Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What rifles are available in .260 Rem.

MidwayUSA does have 22 varieties of factory loaded 260 ammo, but how often do you find 260 ammo from Black Hills (x2), Cor-Bon (x4), Grizzly (x2), HSM (x1), or Nosler (x6) on store shelves? I could be wrong, and even though times are changing, it has been my experience that "the average hunter" buys his/her ammo at brick & mortar stores, not on-line. I doubt that "the average hunter" who doesn't reload would find the 260 a very attractive choice, even if rifles were easily available, 'cause of the high cost and low "on the shelf" density of factory ammo. Why buy a rifle chambered in 260 when Federal 243, 270, 308, and 30-06 factory ammo can be found at many Wal-Marts for less than $20 per box?

When the problem of a low number of factory chambered rifles in 260 is compounded with the lack of access to reasonably priced factory ammo there just isn't much hope for the 260's long term success. Nope, as a viable factory loaded cartridge, the 260 is pretty much TOAST.

JEff

A short barreled .260 is the T*Ts. I have a Remington model 7 youth that I bought recently for the wife. It is the same as any model 7 w/ 18.5" barrel and a 12.5" LOP (I think). This factory setup up with the short barrel (POS in some shooters eyes) and a Leupold VX3 2.5-8X36 in a Leupold 1 piece and rings shoots under 1 inch all day at 100 yards. This is with the Remington Core-Lokt 140gr PSP ammo.


Why is everyone so quick to put down a stock rifle (with a short tube) shooting factory ammo (especially Remington)? Buy a gun that you like and shoot it, there aren't many centerfires out there that will not accurately kill north american big game.

Exactly! That's why I find it hard to flipping believe the Ruger in near new (possibly unfired) condition that I have in the classifieds is still out there!

..................Very simple. On most if not all threads where shorter tubes are discussed, those who don`t like short barrels complain about excessive noise/muzzle blast and also complain about the so-called lack of rifle balance. Some velocity loss notwithstanding.

Nevermind, that when firing the kill shot, the rifle fore-end is always placed on or placed against something for muzzle stability. When shooting freehand, then rifle balance certainly comes into play.

And then after some investigative prodding, it is common to find out, that the majority of hearing loss cases caused by shooting, came from shooting "longer barreled" rifles without wearing any hearing protection either at the range or in the field. Aah haa! So most, not all, but most, who complain about the short tubes, have never owned one in the first place.

Unless I missed it, I have yet to read one post, where anyone has had some degree of hearing loss due to consistently shooting a shorty tubed rifle. And if they were shooting such a rifle and did lose some hearing,,,,,then who`s fault is that?

Sometimes in certain situations, the pot does call the kettle black.

Shorter tubed rifle on average are louder. Fact.

Whether hearing loss is a side effect is on you.

I don't like rifles that are significantly out of balance to the front or rear and think that balance is a more important component to general "shootability" than is weight. IOW, a heavier rifle that is nicely balanced works better for me than a light rifle that is poorly balanced. Most Remington 7s are out of balance to the rear, butt-heavy, because of the 18.5" and 20" feather-weight barrels. There isn't anything "so-called" about balance, as it is a subjective criteria that is measurable. About 1/2 of my Remington 600s, 660s, and 7s have had longer barrels installed and I find that, for me, the longer barrels almost always improve the balance of those rifles. However, I recognize that things that I think are important, like neutral balance in the a rifle/scope package, might fall much lower on another guy's hierarchy.

I don't have significant hearing loss, 'cause I wear ear plugs at the range and in the field, if I'm going to be shooting a lot of rounds, like on a pdog shoot, or in the duck blind if other folks are going to be shooting a lot of rounds around me.

JEff

Nice Classic select Kimber on Gunbroker right now. I'd hammer it if I could but alas no funds for one currently. I like the montana package better but the wood stocked Kimber 84m fits me better naturally.

My fault on bringing up the stubby barrel issue and I apologize. Reason was that some time ago I read an article on the .260 when it first came out and the main focus was that it was hindered by velocity lost in the short barrel of the Rem M7. Must have been a subconscious slip. I own a M77 carbine with a 16.5" barrel in .223 and honestly love the rifle. It is ideal for the varmint hunting I do and I have taken a couple of deer with it. And if I happen to sell a rifle or two of my own I will PM Fatjack34 about his Ruger.

...Brinky........Imo, you were not at fault for anything, so no need for you to apologize.

I believe that I read that same article on the 260 M7 quite awhile ago as well. Cannot remember who the writer was though.

In terms of the velocity loss #s from the shorty tubes, one of these days, I`d really like to know what these darn writers deem or define as a velocity "hindrance."

Because if the 16.5" barreled M77 Ruger compacts (like yours) and M77 Frontiers are anything similar to my own Frontier (losing only 4.5% in total velocity on average to the 24" barrels tested), then how can that writer or any writer back then, claim a "hindrance" from a longer 20" barreled M7 chambered in a 260, especially when that percentage of loss will certainly be less than 4.5%.

I guess certain writers back then, thought that such small velocity percentage reductions, were a big "HINDRANCE" or a handicap in the field when it comes to hunting the same game at the same distances.......A hindrance?......Bullcrap!

That`s like saying one is hindered to a degree using a 300 Win, so ya better use a 300 Weatherby instead?......:D

Along with a few laughs, I really get a big kick out of some writers.

In that case, the 6.5Worthless/Creedmore is an even WORSE choice. There are only 2-3 loads for it thru the mailorder places, so seeing it at a local Wal-mart or Dicks isn't going to happen.

I agree about buying a 308 or 30-06 if factory ammo is your only means of getting ammo for you gun. But, who travels away from home with only 1 box of ammo to hunt with? When I head to NC for my yearly deer hunt, I carry 50rds for both guns and then I never have to worry about ammo availability.

Im liking the short barreled Ruger UL, its 20" tube balances about right, granted its a Roberts, but I gotta think the little 100 TSX @3100 will be serious WT deer medicine.
The little rifle is so handy You can almost shove in the front pocket of Your jeans.

Gunner

I have loaned my spare rifle to guys who forgot to bring their less common ammo on hunts more than once. Most recently to a guy from OH who forgot his 6.5x55 ammo when on a whitetail hunt in eastern CO. He called around and found that the nearest 6.5x55 ammo was located in Denver, a 5 hour round trip drive from the Wray/Holyoke area. The point being that anybody can forget to bring their ammo and having a rifle that is chambered for a less common cartridge, with less common factory ammo options.

JEff

..............Oh! But at 3100 fps, you are soooo damn "hindered"... ......NOT!

Yes yes hinderence, thats the word I was lookin' for,

I cant wait to try this little rifle out on WT deer next year.

Gunner

I put a 21" shilen SS tube on my Sako, perfect balance. Throws 100gr BT's at 3175.

Or, you could just get a 7mm-08 and be done with it.

Although, having said that, I keep thinking about a Savage in 6.5x284.

I'll never understand why prefectly useful cartridges like the 260 never get the love they deserve??

If you own a 260, you don't need a 243 or 270 anymore.

I'll agree with you, Dan. There is no reason for the 260 to go away, and frankly it surprises me a little to hear some say it is on the decline. I was kinda thinking just the opposite, but mebbeso I'm wrong. From all the talk it gets and all the good reports, I kinda thought it was taking off.

You can find the occasional Styer Safe Bolt on Gunbroker in .260 w/Walnut stock. I have one in stainless and one in blue. (I have a friend who has a new Steyr .260/Walnut/blue for sale if anyone is interested) Both are one hole rifles. I also lucked into a Kimber 84 and a custom Atkinson mauser on GB.