Does anyone know if Remington makes their VLS rifle in 260 Rem?

Take a look over at http://www.remington.com. Since Remington regualarly makes runs of non-cataloged firearms, you might try a distributor like Grice Wholesale in Clearfield, PA. Grice sells a lot of special run Remingtons. Good luck!

Jeff

Remington made .260 VLS's for just a couple years! They also made a few in 7-08. Neither chambering has been done since 1999!!! Trying to find one today that can be bought is pretty hard to do! If Remington would make a run of them I feel sure they would sell much better than ANY MODEL of their behemoth RUM's!!! But I don't run the company!! GHD

I have owned a couple of 700VLs (Heavy Barrel, Varmint, Laminated) in 260, but I've never seen a 700VLS. As much as I like the 260, I have decided that a heavy sport contour, like the Remington magnum contour, is the heaviest 260 I need. Actually, the 700 LSS MRs that I have owned in 260 have all been good shooters, besides being a reasonable carry weight mounted with a Leupold VX2 4-12x.

John Basness reports that he has killed pdogs at around 700 yards with a 22" sporter weight 700 in 260, so who am I to dispute the logic of a famous gun writer?

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by 260remguy:
I have owned a couple of 700VLs (Heavy Barrel, Varmint, Laminated) in 260, but I've never seen a 700VLS. Jeff

Jeff, VLS is a heavy barrel laminated stock. Jay

Well, then I guess that I have owned a couple of 700 VLS' in 260. I think that they were only cataloged for 1 year and are about the least common cataloged 260 configuration.

Jeff

I have one Rem 700 VLS in 260 and actually got the barrel off of another one, for $75.00.....

A local used gunshop bought a batch of them from a distributor at a cheap price as they were not moving at all.....

So the local used gunshop was taking the barrels off and selling them separate for peanuts evidently.... and then selling the actions and stocks for a lot more than he paid for the entire rifle....

I understand he cannabalized about 30 to 40 of the VLS's in 260....

I got the barrel off the one he took and rebarreled it to a 6PPC.....

Oh well! Those that wanted one when they were available were few and far between so Remington didn't sell them so they dropped them.... Sure glad I got mine!

Cheers
seafire

Remington did indeed make these for a short while; I know as I had one of the first to become available in the area. Accuracy was quite good, and I probably should have held on to it. With 46 grains H4350 and the 120 grain Ballistic Tip, it would cluster 5 shots into app. 0.75" with regularity. Granted, that's not great, but for an off-the-shelf rifle (and considering how horribly some current Rems shoot), that aint bad at all...

Rem's best heavy barreled rifle in a big game caliber may have been the Varmint Special in 7mm-08. And, as things go, they are almost impossible to find.

Bobby, The last few runs of the SENDEROS in the SAUM'S(7mm and 30's) just may be the best of the factory run REMINGTONS in HB or Varmint cofigurations!!! Albeit, 100 yards doesn't tell me a lot about a rifle!!! Go to 200, 300, 400 and then I may have a better understanding of said gun!! But when I shoot 5 shot groups in the .1's and .2's at 100 yards with "out of the box" guns while doing barrel breakin work, they may ned some further testing!!! I think they were trying to capture the riflemen among us with their offerings!!! BUT WHY DIDN'T THEY DO THAT EVERYDAY????????????? My Sendero 300SAUM has an action that is "pretty much trued" from the factory!! A neighbors 7mmSAUM is just the same!!!! I don't run the company but if I did, things would be different!!! CNC machines are the cat's meow!!! AS LONG AS THE OVERSEER IS CHECKING ON THEM!!!! GHD

I guess I will have to keep an eye out for one at the gun shows. I picked up a 7mm08 VLS at a show a year or two ago. I am pleased with it so far. I have not had any spectacular groups from it yet but I have just started testing some different loads in it. Sounds like I better hang on to it!

quote:

Originally posted by hvy barrel:
I guess I will have to keep an eye out for one at the gun shows. I picked up a 7mm08 VLS at a show a year or two ago. I am pleased with it so far. I have not had any spectacular groups from it yet but I have just started testing some different loads in it. Sounds like I better hang on to it!

What bullets and powder have you worked with yet? Can give you some help with 120s, and 150s. Jay

I have been working with Nosler 140gr Ballistic Tips & IMR 4895. My next trip to the range I will be finishing up with the IMR 4895 & then I will move on to something else. Don't know when that will be, we are still waiting on tropical storm Dennis to get out of here. Any info would be helpful as I am just getting started.

GHD-Thanks for sharing that info. Been thinking about a 7 SAUM lately, and it sounds like Rem has their act together on these!

The WSMs have been a disappointment. I have one in .270 WSM here right now that has a chamber on the ragged edge of SAAMI specs, a throat that amounts to nothing more than a bit of chamfered rifling -- and accuracy that is dismal, to say the least. SHe won the rifle at a National Wild Turkey Federation banquet, and although it was "free," you can still understand her utter disappointment in it. I told her I could get it to shooting decently, so we'll see what I can come up with.

quote:

Originally posted by hvy barrel:
I have been working with Nosler 140gr Ballistic Tips & IMR 4895. My next trip to the range I will be finishing up with the IMR 4895 & then I will move on to something else. Don't know when that will be, we are still waiting on tropical storm Dennis to get out of here. Any info would be helpful as I am just getting started.

Nosler got 37grs. RE15 as their most accurate load,(41.5 max). Sierra 140 has 39.6 RE15 as their most accurate. This is also the powder I use with the 150MK, along with Varget and the 150BTs. This is the powder I'd start with, for sure. Hope it helps. Jay

Thanks Jay.

Hvy barrel: Count me in on the short list of folks that own and use Remington 700 VLS's in caliber 260 Remington.
I have been very happy with mine and its accuracy is most pleasing!
I am most pleased also with the Remington Company and their ability and insight into making nifty Rifles apparently on someones whim or idea! Giving these Rifles (different models and calibers from the norm!) a "go" so to speak (on a trial basis?)!
I also have some other Remingtons that were made in short runs and not cataloged (I am not sure if the 260 700 VLS was cataloged or not - don't matter).
One, that I am most impressed and happy with is a Remington 700 all stainless heavy barrel Varminter in caliber 17 Remington! This 26" barrelled fiberglass stocked beauty is simply the cats meow!
Its accurate, attractive and fun to be around!
I think Remington should "catalog" a long, heavy barrel offering in the sensational 17 Remington caliber! I think it would be a good seller!
I have heard that Remington has not made any more of these VLS's in 260 Remington since that initial limited run some years back.
Long live Big Green!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy according to the Blue Book 1999 was when they discontinued the VLS in 260 Rem. I was about to order a new VLS & was trying to decide which caliber. The 260 appealed to me but I didn't see it listed in the distributors catalog. That is what prompted me to ask this question. Sounds like I missed out on a good rifle & caliber combination. I guess I will have to keep an eye open for a used one to come by.

Hvy Barrel;

Why not just take a Remington action and do a google search for a 260 Remington heavy barrel or get one rebarreled with a PacNor or something of the sort...

The Remington Stocks are around or try out a Boyds laminate stock...

I have an ADL in 243 that the accuracy sucks on...
It is about to find itself with a New Barrel in 7/08 with the VLS contour....PacNor makes barrels like that already threaded, contoured and short chambered... So my new Model 700 VLS/CAH ( Created AT Home) in 7/08 will give me a new rifle that shoots the way I want it too....With a choice of stainless or ChromeMoly barrels....

By the time someone takes the time tune a factory rifle to shoot... a good after market barrel will shoot as good or better and cost about the same...

Once you do that, like me, I could care less what the factories are putting out in calibers... that is for those Walmart shoppers...Once I have an action, I have a life time of what I want by getting a new barrel on it... and/or replacing the stock time to time....

Remington will also send a new receiver and barrel if one needs to replace the barrel on a rifle... wonder what they do to barrels and calibers not currently in their catalogs???
Do they keep a stock of older barrels??? Maybe contacting them, and you could purchase a factory 260 VLS barrel....

cheers
seafire

Seafire that is not out of the question for me. The only thing slowing me down is that I don't have a rifle that I want to change the barrel on at the moment. I am sure something will come along though. I am going to look into the Pac-nor barrels though. I also keep an eye on ebay. There are Remington barrels on there all of the time. The VLS stocks are listed there pretty regular too.

Seafire: My MAIN MAN!
I am not posting this to be contrary BUT I have bought a bunch of factory stock Varmint Rifles over the last 6 years (about 25 of them!) and each and every one of them has shot well enough in factory stock condition that I have not needed to glass bed, or crown, or cryo, nor lap lugs nor nuthin but just went shooting with them. These include Sako's, Rugers and Remingtons! (NOTE. I do a trigger job on all my Remington Rifles anymore).
I will say this that I have used large power variable scopes on virtually all of them and take extreme care in mounting my scopes - this includes bore sighting the rings even before the scope is locked down! I have bought three factory Varminters in caliber 204 Ruger in the last 10 months and all of them shoot 5 shot groups well under .500" and did so easily and virtually immediately with my carefully crafted handloads!
So, I will have to somewhat disagree with your contention that one needs to spend another $300.00 to $500.00 for a new barrel and having it smithed to the factory action (if that needs be) to achieve satisfactory Varmint accuracy.
To illustrate further let me be more specific.
I bought a Sako Varminter in caliber 6mm PPC last year. It uses a 24x Leupold scope and the last two 5 shot groups I fired with it at 100 yards measured .226" and .212"! The smaller of these two groups was made with Nosler 70 gr. Ballistic Tips by the way - not BR quality bullets!
The Ruger Model 77 V/T in caliber 204 Ruger I bought last fall uses a Sightron 6x24 variable scope and its last two 5 shot groups measured .595" and .374"! I did not even do a trigger job on this Ruger!
I also bought a Remington 700 VLS in caliber 204 Ruger last fall - it did get the "free" home grown trigger job done on it but other than that is 100% factory original! It wears a Leupold 6.5x20 variable and its last two 5 shot groups at 100 yards measured .480" and .398"! I am well satisfied with this accuracy both at the range and in the Varmint fields!
My latest acquisition is a Remington XR-100 in caliber 204 Ruger (can you tell I am thrilled with this caliber!). I did not even do a trigger job on this cool Rifle and again I carefully mounted a proven Leupold 8.5x25x40mm variable on it and went to the range. The last four 5 shot groups I fired with this Rifle at 100 yards measured .421" and .374" (with AA 2230 powder & Sierra 32's) next I tried H 4895 powder and the Sierra 32's and got two consecutive 5 shot groups measuring .322" and .402"!
Seafire, I come from way back when yes indeed Varminters that purchased a factory Varmint Rifle most often began an "enduro" of sorts! Trying to figure out which variable in the Rifle was causing large groups, stringing, single fliers, groups moving with heating barrels and groups moving unexpectedly (unexplainedly!) from year to year and/or Hunt to Hunt! Etc., etc., etc!
Todays Varminters - I think - are much improved over those of 40, 30, 20 or even 15 years ago!
I will not even begin to relay the amazing groups my friends (that are not allergic to them!) achieve with their factory stock Savages, Tikkas and CZ's!
No - I will take this opportunity to "mildly" disagree with you and mildly poo-poo your contention - unless you consider the groups I have been shooting (and I literally have nearly two dozen more examples I could cite with similar outcomes!) as being less than up to your expectations?
I welcome your retort should you choose to cite examples to the contrary of mine.
By the way the Remington 700 VLS in 260 Remington caliber that I bought in 2,003 should be cited here also, I believe.
Its last 5 shot group at 100 yards measured .451" and this Rifle uses a Leupold 6.5x20 variable to help it achieve what I consider to be very good and very consistent factory Rifle accuracy!
Seafire - FOREVER!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG:

Dale, I have to consider you a connesseur ( really muffed that spelling I bet!) of varmint rifles...

I also own several ( nowhere near as many as you do) Remington varmint rigs....Yeah a trigger adjustment and your good to go.....

I also enjoy my Ruger VTs.....

I am actually starting to look at a lot of my deer rifles... and wondering if they would not make me a lot happier with a varmint weight barrel on them and a varmint stock....in a varmint caliber.....That was my point if a Gentleman wanted a VLS in a Caliber not cataloged, instead of looking all over the planet.... just put one together in any caliber you want....

Like me, I am looking at a sporter weight 243 and thinking I would rather have it in a varmint weight 250 Savage ( for nostalgic purposes)....

Funny, I have had NO interest in the 204 at all.... However, today I saw some available 204 brass, and was looking at the bullets and I can see some fun stuff to play with at the reload bench..... I have a varmint weight Ruger VT in 223 that is getting close to needing it's barrel retired....That in a 204, with a Boyd's Grey Laminate Stock, and a Matte Blued Barrel ( it is one of the first year models. so it has a blued receiver, no target style trigger and a Stainless steel barrel)....Rebarreling it to 204 in all Matte Black with a Grey Stock will give me a rifle that not too many guys will have just like it.....And that is the point I was making above....

Personally VG, I'd have as much fun just nosing around in your gun safe as I would out shooting those little varmints..... YOU have a varmint hunter's candy store in your gun safe!!Nothing wrong with that at all!

cheers
seafire

I don't think the Remington VLS is currently made in .260Rem. I purchased a VLS in 6mm Rem. a couple years ago and don't recall seeing them in .260Rem. I really like the VLS model, but honestly find it a bit on the heavy side although it is quite accurate. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Seafire/B17G: Anytime you are in the neighborhood (the Rocky Mountains) come on over and we will peruse some Varminters!
I have only one recent manufacture Ruger 77 V/T in my arsenal now (I have some older ones including a Ruger 77V Liberty model 1976 in 220 Swift) and this Ruger 77 V/T was new last year. Its in caliber 204 Ruger and shoots really well and the trigger was good enough to have been left factory stock. I am very happy with it. The two stage (military style) trigger take up is a tiny tad disconcerting but I am learning to live with it.
The barrel cleans easily and the point of impact does not "walk" with Prairie Dog style rate of fire!
What more could I ask for?
And I think the Ruger 77 V/T is an attractive and well balanced Varminter! I was happy with the value I got for the dollars I spent on it.
Long live Ruger!
I bought a Remington 700 Sendero (long action Varminter) in caliber 270 Winchester about 3 1/2 years ago now. It has the heavy Varmint contour 26" barrel and its a slingful. This rig is so accurate and so dependable though that I just love it! I have killed 4 Mule Deer and 4 Antelope with it along with a couple of Coyotes! I would give you the number of shots I used to take these animals with but some would consider it a form of braggadoccio! I wholeheartedly endorse the Sendero style Rifles for Big Game Hunting on the high plains and the foothills!
Connoiseur is spelled C-O-N-N-O-I-S-E-U-R.
I had to look it up - LOL!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy