Caliber choice

[andycx]

Hi there,

I am trying to choose between the 260 Remington and the 6.5x47 Lapua for a new rifle. It will be magazine fed (AI), used for both hunting and paper punching. Similar performance shooting 130 grain. Does anyone have experience of both, and suggestions as to which way I should jump. Many thanks, Andy.

[The Gun Pimp]

Andy,

 

I've got both - 6.5x47 for 600 yd benchrest and the 260 in a tactical rig. Both are excellent - though I only punch holes in paper.

 

Obviously, it's easier to get velocity out of the 260 with the same bullet. Both will feed from a 308 mag. The shorter 6.5x47 doesn't like the HS Precision mags but OK with an AI.

 

Accuracy-wise out to 600yds - nothing in it but, if I was never going to shoot beyond 600yds, I'd go for the 6.5x47. The 260 should have the edge at 1000 yds but I've seen some very good accuracy from the 6.5x47 even at this range.

 

Finally, if you make your brass from Lapua 243, it's a good bit cheaper than the 6.5x47. If you buy Lapua's new 260 brass, not much in it.

 

Vince

[terryh]

Andy,

 

Cannot comment on the 260 as never owned/shot one. I do shoot the 47 though and have not found it a problem re. distances you'd find in a tacical match i.e. 1000 yards or less as matches are normally based around the capabilities of a 308, it being the more common issue round to both police and military.

 

I shot my 47 out to 1200 yards recently and was plesantly surprised with the results and that was with 123g's. But performance will be determined by your build spec and gunsmith (and your shooting )

 

One thing to consider is the all up weight of the loaded round. If you are never going to shoot abroad then it does not matter. With the 6.5x47 and the 123g bullet you can get 230+ rounds on a plane which is enough for some practice in country and a comp.

 

Brgds Terry

[baldie]

I would tend to agree with Vince as i too own both.

The 6.5 x 47 was far easier to load develope however.

 

I wouldn,t agree on the brass. I necked up 300 lapua 243 cases on a sinclair expander and they shot fairly well with all loads. I then happened to try some of the new .260 brass, and it was like switching a light bulb on. The .260 brass shrank the groups even further, with exactly the same load/bullet. So much so, that i,ve replaced the necked up stuff with .260....and that hurt !

 

Which way would i jump again ?

 

with a 123/130 grain bullet it would be the 6.5 x 47. Anything heavier, it would be the .260.

[John MH]

Either will do the job, I opted for the .260 because I knew that Lapua were about to start producing brass for it. If Lapua brass was not available for the .260 I'd have got a 6.5x 47 as I did not want to neck up or down another calibre.

[andycx]

Thanks all for the replies and advice. Looks like the 260 is the way forward for me as I am looking to shot the heavier bullets (140), oh and I live abroad too! Great site, lots of valuble info from lots of knowledgeable people. Andy.

[ChrisF]

I am going to drop a 260 barrel on to one of my actions soon , going to use Lapua brass , and 130gr Norma bullets .

[eldon]

Just skimming through this thread and came to a quick conclusion, what was the saving grace for the 6.5?

Surely the 260 will do what the 6.5 does but not the other way round.

The 260 has more legs and will shoot a wider range of bullets so why would you want a 6.5 x 47?

 

.....or am I missing something?