#6.8Western

New for 2022 from Browning is their X-Bolt Target rifle, in both standard and “Pro” trims.  Officially the “X-Bolt Target Max Adjustable Suppressor Ready”, the X-Bolt target has a few features that differentiate it from other X-Bolts.

Winchester Ammunition had several new varieties available at Shot Show 2022 Industry Range Day. The USA Ready Defense 9mm +P 124-grain load was present in quantity. The HEX-VENT polymer insert aids in expansion by “channeling material flow” as it passes through the target. Winchester’s promotional materials advertise over 12″ of penetration and 95% weight retention. Several blocks of ballistic gel were on hand and seemed to back up those penetration claims.

It was roughly one month ago that TFB broke the news that several companies were working on getting new cartridges approved by SAAMI – the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. Two of those cartridges the general public was already aware of in the .277 SIG Fury (from SIG Sauer) and the 6.5 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum (6.5 RPM – from Weatherby). The final one was something new to everyone: 6.8 Western? What is that?

SAAMI or the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, have just announced that three new magnum cartridges have been accepted for SAAMI standardization. The newly accepted rounds include SIG Sauer’s 277 SIG FURY (the commercially available version of SIG Sauer’s Next Generation Squad Weapon program round), the 6.5 Weatherby Rebated Precision Magnum from Weatherby and the 6.8 Western from Olin Winchester.