WildRose
Well-Known Member
The fastest selling rounds the last couple of years according to one manufacturer has been the 6.5 and 300PRC's.
Right now they simply cannot keep up with the overall demand.
6.8 Western or 300WSM
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Right now they simply cannot keep up with the overall demand.
SSG Graybush
Well-Known Member
So whats in SC that you need a 150+ gr bullet to kill? The 270 wsm will kill anything in the CONUS with a 130 gr. And be flatter shooting to 500 yards then both the 6.8 Western or the 300 wsm. Or the PRC'S for that matter with factory ammo. The 6.5 PRC looks like the 270 wsm's little brother.
So you buy this shinny new rifle in 6.8 western but it doesn't like the 2 or 3 factory rounds made. What then for the non reloader, you start reloading or sell it? The 270 wsm has quite a few factory ammo choices and the 300 wsm has more still. If your wanting a LR target and hunting rifle, and dont mind more recoil then the 300 wsm is a great choice. It just set a 1000 yard record with a 10 shot group at about 1 inch I believe. BUT if your learning LR you really should learn on a 6 mm, like a 6 mm Creedmoor since you dont reload.
Attached are pics of a cow elk my buddy killed with my 270 wsm, 1 shot cornering hard to us at 100 yard, bullet struck at base of neck and went under hide and blew up a fist size hole and then penetrated 22/24" and stopped at the rear of the rib cage on the backside. And that was a factory 130 gr Federal Vital Shock with a Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet. Which shot .6 in my featherweight model 70. A solid copper bullet like a 129 LRX would have probably pasted through. But she only went 49 paces with a so so shot.
Also attached is a ballistic comparison of the 270 wsm and 6.8 western to 400 yards. I concede that past 650 yards the 6.8 is better, but not at a distance most shoots are taken. I read a review of the 6.8 and used the chrono data to compare the factory load against my very meek 270 wsm 130 classic hunter handload.
270 wsm 130 gr Berger Classic Hunter starting at 3089 fps and a 6.8w 175 gr Seirra TGK starting at 2835 fps. Both at 1000 ft attitude 40° 50% RH with a 90 degree FV wind of 10 mph, SC ish conditions I guess. The 270 wsm even with a meek load has 5 inchs less drop and only .5" more drift at 400 yards and about a 20 yard further pbz. The Fed factory 270 wsm ammo chrono'd at 3300 fps even, the box numbers, unusual but true. So even flatter.
IMO the 6.8 western is garbage. Designed to be the 6.5 prc of hunting, in .277 of course. But Winchester going to a smaller case and bigger bullet lost what made the 270 wsm special, its super flat close to intermediate trajectory. The increased "shootability" of the 6.8w having less case/recoil and a higher bc bullet for LR shoots only helps past the distance most shoots are taken and made the trajectory kinda meh. I shoot LR a lot, have shot PRS with my 6xc a little, and I get the concept of heavy for caliber high bc bullets. IMO the 6.8w is only good for creating more .277 high bc bullets.
For hunting if I could only have 1 rifle it would be a 270 wsm, or a fast twist 7RM. Depending on where I lived and the terrain. Look at the model 70 Tungsten. Put in a Timney and its done. But the factory trigger isnt bad.
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OldElkHunter1961
Well-Known Member
A whole lot of fellas wore mullets when Billy Ray Cyrus made them popular. Where are those fashion leaders today?
i shoot 168 gr bergers in my 7 wsm's, but it is a reloading proposition. will also be exploring the hammer bullets in my 7 wsm. my 300 wsm is my go to gun. its been to africa 23 times and all over the us and western canada. i use 168 barnes ttsx. accurate, about ,5 moa, fast, 3260, deadly. bears deer, elk, all the african plains game. in truth, nothing 7mm rem or 300 win mag wont do. but sometimes we shooters get a little anal. i like beltless rounds, and fat cases. but i have and shoot almost all off them. hey one more kicker, the 270 wsm is a great round if you love 270 cal. all of these become their best selves when you are a roaloader. just my 2 cents.
Ok decisions have been made... Im going to build a rifle in 270WSM with a 1:8 twist barrel. Any recommendation on where I can find an economical barreled action
.300 Dakota
Well-Known Member
If you find an 8 twist .27 cal barrel for sale without a 4 - 6moth wait please share where it can be found. Forget economical.
8 - 9 twist .25cal and 8 - 9 twist .27 cal barrels are like hen's teeth.
A 6, 6.5, 7mm, or .30 cal can be to your door before the end of next week.
.300 Dakota
Well-Known Member
Call LRI (Long Rifles Inc) and see what their lead time is on this. May be the fastest way.
You HAVE considered you will need a long action for this, I'm assuming? You'll het a dozen different recommendations for actions. I'd see what is available in long action with mag bolt face. Think there may be some Nucleus actions or possibly Zermatts out there, and possibly some Defiances to be had.
You HAVE considered you will need a long action for this, I'm assuming? You'll het a dozen different recommendations for actions. I'd see what is available in long action with mag bolt face. Think there may be some Nucleus actions or possibly Zermatts out there, and possibly some Defiances to be had.
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By economical I dont mean cheap I mean not ridiculous.
SSG Graybush
Well-Known Member
Call OMR and get one of Lee's. I have a 8T 7RM prefit barrel from him that shoots .4ish moa. Economical, good luck. Cry once.
Meh.. browning long range rifles are "ok" if you change stock and trigger out. I've had several around, they shoot ok most of the time; but the last my dad bought has been back to browning twice. 300wsm browning would be no where on my radar! I love the wsm btw. Cartridge deserves a custom.
If you are going to shoot the light bullets well go with the .27 cal if you want heaver bullets well go with the .30 cal...... Occam razor. Good luck, Cheers
hilariousWhen in doubt......6.5 Creedmoor.
not opinion, fact!
