Doesn't stop them from buying and using way more gun than needed does it? Yet, for those selling, who will the lions share of the marketing be aimed at?
There is a reason Browning "releases" so many shot show models, it is them dipping their toe in and figuring out which versions cause the most ripples and creates the most pre-orders. Then they make those models for the upcoming year. If you pay attention to them alone, they probably only produce 1/3 to 1/2 of what they announce at shot show. I know that I ordered a couple of different shot show releases only to be told later, not happening because of lack of interest.
They are the QVC of the gunworld. They have a solid model, meaning the basic platform is reliable, it is accurate, it converts to new models easily and they can bring it to production quickly. Everything is injection molded or MIM that would/could be modified, so they can be tweaked and produced with minimal effort.
The 6.8 Western is a great cartridge in theory, it just has no support outside of Browning/Winchester, brass is inferior, bullet selection is suboptimal, no long well constructed high BC bullets and the rifle selection is suboptimal.
PRC > X.X Western, why? Simply because they screwed the pooch on the initial design and spec of the WSM.
It is hard to design a true short action magnum to fit in 2.8" footprint, the 6.5 PRC is 2.955". IIRC, the 6.8 Western is the same or extremely close, these will not fit in grandpappy's old ADL or a factory produced 700 even in the past few years and still be able to burn all of the powder in a short barrel, poor case concept designs. Ignore everything about what you think you want, go listen to the Hornady podcast about doppler radar, internal and external ballistics, 4 episodes, then look back at what was available even around 2010, technology has helped push designs to maximize every nook and cranny of an action. Then factor in that you have to get that design by SAMMI. Look at the 6.5-284, huge following, little factory support.
These new "Improved" cartridges like the 6.5 PRC SI Lance is running, those are impressive improvements. The new improved SAUMs people are making, impressive.
Sounds like the OP is a diehard Winchester/Browning consumer, nothing wrong with that, I am myself, they just do not push the envelope and follow thru like Hornady does cartridge wise. They are a marketing/importer, they build nothing here except for the Buckmark and the small frame 1911s, they sample the market and pass that data on to FN Herstal and they decide what will go into production elsewhere in the world.
There are a lot of cool cartridges out there, they just have a small part of the community wanting them.
Also, no one wants a short light packable magnum in a factory offering, those guys spec and build exactly what they want, controlling every nuance of the rifle to get maximum performance out of the package.
shermanwildcatcartridges.com
