[taylorce1]

(a) "blows away" the .308 in drop and drift at 1K yards, according to a noted expert,

Well since you want to use articles by Zak Smith "Mr. Demigod LLC", here is what your noted expert has to say about the .308 Win. Check out page 2.

Originally Posted by Zak Smith

If you can only have one long-range precision rifle, it should be in .308 Winchester. Match-grade .308 ammunition is available everywhere, reloading recipes are well known and reloading it is easy, and in many rifles, the surplus 7.62x51 NATO ammunition from some countries will shoot 1.5 MOA or better, which is good enough for short-range (400 yards and closer) practice from less steady shooting positions such as offhand, kneeling, over barricades, or shooting at movers.

We weren't talking 1K yards as the OP only wanted to go to 800 yards to start. However once you get past maximum point blank range with any cartridge you have to start turning turrets and use holdover techniques. If your capable of reading wind and getting the range right you stand just as good of a chance of hitting your target with a the .308 Win as you do the .260 Win.

AND (b) has less recoil,

Yes the .308 has more recoil. However it is usually around 1 ft-lbs of energy difference between the two with equal weight rifles.

AND (c) has cheaper components - meaning bullets (brass and powder are the same roughly).

Not really I'm able to often buy .308 caliber bullets cheaper than 6.5. I'd call that one a wash.