Lindcott Armory Rifle · SAAMI
6.8 Western
Winchester and Browning's 2021 collaboration designed specifically for heavy, high-BC .277-caliber bullets.
- Caliber
- 0.277″ · 7.036 mm
- Introduced
- 2021
- Case
- Rebated
- Parent
- .270 WSM
- Primary use
- Hunting, Target
- Status
- Active
- Introduced
- 2021
- Type
- Rifle
- Origin
- United States
- Inventor
- Winchester / Browning Arms
- Manufacturer
- Winchester / Browning / Hornady
- Standard
- SAAMI
- Status
- Active
- Availability
- Common
- Case capacity
- 69 gr H₂O
- Twist (typical)
- 1:8
- Primer
- Large Rifle Magnum
- Case type
- Rebated
- Max pressure
- 65,000 psi
- Eff. range
- 700 yd
- Max range
- 2500 yd
- Recoil
- 12–16 ft·lb
Ballistics
Real trajectory computed from a representative load — Federal Gold Medal Berger 195 gr, 2,750 fps, BC 0.371 G7 · 100 yd zero.
| Range | Velocity | Energy | Drop (in) | Drop (MOA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 yd | 2749 | 3273 | -1.5″ | — |
| 100 yd | 2628 | 2990 | 0.0″ | 0.0 |
| 200 yd | 2509 | 2726 | -3.5″ | -1.7 |
| 300 yd | 2393 | 2480 | -12.6″ | -4.0 |
| 400 yd | 2280 | 2251 | -27.7″ | -6.6 |
| 500 yd | 2170 | 2039 | -49.5″ | -9.5 |
| 600 yd | 2063 | 1843 | -78.7″ | -12.5 |
| 700 yd | 1958 | 1660 | -116.1″ | -15.8 |
| 800 yd | 1856 | 1492 | -162.5″ | -19.4 |
Point-mass G7/G1 drag model, standard atmosphere — within ~2% of reference solvers to 1000 yd; real barrels and conditions vary. Open in Ballistic Compare →
Performance
Buy links open 6.8 Western ammunition at Rivertown Munitions.
Dimensionscase measurements · scale drawing · size vs familiar rounds
Case dimensions — the scale drawing at the top of the page is built from these.
SAAMI · verified| Measure | mm | in | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bullet ⌀ | 7.04 | 0.277 | ✓ |
| Neck ⌀ | 7.98 | 0.314 | ✓ |
| Shoulder ⌀ | 13.69 | 0.539 | ✓ |
| Shoulder angle | 35° | — | ✓ |
| Base ⌀ | 14.10 | 0.555 | ✓ |
| Rim ⌀ | 13.59 | 0.535 | ✓ |
| Belt ⌀ | n/a | ||
| Rim thickness | 1.37 | 0.054 | ~ |
| Neck length | 7.02 | 0.276 | ≈ |
| Case length | 51.31 | 2.020 | ✓ |
| Overall length | 75.06 | 2.955 | ✓ |
Size vs familiar rounds
Drawn at true 1:1 — every case is accurate relative to the others. Absolute size depends on your screen's pixel density, so measuring one against a real ruler may be off. 6.8 Western is highlighted below.
Factory loads
In production — 39 active loads across 13 brands. Top 15 shown · see all 39 →.
| Brand | Load | Grain | Bullet | FPS | ft·lb | BC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady | Precision Hunter ELD-X | 162 | ELD-X | 2,920 | 3,067 | 0.323 G7 |
| Hornady | Precision Hunter ELD-X | 175 | ELD-X | 2,835 | 3,123 | 0.354 G7 |
| Hornady | Precision Hunter | 175 | ELD-X | 2,835 | 3,123 | 0.354 G7 |
| Hornady | Precision Hunter ELD-X 175gr | 175 | ELD-X | 2,835 | 3,123 | 0.354 G7 |
| Sierra | MatchKing | 175 | HPBT | 2,835 | 3,123 | 0.505 G1 |
| Black Hills | Gold | 175 | ELD-X | 2,835 | 3,123 | 0.354 G7 |
| Federal | Gold Medal Berger | 195 | Berger Hybrid OTM | 2,750 | 3,274 | 0.371 G7 |
| Hornady | Match | 180 | ELD-M | 2,750 | 3,022 | 0.290 G7 |
| Berger | Hunting | 195 | EOL Elite Hunter | 2,750 | 3,274 | 0.371 G7 |
| Winchester | Power Max Bonded 162gr | 162 | Power Max Bonded | 2,990 | 3,215 | — |
| Barnes | VOR-TX LR LRBT 162gr | 162 | LRBT | 2,990 | 3,215 | — |
| Winchester | Expedition Big Game Long Range | 165 | AccuBond LR | 2,970 | 3,231 | — |
| Federal | Terminal Ascent 175gr | 175 | Terminal Ascent | 2,970 | 3,427 | — |
| Nosler | Trophy Grade AccuBond Long Range | 165 | AccuBond LR | 2,970 | 3,231 | — |
| Winchester | Expedition Big Game LR 165gr AccuBond LR | 165 | AccuBond LR | 2,970 | 3,231 | — |
Velocities are manufacturer-stated (test-barrel). Discontinued loads dimmed.
Suitable powders
2 reloading powders listed for 6.8 Western, fastest to slowest. Cross-reference in the finder →
Reloading costestimate cost per round vs factory
Estimate your cost per round and how it compares to factory. Inputs are yours — nothing is stored.
Cost estimate only — not load data. Charge weight is your input; follow published manuals for safe charges.
Lineage
Connected reference
History
Introduced jointly by Winchester and Browning Arms in 2021 specifically for the Browning X-Bolt and Winchester Model 70. The design goal was a short-action cartridge capable of launching the heaviest .277-caliber bullets — 162 to 170 grains — at velocities sufficient for long-range big game hunting. The 1:8 twist rate stabilizes bullets that traditional .270 Winchester and .270 WSM rifles can't handle. Hornady's 175-grain ELD-X factory load quickly became a benchmark for long-range hunting performance.
FAQs
- What twist rate does 6.8 Western use?
- 6.8 Western typically uses a 1:8 twist rate.
- What bullet diameter is 6.8 Western?
- 6.8 Western uses a 0.277″ (7.036 mm) diameter bullet.
- Is 6.8 Western still in production?
- 6.8 Western is active; typical availability is common.
- What is 6.8 Western used for?
- 6.8 Western is primarily used for hunting, target.
- What is 6.8 Western based on?
- 6.8 Western is derived from the .270 WSM case.
- What are the best powders for 6.8 Western?
- Reloading powders commonly listed for 6.8 Western include Reloader 17, Reloader 19.
Sources & provenance
Data & sources. Specs compiled from the Lindcott Armory reference; availability counted from 39 live factory loads; the trajectory is modeled (point-mass), not measured. See methodology. Spotted an error? Report it →