Perhaps Remington themselves would know the answer as to how many they have also produced to date. Perhaps someone close by could phone them and report back.

Would be interesting to know. I noticed that other manufacturers are also chambering for the 260 Rem, even in the Scandinavian countries. Norma is now offering cartridge cases as well, so perhaps they have noticed a demand recently.

Warrior

This post has 5 pages of replies. There are 3 other 260 threads on the first page of this small calibers forum. The 260 can't be faring too badly.

Maybe it's like the 257 Roberts....very popular with the real rifle loonies (like the ones who inhabit rifle forums) but not so popular with the general public.

quote:

Originally posted by stevie:
This post has 5 pages of replies. There are 3 other 260 threads on the first page of this small calibers forum. The 260 can't be faring too badly.

Stevie, I am 63 years old and have been shooting since I was a kid and I have never even seen a 260 Remington. On this board, it may indeed be popular but it is virtually unknown to the general public. That doesn't mean it's not a good cartridge. Hell, I shoot a .257 Roberts most of my shooting friends have never seen one of those either. It's probably great but the 6.5s just aren't very popular here in the US and on the continent I would bet the 6.5 Swede is much more popular. Here in the US, I would think I would bet on the 6.5 Creedmoor simply because Hornday and Ruger support it and it is a super efficient cartridge that was designed from the ground up to work in a short action. As I posted earlier, I am betting that whatever small following the 260 had will shortly be eclipsed by the Creedmoor.

Stevie, I am 63 years old and have been shooting since I was a kid and I have never even seen a 260 Remington. On this board, it may indeed be popular but it is virtually unknown to the general public. That doesn't mean it's not a good cartridge. Hell, I shoot a .257 Roberts most of my shooting friends have never seen one of those either. It's probably great but the 6.5s just aren't very popular here in the US and on the continent I would bet the 6.5 Swede is much more popular. Here in the US, I would think I would bet on the 6.5 Creedmoor simply because Hornday and Ruger support it and it is a super efficient cartridge that was designed from the ground up to work in a short action. As I posted earlier, I am betting that whatever small following the 260 had will shortly be eclipsed by the Creedmoor.[/QUOTE]


Dave,

Perhaps you're right. AR people do like their uncommon cartridges. I just bought a 260 (Happy Birthday to me) and I'm not a reloader. I hope the 260 gains enough of a foothold to allow for a reasonable selection of factory ammo. To me it seems like the perfect combination of bullet size, velocity and handiness of rifle for deer hunting.

My goto small rifle thus far has been a 6mm Remington which isn't all that popular either, but I've had it for almost 30 years and I've been able to manage with limited factory ammo availability.

Stevie, we have to get you into reloading. That's where all the fun is and then you don't have to worry about factory ammo as long as you can get the brass.

quote:

we have to get you into reloading.

Better to be into rebarreling!

This is what a .260 Remington should look like!

I'm an absolute lover of the 260 Rem and 6.5x47 Lapua. With that said, I think another nail has been put in the 260 Rem coffin by Hornady/Ruger. A new 6.5 CM article in the new July 2011 issue of American Hunter was delivered to my door today.

Alan

Tell us more GSSP.

I get the American Rifleman

Not everybody likes Ruger rifles, so unless other rifle manufacturers start chambering the 6.5 Creedmore and other ammunition manufacturers start loading for it, I doubt that it will be a commercial success.

New cartridges present a "Chicken or Egg" situation. In order to sell factory ammo, you've got to have rifles out there for people to buy before they buy factory ammo. Rifle manufacturers don't want to add a new chambering unless there is factory ammo available for the average rifle buyer to use in his/her new rifle.

A lot more places carry Fed/Rem/Win factory ammo than they do Hornady, so I'm thinking that the 6.5 Creedmore will be a niche item for some time and niche items often don't stand the tests of time, see SAUM and WSSM for recent examples of "not popular".

JEff

quote:

Originally posted by rcamuglia:
Tell us more GSSP.

I get the American Rifleman

Rick,

Ok. Starts with hunt in So Africa's Eastern Cape, Kudu bull, 341 yds, T/C Icon, Swaro scope, traveled less than 40 yds with 120 gr GMX penetrated both shoulders and exited. Goes on to explain how the CM was developed. Discussed how size of cart was kept down to keep recoil down for "across the course" competitions. "260 had too much case capacity" and that a "major drawback was 260 Rem did not accomodate very long match bullets".

How originally loaded with 140 Amax but then 120 GMX and 129 gr SST. Goes on to say how with Superformace powder = same as 6.5-284 but with less powder, recoil, longer barrel life and better accuracy. Stats 6.5CM is at front of 6.5 pack of carts but against 270 Win it shines more the further out it gets. 270 Win has more ammo types and cheaper but 6.5CM should do better with time.

Impala @ 401 yds.
#18 Steenbok @ 80ds,
Black Wildebeest @ 300 yds
Two Fallow bucks at less than 100 yds
Vaal Rhebok at 280 yds
Springbok at 226 yds
Host of varmints and non-trophy species out to 530 yds. With exception of Vaal Rhebok, all one-shot kills.

Final quote from Aaron Carter the author.

"There's something to be said about a cartridge without excessive recoil that offers the capabilities of the 6.5 Creedmoor. It certainly impressed me. If offers a lot in a small package, and should prove capable on all but the largest game in America, particularly at long range".

Side bar.....

Rilfes chambered.

Ruger, M77 Hawkeye, wood stocked standard and synthetic All-Weather. No 1 Light Sporter w/ 22" barrel and No. 1 Varminter with 24".

T/C Icon.... 24" Ultra Wood Stock, used in Africa and Weather Shield sys stock. Also, 22" heavy barrel, brown laminate Precision Hunter.

Savage.....Weather Warrior which consists of sys stock M16 FCSS w/ 22" barrel. Specialty models = Model 11 LR Hunter w/ 26". New extra-light Model 11 Lightweight Hunter with 20" and walnut stock.

E.R. Shaw chambers Savage Model 110 Mark VII. Stock, steel type, barrel length, contour and fluting selected by customer.

All this is very abbreviated of course. I paraphrased a lot! Don't shoot me if someone does not like it. I'm just the guy doing the typing.

Me, I think the 260 Rem, 6.5 CM and my fav, 6.5x47 Lapua all have good stuff going for them.

Alan

Does anybody actually buy T/C Icons or Shaw Mark VII rifles?

Savage is something of a whore, in that they will do almost anything to make a buck. Savage cataloged the 260 for awhile too, but not many appear to have made it out the door in Westfield. I hope that the Marlin X guns sink Savage in their previous market niche and if Savage went under tomorrow, I wouldn't miss them in the least.

What we know about 6.5mm bore rifles in the U.S. is that with almost 100 years of experience, no U.S. designed/named 6.5mm commercial cartridge has been much of a success, with the 264 Win Mag probably being the most successful. The 6.5 Creedmore may make it, but I'd say that its a long shot and no matter how good it might be, there is a lot of history supporting the "its only a niche cartridge" theory.

Jeff

Thanks for the report Alan!

I'm with you on all of the 6.5's you list!

I also have .264 win mag. If I ever draw a tag before I pass, it'll kill more than coyotes!