Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 260 vs 6.5 Swede

Is the .260 the same as a 6.5 Swede? I am thinking about a .260 with a 22" barrel, but cannot seem to find one. The exception being a Kimber America 84M, but again none to be found as yet. Would I be gaining anything over a 7M-08. Seems as though the .260 has better sectional density.
thanks.

Modern equivalent...



They are all about equals...



Many SD's are better in the 6.5mm...



The .260's are sweet little rifles that are mild kickers much like most from .243 thru .308



Mike

San Antonio,

Just my opinion here...

But the 6.5x55mm Swede exudes class. The 260 Remington sounds like a cheap knock-off on the original.

...no ballistics or data to add, just a personal preference.

All standard disclaimers apply. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

They are pretty close balisticly. The swede has slightly more case capacity, swedish mausers and the winchester model 70 in 6.5x55 have a longer chamber throat than a .260 So you can use 140gr 160 gr bullets in the swede and not have the bullets seated down into the brass looseing even more case capasity as a .260 . The .260 will have the bullet seated down into the case looseing powder capacity because of the 260 short throat.



Plus like BW says the 6.5x55 has Class



Rick

I agree the Swede is a must have! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />




mike

The Swede sound nice, but I am looking for a short action. Doesn't sound like the 6.5 Swede is a short action (?) Anyone have experience with Kimber rifles?
Thanks for all the replies.
Michael

ROTR: that is one pretty rifle! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I love my Mosins but, sad to say, they are ugly. Wrapping them in burlap helps a little but nothing is ever gonna make a Russian as pretty as a Swede (rifles, that is).

The 6.5 Swede is very popular in Scandanavian countries as a big game cartridge. Accurate and effective, it oozes class. Sometimes the oldies really are goodies.

Well, it really is only a matter of preference. If the 260 Rem works for you, then by all means go for it. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Not too sure about which cartridges come in which manafactures action length.

Good Luck...

ROTR,

You know what they say about 'great minds'!




<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Remington makes the 260 with 22" barrels in the m700 LSS Mtn. rifle and the Mtn Rifle DM...Ruger makes 22" 260's in the m77 mk2, and Browning used to make a 22" A-Bolt....If you're not hung up on barrel length, Rem makes the 20" Model Seven, and Ruger makes the 16.5" barrel m77 compact...

Though all standard disclaimers apply, which serve to make me look less stupid when someone contradicts a glittering generality, I believe you'll find the 6.5X55 wrapped in a "standard" action length. I don't have my reloading manual here with me, but I believe the Overall Length of the 6.5X55 is about 3.1 inches, plus or minus. Though it's shorter than the '06 class, it's longer than the .308 class, so it's housed in the longer action.

The Kimber had a spotty start a couple of years ago, and I haven't heard mucn about them for awhile. Pretty rifles, though I think I'd be hesitant to buy a short action, Controlled Round Feed until a lot of folks have blessed its reliability.

Jaywalker

The 260 and the 6.5x55 are very similar - in some ways. The 6.5x55 is for long actions and the chambers typically have a long lead so the 140+ bullets can be seated out further. This allows the Swede to get a little more velocity than the 260 with the heavier bullets, but prevents seating the lighter bullets close to to the lands like you can with the 260.
In 22" barrels, the Swede will move a 140 grain bullet about 2750 fps where as the 260 will generally move them around 2650. With 120 and lighter bullets, the difference isn't as drastic. If you want a short action, the 260 is your answer.

As far as sectional density and the 7mm-08. The 6.5 mm, 140 grain bullet has a high sectional desity, but it is similar to the heavier (160+) 7mm bullets. The 140 & 160 grain bullets have been "The" bullets for the 6.5's since thier incarnation. Recently, people are finding the 120 - 129 grain bullets perform great in the 6.5's despite their lower sectional density. The 7mm-08 made it's mark with the lower sectional density(compared to the 6.5's) 140 grain bullet. If you want the higher sectional density, load 175 grain bullets in your 7mm-08.

As a deer cartridge, very little difference can be recognized between the 7mm-08 and the 260. The 7mm-08 does have a greater selection of factory rounds though. I'm a bit of a 6.5 nut and have quite a few different chamberings in that caliber, however when someone asks advice on what "deer" cartridge to get, I always recommend the 7mm-08 for it's wide range of rifles available and factory loads.
John

Hey Antonio

GSp7 and BW have it right. I have sweades and both of my best shooting rifles are the 6.5x55. the first one is a 1902Yr sweade 96 drilled and tapped for a 18 power scope and I smoke chucks at 500yds the other is an encore. JD Jones at ssk made the barrel, full bull shillen 26incher and I ring my bell at 600 yds every shot. ( i have an orange bell at 600yds )
the bell rings I hit a 12" target this prevents me from walking the 600 yds and read the paper. The sweade is the only one for me and relaced my 06. The 260 rem is a 308 brass necked down to .264 or 6.5,big deal all a 264 wim mag is a 458 necked down ect........ The sweade can take the heavier bullits. the next thing is why do people need a bolt action rifle I have an encore and I can add any barrel and contour any length any time so why a bolt action rifle???
cut to fit
trigger job
friend forever
encore

Bearbeater

If you want a short action rifle in 6.5mm, there isn't a sweeter looking or handling factory direct package than the 700 LSS Mountain Rifle. Typical wholesale is around $550 and there are usually several of them for sale on the Gunbroker, GunsAmerica, or Auctionarms sites anytime that you look. If you buy a 700 LSS Mountain Rifle and want more speed, it is cheap and easy to rechamber to 6.5-284 and add a couple of hundred FPS.

Before the 260 was introduced in 1997, I was shooting most of my deer with a very nice Winchester 70 Fwt and loving it. Since 1997 I have shot most of my deer with a variety of 260s and love it still. The Remington 120 grain BT and 125 grain Partition factory loads have shot good groups in all but 1 rifle that I have had. That rifle had an A&B barrel that never did shoot to its potential. The same rifle with an air-gauged Douglas shoots small, small, groups with the 95 grain V-Max.

SD and BC numbers are very similar between 6.5/264 and 7/284, so the choice of 260 or 7mm-08 is more a matter of personal preference than a matter of meaningful "in the field" performance.

Being the 260Remguy that I am, I am trying to be objective. If the 260 hadn't been introduced, I would probably be shooting the same Winchester 70 Fwt, but rechambered from 6.5x55 to 6.5-284, since I don't have a need for a 6.5mm bullet weighing more than 140 grains.

Jeff

I have a Remington Mountain rifle and a Ruger compact in 260. Not sure which I like best but I like them both a LOT. Definitely my go to guns for deer. JMHO TM

I was hoping that bait would work <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Not only do they look and feel good..Mine is very accurate. My buddy, who I'll admit is a much better shot than me shot a couple of 1.5" groups at 100yds w/ the issue Irons...It's a moderate charge of RL-22 and Sierra 142gr MK's...Still gets about 2,800 fps <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I should be ashamed for not shooting it more than I have...

Mike