Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting 6.5x284 vs. 260

I am planning my first long range rifle build off a remington 700 long action or short action and was wanting some advice on which one to build. The rifle will be used for coyotes, deer, antelope, and lots of milk jugs and steal plates. I am planning to shoot the 130 grain berger VLD bullets. Which one would you build and why?

A long action will let you seat the bullets out further.

I have built a dozen in the last year. (6.5x284 Norma) and all have been very accurate and easy to load for. All customers that I've built them for are all using about the same load. Many of us compete with them at our local club shoots. A little more velocity than the 260. We are all running about 2950 fps with 140 VLD's, 51-52 grains H4831sc. Not even close to max pressure. I use a reamer from PTG with a no turn neck and about .188 fb. Barrels are 8 twist 3 grooves, most from Benchmark. They do require a long action, unless your going to single shoot it. Good luck with your desicion.

I wrestled with the same question and settled on the .260. I do so little shooting beyond 300yds that I just don't need the velocity. I also did not want the shorter barrel life of the 6.5x284.

My 'smith builds a lot of the 6.5x284s and they really shoot.

My .260 is a short action with a Wyatt box. This allows me to shoot 140gr Matchkings with the bullet not too deep into the case.

Hey 405, when you say short barrel life what are you hearing?

6.5x284 and shoot 140's

6.5x284 on a long action, 8 twist barrel no less than 25", and Lapua brass. You'll be able to hit Plevna.

If single shot, LA with at least 25 inch barrel in 6.5x284. H4831 sc works well for me with 142 grain bullets. 1000 to 1500 rounds dpending on how you push them. SA limits potential in the 6.5x.284 and even in the .260.

This is just me but long action I'd go 6.5/06 and shorty I'd go .260. I've never quite seen the concept of a hotdog in a footlong bun...

Dober

Just go buy a Savage 6.5X284 with Accutrigger, you will be very happy with it.

My feelings as well, except I would maybe substitute the 6.5x284 for the 260 and think long about a 264 WinMag on a long action. But a short action ctg in a long action? Never thought it a good plan and actually, to my way of thinking, counter productive.

Long action, 6.5-284, 26' and 140's.

Just more gun. Mine liked 140's a lot better than 130's. Give Vv 165 a try. It is my go to powder in the 6.5-284 and repprtedly the choice of some competitors. I'm just a hunter.

DF

For the buck, probably a good idea. I don't own a Savage but have shot them. They're a tad homely for my taste but may represent the most performance out of a box and for the cost, currently on the market.

DF

Laker,

I'm going to throw a wild card into the mix.

6.5x47 Lapua in short action.

I've got two. Love them both. With my first, I settled on the 130 VLD and 40.2-40.8 (depending upon lot #) gr of H4350 capped with the CCI 450 primer. Run's 2850 fps with a 26" Krieger 1:8.5 barrel. I read where many people run faster velocity with same load. 1/2 MOA groups (i'm a 1/2 MOA shooter so load does better than I do) even after 1300+ rounds. Throat stopped getting longer at 800 rounds.

The 2nd runs the 140 VLD. I run 42.1 gr of Rel 17 for 2962 or 44.5 to 45.5 gr of Hunter for 2868 to 2908 fps. It also has a 26" tube but a Broughton 1:8. I've only got about 500 rounds through it.

Here's the interesting part that pushes me to tell you about choosing the -47 case instead of your first two choices. I've yet to trim the brass. It simply has not needed it. It's a no brainer. I've also never run out of magazine length chasing the throat as it wears. My first rifle, with .080" of throat wear is just getting to 2.800" OAL. I HATE trimming brass and this little case makes it so I don't have to.

Alan

.260 sa with a wyatts mag.

I shoot a 6.5x284 (Savage M112), but I've heard some guys rage over the 6.5 Creedmore. Might want to look into that too.

Twice the barrel life with a .260. Most 6.5X284 tubes are toast after 1000 rounds. High price for 150fps.

That's probably less a consideration for hunters than target or high volume shooters. A thousand rounds will last most hunters several lifetimes. We don't often hear complaints from Wby. shooters about short barrel life. Those guns are mostly for hunting. I would think a .257 Wby. would burn a barrel a heap faster than a 6.5-284.

Another way to look at it. Shoot what you like, barrels are expendable commodities...

DF

Amen to that, and that's the reason I'll stick with the .260 (probably...grin). Now the 260 AI, that's another bet....

Ok ok,so I'm hopeless

Dober