not saying it’s a big deal but the margin only grows as bullet weight goes up and slower powders can be utilized in the larger case.

I like both the WSM and the WCF a bunch but I’m not mad about someone stepping up and putting the 277 Bullets in the running. Heck, it was nearly a 100 years now that Winchester put the 270 WCF on the map, seems like they’re just revamping the old horse a little.

I mentioned this before, it doesn’t do anymore than the 264 or 284 do but so what, it’s a 270 and if it sticks enough it may get Hornady to launch some sleek Bullets for it as well.

Gun manufacturers are doing what custom builders have been doing for years ... pouring a fast twist barrel on it.

It is a real concern for them that if they just charged the twist and made heavy bullets available, that morons would buy that ammo and then bitch about poor performance. Gotta remember educated shooters on forums like this are a SMALL minority of shooters. Idiots would most DEFINITELY buy ammo their gun couldn't shoot. And they'd most certainly publicly bash the ammo matter for making crap ammo their fun can't shoot.

You gotta play to the lowest common denominator. The easiest way? New cartridge with new SAAMI specs.

That actually makes great sense. 👍

Exactly. And if you don’t think it rates, then get what you do like.

Me, I’m down for faster twists in factory guns myself. They don’t hurt a darn thing for shooting Power Points but will shine with some sleek Bullets. It’s a win win.

I'll echo the last two guys - this is the best theory I have seen on why the 6.8 Western. I've been kind of bashing the whole idea, since IMO, an 8" twist .270 WSM would be a better round. But you're right - some guys would shoot the long heavy factory rounds in their 10" 270 WSMs and then bash the company when they keyholed.

Thanks for the good insight,
Rex

I wonder if Nosler will come out with a 165+grain Partition for this cartridge?

This is my response for several new cartridges ... just change the name and caliber, same argument. People are stupid. Stupid people with guns are dangerous.

Previous example was the 6mm Creedmoor. Hell even the 6.5CM vs 260 Rem. And the soon to be 22 CM vs 22-250. It's just so much easier to market something new than rely on people to actually read warning labels or directions

Nahhhhhh, they’ve got a 160 Partition already.

I can’t remember the last time I saw a new Partition.

Just my guess though.

The 160 is for the 1-10" twist and is a semi-spitzer. I would like to see a 165+ grain spitzer Partition or maybe a Ballistic Tip.

Time will tell.

The odd part is, those new .270 heavy projectiles have a lower BC than lighter offerings in the .264 that already exist. They are decent in the .600 range, but you can get a 145gr 6.5 bullet that is over .700 already.

170 NBT has already been pictured in some of the release photos

So, some guy going out west will grab his 270 WSM and a few boxes of the new 6.8 Westerner rounds. Wonder how badly the case rupture will be?

Oh it'll happen. I still have a near weekly argument at work with people who don't believe me that their 38 spl won't fire 38 Super

Surely case dimensions will be just different enough to prevent chambering.

Yawn. I’d sooner run a 6.5 PRC.

Sounds to me that Win/Browning want their share of our stimulus money.

Meh.

The Western won't fit in the WSM cause it has a longer C.O.A.L at 2.955."

That is a 175 grain Sierra Game King.

It takes time to develop that stuff. Assuming the popularity of high bc 27 cal bullets grows more will hit the market. Right now It's strictly a hunting bullet market. If a demand emerges for competition bullets then I would think more extreme designs will follow. Probably first by custom makers followed by the mainstream manufacturers.

Looking at the SAAMI specs, the Western has the shoulder set back a few thou with no other changes that I see. Since the minimum Western COAL is less than the maximum WSM COAL, I see no reason why some Western loads would not fit in a WSM chamber.

I agree with you guys. Why make another useless cartridge that is going to burn up our primers and powder. I'd rather see primers and powder back on the shelves. Stupid fu cks need to get their priorities straight. The 270WSM is pretty much on its last leg, so lets make another 270. I guess the one designed in 1925 hasn't been working well enough either. Makes sense..

Agreed.

That American Hunter article kind of cracked me up. He shot the buck at 200 yards. He could have done that with a .30-30 "Western".

It is nothing more than another cartridge that a company dreamed up to do nothing more than sell rifles. hard to get many people excited about the good of 30-06 or 308 or 243 or 300WM... come out with a new wiz-bang do it all - kill the animal, gut it and skin it all with one shot at 1200 yards and everyone will be buying new guns, often new optics and accessories... oh, do not forget all the new ammo to buy

Gimmick to sell more rifles.

A 170gr Ballistic Silver Tip is also one of the initial load offerings from Winchester.

Don't understand how folks can whine about this new chambering, it's basically exactly what the .270 WSM should have been.... 8 twist and the first three factory loads are 165gr ABLR, 170gr BT, and 175gr TGK? That'll do pig, that'll do.

Well, they solved the headspace issue by making the OAL longer. So, not only will the headspace be off, the bullet will jamb in the lands of a WSM.

Yeah, but then he won't get invited on anymore free hunting trips!

They had to come up with a new one for the 270 people. They were feeling left out.