Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What's wrong with the 6.5 market?

And the fact that most moderate 6.5mm rifles are only burning 40-45gr of powder and don't necessitate a 24" barrel.

There was a run of 24" SPS 700 rifles in 260 not long ago. I bought one. A guy could put one in an Edge stock and wind up around 6.5lbs before optics. The factory stock actually didn't weigh much either.

Kimber Montana is going to have a 22 incher. I can probably live with that. I'd rather have a .260 than a Creed, and from what I can determine the accuracy of most Montanas is not great.

Why can't a guy buy a 6.5 off the shelf that weighs less than/equal to 6.5 lbs and has a 24" barrel?

What is a faux ti? A M700 with mods to make it lighter? That's possibly where I'll end up. Still a semi-custom.

In other news, Kimber is chambering the Montanas in 6.5 Creedmoor this year, so that should meet your needs.

What is a faux ti? A M700 with mods to make it lighter? That's possibly where I'll end up. Still a semi-custom.

I don't think many of the suggestions above have a 24" tube, save for the Faux and the Weatherby?

It's odd to me this doesn't seem to exist. It seems like the perfect combination for a 260 rem/6.5 Creedmore. Maybe most folks don't mind losing 100-200fps?

The web site states it will be a 12 twist. Hope that was a typo.

Yeah, let's hope so.

Sako 85 260 stainless synthetic.

6 3/8th lbs

http://www.eurooptic.com/sako-85-finnlight-st-260-rem.aspx#tab-2

Why can't a guy buy a 6.5 off the shelf that weighs less than/equal to 6.5 lbs and has a 24" barrel?

I'm getting older. I'm planning to migrate from elk hunting do deer. I don't really want a 9/10lb rifle for that. In the next year or so, I'd like to pick up a lightweight 6.5 that has some physical appeal (Rules out Tikka) and is capable of delivering at 600yrds. I've been trolling around on the production market, and I don't see it.

I assume all of the "light" rifles prefer to go with a short barrel because they're easier to make in a slim contour and still achieve some accuracy?

Seems like a great little cartridge. It really makes more sense to me (Biased by living in the west and reloading) than many more popular rounds (.243, 7mm-08, 308, .270).

It remains odd to me that there is little market demand for a 24" .260 Rem...at least few offered.

It really makes more sense to me (Biased by living in the west and reloading) than many more popular rounds (.243, 7mm-08, 308, .270). Maybe I'm just bored and want something different?

I think my M85 Finnlight 260 was about a half pound lighter than the spec. Still clocks good numbers with the 20 inch barrel. I have a couple of M85 hunters, and I only shoot them at the silhouette range. They have a couple more inches of barrel, but weigh substantially more. No need for long barrels or magnum cartridges in mt area. Weight is a bigger issue.

These are MY thots on your subject:

A. How many S A cartridges with 24" blls. have been produced/accepted in the mfg. business. For MANY yrs it has been the 'norm' for S A - non mag cartridges to have 22" blls.

The 'short fat' or S A mag rifles have only come into vogue in relatively recent times.

B. Could it be ? the more popular rounds have had many yrs. to get 'entrenched'? Most of US here are loonys and MOST of the gun market buyers are NOT.

The more popular rounds accomplish the jobs for the majority of hunting situations by the average hunter SO...

why should they be looking for 'little better' ballistics when many don't know what ballistics means??


Jerry

A titanium screwdriver is still a screwdriver. Same for rifles. 260's easily dupes/exceeds some 270 ballistics, and a 270 easily dupes/exceeds some 7Mag ballistics.

And I highly doubt an extra 2" of barrel on a 260 or 6.5 Creed will add 100-200fps to the velocities realized by a 22" barrel. 100fps would be pushing it, as these are fairly efficient chamberings.

Most people aren't buying 'titanium' screwdrivers.

Remington TRIED to sell the 260 as you mention---the public does NOT buy it. MAYBE in 'some' applications with smaller mono bullets the 260 MIGHT outdo the 270 but I can give many instances where it CAN NOT.

In most NORMAL loads the 270 does NOT exceed 7 Mag ballistics.

I know we have new powders and mono bullets we didn't use to have but that's not apples TO apples.

You may buy it>>>>I don't

YMMV

Jerry

An ADDENDUM:

The buying public are NOT handloaders and so can not avail themselves of some advantages.

We handloaders are not given sufficient priority for them to supply US with brass, bullets, and primers for our needs.

The factory rifle mfgrs are not supplying rifles for US loonys and so TILL that changes our options are 'custom' or semi-custom builds.


Jerry

Trick is you gotta build you're own dump truck. I say if you've the time, have at it.

An ADDENDUM:
... so TILL that changes our options are 'custom' or semi-custom builds.

Jerry

Thanks for all of the interesting replies. It remains odd to me that there is little market demand for a 24" .260 Rem...at least few offered. Remington doesn't offer many chamberings for this round in any conformation. Seems like a great little cartridge. It really makes more sense to me (Biased by living in the west and reloading) than many more popular rounds (.243, 7mm-08, 308, .270). Maybe I'm just bored and want something different?

I plan to surf around for a few months and see what turns up on the used market. I may try to build one out of a M700, but more likely, I'll try to find a Sako M85 Stainless Synthetic. At 22" and change, it's probably an adequate compromise. I like Sako rifles. The fit/finish on the ones I've looked at seems to be superior to most I see. I'm somewhat intrigued by Kimber, but the Montana's I've looked at were just so/so for finish and I'm not convinced they will be as accurate as a Sako or semi-custom Rem. The 12 twist would be a deal breaker if that's true. I will try to take a look at the X-bolt, but for whatever reason, I've never been crazy about Browning in the past.

Send ShortActionSmoker a PM and ask him if they still have any of the Superlight Tikkas in 260. I bought one back this last fall and love it. The barrel is 22 inches and change, but it is a great shooter and a pleasure to carry.

Good luck.

And I highly doubt an extra 2" of barrel on a 260 or 6.5 Creed will add 100-200fps to the velocities realized by a 22" barrel. 100fps would be pushing it, as these are fairly efficient chamberings.