260?

[The_Verminator]

hi all,

 

just wondering what you think of the 260 compared to the 6.5x55 for fox, deer and the odd varmints. so fire away.

 

cheers

[Wsm]

hi all,

 

just wondering what you think of the 260 compared to the 6.5x55 for fox, deer and the odd varmints. so fire away.

 

cheers

 

http://ukvarminting.com/forums/index.php?s...9&hl=260rem

[ds1]

Hi Ian,

 

I`ve had both.

 

Reloading and case wise I prefer 6.5x55 - long case neck, good quality Lapua or Norma brass and a 26 degree shoulder. Many get slightly more fps out of it and easier to load the 6.5x55 without donut issues etc or messing about necking 243 Lapua cases up.

 

On the other hand the 260 lends itself to a short action and 308 bolt face (easy to change and many optios) - 6.5x55 is odd ball bolt face and long action.

 

I dont think bambi would notice the difference - depends what you like to reload and shoot it in really.

 

David.

[Tikka 260]

Have both... personal preference is for the .260, they both do the same thing, ballistics are as near as damn it identical unless you want to use 140+ Gn bullets. But then I'd go to 7mm something anyway .

 

Loading for either is easy enough, and they are fine accurate in the rifles that I have.

 

Slight advantage is that the.260 is a short action as stated above, IMHO that makes it a tad handier .... but thats my choice.

[The_Verminator]

Hi Ian,

 

I`ve had both.

 

Reloading and case wise I prefer 6.5x55 - long case neck, good quality Lapua or Norma brass and a 26 degree shoulder. Many get slightly more fps out of it and easier to load the 6.5x55 without donut issues etc or messing about necking 243 Lapua cases up.

 

On the other hand the 260 lends itself to a short action and 308 bolt face (easy to change and many optios) - 6.5x55 is odd ball bolt face and long action.

 

I dont think bambi would notice the difference - depends what you like to reload and shoot it in really.

 

David.

 

whos ian? im Gary. lol

 

thanks all for the replies, been having a look on noslers website at there reloading info, looks to me like u use less powder in the .260 than the sweed? thanks agian all

[Laurie]

6.5X55 is a better bet for target shooting (unless it's a discipline that involves rapid fire and magazine feed where the availability of good short magazine fed short actions favours cartridges that are based on the .308 like .260)

 

.260 is factory loaded to higher pressures than 6.5X55 as it's a recent introduction that will only be used in modern factory rifles, while the 6.5 may be used in vintage military rifles like M1894/96/1938 Swedish Mausers, that are limited to around 45,000 psi. However, modern commercial 6.5X55 brass is every bit as strong as .308 / .260 so you can safely load it well up for a modern rifle. Loading manuals are schizoid on this - some stick to the CIP / SAAMI PMax for the cartridge, others give loads that are only to be used in strong modern rifles, and exceed standard pressures. A plus for 6.5X55 is the availability of excellent Lapua and Norma brass.

 

6.5X55 rifles are normally long-throated as they're designed to be used with bullets in the 139-155gn weight range which are very long - the 139gn Lapua Scenar match bullet is over one and a third inches - with most of the bullet sticking out ahead of the case-mouth. This isn't an ideal situation for the multi-quarry sporting shooter who wants to load short 85-100gn varmint bullets that then have to make a huge jump into the rifling.

 

The 260 has a similar problem, but other way around. Being restricted to 2.800" COAL and with a case-length of 2.036", simple arithmetic tells you the 1.364" 139gn lapua is going to have 0.6" of bullet inside the case, and since the case-neck is 0.26" long, there will be over a third of an inch of bullet below the neck taking up space that you want to put powder in. Both cartridges work best with slow burners too, but .260 risks heavily compressed loads with fairly large charges under long bullets - if you can get the listed maximum charge into the case at all. With its larger capacity case, and longer COAL letting heavy bullets be seated right out, this isn't a problem with the 6.5X55, so it's a better cartridge for people who shoot at targets at long ranges, or who want potent heavy-bullet deer loads.

 

On the other hand, with its shorter OAL, .260 rifles are throated shorter, so better suited to light bullets for the foxer + deerstalker. Callum Ferguson at Precision Rifle Services is a great fan of this cartridge in custom rifles which he throats even shorter than factory models. He throats them to suit bullets like the Nosler 100gn Ballistic Tip that gives tremendous accuracy and results on long-range vermin, but his rifles still fulfil the deerstalking function with handloads using the 100gn 'Partition', a bullet that Nosler designed specially for the .260 Rem. Callum says the 100gn Partition in .260 will take any Scottish deer you'll likely meet, including red stags - as a paper-puncher, I can't verify that, but Callum knows what he's talking about in my experience.

 

In summary, it's horses for courses. In your case, I'd say go for the .260. You want to think hard about loads and components though as all factory .260 ammo and brass is American and is frankly sh*t (with the possible exception of Nosler 'Custom Brass' - assuming you can find any here, and afford them as they're not the cheapest cases on the market). One way around that is to buy Lapua .243 Win cases, neck them up to .260 then trim them back a bit as the .243 has a slightly longer case. You can also size quality .308 cases down, but you get an over-short result as .308 is 2.015" compared to the .260's 2.036".

 

Good shooting,

Laurie

[6ppc]

Between myself and my wife we have had 3 .260's built by Callum,all were throated to shoot the 100 grain bullet. I used to use 100 grain nosler balistic tips on the smaller deer and partitions on the larger ones (although i think the BT's would have still worked on the bigger deer too).I can confirm that they will drop everything from rabbit to the largest deer no problem within sensible stalking range.

 

Callum told me that if you wanted to shoot the heavier bullets then the 260 would require a long action(so as not to seat the bullets too deep in the case) and if you were going to go to a long action you may aswell chamber for 6.5-284 to gain some extra horsepower.

[The_Verminator]

6.5X55 is a better bet for target shooting (unless it's a discipline that involves rapid fire and magazine feed where the availability of good short magazine fed short actions favours cartridges that are based on the .308 like .260)

 

.260 is factory loaded to higher pressures than 6.5X55 as it's a recent introduction that will only be used in modern factory rifles, while the 6.5 may be used in vintage military rifles like M1894/96/1938 Swedish Mausers, that are limited to around 45,000 psi. However, modern commercial 6.5X55 brass is every bit as strong as .308 / .260 so you can safely load it well up for a modern rifle. Loading manuals are schizoid on this - some stick to the CIP / SAAMI PMax for the cartridge, others give loads that are only to be used in strong modern rifles, and exceed standard pressures. A plus for 6.5X55 is the availability of excellent Lapua and Norma brass.

 

6.5X55 rifles are normally long-throated as they're designed to be used with bullets in the 139-155gn weight range which are very long - the 139gn Lapua Scenar match bullet is over one and a third inches - with most of the bullet sticking out ahead of the case-mouth. This isn't an ideal situation for the multi-quarry sporting shooter who wants to load short 85-100gn varmint bullets that then have to make a huge jump into the rifling.

 

The 260 has a similar problem, but other way around. Being restricted to 2.800" COAL and with a case-length of 2.036", simple arithmetic tells you the 1.364" 139gn lapua is going to have 0.6" of bullet inside the case, and since the case-neck is 0.26" long, there will be over a third of an inch of bullet below the neck taking up space that you want to put powder in. Both cartridges work best with slow burners too, but .260 risks heavily compressed loads with fairly large charges under long bullets - if you can get the listed maximum charge into the case at all. With its larger capacity case, and longer COAL letting heavy bullets be seated right out, this isn't a problem with the 6.5X55, so it's a better cartridge for people who shoot at targets at long ranges, or who want potent heavy-bullet deer loads.

 

On the other hand, with its shorter OAL, .260 rifles are throated shorter, so better suited to light bullets for the foxer + deerstalker. Callum Ferguson at Precision Rifle Services is a great fan of this cartridge in custom rifles which he throats even shorter than factory models. He throats them to suit bullets like the Nosler 100gn Ballistic Tip that gives tremendous accuracy and results on long-range vermin, but his rifles still fulfil the deerstalking function with handloads using the 100gn 'Partition', a bullet that Nosler designed specially for the .260 Rem. Callum says the 100gn Partition in .260 will take any Scottish deer you'll likely meet, including red stags - as a paper-puncher, I can't verify that, but Callum knows what he's talking about in my experience.

 

In summary, it's horses for courses. In your case, I'd say go for the .260. You want to think hard about loads and components though as all factory .260 ammo and brass is American and is frankly sh*t (with the possible exception of Nosler 'Custom Brass' - assuming you can find any here, and afford them as they're not the cheapest cases on the market). One way around that is to buy Lapua .243 Win cases, neck them up to .260 then trim them back a bit as the .243 has a slightly longer case. You can also size quality .308 cases down, but you get an over-short result as .308 is 2.015" compared to the .260's 2.036".

 

Good shooting,

Laurie

 

thanks for all that, in a 260 would u get 1 120grain in or not. just a thought if i wanted to do some bigger deer.

 

6ppc, thanks for that. just out of intrest what make are your rifles? i was thinking of a tikka t3 varmint

[6ppc]

Verminator 2 were blue printed remmys built by Callum and the other was one of Callums full customs built on a Borden action.I would think in a T3 you would be able to shoot the 120 grain without loosing too much case capacity depending on mag length.The 100 grain partition will drop all of the up deer no problem though.

[Laurie]

Yes,

 

you'll have no probelm with 120s in 260, 140s even if you want. It's just your velocities are limited with the really long bullets, but you'll still get 2,800 fps easily with the 120s, more depending on powder choice.

 

The usual rule of thumb with this cartridge, 6.5X55mm too, is to use fairly slow burning powders - Viht N160, Reloder 19, H4350, H414, or H4831sc with a 120 or anything heavier.

 

Laurie

[ds1]

As a thought if you are happy with 120 / 123 grain pills or anything up to 130 grain pills then 6.5x47 is worth serious thought - it gives you similar performance in that weight range as 260 Rem (260 Rem shiines with 139 / 140 grain pills) but 6.5x47 has a long neck, small primer and a shorter case - so you get to seat the bullets out well with no donut or mag feedung issues. Baldie, Ronin and F2N on here have them and shoot bloody well with them.

 

The downside if it is, is that it runs at a higher psi rating (about 63,000psi) than 308 Win (about 55,000psi) max and it would be a good idea to get a bolt with a small firing pin hole - avoid primer flow into the firing pin hole. Nothing wrong with bushing a large factory hole if required though.

 

David.

[The_Verminator]

Verminator 2 were blue printed remmys built by Callum and the other was one of Callums full customs built on a Borden action.I would think in a T3 you would be able to shoot the 120 grain without loosing too much case capacity depending on mag length.The 100 grain partition will drop all of the up deer no problem though.

 

 

thanks, bit out of my price range i am geussing. lol. was just wondering incase i ever wanted to try any, thats all.

 

Laurie, the biggest deer round me atm are roe, so i wouldnt be needing 140s for them.

 

still looking like a 260 or 6.5x55 then. leaning towards 260 thogh, lol

 

thanks again

[Ronin]

Simple answer, find a shot out 22-250, 243 or 308 and have it rebarrelled to 260 or 6.5x47.

 

Ive built a few of both and the only advantage the 260 has is the ability to stretch to 140g bullets where as the "55" will only go up to 130's.

 

 

Its really imeterial if you have only roe, either will do the job nicely.

 

 

Callums 260 reamer by the way will seat 120's no problem just to the base of the neck / shoulder union, perfect for 100 and 120's

[The_Verminator]

Simple answer, find a shot out 22-250, 243 or 308 and have it rebarrelled to 260 or 6.5x47.

 

Ive built a few of both and the only advantage the 260 has is the ability to stretch to 140g bullets where as the "55" will only go up to 130's.

 

 

Its really imeterial if you have only roe, either will do the job nicely.

 

 

Callums 260 reamer by the way will seat 120's no problem just to the base of the neck / shoulder union, perfect for 100 and 120's

 

how much would it cost to do rebarral & how often do they pop up?