Best 6.8 Western Ammo
Every load we price, sorted by cost per round delivered to your state
We track 3 6.8 Western loads from 2 dealers. The cheapest delivered to AR, shipping included, is Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 6.8 Western 170gr Polymer Tip Ammo at $3.05 a round.
The 6.8 Western is a short-action magnum for elk, mule deer and pronghorn in open country, chambered in Winchester and Browning bolt rifles since 2021. It is a shortened .270 WSM case that fires .277" bullets, the same diameter as the .270 Winchester, from a fast-twist barrel built to stabilize long 165 to 175 grain bullets.
Both loads on this page are hunting ammo. The 170 grain Ballistic Silvertip at 2,920 fps is a polymer-tip lead-core bullet for deer and elk. The 162 grain Copper Impact at 2,875 fps is lead-free, for places that require it. It does not interchange with .270 WSM or 6.8 SPC, so fire it only in a rifle stamped 6.8 Western.
All 6.8 Western Loads
Compare ballistics and prices across 3 products
| PRODUCT ↕ | GRAIN ↕ | VELOCITY ↕ | ENERGY ↕ | BC ↕ | USE CASE ↕ | BEST PRICE ↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Browning Long Range Pro Hunter 6.8 Western 175gr TGK Ammo
175gr
• 2835 fps
• Hunting
|
175gr | 2835 | 3124 | .617 | Hunting | $3.75/rd |
|
Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 6.8 Western 170gr Polymer Tip Ammo
170gr
• 2920 fps
• Hunting
|
170gr | 2920 | 3218 | .55 | Hunting | $3.05/rd |
|
Winchester Copper Impact 6.8 Western 162gr Extreme Point Ammo
162gr
• 2875 fps
• Hunting
|
162gr | 2875 | 2973 | .564 | Hunting | $3.18/rd |
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6.8 Western Trajectory Calculator
Calculate drop, velocity, and energy at any range
Advantages and Disadvantages
Pros
- Over .270 WSM: fast twist stabilizes 165 to 175 grain high-BC bullets that a standard .270 barrel cannot.
- Short action keeps rifles lighter and shorter than a long-action .300 Win Mag.
- Heavy .277 bullets drift less in wind than the 130 to 150 grain loads common in .270 Winchester.
Cons
- Needs a short-magnum bolt face, so a .308-family rifle can't be converted with just a barrel.
- Fewer rifle models are chambered for it than for .270 Winchester or .300 Win Mag.
- More recoil than 6.5 Creedmoor or .270 Winchester for a deer hunter who shoots under 300 yards.