Intro and 6.8 Western Build Input

[blakebrown]

Hello, Blake here from East side of Texas. Came across this site researching for a rifle build. Seems like there's a lot of good info around here.

I've got a Rem700 270wsm donor rifle that I'm wanting to change over to a 6.8Western. Wanting something I can go out west for Elk, MD, Antelope shoot the occasional WT and hogs in Texas and pull out to shoot 500/600/700 yards for fun on targets.

Douglass barrels said send them my BA and they can do their barrel service and fit one of their Premiums XX on, thread for Brake and send back for about $675.

Thoughts on Douglas or any recommendations on full service send in and fit new barrel on?

Thanks!

 

[Lou270]

I have not used their rebarreling service but have Douglas barrels on a couple custom rifles and they are great. Shoot great and no fouling, etc. Melvin Forbes used Douglas barrels on his ULA rifles for years and they were known to be 1/2 MOA shooters despite being very light well before the current trend of hyper accuracy. You will be happy with 6.8W.

Lou

 

[blakebrown]

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[blakebrown]

I have not used their rebarreling service but have Douglas barrels on a couple custom rifles and they are great. Shoot great and no fouling, etc. Melvin Forbes used Douglas barrels on his ULA rifles for years and they were known to be 1/2 MOA shooters despite being very light well before the current trend of hyper accuracy. You will be happy with 6.8W.

Lou

That's good to hear, I've never had experience with them but heard good things especially being a budget friendly option.

We all try to tweak our rifles to get better performance, I kinda see the 6.8W just a way to tweak what I already have to make it a little better.

 

[nksmfamjp]

I think they have more experience with Sporter or lightweight barrels. If I remember right, they will go thinner than most barrel makers.

if I remember right, they also have a regular and select grade or something like that.

Will they true the action? Action lugs, action face, threads, bolt lugs and bolt face. If those are all square and the bolt body doesn't bind, at some bolt thrust force, it will all be square!!! I think it is worth that, unless your gunsmith can prove bolt face to action face/threads are true as is.

 

[blakebrown]

I think they have more experience with Sporter or lightweight barrels. If I remember right, they will go thinner than most barrel makers.

if I remember right, they also have a regular and select grade or something like that.

Will they true the action? Action lugs, action face, threads, bolt lugs and bolt face. If those are all square and the bolt body doesn't bind, at some bolt thrust force, it will all be square!!! I think it is worth that, unless your gunsmith can prove bolt face to action face/threads are true as is.

The service I spoke to them about is I send them my barreled action, they remove the current barrel, Rockwell test the action, Action "trued", they provide their Premium spec XX stamped barrel to the caliber and barrel specs of my choice. Threading is extra and so is SS, but I'm not sold on the SS.

Their barrel price is like $400 so the gunsmithing services for sub $300 seems pretty reasonable to me as well.

I've got a Rem700 BDL heavy varmint 24" 243 that shoots lights out, I think if I could copy that rifle but maybe make the 6.8W a 22" barrel for a brake and suppressor then it would be a more compact for toting around

 

[Texanjohn]

I've had great service from Douglas barrels, they talked me thru fitting their short chambered barrel when I first started with my lathe, I talked to them and they were as helpful as they can be, last time I needed a barrel changed out I sent them the whole action and I could not be more pleased, I think you will have a similar experience, good luck, john

 

[blakebrown]

I've had great service from Douglas barrels, they talked me thru fitting their short chambered barrel when I first started with my lathe, I talked to them and they were as helpful as they can be, last time I needed a barrel changed out I sent them the whole action and I could not be more pleased, I think you will have a similar experience, good luck, john

Sounds like they are good people, haven't heard one bad thing about them yet.

 

[Texanjohn]

Not bad, but very unfortunate, one of their lead gunsmith Stan passed away last year, a very kind and gentleman who had more patience than required, he will be sorely missed

 

[choprzrul]

If you are going to rebarrel....why not stay with the 270 WSM and specify faster twist rate barrel and extra throat if needed?

You will have more case capacity...

270 WSM case = 78.5 gr. water
6.8 Western case = 75.1 gr. water

270 WSM brass is made by Nosler, Norma, Hornady, Winchester, and Bertram right off the top of my head. The Bertram shows in stock on their site. Or, you would neck down 300 WSM ADG brass....

 

[cboom]

If you are going to rebarrel....why not stay with the 270 WSM and specify faster twist rate barrel and extra throat if needed?

You will have more case capacity...

270 WSM case = 78.5 gr. water
6.8 Western case = 75.1 gr. water

270 WSM brass is made by Nosler, Norma, Hornady, Winchester, and Bertram right off the top of my head. The Bertram shows in stock on their site. Or, you would neck down 300 WSM ADG brass....

This would be the way I would go as well.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I am not sure if you are stuck on .277", but dropping down to .264" or moving up to .284" would open about 20x more options.
Also, 6.8 Western never really took off. I would be looking at alternative cartridge choices for brass options alone. 6.5SAUM or 7SAUM would be at the top of my list.

There are also the Sherman lines. 6.5SS, 270SS, 7SS.

 

[comfisherman]

For a re barrel stick with the 270 wsm and speed up the twist. Slight neck geometry differences aren't going to make enough to warrant the jump to obscure and switching up established components.

 

[blakebrown]

For a re barrel stick with the 270 wsm and speed up the twist. Slight neck geometry differences aren't going to make enough to warrant the jump to obscure and switching up established components.

The issue with that, kinda like you mentioned, would force it into a dedicated reloading situation and I'm not a reloader. For that kind of PITA, I'd just stick with how it is now and be done with it.

I'm strange, I like odd things, the 6.8W kinda fit my oddball interests lol