Why do you like/dislike the 260 remington

[bullfrog99]

looking at the cartirge only, not the guns it is chambered in, why do you like or dislike (or reasons on both sides) the .260 remington round?

[sjc1]

The question I have is, is it needed? What can it do that the 6.5x55mm or the 6.5x57mm does not already do?
I am indifferent about the 260 Remington. I do get a kick out of the reaction the gun "rags" have about it. They push it like it was the best thing since sliced bread. To me, it seems like re-inventing the wheel.:)

[nashgill]

What can it do that the 6.5x55mm or the 6.5x57mm does not already do?
The .260 is 200fps faster, has ~2 inches less wind drift and has ~3 inches less drop at 300 yards, per Federal Ballistic tables. What it all means, I don't know. I have never used either. Just quoting the ballistics. Anyone know if the .260 is selling like the 7mm-08 is? I seem to see many more 7mm-08's than .260's.

[-Yo-]

I have a Savage in .260 Rem. It groups 120 MKs in the 3s with Varget and CCI BR primers.

Why do I like it?
1. Big enough cartridge to hunt deer with.
2. Just about the ideal cartridge for 500m metallic silhouette (.243s can't throw heavy enough bullets).
3. Recoil is 25-50% less than .308, yet it carries more velocity and more energy than the .308 past 600 yards.
4. Availability of outstanding bullets. I have Carteruccio 141s with a BC of .660. This makes it a very good long range cartridge.
5. Flexibility. With a 1:8 twist I can shoot everything from 95 to 155 grains with .5 moa or better accuracy.

Now, just about all the above can be said for the 6.5x55. And, a 6.5x55 Ackley Improved is even better as a long-range cartridge. But, that means a long action, and very few accurate factory rifles are available anymore in 6.5x55 except the Sako and Tikka, and Sakos are expensive.

It seems to me that if the .243 has a place, then the 6.5 does also. Frankly, I can't see any reason to have a .308 when the .260 shoots flatter, carries higher BC, and seems very insensitive to load variations. Recoil of .308, calculated with Point blank software, of a 10 lb gun shooting 168 MK, is 12.3 ft/lbs at 2450 fps. Recoil of .260, shooting 120 MK at 2900fps, 10 lb gun, is 8.8 ft/lbs. That's 28% less recoil.

No nock on the 6.5x55, but it requires a longer action, and it burns more powder. Rem 260 enjoys all of the advantages of 6.5x55, and does it with a more efficient cartridge. I think a lot of folks shooting "tactical" .308s, would be much better served with a Rem 260.

[9mmepiphany]

it is just a more efficient cartridge than the 6.5x55mm...which started my bias toward the 6.5mm bore when i bought my mauser 96...while retaining all the good points.

shorter and fatter powder columm in a shorter and lighter action. i had been looking for somthing in 7mm-08 when the .260 came out, i'm looking for the .260 to fill the gap all the way to the .375 H&H mag for dangerous game. :eek:

i'm thinking the .260 in a savage action is an outstanding basis for a "tactical rifle" :cool:

[uglygun]

Still waiting to come up with the funds to have an accurized 260Remington upper made for my AR10, WHOOA YEAH! Could turn out to be one heck of a nice gas gun for shooting out to rediculous ranges. Need that short little cartridge to use in the M14 magazines, using a longer round is fine in a bolt action if you've got the length to do it but my gas gun won't allow it.


Oh man, just as I got off the 260Rem. kick somebody has to go and bring it up again. BAD!

[Hen]

Hows the bullet selection ?

[-Yo-]

Hunting bullets in 120, 130, 140, 160. Large selection of match bullets including:

Maker Grains Type BC
Nosler 100 BallisTip 0.350
Norma 100 Spt FltB
Sierra 100 Varminter 0.259
Sierra 107 MKBT 0.420
Lapua 108 Scenar 0.478
Nosler 120 BallisTip 0.458
Sierra 120 MKBT 0.409
Lapua 123 Scenar 0.547
Cauterucio 128 VLD 0.600
Lapua 139 Scenar 0.615
Hornady 140 Amax 0.618
Sierra 140 MKBT 0.526
Berger 140 VLD
Cauterucio 141 10 Ogive 0.622
Cauterucio 141 VLD 0.660
Sierra 142 MKBT 0.580
Sierra 155 MKBT 0.560

There are some other small shop custom bullets in the 130-145 range. Everything I've tried so far shoots better than I can. The 120s seem the most consistent out of my savage.

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Its a dog---I've already dumped my Model 7. Why get something barely bigger than a .243 when you can get a "real" caliber like a 7mm-08 or .308 in the same rifle.

Most of the manufacturors-except Remington-have dropped the caliber from their lineup.

If you don't handload there are maybe 4 or 5 loads for it. Also--unless you handload--good luck finding ammo for it in a couple years.

You would be better of in the long run by going with a different caliber.

[9mmepiphany]

the 6.5mm is better ballisticly than the 7 or 7.62mm. as a matter of fact, the 6.5x55mm is the .308/.30-06 of the nordic countries...where they use it for everything from target shooting (long range) to moose (elk)

reloading is easy and as long is the .308 is available there will be a supply of cases.

[-Yo-]

Actually, there are two or three 7mm bullets in the 175 range with very high BCs, approaching .7. These might work well in the 7mmWSM for a 1000yd rifle. There's been a lot of talk about this, but I haven't seen many in competition yet.

I concede, if you don't handload, go with a 7-08 or better yet .308. For the once a year dear hunter, those might be better choices. But if you shoot your rifle at paper for sport, or at very long distances, the Rem 260 (6.5-08) makes a lot of sense. And certainly it's bigger cousin, the 6.5-284 is winning a lot of 500 - 1000 yd matches.

[Keith J]

For hunting, its awash in a sea of better rounds. The old .270 will do just as good if not better and with slightly more recoil, all others equal. For deer, it is without equal. Any more gun is a waste.

The .260 is just an adopted target round, nothing more. The selection of excellent projectiles plus the long barrel life and moderate recoil are the positives. The excellent accuracy is just a requirement for good shooting.

[-Yo-]

The Rem 260 actually has a lot less recoil than the .270 Win. Using Point Blank software, here are recoil calcs for 130 grain bullet in 10 lb gun:

260 38 grains 2700fps 8.89 ft/lbs 7.57 fps recoil velocity

270 60 grains 2700fps 12.7 ft/lbs 9.04 fps recoil velocity

12.7 is definitely shootable but the Rem 260 is more accurate and uses a lot less powder. The 270 can achieve higher velocities with the same bullet weight however. With a .260 I wouldn't feel undergunned for most dear species. Elk are a different story, however. The 7mm WSM or 300 WSM seems like a good choice there.

[Zak Smith]

The question I have is, is it needed? What can it do that the 6.5x55mm or the 6.5x57mm does not already do?
Simply put, it launches a 0.600+ BC bullet at 2850-2925fps, and does so from a short-action (e.g. AI AW).

-z

[Mannlicher]

I can see that on paper, there may be advantages to the .260 Rem cartridge, but I am not convinced that the advantages are meaningful. A few pounds of recoil? This can be negated by different stock designs. A few FPS gained? Barrel lengths can change that.
All in all, while I have nothing against the .260, or any 6.5mm round, I just don't have any use for them. I am sticking with my .270, my 7mmAckley, and a few other long time friends.

[Wraith]

6.5 Grendel :D

[Zak Smith]

Think of 6.5 Grendel as a 260 that's been smushed enough to fit in an AR15.

[FirstFreedom]

I think the .260 Rem is a very good round for a short-action light rifle or IMSHA turnbolt pistol. I think it's the perfect "light rifle" deer and all-purpose round, since it can be put in a shorter action. Omaha, sorry, but you're way off base. For looooong range, I'd step up to 6.5-.284 win, however.

But don't forget this fact: Even though the *published* loads for .260 exceed 6.5x55 by 100 fps or so, that's only because 6.5x55 loads are dumbed down for old milsurps. Get a Tikka, Sako, or Win 70 in 6.5x55 and a reloader, and you can go to town in a modern gun, easily besting the .260 Rem, particularly in the Ackley Improved version. Same for 7x57 Mauser, relative to 7mm-08.

[Zak Smith]

For long range work, 6.5-284 will have much less barrel life than 260, and will only gain about 100-125fps with the highest BC bullets.

[Jseime]

actually i guess i do. as far as i can see its a great round. i like all of the .308 case family except for the one that started it all. the .243 is a great round but doesnt have to size of a 6.5 (i know its tiny but it can make a difference in bullet weight) as a hunting round i dont see it as better than what we already have since there are so many choices but as a target round it looks like a sweet package.

[Gewehr98]

For long range work, 6.5-284 will have much less barrel life than 260, and will only gain about 100-125fps with the highest BC bullets.

Considering that the case capacity of a 6.5-284 is for all practical purposes the same as a .30-06 or my own 6.5-06, then something's not quite right if the larger case is only gaining 100-125fps compared to the 6.5-08/.260 Remington.

Browsing places like www.accuratereloading.com and Chuck Hawks' site, 3000-3100 fps from a 6.5-284 and a 140gr bullet is not uncommon. That corresponds very nicely with my own 6.5-06 data for similar weight bullets.

2700-2800 fps from a .260 Remington and a 140gr bullet is considered normal, too.

[Zak Smith]

For a 140gr VLD & 26" barrels, I was figuring 2850-2925 for the 260REM, and about 3000fps for the 6.5-284. I know someone who's getting over 2900fps in 260 with nuclear loads of N550. Mid 2800's is easy with 140's.

I still have to get a 260 barrel and try it myself.