Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Has the .260's hair turned red?

As in red headed stepchild? I was toying with the idea of getting a .260 Remington but as I started looking at the big on-line dealers for dies and components I can't find anything but Lapua, Norma or Nosler brass. Even Hornady doesn't seem to make it but they make lots of 6.5 Grendel, 6.5 CM, 6.5X55 and even 6.5-284 cases, heck they even make .275 Rigby cases. But nada, zippo for the .260 that I can see. Remington makes brass but apparently hasn't for awhile, but that's pretty true of a lot of their brass. Even Prvi doesn't make any.

Seems the poor .260 has been abandoned and left to fend for itself. Now, that quality brass is fine but I still haven't wrapped my mind around paying over $1 per case. Basically I'm cheap and don't mind sorting through the plebeian stuff to get good cases.

So, given that this new rifle whim takes root, what's the better way to go to make .260 brass? Neck up .243 which is plentiful and still reasonable or neck down .308 which is even more plentiful and reasonable? I've never formed one case from another except to make .250 AI cases from .22-250 brass and I fire formed with COW to make those. Kind of thinking that might be easier except it would cost some primers and Unique.


Added: Yeah, I know, get a 6.5 Creedmoor. I would in a heartbeat but for some unearthly reason firearm manufacturers don't make a plethora of left handed Creedmoors. There are still some LH .260 Tikkas in stock for dirt cheap prices and that's what I was looking at.

243 to 260 is the easiest one there is. just lube and run em through. zero case loss.

I would neck down 7-08 brass or neck up 243 if you don't wanna pay for premium....

Just buy the Lapua brass... it's worth the extra 30%

Jim
If I was doing(making) 260 cases I would use 7-o8 brass and this avoid any problems should some one pick up one of your modified cases and try to shoot it. 260 in a 7-08 no problems, some idiot might try the other way. Just my take. YTMV Cheers NC

I've made thousands of 260 cases from new Hornady, Norma, and Winchester/Olin 243 brass. Heck, I probably have 1,000 rounds of loaded 260 ammo on the shelf that all has 243 headstamps. I'm pretty sure that the only brass that I have with 260 headstamps came to me as Remington and Speer factory ammo.

northcountry,

Apparently you've never tried to run a .260 round through a .243. If you did, you'd find they can't come anywhere close to chambering.

Are you sure? Have you tried using a teenager?

I just picked up one of those Tikka T3 closeouts.

My plan is to use 7-08 brass. Found some WW cases at Sportmans Whorehouse last nite. Need to order some Lapua - it's really worth the moolah.

243 brass is as cheap and plentiful as most.

Lapua, Norma and Nosler make good brass, it's not too hard to find either. If people would actually buy and use 260 Rem brass instead of using 7mm-08 or 243 there would probably be a lot more on the shelf.

I have enough 260 Remington brass to keep my freezer full, but if I didn't, I'd likely buy some 243 to run through a sizing die. I have a 6mm remington, but no 243, so it wouldn't cause any problems hereabouts.

imho,
Only with Lapua brass being available at .90 cents a case would there be a serious discussion about the .260 Remington slipping into obscurity. To say nothing of Norma or Nosler's Norma Head Stamped version. Add proper annealing, AMP or the like, and amortize the price of Lapua brass over the long haul and I suspect it would significantly out pace Remington for value. If it is for a deer rifle then 100 cases will likely last for the rest of your life. If it is for competition you simply have to color your case head with an odd color sharpie and pick up your brass. Attrition will happen, however, we live in an age of plenty when it comes to just about anything 6.5mm related. How this discussion is seriously posed is beyond me... With all due respect.

Regards, Matt.

I just use 308 WIN. cases.

They work and i have more of them than any other.

For years 260 fans complained of the lack of quality brass available.

Now the brass is too good. Sheeeesh......

Not to put too fine a point on it, but you don't need to amortize anything. When you're on your death bed, add up the money you have in the bank and chances are it'll be enough that you could've bought a couple hundred Lapua cases and lived high on the hog.

While we are on the subject, if anyone would like to trade me 50-60 Lapua 260 Rem brass for same in 308 Win, please PM me...

The 260 is in no danger of extinction around here.

I bought a pair of Model 77 MK II all weathers in 260 many years ago. Gave one to my son. Mine is now out getting a new Kreiger tube in........260.

I have 200 pieces of Lapua brass sitting on the shelf with 120 gr SMK and 123 Scenars waiting in the wings.

260 brass has always been a bit tough to find. About half of my old brass is stamped 7-08. I would rather neck down than up, as it allows one to leave a false shoulder on virgin hulls to ensure positive headspace.

I have been known to neck up two steps and neck down one with virgin brass.

Those 123's are skookum in the 260, in case you haven't tried 'em yet.

Since Lapua brass is available, the redhead is looking really good!

Otherwise, neck down 7-08 with a false shoulder and you'll never run dry.