Just daydreaming about what I might want to build.I am leaning toward a .260 Remington.Seems to be a lot of performance in a small package.Does anyone think that AIing would substantially improve performance?Thinking about a #3 barrel@24".Rifle would be used for varmints to deer.Any advice would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Jim

quote:

Does anyone think that AIing would substantially improve performance

NO!!

I've worked with various AI and blownout wildcats for 30 years. In the 308 based cases at egual pressure you will get about 1% velocity for each 5% increase in powder. The 260AI will only give you 3-4% capacity increase. So figure 25fps from the AI. Bigger gains are pressure related. The 260is only loaded to around 60,000 factory. Most relaoder will take the AI to 65,000 or higher and call it an AI improvement. There is no reason the 260 can not be loaded to 65,000 to start with.

If you want an AI go for it. The 6.5-284 adds 14%if you want a short fat case. If it were my $$ I would go 260 set the rifle up for max OAL that would fit my magazine and be done.

I'd agree that the 6.5-284 is a much better short action wildcat than the 260AI. Remember that a lot of the AI hype was built up before the common man could afford a chronograph. The loads found in POA's writing is typically at, or beyond, the pressure ceiling that prudent reloaders consider to be "maximum safe". Also, most people who pay $100+/- to have their rifle rechambered to an "AI" configuration will do whatever is necessary to get the performance that they expected.

From a practical perspective, the 6.5-284 doesn't offer any meaningful field/killing performance advantage unless you are commonly shooting game at ranges of 300+ yards. If you think that 150 to 200 additional fps is a critical factor for your style of hunting, then it is a good choice.

Jeff

i heard that a straighter taper like the wsms and the AIs hide pressure

quote:

Originally posted by Paul from nz:
i heard that a straighter taper like the wsms and the AIs hide pressure

They take the preassure better off the lugs on the bolt, as they increase friction between case and chamber-wall. The preassure still affects the case itself, and at higher preassures, primerpockets starts to expand. The 6,5x47(.250 Savage necked up and improoved) has a small primerpocket, wich can take higher preassures before expanding, therefore giving it velocitys that equal the 6,5x55.

I agree with ramrod, I'd go with the .260 and set the bullet out as far as the magazine alowed.

quote:

i heard that a straighter taper like the wsms and the AIs hide pressure

Can't speak for the wsms but my testing with the AI verified it to me. Key word being HIDE. The pressure was there you just didn't see it looking at the primer, extraction etc. By the time you did see it you were often in dangerous territory.

If yor action is long enough , you might consider a 6.5X57 witch is a europian factory round or a 6.5X257 Roberts witch is slightly different.
I just bought a 6.5X257 and I will probably use the winchester +p brass.
I can't honestly say it is signifcantly faster than a .260. But it is a little roomier case. I just bought it cause I liked the rifle and I wanted a 6.5.
...tj3006

I shoot both the 260 and the 6.5 x 57...

The 260 will do pretty much the same thing in a short action as the 6.5 x 57...

I'd throat a 260 chamber out, to magazine length, which I did with mine...instead of going with an AI case...

I load the 100 grain bullets in mine, for hunting these little blacktail out here in Oregon... I get an MV of 3350 fps, with a 22 inch Ruger barrel...a couple of blacktails have bit the dust, at 300 yds, and went down instantly when hit....

I did a 260 years ago and then got a wild up my UhUM and made it into a AI. I had velocity checked it and, with the new chamber, I was able to gain 19 FPS with the 125 Nos, 17 fps with the 129s and a bit more feeding work for the little Rem 722. Accuracy? The same or perhaps a tad better. Worth it? Go figure.LOL

Aloha, Mark

I know of 2 instances, reputable, one a 708 AI that got less speed than my std, and the guy just opened it up to 284. 2nd, a 33806 AI that got less than std, so the guy cut off chamber end, went back to std.

That said, AI's should get a tad more speed, but I have none, have not, and don't expect to.

The ONLY thing I'd change on the 260 is lengthening the neck, when using 308 brass, it is just a tad short, but if you are using quality brass, they should shoot well enough, .5 moa or better in a good set up. Load with choice powders and be happy, you will be in a good velocity range of top accuracy with bullets available, and have plenty range.

Those longrange guys on another forum do deer to 500-600 yds with AI and 140 amax.

There is no reason a std cannot do the same at 50-75 yds less, which is WAY further than I hunt, or want to shoot.

Often times, keeping it simple is much less headache, no brass forming, less expensive dies, better performance with factory ammo if you use it, and likely better resale, should you sell it.

If wanting an all out AI, max performance for a little case, a 250-3000 would be sweet. Other than that, if wanting a simple all out 1000 yd rifle, a 6.5x55 improved with Lapua brass would be easy, and I believe brass cheaper than 284, and in longer barrels, puts a 140-142's at maximum speed WITH competitive accuracy.

They got it close to perfection in 1894 with the first 260, the 6.5x55.

I have a couple rifles chambered in 6.5-284 and think that it is a good cartridge.

If I was going to build a varmint-medium game rifle around the 284 case, it would be a 25-284. Although the 95 grain .264" VMax is a great varmint and small deer bullet, you just can't drive it as fast as you can a 75 grain .257" VMax. I shoot a lot more varmints than I do deer, so having the laser flat trajectory of the 25-284 seems like the better of the 2 options. My current favorite 6.5-284 is a stainless Remington 7 in a factory laminated stock and a 24" rechambered 260 factory barrel off a 700 BDL DM SS.

Jeff