I am wanting to get a 260 preferably in a ruger as I am partial to them. The only problem is I don't care for the compact model that ruger currently makes. Did Ruger ever make a normal sized .260? It seems the .260 in general is hard to find. So I was thinking, can i convert a .243 to a .260? If so any recomendations on where to get this done, and maybe a ballpark cost? There are a lot more options in a .243 and more used ones on the market. Thanks in advance for the help.

I use a .260 steyr pro hunter, just cut the barrel to 20" nice to shoot.

R:

Welcome to the forums..

they made a 260 in the 77 Mk 2 for a batch of years, both in stainless with synthetic stock and the regular blued and wood stock...

I have two of the stainless ones, that I have added laminate stocks too, as I hated the synthetic stocks they came with...

Rugers also had a one in 8 twist, which allowed one to shoot 140 and 142 grain bullets, were Remington and several other companies do a one in 9 twist, which can be spotty on accuracy with bullet weights above 129 grains...

The lowest cost way to do one, is it you have a Ruger Short Action, you can order a barrel from ER Shaw for $150.00, either short chambered or long chambered.. for another $50.00 or so, they will do one in stainless...

they can also install it on your action for like $50 or $60. or so...

Their barrels are easily as accurate as most factory barrels from the Major American manufactures...

Steyr, Tikka and Sako evidently chamber the round also...

Rugers like Mausers are not hard to rebarrel..

you can also check out on the net to see if someone may have a 260 Ruger take off barrel for sale... that would normally run ya pretty cheap...

Seafire:

Thank you for the help! I figured the easiest way to do this would be to buy a .260 barrel but after searching the net everything I was looking at was around $300. You, or anyone else have a suggestion where to find barrels for the best price? You suggested looking for a takeoff from a factory Ruger, where is a good place to search for one of them? The synthetic stocks you took off, are they the "skeleton" type with the ruger logo on the butt stock? If so do you still have one, as I actually kind of like these stocks and would like to build the .260 to match my stainless/synthetic 7mm with that type of stock. A 308, 243, 7mm-08, can all be rebarreld to a 260 correct? I found somewhere that would rechamber for $105 but Im not sure what is all included in that price. I assume you would have to use a .243 so that the barrel can be drilled out larger. On another note, since I am new to this site, can I change my screen name? I didn't intend for my name to just be R! Not very creative at all!

I'd contact ER Shaw for a barrel...

Also Skaggs Gunsmithing here locally in Oregon will chamber it if short chambered for pretty cheap, plus he does good work and has a short turnaround so far...

I have a couple of the boat paddle stocks for a short action, but I use them occasionally for the kids, if I let it go, I'd wanted it replaced with another synthetic stock.. so maybe we could work out something...

a Shaw barrel is going to run you $150.00 or $200.00 in stainless....

Don't over look the Tikka T3...in a 6.5 Swede...next best thing to a 260....here's my T3 Swede..