Curious. I've been considering re-barreling a 243 to 260 Rem... seems like as good a "dual-purpose" SA round as ever conceived. 85-100 grainer's for vermin and 100-140's for the bigger stuff.

What's your experience?

Brad

Brad,
I am in the process of working up a load with the same thing in mind. It ought to be one hell of a whistle pig round and I know it will kill elk at any reasonable range with good bullets. Good luck with the project and let me know how it comes out.

For the last few years I used a 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser as my main varminting/hunting rifle. It worked really well on the knock down, but the clean-up and sewing of the coyote pelts was a little more then I really wanted to do. The Sierra 85grn HPs really did a job on coyotes, but for things like fox and a couple badgers and groundhogs it was a little much and made quite a mess.

Mudruck

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"Our Country won't go on forever, if we stay soft as we are now. There won't be any America - because some foreign soldiery will invade us and take our women and breed a hardier race!" - CHESTY PULLER, USMC
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Utah Varminters Association http://www.armscenter.com/uva

Brad - You will run into problems regarding twist and long range shooting if you attempt to shoot both light (short) and heavy (long) for caliber bullets from the same gun.

I shoot several 6mm chamberings for lighter bullets and a 6.5mm for the heaver, better BC, long range stuff. If you will play around with a twist calculator, you will find that you have very little leeway in bullet weights (length) and long range shooting.

I dunno about that.........many owners of Swede rifles say those guns will shoot the little 85 gr Sierra with eyepopping accuracy , and those barrels have a very long throat and a twist fast enough to handle any bullet........I think no one can say for sure what bullets a barrel will shoot nicely until you try them out .........

Brad , I'm playing with an old M-70 push feed in .264 magnum thatI'm going to outfit with a mil dot scope for long range coyote whompping . I figure with 95 gr V Max s on to 107 gr Sierra MK s up to 120 gr ballistic tips should get you as flat as any cartridge extant , and buck wind with authority . The light 6.5 bullets should have alot going for them in the long range department ..........

I use a 6.5x55 with a 1:9 twist as my varmint rifle. It is a Winchester with a custom barrel, although the barrel is a sporter. It works great with Sierra 85s and Nosler 100s using RE19. It still gets great groups with the Federal 140s for deer as well.

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Larry

Beware, if you use 85g HP's out of that 264 WM. I you push them to fast they have a tendency to fly apart downrange. But if you find that threshold and stay below it you will have fun. I have had good luck with the 85g HP's out of my 264 WM.

Goodluck

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I occasionaly shoot bunnies with my 6.5x55 and 100gr ballistic tips at 3kfps or so. It is very effective!

It has a 9 twist - 100gr is the most accurate bullet in it.

My swede shoots 140gr and 100gr bullets accuratly.

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don't cuss farmers and ranchers with your mouth full

I've just started working up loads with 95 gr Vmaxs. They are very accurate out of my Ruger M77 MKII 260, but the POI is about 5" off from my 129 gr Interlocks. I've got a lot of work left to do, and I hope the spread between the two loads closes quite a bit.

Dave

My 6.5 swede seems to love anything I feed it. For Varminting and keepng the pelts.. Matchkings!

For dropping a pig, Hornady Interlocks.

Here is what I'm putting together...s/shot Savage, w/Pac Nor 6.5x308 Ackley, 26" SS, 1/8" twist, 1.230" no taper tube. Short throat/tight neck. Glass will be an Elite 4200 6x24, all nestled in a Choate Varminter stock, w/SSS trigger. Will weigh about 17#. Test fired/fireformed some cases today. Will put together next month. Look out p/dogs.

I�ve been using 6,5 swedes for varminting, and I have never had a 1:9 barrel shoot extremely well with 85grain bullets, I�ve had them shoot acceptably but never exceptionally. I have had very good accuracy from Sierras 140grain SPBT, and its a helluva longrange bullet!! Furdamage wasn�t big either.

I am using the .260 with 41.5gr H4895, 100 grain Sierra HP, F210M, Remington Brass in a 1 in 8 twist barrel with very good results. Seems to be a remarkable combination on Montana Prairie Dogs. Vm=3150FPS Rifle is Pre-64 Model 70, Lilja Fluted 1 in 8, McMillan Prone Stock, USO SN-3 6-30x58 with 35mm tube and Lit reticle.

[This message has been edited by DMCI* (edited 05-08-2002).]

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[This message has been edited by DMCI* (edited 05-08-2002).]

Got my POI situation taken care of. Now the difference between the 95 grainers, and the 129 grainers is hardly worth talking about .

Dave

My brother just bought a .260 Rem. for all around hunting. I have not worked up any loads as of yet though. Hope to get some bench time soone. The hay will be down and it will be time to get after the hogs.

Initally had accuracy problems with my 6.5 swede, different powder solved the problem (H 1000). 129 gr clover leafs at 100yrds. 160 gr shoot inside an inch. Have yet to try 100 grain since I changed powder but expect them to shoot.

Have the same idea. Have a rem 78 in 30-06 that I bought new and only put 10 rouns through. Been sitting in the cabinet for better than 10 years now. I'm currently looking for a take off in 260, 7-08, or something else that the wife and neices and nephew can use. Other than having to fill in some of mag. It should do alright.

[ 05-31-2002, 04:59: Message edited by: outlawsix ]

I have shot the 85 and 100 grain Sierra HP's for years in a 264 win mag. My loads for the 85 grainer is 69 grains H4831 and for the 100 grainer I use 66 grains H4831. My rifle puts both of these loads in the same neat .5 inch group at 100 yards. I just started working on loads for my 700 classic 6.5x55. I hope it will shoot good with the 95 V-Maxes....

I have a surplus Swede 96 that I sporterized; haven't had a chance yet to shoot any varmints with it, but with 100 grain Sierra HP and the right powder, it will shoot a 7/8" group at 100 yards. I have shot a mule deer with it at 275 yards. My gun shoots the 129 grain Hornadys more accurately than any 140 grain bullet I have tried so far. I think if you go with the Swede, you also have the option of FMJ bullets in surplus loadings if you wish to hunt for fur....those group about 1 1/4" at 100 yards out of my rifle.

I used a custom made 6.5-06 for many years. It was a terrific ground hog round with 120 grain bullets. Had it rebarreled to .280 after many thousands of rounds. The 6.5-06 is an accurate and enjoyabe round to shoot. Hmmmm... wonder how much money "Mom" has in her cookie jar .....

Hello Brad-I think the 6.5/08 would work great for you.
Although if you go with the 243 I just got a big supply of 100 Nozler Solid Bases-grins!! I also got some 150's for the 270 if you need some.

Back to the 6.5 though there are a lot of good heads to use.

I've shot the 85 Sierra's in a 6.5/06 quite a bit and found them to work well and be quite accurate. I'd love to do some work with the 107 MK's. I also think that there are some V-Maxes out there for it now.

The 129 Hornady would be superb for sure. I found them to be quite effective in the 6.5/06 on game.

Not much here you would have much problem with here with this round. I believe the new Orx head is available in 6.5.

Gotta run amigo-call me.

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dog

(go for the 243 AI-I know you didn't ask but I could not refrain)

I use Hornady's 95gr VMAX which has a pretty decent BC of .365. It seems to have a nice "splatter" effect even at lower velocities. I'm sure that it would hang together though for those of you using a big overbore cartridge. It has proven to be very accurate for me and I would recommend it over nearly all other choices for "dem varmits".