Placing Bets on the 6.8 Western

[Jeff Johnston]

The 6.8 Western is badass on paper and proven in practice, but I'm not sure it will last, however, because it's tough to find at stores, and because we are overrun with new cartridges lately. I'm putting the over/under at 5 years. Curious: Who's betting over, who's under?

 

[jcupdrew]

Over. I think a good amount of new shooters who got into the sport around Covid, landed on new rifles in 6.8 Western. Probably not the type to run a bunch of rounds, but at least as much as your average 270 shooter and enough to keep it alive. It makes more sense than a new fast twist 270, which is limited to Browning support as well. Blown away by 6.5 and 300 PRC, but falls in middle. I think it outcompetes 7 PRC, 7 backcountry and 280 Ackley in adoption due to short action.

 

[Jeff Johnston]

Interesting take. But a good amount of shooters is probably a hundred thousand? Totally guessing here, but out of those, I'm sure most chose the 223 and 6.5 CM... how many chose the 6.8? Who knows, but I wouldn't think more than a few thousand. To validate the bet, we'd have to define what "how long it will last" means. If it meant that Winchester didn't make it anymore, I probably wouldn't take the bet. But if we defined it as "the vast majority of retailers didn't carry it" after 5 years I'd take it. Anyway, good take... you could be right ... and I hope you are.

 

[jcupdrew]

Interesting take. But a good amount of shooters is probably a hundred thousand? Totally guessing here, but out of those, I'm sure most chose the 223 and 6.5 CM... how many chose the 6.8? Who knows, but I wouldn't think more than a few thousand. To validate the bet, we'd have to define what "how long it will last" means. If it meant that Winchester didn't make it anymore, I probably wouldn't take the bet. But if we defined it as "the vast majority of retailers didn't carry it" after 5 years I'd take it. Anyway, good take... you could be right ... and I hope you are.

At a minimum it replaces the 270 WSM, which isn’t saying much for availability. I definitely think 6.5 CM and PRC wildly outcompetes it in popularity and has the benefit of being ammo manufacturer vs gun maker. I still think there are those that want more than a 6.5, but less than a 300. 6.8 fits the bill and is on short action as opposed to long action 7 PRC, 280 Ackley or 7 Backcountry. New generation of buyers does research and has more access to information than ever. More modern than 7-08 or 270, but barrel length a negative.

 

[etwr2]

It’s a really cool round that does what the box says. It fits into a short magazine and gives great ballistics for the package and powders that give top performance aren’t unobtanium. The 7PRC only really does what it is supposed to with one or two powders. My favorite, the 280AI just doesn’t have the same horsepower. I hope ADG bringing out brass will keep it going.

 

[Jeff Johnston]

At a minimum it replaces the 270 WSM, which isn’t saying much for availability. I definitely think 6.5 CM and PRC wildly outcompetes it in popularity and has the benefit of being ammo manufacturer vs gun maker. I still think there are those that want more than a 6.5, but less than a 300. 6.8 fits the bill and is on short action as opposed to long action 7 PRC, 280 Ackley or 7 Backcountry. New generation of buyers does research and has more access to information than ever. More modern than 7-08 or 270, but barrel length a negative.

Thanks for weighing in.. All great points... There is no question that the modern cartridges are superior in terms of engineering and efficiency, exacerbated as the range increases. But your point on the WSMs is my main point: If even the 300 WSM---a cartridge that had more marketing hype than any of them---only lasted for 10 years before it's all but dead---any new cartridge can die. Reality is, new stuff tends to fizzle out if it can't be found in most stores across the world, and I just don't think enough gun makers are chambering for the 6.8 (and others) to justify stocking their shelves. Recently I went to the Christensen factory to build my own rifle that would have my name on it. Because of this, it will never be sold, but passed down to my family. As much as they were hyping and hoping I'd choose the 7mm PRC or 6.8 western to really showcase the rifle, when it came down to nut cuttin' time I chose ... the .300 Win Mag. because I know that it will abide.

 

[vogel.r.john]

I’ll treat this like an AA meeting and admit that I have a 6.8 Western problem. Typically I stick with tried and tested cartridge's and reject any new nonsense from ammunition companies, but alas, the marketing for this one got the better of me. I found a lightly used browning x-bolt and tossed a Leupold mk5 on it. I fed it a diet of 162 grain Winchester Copper impact and was very impressed until I went to buy more ammo.

The market for 6.8 Western ammo has ebbed and flowed so radically over the past year, I don’t know how this round will hang on.

Like Jeff said, it looks great on paper, but does it actually outperform any readily available cartridge? Probably not.

I’m taking the under on this and giving it 2 years before the pawn shop is begging me to take it off their hands.

 

[SEJohnson73]

I expect the 6.8 Western will end up experiencing a fate similar to the 284 Winchester... It has things going for it, but it's in a cartridge category crowded with lots of great established alternitives and it doesn't have a Jack O'Connor championing it. I'm taking the under.

 

[TcBWYO]

I wanted to build my version of the best western utility rifle for the characteristics of how and where we hunt. We annually horseback into the largest contiguous wilderness in the lower 48 with everyone in the small group holding OTC elk, deer, and wolf tags. I ended up going with the 6.8 western in a defiance action, carbon 6 barrel cut at 20", McMillan game scout stock, and the sig sauer DMR 4-16x44. I worked up a great load for the 6.8 western using retumbo, and the Nosler ABLR. The rifle performed great. It packed into a scabbard without the common length and bulk. It was light to hike with. I put last seasons bull down with a 500 yard shot with plenty of energy. The mule deer I took at 300 wasn't tore up from expansion and energy. All in, I feel that this cartridge has the capability to perform perfectly in the middle ground. After we tag out, we disperse to different camps to guide for the remaining of the season and the consensus is the same from all of our out of state hunters. Everybody wants the range, the speed, the caliber size, etc. The truth however is that the 6.8 western fits well for an all around multi species rifle and really flourishes with hand loading attention. Winchester and browning have made a great cartridge, but Hornady seemed to have out advertised with with their 6.5 PRC. Don't get me wrong, I have killed several bulls with the 300 WM. I have guided A TON of hunters who shoot everything from 270s to 375s and almost every speed round in the middle. But as long as components are available, and I can keep cutting / resizing 300 WSM brass, the 6.8 western for the hand load hunter might stick around for a good while.