Just when I thought the 270 WSM was dead.

https://www.ssusa.org/articles/2021/1/15/winchester-browning-introduce-68-western-cartridge

They say this is “the ultimate all-around long-range hunting and shooting cartridge.” Impossible. the 6.5 Creedmoor has already taken that title.

Solution without a problem? Maybe theses manufacturers should stick to ammo they know that consumers want.

Interesting take. How would you suggest manufacturers determine what consumers want? Ask THF members? Based on the number of 6.5CM bashing threads, this caliber never would have come to fruition. Manufacturers do their homework, throw a caliber out there, and sometimes it hits...and sometimes it misses (6mm Remington for example). The market will absolutely decide which ones make it. Can't fault a manufacturer for introducing something they believe has the potential to make them a lot of $$$. After all, that's really what it's about.

Thank goodness they didn't simply release a series of .270 WSM rifles with fast twist barrels. That would have been entirely too easy, and wouldn't have given them an opportunity to release yet another orphaned cartridge for which nobody can buy ammunition or components. What a great idea!

I don't disagree however if they want to make $$$,$$$ then start making more ammo. Get these store shelves stocked up.

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

What exactly is the new 6.8 Western? Well, my initial suspicions were correct; it is a shortened version of the .270 Winchester Short Magnum, designed to allow proper seating of the longer .277-inch diameter bullets in a short-action magazine. The same 35-degree shoulder is carried forward from the .270 WSM, though the datum line—the distance from the cartridge base to the shoulder—has been reduced from the .270 WSM’s 1.664 inches to 1.583 inches, and the case length shortened from 2.100 inches down to 2.020 inches. According to the SAAMI specifications, the maximum cartridge overall length for the 6.8 Western is 2.955 inches; for the Winchester 165-grain AccuBond Long Range load I measured an average overall length of 2.895 inches. However, that ABLR is not the only bullet offered for the 6.8 Western.

Browning is manufacturing a 175-grain Long Range Pro Hunter load—a Sierra GameKing with the gold Browning polymer tip—driven to a muzzle velocity of 2830 fps. With a G1 B.C. of 0.617 (in comparison to the 165-grain ABLR’s G1 of 0.620) the Browning load gives the shooter an option of a cup-and-core bullet, with a Sectional Density of 0.326, capable of excellent wind deflection values and retained energy.

If they had done that, folks who pay no attention (read MOST weekend hunters) would try shooting the new long bullet, high BC ammo in their 10" twist 270 WSMs and then complain to the ammo manufacturer when the bullets keyhole....

And 7mm WSM still beats it. 175, 180 gr.

7WSM is the nut

I can see why we reloaders cant get any components, apparently the ammo manufacturers are more important than reloaders

Yay...another cartridge that is an answer in search of a question.

Also, another cartridge that will be out of stock everywhere.

Nothing to see here move along citizen.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

Just not a smart time to roll out a new cartridge when they can’t keep up with demand of current cartridges.

Generally they are, their single largest customer in many cases. Items are bought on contact in advance to ensure a reliable supply. In some cases they end up buying the entire company.

true

7 WSM comes standard with 9.5 twist so the highest bc bullets will be borderline / marginal out of factory gun. Of course a custom rifle with faster twist would solve that, but that is basically what they are doing here with 1-8 and 1-7.5 twists getting offered at start. Why they did not offer a faster twist 7 I dunno. Maybe because the 28 Nosler seems to have already taken off with the 7mm LR crowd and the 270 guys have only 27 Nosler which as of now Nosler is only offering in their highest (3k) rifles for some reason.

They don't want to release the .270WSM with a fast twist barrel, because they are sick of paying Jamison royalties for it.

This way they can have a .270WSM without having to pay someone else for it.

Who is Jamison? I’m not familiar with the WSM history.

How does this compare to the .277 Fury? Which we'll never see available

Here ya go:

Jamison lawsuit

Basically says Winchester stole the short mag idea from a gun writer and has to pay royalties.

What a read! Sounds like they really tried to screw him over.

Yep, which is why when they lost the lawsuit, the number of WSM guns and ammo offerings dropped significantly. Also why the new crop of short mags (PRC, RPM, Western) are popping up now.

Its a beast. Its what the wsm should have been. But that was 2002 befire the BC craze.
Ya i want one

While not a real popular round the 270 Weatherby shoot's circles around the WSM and the Western and was doing it back in the 40's.

Not really. At 500 yds the 6.8 has 4” less drift and more energy than the 140gr WBY load and a lot less punishment to the person behind the rifle.

What loads are you talking about, are we talking the same bullet?