Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .260 Rem effective killing range

I have a chance to pick up a .260 in a very nicely accurized Remington 1st generation Ti from the original owner. It is truly a sweet rifle that I'd like to own, and I only have one simple concern.

I would likely want to take this gem on one of the sheep/goat hunts that I have been building points so long for, and wonder what kind of killing distance I will be able to get out of it for these type critters.

I have been told that it is a good 300 yard deer gun, but I believe it can be loaded with the right bullet to extend that range for a consciensous shooter willing to wait for the right shot.

I have other lightweight rifles that can do the job, but would like to know what you guys think... can I make this little bugger work for me out to 500 yards? Have you experimented with the heavier bullets? I like Accubonds a lot... will the 130 or 140 do what I need? or should I attempt to go heavier?

Thanks for your imput, gentlemen.

I think your long range shooting success will depend more upon your skill level than the rifle.
People used .260 Remington quite a bit for NRA Highpower and it was good at 600 yds. Hunting bullets at unknown distances could be another story.
Try it at 500 yds. on paper and see what kind of results you get.
That is the only way you will truly find out what you and your rifle are capable of.
Good Luck,
whelennut
PS Maybe you can enter an F class competition match and after you shoot it at 600 yds. there will be no doubt in your mind if you want to take a shot at a game animal that far away or not!

The real question is are you good to 500 yards? The chambering is not likely the limiting factor in this case.

The only bighorn sheep I ever killed was at 34 yards broadside and took a broadhead thru the lungs. My mountain goat this year was around 220 or so yards. I'd comfortably take a 260 Remington hunting anywhere in the west and it would not concern me in the least. Sounds like a nice rig, buy it and good luck getting a tag this year.

Not sure I'd want to gamble a long-awaited hunt to a long distance shot with any rifle, if "anchoring" was a necessary part of the equation as it can be with mountain critters. Power and bullet performance-wise however, the round, like the 7mm and .30 -08, can do 400 easily enough assuming you've done the homework properly. I would worry less about the cartridge (buy the rifle if you want it) and make less than 300 your goal, but make yourself ready for whatever you might encounter.

The cartridge is probably the perfect one for your intended purpose. If it has an 8 twist then the 130 grain Berger Hunter would be a good choice.

The two concerns for long range performance are accuracy, and impact velocity. To my way of thinking, a rifle should have the mechanical accuracy to place shots on a clay target at whatever range you are contemplating taking game. That provides you a little bit of leeway for reading the wind and shot placement from field positions, but not alot of leeway. So if the gun will put hunting bullets in that size of group at 500 yds, it would be a yes on that count.

As far as velocity at impact, my personal thought is I ideally want an expanding bullet to impact at 2000 fps, though some of the more lighty constructed bullets will reliably open down to 1700 fps. A little bit of google indicates a 260 will launch a 120 gr @ ~2700 fps, which depending on BC gives an impact of 1700-1800 fps at 500 yds. 140's launched at 2500 and change arrive at 1600-1700+fps.

So yes, an accurate 260 rem with good bullets and in the right hands can take big game to 500 yds. I have no idea if that paticular gun in your hands will be up to the task.

PS, and no offense intended, but it seems the guys that have ask to question about whether or not a gun is up to the task, have not developed their shooting skills to be proficient at those ranges. The guys that have developed those skills don't seem to need to ask the question as they've already answered it for themselvs.

Maybe you misread what my concern is Mr. whelennut. I'm not worried about the accuracy of this rifle as I have been supplied with the details of the accuracy work done on it and the targets it printed with "factory" ammo used to test it on completion of the gunsmithing work, even though the seller handloads for it. My general understanding is that this caliber is well known for it's accuracy, anyway.

I also have a 700 yard shooting range in my backyard, with two dozen steel plate targets, and when I am home from my offshore job for weeks at a time, my many rifles get a lot of practice fine tuning my shooting skills. (grin) I am a mature hunter and have enough 500 yard plus kills under my belt to be confident in my abilities to deliver a killing shot in an accurate rifle/load combination. Those who know me consider me a bit fanatical concerning my shooting habits and the accuracy demands I place on my equipment and myself.

I have a long history with the 30.06, 7mm RemMag, and 300RUM as my hunting rifle calibers. These are well known and trusted by me and I never have a second thought as I settle in for a shot at a distant animal. They all (progressively) have the power and bullet weight to get the job done at any reasonable distance and on any particular game animal I may use them for. The numerous one shot kills these rifles/calibers have produced for me instill a huge confidence in their "killing" abilities.

The use of the .260 Remington however, is obviously in a different class when it comes to the power and bullet weight factors. My reading leads me to believe that it is quite the little performer, often encouraging comments that it kills better than it should. I realize that the competition shooters use it with confidence out to 1000 yards, and although it's good BC and SD numbers will help it out with terminal performance on game (dependant on the bullet of course), it's the question in my mind of it's medium range (500 yards) killing ability on game up to sheep and mountain goats that I need answered.

I guess I am looking for first hand knowledge from someone who has enough experience taking game at these distances with the caliber or at least with the knowledge of the .260's terminal performance capabilities on "game" and not just it's accuracy on "targets".

Thank You Sir

To specifically address your concern, with the right bullet, and velocity 500yds will be easily accomplished. I have hunted the 260, 260AI, the 6.5x284 the 6.5 Lazzeroni and the 264 Win Mag. All of them progessively more of the same. Personally I would use the 120 TTSX and TSX and if the gun won't shoot that the 125 Nos Part. I like the extra velocity ( and the extra length) of the TTSX or TSX. NO sheep or goat will walk away from it if the shot is properly placed. And you have obviously praticed at that distance. I can't argue with Accubonds, i just like the extra velocity of the 120s. I have also used the 100gr Nos BT bullets with great success...and 3200 out of the 260 AI.
I hope this helps,
Bill

Yes Bill, that's exactly what I asked for. Good, first hand experience & knowledge gained by application. I appreciate that.

I already have 3 of the 1st gen Rem Ti's in larger calibers closer to what I am used to hunting with, and I really like the little rifles a lot. This one has been seriously massaged by HCR and represents a much larger investment than usual, and I didn't want to end up with a high priced little shooter that I stepped over to grab the 300WSM for confidence reasons.

Your positive remarks are what I expected to hear based on what little I had learned about the caliber, and I am at least headed in a positive direction towards making it mine.

Thanks for the info

I'm jealous.

Jeffpg,

I second the opinion of Bill Davis. I've used various smaller 6.5's such as the .260, 6.5x55 and 6.5 Creedmoor out to 400 yards on deer and pronghorn, and they work just fine, with bullets at either end of the expansion spectrum, whether Berger VLD's or Barnes X's. There isn't any reason they would start bouncing off in another 100 yards.

Somebody on this thread suggested that 2700 fps with 120's and 2500 with 140's is all that can be expected with the .260, which is absolute BS. With a 24" barrel 120's can be given around 3000 fps and 140's 2800.

Personaly I would be happy to take a .260 after anything in that size range, and even bigger stuff.

Thanks Mule Deer,

I'm looking at a .615 BC on the 139 grain Lapua Scenar & .612 on the 140 Berger.

The Barnes TTSX was also recommended with it's .443 BC in the 120 grain.

The rifle's owner took 3 Red Stag in Europe, the largest bodied one with a 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip he ran across unexpectedly while hunting Roebuck, but I don't know the distance.

The Ti has a 22 inch tube, but I don't feel a whole lot of velocity will be lost in a couple inches. Actual testing often reveals less velocity loss than the "rule of thumb".

458,

The .260 might even be a little bit better than your research indicates. I have no problem getting 2900+ from 120s, 2850 from 129 & 130s and 2750 with 140s, all from book max or lighter loads from my Low Wall.

Of course, like you and everyone else says, if you can't hit the animal in the vitals at long range, then the rest doesn't matter...

John

Jeffpg,

I haven't used the Scenar, but the 140 Berger VLD works real well, as does the 120 Ballistic Tip--which is a great combination of lots of internal damage and penetration. Though the 140 VLD generally creates even more havoc.

Heck, any of them work pretty well if they land in the right place. Which is what you really wanted to know.

Hi Jeffpg

I use the 260rem on Red Deer here in Australia and load the 120NBT's to 3030fps. It shoots bug hole groups and knocks over red deer with no problem whatsoever. The longest range is about 270 yards but didn't seem to make much difference in terms of killing ability.

An under rated little round.

..........................In a video posted on this forum about three months ago by John Burns, Wayne Van Zwoll used a 6.5 Creedmoor loaded with a 129 gr Horn SST to take a bull elk at 603 yards. The bull scampered around for about a hundred yards including doing a U turn and dropped. A one shot kill.

The Creedmoor and the 260 Remington are right on par with one another in the velocity dept.

Go ahead and get your new 260 Rem.

It will do it if you can.

Jeff,

I killed this large bodied buck at near 560 yards using a 700 Ti in 260 Rem.

Swift S2 130 at 2,900 H4350 45.2 grains.
Lapua 243 brass necked up.
I wouldn't hesitate killing them even further out.
The Ti and the cartridge are more than capable of doing it.



I've shot the barrel out and just found a
m7 20" barrel in 260 that I will be putting on
with an Edge stock. 13" lop, read backpack rifle

In a 22" barrel.
120's at 3,000 760 powder
130's at 2,900 H4350
140's at 2,800 I use RL25

I'd be focused on Scenar 123's..........for sure.

Nice deer............That buck got a belly like me