can anyone give a brief history on the 260 rem? and is here to stay?

I've been reading about the .260 along with the 264 win mag and the 6.5 swede and am begining to crave one of these. I kinda think the ruger 77 compact with the 16 inch barrel stainless or the remington model 7 with the black synthetic stock and 20 inch barrel would be a real easy carrying easy shooting gun. Since I don't have a stainless steel gun in the safe I am kinda leaning towards a ruger, but that extra 4 inches on the barrel in the model 7 might get better performance out of the gun. But I have heard there were prob's with the model 7's--but I could be mistaken.

What kind of range can I expect and how large game can be taken with the .260 win? I hear yo can take hogs and Moose with the 140 grn ammo placed correctly, so would the same go for elk?

Thanks

Dave

any opinions on any or all of this?

The 260 is to the 6.5x55 what the 7mm-08 is to the 7x57 - they are nothing more (or less) than short action versions that deliver approximately the same ballistics.

The 260 and 260 AI was (and is) used for long range shooting under the guise of the wildcat 26-08. It is an excellent round - I've had a few, but currently have none, though I am about to build another.

While the 260 is certainly capable of making a fine carbine, I prefer to think of it as the perfect round to chamber in a 22" barreled moutain rifle like the so-called 700 or the Kimber 84. While it is a short action round, it's expansion ratio means that somewhat longer barrels are probably a better match for this round.

It has faded a bit in 1000 yd competition (as has everything else) since the 6.5-284 has hit the scene. However, it is quite popular for shorter range target shooting.

IMHO, it is an excellent rifle for up to caribou-sized critters out to 300 yds or so. For light animals (blacktails, pronghorn) the 100 PT is an excellent choice; for medium sized whitetails at moderate ranged the 120 Speer is excellent. However, I think the Nosler 125 PT is the perfect all-around bullet for the 260, 2900-2950 fps in 22-23" of barrel. Using the 140s, it can certainly take elk and moose, but I'd prefer a bigger bore.

Anyway, good luck.

(.3 pretty much covered it. Think of it as a .270 light. I think a great deer/antelope rig but a bit light on elk for me. I just got my .260AI, but I went for the heavier target / varmint rifle. If I get to like it, it is my 1st 6.5, maybe I'll pick up a M7 for the little lady, or me for that matter.

Personally I have confidence in it taking elk. I carry it Elk hunting as I also do the 6.5 x 55, and 6.5 x 57.

Once again it is back to shot placement over just plain old big bore and foot pounds.

Swedish game commission tested the 6.5 x 55, as posted on the European forum, for penetration against a variety of calibers, as they were thinking it might be classified as too small by today's standards for Moose hunting. Well when they compared it to a 375 H & H, the 6.5 x 55 actually out penetrated the 375! So that can't make the 375 H & H an inadequate moose or elk cartridge, but it also certainly makes the 6.5 bore adequate.

The biggest thing in hunting has to be confidence in your equipment and your abilities.

If a 260 is not made a 500 yd elk cartridge, It will do just fine.
My bullet of choice all around? 125 grain partition.

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

I've searched my area high and low looking for a decent .260 and the only ones I can find are the odd Remmy mountain rifles. Not being a Remmy fan, I've passed on a couple of them. I'd like to find a Kimber or Ruger or maybe a Browning (but I'm no Browning fan either).
I've yet to shoot one, but I've also yet to find a .308 round that I didn't like. I don't know why they're so hard to find. So I'll keep searching, and just like Rick in Casablanca, I'll wait, and wait, and wait...

Bobby, pick up a used .243 or .308 & have it rebarreled. That way for about $650 you can have the exact brand. bbl. length rifle you want.

Dave, I have been loading the .260 rem. for a couple of years and find the .260 is a great round for deer size game. I dropped a 130 lbs. 5 pt. at 312 yrds. in his tracks. shot with 120 grain nbt. with RL-15 at 41.0 grains out of a ruger M-77 S.S. with 22 in. barrel. at 2940 fps. All it is. Is a 7MM-08 necked down to a .264. with the same trim length. I have one of those too.

i agree with fredj338 i bought an old ruger m77 in .243 for about $275-$300 dollars got a shielin ss barrel put on it, bedded it and have made drop dead kills out to 250yds with 120nbt over 38.5grns of varget. my target loads will shot well under .5'' to the point of boredom. when i am in synch it can get into the .3's

arky6.5

Why wait? Rebarrel some action you like for $300.00 and have a tack driver.

They are hard to find, because few people who have them; sell them.

When they do, they get what they paid for them.

I own 2 Ruger in stainless with boyd's laminate stocks on them, and one Rem VLS varminter in 260.

I'd love a Rem Mountain rifle in 260 and 7/08 for that matter, in a laminate stainless combo.

It is a good thing, but I am sure it will die while all the other guys are busy buying whatever the latest trend out of magazines is for this week.

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

seafire, i'm in the process of inletting, bedding, and finishing a boyds laminate for my .260 in my spare time. my question is how did you finish the stock? i have bedded several stocks but never put a finish on one. just looking for idea's.

arky65

Along the same lines as the 260 VLS's being hard to come by, so is one of the few SS, Synthetic BDL, detachable magazine ones in .260! What made them really unique was the fact that Remington used 24" barrels on them! I got one for my daughter and she has killed her first two bucks using it, both 8 pointers, first one was 17" spread and the second one was 17.5"spread but heavier mass than the first one. First kill was 271yards and second was 197 yards.....she has yet to see a deer take a step after she pulls the trigger.....DRT!!! 100 grain Nosler Balistic Tips over 43.0 grains of VARGET, 3204fps. Best 5 shot group from this one at 100 yards is .391 and 200 yards is .807 so it will shoot! Just found another one a few weeks ago for a friend. It cost him $525.00 + shipping and I haven't been called on to shoot it in for him yet! He'll wait until about Thursday nite before season starts on Saturday to ask me to do it!!! I'd love to find one of the VLS's in .260! Don't know if they ever made them or not but a SAVAGE 12 Varminter in .260 would probably be a sweet ticket also! Recoil is neglible with the light bullets for kids or women and they seem to shoot! GHD

Have read that the 125g Partition is a little tougher in case it's used in the 264 Mag. I assume they mean the lead is a little harder in the front end.

What kind of expansion did you guys have on the whitetail you've shot with this bullet?

I have taken one whitetail with the 100g Nosler Partition (from my 260 AI). Worked great......the buck made it about 70 yds before going down (shot through the heart and caught a little of the shoulder). Minimal meat damage which is good for eating.

Can't really draw any conclusions based on 1 shot but I keep wondering if a little more lead on the front to "blow up" might do a little more damage and drop them a little faster. I've considered the Nosler 120g BT.......but since I'm very likely to have a shot less than 30 yds, I always wonder if they will penetrate a shoulder at close range at near muzzle velocity (pushing 3,000 fps in my rifle).

Have thought a 120g Accubond would solve all my concerns (or is it parnoia? )

HogWild.

Gentlemen:



I find the .260 to be the ultimate in a light multipurpose chambering.



Loading with 100 grain SVHP or Nosler BTs at velocities in the 3200-3300 range, it makes a stellar varmint rifle.



On the other hand load it with 139 Lapuas (BC=.511) in the 2700 fps range and you have a round that fixes everything wrong with the .308 Win.



I personally can't say enough good about the caliber and I have been shooting it since the early days of the 6.5-308 development.



It has my vote. Need 3000 fps out of 140 match, go to AI version.



They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Here is a 100 yard cold bore shot. My "friends" wanted me to explain why I was shooting low.



Load is 139 Lapua Scenar, MV=2753, F210M, VV N165 43.0 grains.

Dear Dave,
The first person I recall doing a 6.5/08[or 243] was Mr. Key Waters. He did one and called it the 263 Express. I have an original reamer that I still use occasionally but now grab a nice Kiff one as the rule. This is one fine cartridge and if you go to the "imp" version will keep up with the 6.5x55 quite nicely. Using a nice old Mex Mauser action or a Ruger 77 SA this makes a real handy, light easy to carry rig. My own 6.5/08[ 263 Express] weighs about 6lbs scoped and loaded. Nice for an old man like me to carry. Usually very accurate and hard hitting. With the smaller cases I tend to stay with the 125-129 Hornady bulets as you can keep the velocity up better than with the 140s and not sacrifice killing quality.I build 7-10 of these every year and the owners seem to love them.
Aloha, Mark

Arky:

if it is the laminate one, I do the grey laminate ones.

I use Tongue oil applied with a sponge applicator from walmart for like $3.00. Let it dry overnight, and reapply and let dry overnight again.

Next I use Formsby Matte finish urethane and also applied with the sponge applicator and let it dry overnight.

Then I use Steelwool to take off any "peach fuzz" and then drill it for a couple of swivel studs for the sling, which I buy locally for about 15 to 20 cents appiece.

I use silver studs If the rifle has a stainless barrel and use the matte black ones if the rifle has a matte blued barrel.

Ends up looking pretty sharp. Haven't had to glass bed any of them yet. I usually hollow out the barrel channel where it is free floated. Would take a picture and post it if I had a digital camera.

Cheers and Good shootiing
seafire

GHD:

I have seen the Savage 12 in a 260 with a heavy barrel and a synthetic stock straight from the factory. Some Indian kid on the long range shoot around here had one with a cheap Tasco 4 x 16 scope on it. Funny thing was on how many matches he took first place on!

His dad, competed with a 300 Win Mag, but thought that little 260 cartridge was the slickest thing he had ever competed with, if he could borrow his sons rifle. Loads were with 142 grain Sierras.

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

FWIW: the 125 partition works like a charm in a 264 Mag. Only recovered one. Shot a buck at about 175 yds facing me. He went down in a heap! When I got to him there was a small bump on his left rear ham. Cut the skin and a perfectly mushroomed bullet fell out. It had broken the right shoulder going in, traversed the entire length of the deer and stopped under the skin. Can't ask for any better.

seafire thanks for the info. i have the gray laminate varmint stock, ss barrel and blue reciever. kind odd looking but i like it. hope it shoots better with the new stock than the orginal one. (.5"or less at 100yds)i bedded the orginal stock years ago and am changing to the laminate in hopes of gaining at least another .10".

any thought on how to get a satin finish on the stock.

arky65

If you don't want a matte finish they also have a satin gloss poly urethane finish at Wally World. I use Formsby.

I have done a few stocks for other guys in that finish, and it turned out great.

PS, I don't think a blued receiver and stainless barrel, with a gray laminate stock looks funny at all.

It tells me a guy has a custom gun. It is like a redone 57 Chevy, it is hard for it to look 'Stupid'.

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

I tested a couple of 125 partitions in a combination of dry and wet newprint. Invloved about 3 inches of dry newspaper in front of bound, soaked phone books. They left the barrel about 2600 fps and when dug out of the wet phone books at 100 yards the front was completely gone/peeled back in typical nosler fashion. Wouldn't worry about lack of expansion thats for sure. Cartridge was the 6.5 JDJ out of a carbine.

I found the 129gr. Hornady to have better weight retention and larger expansion, and only fell about a half an inch shy of the penetration of the partition. At half the price I think the Hornady will do the bulk my my work for me. the Hornady SST went neck and neck with the Interlock, but core slippage was apparent. A 129gr. Interbond 6.5 would be just about right.