For those of you who shoot or have shot one of the above calibers, which one should I select for my next purchase and why? Looking for a lite hunting rifle for general use in the CONUS. Meaning whitetails, hogs, black bear, elk?, coyotes.... curious about "on game" performance and bullet selection as well. Also, resale.

I have larger calibers in heavier guns so that is why I want a lite rifle. Perhaps 7lbs rigged?

thanks

If you reload, flip a coin.

If you don't reload, 7/08.

I do not have nor have I used a 260. That said if I wanted a light rifle for my wife that's probably what I'd get her & load 100 gr bullets.

For myself when looking at ammo availability (even though I load all my own) & talking to local dealers in Natchez, MS area near where I live I went with a 7mm-08. I shoot the 120 gr Nosler BT in it, light recoil with good penetration on the deer I've shot here. I love it for that purpose. To be clear most of my shots are close due to where I hunt. Most of my shots the last few years have been 40- 60 yards with 1 at ~ 20 yards & another ~ 125. One shot kills, through & through penetration on all counts with 120 gr BT at 7mm-08 velocities. The deer in the area I hunt are not that large. If I were purpose hunting bear, hogs, etc. I'd step up to a 140 gr bullet.

The 7mm-08 has worked well for me FWIW. I'm sure the 260 would as well, just haven't tried it.

i've owned both. the 7/08 gets my vote because of availability of ammo and its longevity so far. as for effectiveness on game, its a wash. personally, unless you really want one of them, i'd go with a 308. lots more models available and ammo is cheaper.

I own both... got the 260 first... so I use a lot for hunting..

I hand load....the debate of which is best is like the old 30/30 vs 32 Win Special Campfire arguments of our grand dad's hunting days.....

FWIW, my gunsmith has played around with both since they were wildcats. He says that he cannot tell any difference in their effectiveness on game up to and including elk, nor can his clients for whom he has built rifles. I really like the 7mm-08 and have owned several, two of which I had built. They all reside with my younger daughter and my grandchildren. I have been thinking about getting another one.

Since you said resale is a factor, I vote 7mm-08. A 160 Partition at 2700 should be lethal for any hog, black bear, or elk; in my estimation. And as mentioned, the 120 NBT should cover your deer hunting needs pretty well. It would also do a number on the coyotes you mentioned.

Don't need eather one or want to again

Don't need eather one or want to again

"Don't need eather one or want to again "

Why the hater????

Results on game IME - identical. Both will get the job done. Personally - I like 6.5s and left the 708s for the 260.

As Rancho sd - handload 260, you get a tad less recoil w/130s in 6.5 than a 140 in 7mm, I like the BC/SD on the 130 AB in 6.5 and the #s hold up better than 120 if you are shooting any distance.

260/130 vs 708/140 are about same/same in performance on paper, and in field. Very subtle but to me noticeable difference in recoil.

If one likes 120s, again - is a handloader, I like the 120s in 6.5 over a 7mm. Higher BC/SD which I like on longer shots.

Since elk are in the mix, I'd opt for the 7-08. Aside from that, I have both and hunt with both. their performance on deer sized game is basically the same. Kinda like the difference between a 7mag and a .300WM.
I use 140gr bullets in both of them so that may be a factor. Once you're in the 2600-2900fps bracket, gaining a 100fps by going to a lighter bullet is kinda pointless IMO.

pretty much, my wife and daughter use a 7-08 and i use a 260 for all the same hunting......interchangeable....why we use two different? the Rem Seven youth rifle the girls like only came in 7-08 and i traded into the Kimber 84M Montana in 260....woulda took a 7-08 or 308 had i come across one of them but found the 260 first....

As soon as you added elk to the mix my vote went to the 7mm08!

You can say that again.

Persackly.....

I like the 100gr bullet coming out of the .260 at 3200fps+. That is practically 25-06 velocity. Between 120 and 140gr, there is no difference. But at 150 gr and above the advantage shifts to the 7-08. So antelope and deer-go .260. Deer and elk, go 7-08. Can't offer an opinion re hogs, as I have no experience with them.

I've used both and would hunt with either for all the above mentioned game and would include elk and moose! A 140 Partition in either will handle it all!

Yep. Was looking for a 7mm-08 bbl for the Rem 725 SA. Came up with a .260 Rem 700 TI that screwed on nearly perfectly (the barrel stampings are exactly upside down).. but after lug lapping, the headspace was perfect - just on the tight side of the guage, but chambers all factory ammo. And I neck-size reload for it...

I'm happy. A caribou, an elk, and a wolf over a 6 week span had their day ruined.. I'm looking to add a moose to the run some season plus some repeats...

PS - it has the ugliest factory stock I've ever seen....

What will a 7/08 do, that a 260/120 Barnes won't do - on elk?

7/08 120TTSX @3129fps...extremely accurate out of my x-bolt. Good luck in your decision.

Remington is coming out this year with the Mountain rifle again. Scroll down a little on this link.

http://gunwriter.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/new-remington-rifles-for-2012/

Here is what is currently available:
� 84276 7mm-08 Remington
� 84277 308 Win
� 84272 25-06 Remington
� 84273 270 Win
� 84274 280 Remington
� 84275 30-06 SPRG

I don't know if the production has started yet, but looks like a great rifle. Local shop is reporting about $875 retail for it when it becomes available.

In that range I would want a .308 Winchester first due to its popularity, availability of ammo and the ability to shoot a larger bullet.

I have/had all three and if varmints were on the list and you handloaded then the 95gr Vmax is a neat bullet to shoot from the 260 however that cartridge is just about dead.

You have so much stupid in you, you'll never use it up.

Having hunted with a .260 hand loaded with 120 ttsx and 125 gr NP's , it will kill all those things you want to kill, but as in every caliber precise placement is key. If I want to go .284 then I step up to my 280AI.
260 84M- 6lbs, 6oz
280AI 84 L- 7 lbs, 2 ozs.

Both are light and easy to carry.

Funny thing happened today. Went to the range and they had a Rem 700 Mountain LSS (#26285)in 7/08 on consignment. Paid $600 for a lightly used gun. Not to say I wont buy a 260 later on but could not pass on the price.

thanks for the comments.

Put that in a McEdge and you'll be rocking a pretty slick rig.

You really are that stupid aren't you

His stupid is strong. Very strong..

I've owned and hunted with both 260s and 7-08s in Remington M7s, and my bud hunted with his Tikka 7-08 (and me), and he just bought a like-new Rem 788 in 7-08. In fact, we sighted in the 788 just tonight. Nice rifle! Both calibers make excellent deer rifles. The 7-08 makes a bigger hole and throws a bit heavier bullet. The 260 recoils a bit less. I would get the 260 if its for a young or recoil-sensitive person, though the 7-08 definitely does not kick hard. I would choose the 7-08 if game larger than deer were in the plans, but the 260 will also kill game larger than deer. The choice of rifle is probably more important than the choice between these two cartridges. I think a Kimber 84M Montana in 260 or 7-08 would be sweet as honey. My 260 was a Rem M7SS which is a lot like the Montana, only just a little bit heavier. The Montana might operate just a bit smoother due to CRF. If it isn't real smooth right out of the box, a couple light, judicious strokes with a jeweler's file finished with fine Emery cloth will make it so in just a few minutes. The Remingtons feed real smooth but you do have to apply just a little more force when closing the bolt to cam the extractor over the rim (the cartridge feeds up under the extractor during chambering on CRF rifles). With my bud's 788 you have to push the bolt forward with the heel of your hand to make the extractor engage the cartridge rim because it has less camming action than the twin-front-lug M7s and 700s. My Rugers are smooth as butter.

Sorry to ramble. I love talking rifles.

I dropped off an arm load of stuff Friday with Ga Precission. You'd better warn them about those .260s. They said they can't keep one on the shelf for over a few days, and so need to get in touch with reality before they get over stocked!

I have both in several different rifles and can't think of a significant advantage that one has over the other. I just really like hunting with those two cartridges. I set each one up with a different 120-140gr bullet, and let the bullet that a particular rifle is shooting make the decision for me, based on what and where I'm hunting. Even then, with all the excellent bullets available for both, it's a tough decision!

The only real advantage one has over the other is that the 7mm-08 turned out to be so popular after its introduction in 1980 that the .260 never got off the ground.

As a result 7mm-08 ammo and brass are much more widely available, and 7mm-08 brass tends to be more consistent, due to ammo companies replacing their brass-forming dies more often.

If anybody in the 21st century wants to settle on one cartridge for everything from large varmints to elk, the .260 is the theoretical winner. But only rifle loonies have ever heard of the .260, and rifle loonies NEVER own one rifle.

As long as your reload and components can be purchased or made, no cartridge is ever dead. I get a lot of pleaure out of shooting my 256 Newton and no factory ammo or component case have been made for it by any major manufacturer since well before I was born. If my kids wish to do so, they'll likely be able to shoot the 1st Model Newt well into its 2nd Century.

Jeff

PS - Ranco Loco is 100% on target, you really do have so much stupid in you, that you'll never use it up. Anybody who would willingly travel to Vermont to hunt for deer for other than the social aspect has got to have a screw loose somewhere. Other than traveling there to fish in the White River, visit the Ben & Jerry's ice cream plant in Waterbury for a cone, or to get a bowl of clam & mushroom soup at Colatina Exit in Bradford, I can't see much reason to visit VT, unless it was easier to get to somewhere in NH via I-91 than by taking the 2 lanes roads across the river.

I really likey my 6.5 Panther...

Dober

Oh, that's a good one too!

Personally I kinda like the 6.5x55, partly because Lapua and Norma will NEVER quit making really good brass....

If I was going to change my username the top choices would be utah260 or utahB29--they are neck and neck.

I agree with Mule Deer....Kinda hard not too!

Since when did case quality matter when "inherently accurate" cartridges are the subject of the discussion? Heck, load random range brass with 50 grain of cream of wheat that had been soaked in nitroglycerine and the worst bullet that you can think of and a 6.5x55 will probably shoot MOA or better, even with a stiff crosswind!

Jeff

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1270420958/lapua-reloading-brass-260-remington

Lapua and Norma both make brass for the 260 these days, and its never in stock. Impressive for a "dead cartridge" I think what keeps the 260 alive these days is match shooters, and Internet Snipers.

My take on the 260 has never been a secret. Its a lot more flexible than a 243 and does varmints just as well. It kills the hell out of Mule Deer sized critters on down way better than you would think it would. It can kill Elk pretty well too, but I like 30 calibers and bigger for that chore, same with bears. Its just a preference thing...

I doubt you'd ever meet an animal that would know the difference between the two rounds. But the 260 is better

260Remguy,

Your post above contains a very dangerous suggestion. You might consider deleting it so someone doesn't blow himself up.

Jeff - I understand the 'irony' or sarcasm' BUT being this is a pubic forum, there are novice hand loaders that probably aren't familiar with Bullseye, and COULD ignorantly build a BOMB. I hope that doesn't happen.

It was a "tongue in cheek" comment intended to be humorous, but just so that nobody gets a case of the vapors, I changed "bullseye" to "cream of wheat that had been soaked in nitroglycerine" as my propellant of choice. Even a person who was industrial strength stupid would have to work at assembling that load.

That said, IMO anybody dumb enough to put 50 grains of Bullseye into a rifle cartridge case on purpose is a likely candidate to die as the byproduct of his/her own stupidity, Bullseye or no Bullseye.

Jeff

260 Faux Ti 6lbs. 11oz ready to roll...



In the Barnes 120 TSX department the 6.5 gets a little edge. Pretty much a tweener as the 100 Amax will run just shy of 6mm 105's and 140's will run shy of 162's. My 7-08 is a designated 162 slinger now.

I like this pic!

I have 1 of those, a faux Ti made by combining the barreled action from a 700 LSS-MR with the old ADL style 700 Ti stock. Very light and handy, I made 2, a 260 and a 308, both sporting Sightron SII 3-9x42s in Warne mounts. Would have made 1 in 243AI, but the donor barrel never got donated.

Jeff

There was a time when I would have chosen a 7mm-08 over a .260 simply because I've been shooting a 7mm RM for 30 years and have quite a stock of bullets suitable for the 7mm-08.

I also shoot a .280 Rem and a bunch of .30's and the only thing I have under my 6.5-06 is a .257 Bob. I think now a .260 would get the nod.

In either case, I wouldn't worry about one being adequate and the other one less so to a point where an animal would notice.

That's what I did. Was heading down the 243AI route until I figured out how to cobble this together for $350 less.

The 7-08 is dandy for stuff, little...



and big...





Brass is abundant...and

Bullets are excellent - and can be run in the superb 7-08, along with the magnificent 7Mag, the wonderful 7WSM, the terrific 280, and the titillating 280AI.

For me, 7-08 wins for practical reasons in a contest between a couple of dandy cartridges which are neck and neck head to head.

Plus, I'm sentimental about it since it has been so good to me for so many years...grin.

DJ

6.5x55 vs 7x57. Old debate, both work just fine.

Either one would be fine, you would not be able to tell the difference, I been shooting 7 x 57's and 6.5 x 55's for going on 45 years now. And I can't tell the difference. I would go with the 7mm-08 I had a 700 so chambered in the first sporter weight barrels Remington offered. Shot a bunch of white tails with it. Rifle shot well. And then there is the Ammo/brass issue. My old 7mm-08 wore a Steel Tube Weaver Fixed 3 x. It stayed sighted in and I had no problem making shots. People these days put way to much glass on rifles. I rather have a 3x scope and a good pair of Bino's. I like 7 x 42's for the woods and for the open 10 x 42's. the 7 power gets more use these days because of were I live and hunt. My neighbor just mounted a 3x to 9 x in see thru mounts on a Marline 336 30-30. its degrading of a fine rifle.

Thanks Jeff. You did the right thing. Never underestimate stupid.

dj, you always post top-notch pics, and these are no exception, but that first one absolutely made me cry. By far the best hunting picture I have ever seen, anywhere. I don't know you personally but I would bet you are one fine daddy. Kudos to you, sir.

Thank you, sir! My Dad and son and I were prowling around trying to rattle in a buck in West Texas on a big ranch when we jumped that cat. It had to be quick, so I just busted him.

My dad really did smack the shutter at the right time on that picture!

Of course, sometimes he takes them like this, too - which has a charm of its own, IMHO.



We have lots of fun with it...sorry for the Hi-Jack...grin.

DJ

That one is SWEET!!! LOL!

Diameter Weight Description S.D. B.C. CAT#
.264" 120 gr TSX BT .246 .381 26441

.284" 120 gr TSX BT .213 .349 28442


264" 120 gr Tipped TSX BT .246 .443 26430

.284" 120 gr Tipped TSX BT .213 .373 28472

Dan - agree Lapua makes good brass in many 6.5 rounds...

No flies on any modern 6.5 (inc. the 55).

I don't know if I would trust a guy who didn't reload.. unless he has a real good excuse for not being able to...

they are kind of like the guy who would take a Porsche to KMart for Tires and an Oil Change...

Now that's funny!

Have owned, hunted, reloaded and like both; however, if I had to choose one it would be the 260 because I like 6.5s. Otherwise it would be a coin toss.

I keep reading every thread that pops up regarding the 260 and it just makes me sick...the *wait* the *anticipation* knowing my 308 Extreme Weather received by PacNor a month ago, will be transformed into a light-kick'n, bughole shoot'n lazer that will be my primary rifle for all of my hunting as far ahead as I can see.

I have the LapWa brass, the Sceeners, the comp dies...and the associated torture!

I don't think I have ever been as excited over a new acquisition as I have the 260 and sure as hell hope the first buck in the crosshairs, does not fall over dead at the 'mere sight of little killer.

What are the specs on your PN 260 barrel?

They are matching the factory contour, ss super match 8T, 5 groove with six flutes. I plan on trying 123gr Scenar's for bench and steel plates followed 120gr BT's for hunting and only go up to 140's if absolutely necessary for accuracy.

Dave,

Hope you get it soon! I think you'll really enjoy it. I feel your pain. I had a several month wait last year when I had a Win 70 FWT 6.5x55 rebarreled with a Pac-Nor tube. It was well worth the wait!

A lot of good comments in this thread. I'm building a 7-08 and planning to use the 162 Amax as I like to stretch it out but it will depend how it all shakes out and what combination is the most accurate.

If you run the #s, the two cartridges are very equal. The 260 is an couple inches flatter and the 7-08 does better in the wind but their performance is very close.

With Lapua making 260 brass and quality 6.5 bullets available, the cartridge will be around for a while to be sure.

So if this guy wants a light rifle and the .260 is capable of taking the list of critters he listed. I would also include the .257 Bob in this discussion.

The 257 and 6.5x55 are ballistic twins to the 260/7-08 but he didn't mention either as options and did mention 7 lbs all up.

Without reading all of the responses, I imagine I'm just echoing a lot of others when I say either/or.

I had a 7mm-08 built a good while back. I also wanted a 260. Not sure what made me do the 7mm-08 first (too long ago to remember), but could've been just as happy with the other.

After a while, as I slid in to my trimming-down-the-safe mode, I just gradually gave up on the 260 as being too redundant.

My 7mm-08 is my go-to rifle for just about all of my big game hunting nowadays.

I am a 6.5mm kinda guy through and through, BUT I would say buy yourself a 7-08.

Look at his handle- he ain't got a clue. (In my opinion- but then I think the only Savage worth owning is my 30-inch bbled SXS Model B- or maybe a 311. And of course the .22-410 or .22-20.)

I might be a bit biased as well, having worked on a number of Savage rifles - the latest started back in November - I've just got a couple more things to try to make it shoot - and I think it's going to..... but JEEEEEZE!!!!

I was looking for a 7mm-08 barrel for my Rem 721 SA, but what I came up wikth was a .260 Rem TI take-off in .260. I'm happy- it took a caribou, an elk, and a wolf in a 6 week time span, and I've enough confidence in it that I've carried it for moose in brown bear country - not that I've ever had a problem to speak of with brown bears in 30 years hunting that area - but I'm perfectly confident that it will do the job on moose.

Las- curious as to your bullet choice(s).

7mm-08

270-08

270 Redding

I too thought they were great pictures that told a great story. Well done DJ.

The only thing that a .257 Bob has going for it compared to a .260 Rem is nostalgia - a .260 Rem will do everything a .257 Bob will do, and the .260 has a number of advantages over the .257 Bob (e.g., heavier bullets for larger game like the possible elk, bullets with higher BCs). Absent a strong personal attachment to the .257 Roberts or a lifetime supply of .257" bullets stored away, there isn't any reason to choose a .257 Bob over a .260 Rem.

I know where there's one for sale!

(and a .257 Bob, too!)

www.hornady.com/images/ballistics/ballistics_charts.pdf

This is my go to ballistics and trajectory table. It speaks for itself.

I like 120's.

It likes 140's either factory or handloads. I've only tried plain Janes- Hornady and Corelokts. 120's and 160's (factory) don't group quite as well.

I hate it when that happens.

It has acceptable groups (140 >2.0 MOA) but it should do better according to what I've read about the caliber.

I'll get around to trying some premium handloads and otherwise tweaking it one of these days, but meanwhile, it kills...

It's going north for caribou come Saturday - my 'Ruger 06 16 inch barrelled 'Stub' gun is loaned out up there... When I get the kid's friggin Savage working right, maybe I'll get it back .... I keep giving him ammo - and he keeps killing caribou...

He gets his Savage back- he has to buy his own ammo!

Meanwhile, I'm eating caribou and he's carving me an artwork...

You don't think I'm working this for free, do you??? Exactly....

For a go-to ballistic table it misses the obvious. Try JBM Ballistics as an alternative.




What???

I've been wanting to build one of those...

if nothing else, something to play with..

You would be the only one in camp with that cartridge. That means you could makeup all manner of fables about it and nobody could argue lest they have one made.

Haven't seen any mention of the 155 grain Lapua Mega SP for the .260 on this thread. Slammer bullet IMO, they're all I use anymore for whitetail. Now if you're shooting out past 300, maybe want to load something a bit more streamlined, but the Mega is worth looking at.

I've wanted a 260 for too long, one of these days...

aww I hunt around the corner from the house... no camp to have it in... also, I don't have equipment to impress people like Schtick...

mine are function.. not to try to impress everyone who want to be impressed...

Scott, I hear ya

The interesting thing I find is - at a SHOT show in the past, upper brass at Hornday told me they were making a new 270 short action round (TC) that would push a 120gr at the speeds of a 270 WCF/130gr load.

Unless he was confused or tried 'substituting' the wording '270 TC' in lieu of the 6.5 Creedmoor - than the plans got scratched.

That said, due to the history/nomenclature of the 270 vs. 6.5s in the USA - I have no doubt a 270TC would have caught on much faster w/hunters than the 30TC (basically a 308 in disguise), and likely the 6.5 Creemoor. A 270 in a short action 'non mag' format had yet to my knowledge been commercialized. Not everyone wants a WSM.

But, no prob, I am very happy w/my 130AB load in the 260.

Las - you might try the 130 AB if you have not yet. And I wonder you mentioned 120s - did you try Barnes in your rifle?

I always hear of how the 260 is fading away. The 7mm-08 is more common but still not found everywhere. If you reload it's a non issue. I loved my 7mm-08 and only sold it because it was collecting dust and a young hunter needed a good gun. It was a fantastic gun, light and easy to carry, extremely accurate and would knock over deer as well as my 30-'06 did. Either one would be a great deer gun with 120'-140's in the 260 and 139-145's in the 7mm. I think the 7mm-08 will outlast the 260 and there really is no perceivable difference.

Love the .260 cartridge for deer & hogs. I feel the 6.5 has great performance and low recoil.
Had a .243 and 7 mag, but used the .260 for years since it first appeared in Model 7. Sold mine only to thin the herd. Was never worried about which one would last.

JCC

How do you choose a favourite child? I would happily carry either...but carry the 260rem now instead of the 7/08. I figure this will be the rifle my oldest boy cuts his teeth on when he gets older, my wife shoots it...so it actually seems to be an all rounder for the family as well as game.

I personally wouldn't be without a 260 now, great little cartridge that does perform above its weight.

behind ya a 1000% Mate....

I have 3 factory rifles in 260 and 4 more barrels waiting for their day to be mounted when those might wear out..

great minds think a like!

The 260 is one of the cartridges that I really liked and never bought. I figure being based on the 308 case that it will never completely fade away especially given the fact it was a wildcat for sooo long before being commercialized. As long as you can get barrels turned and dies to squeeze down 7-08 brass life will be good. Some day I will get an ultra light rifle with a 22" tube in 260 and retire my '06's.

...and that will be the day you wondered why you didn't do it sooner ;-)

Funny - 'outlast'

The ballistic equivalent to the 260 is the 6.5x55 - Very popular today, developed in 1891...

the equivalent to the 7/08 is the 7x57 aka 275 Rigby - designed in 1893....

Both +/- 120 years old....and doing fine today. No reason why the newer short action offspring will not be here in the 22nd century. Take a look at the 350 Rem Mag - since '65 - now nearly 1/2 a century old - ammo/brass/dies and rifles made today...or were very recently. Why - b/c those in the KNOW recognize it's value.

Lapua felt the need to tool up for brass...they must feel their is a future for the round. As popular as the 308 was/is and will be, there are MANY 308 shooters switching to the 260.

I think the 260 has legs...I chose my cartridges based on needs, and I do handload, but regardless, popularity is not the deciding factor for me.

If one LIKES a round and it does what they user NEEDS - then they should use what they want.

I love 6.5's...wish I had a .260 to shoot 129 gr. Hornady's out of.

"Need" a .260 or 7mm-08 to fill the monster gap between my .257 Roberts and my 7mm RM. (laughing)

The medium-weight 6.5-06AI fits in there but is too heavy to pack around the mountains (it was built for antelope and long range play from a bench). I figure a 20-22" tube with a .264 hole would be just the ticket.

Got a couple of other vacancies at the extremes as well - a .223 to go with my .22-250 and anything in a bolt .35 and up.

Time is running out (turned 61 today) - gotta fill the holes so I can enjoy them before its time to pass them down.

129s set the bar long ago and are a fine choice....PD.

CH - a mild 6.5 may force you to leave that big 7 at home Sure don't miss the ones I had in the past for what I do. 7/08 is also a nice step down in blast/recoil, owned many in the past.

Wish you many more decades of fun!

Yep, I'm sure of that. I think when I inherit my dads M77 carbine 243 I'll have a longer 260 tube spun on and some stock work done to accommodate a normal weight barrel.

65BR, I wish the 6.5 Rem would come back seeing you mentioned the 350 RM.

Found a very nice walnut/blue Ruger Compact 7mm-08 on Gander's used gun rack today. Very nice wood, very clean, pre-LC6 trigger (not sure if that is good or bad, just a note). A Bushnell Banner scope was in the rings, not sure of the magnification (wasn't interested in the scope and didn't look).

Have to say I was drooling over the rifle as it would fill a long-time want for a 7mm-08 or .260 Rem AND the long time want for a mild but authoritative compact to hump the hills with...

Price tag was $500 and I walked. Might go back to talk to the manager...

Coyote - is the barrel length 18" with that one? If so, you might want to think twice, there will be some muzzle blast with that baby. Just something to consider.

Ruger Compacts have a 16.5" barrel.

I did all the calculations while examining those two cartridges a while back. I wanted the perfect ultra-lightweight mountain rifle to pack when I hunt in BC's mountain country. For everything from the smallest coastal deer - to the biggest northern moose, and everything BC has in between those two.

After months of comparing ballistic coeffecients, sectional densities, loading densities, barrel twists, bullet weights, etc. I came to a conclusion.

The 260 Remington was the best cartridge for such a rifle.

I put in my order.

Months later - they still couldn't get the rifle in that I wanted. But, it was mentioned that they had a 7mm-08 in the same rifle (1st generation Remington Ti) ready to ship.

I went back to my calculations, and found a few errors in my original cartridge comparison.

The 7mm-08 was, in fact, the ideal cartridge for my mountain rifle.

I placed my new order.

Ahhhh Fate, she be a funny wench :-)

My offspring and significant other have been slinging 120s and 140s into ungulates of various flavors at an alarming rate, from that very model, for more than a couple years without issue.

Of course such a setup would never work for a grown man. Its muzzle velocity is much to low and muzzle blast far to great to bear for anyone who knows better.

I didn't measure the barrel, but as someone pointed out, 16.5" would be correct for a Compact.

Yup, I expect some bark and blast, but it would be a hunter and wouldn't get shot that much. Would probably look for a lighter stock, the point being a very light, moderate recoil rifle for hiking the mountains with. A Rem M7 in .260 Rem or 7mm-08 would work, too.

LOL

If you decide to get rid of the walnut stock, I'd be interested in buying, or trading a ruger factory UL syn stock for it. Don

Brinky, I am pretty sure the Remington 673 was made in 6.5 Rem Mag a few years ago.

Maybe you can find one.

Here's one:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=279825306

As with cars, there's no substitute for cubic inches. Why not get a .308?

As with cars, better gas mileage.

Cost per shot is less with the .308. Quite a bit less. I can't tell any difference in the recoil until I get down to the .243. Still whatever blows your skirt up.

Please explain how shooting a .308 is cheaper than shooting a .260/7-08?

Go to Walmart or Bass Pro Shop and price the ammo. .308 is $5.00 to $10.00 cheaper, that is if you can even find 7MM-08 or .260. Even if you reload the components are cheaper, and .308 brass is frequently free for the asking. I'm just sayin'.

I'm talking recoil, which is less with lighter bullets used in either the 7-08 or the .260. You can't cheat physics, even if you say you can't feel the difference.

I've never had a problem seeing store ammo for the .260 nor the 7-08 and I don't recall it being more expensive than .308. I'm not sure since I don't use store bought ammo.
But then, if you're shooting store bought ammo and looking to do things on the cheap, get a 30-06 and load up on the specials that Wally has after the season's over.

If you can't feel the difference (and you cant), it's a moot point. As I mentioned .308 reloading components are cheaper. I guess there are reasons for the .260 and the 7mm-08, but i don't know what they are.

Midway puts 6.5 cal. 120 grain Speer Hot-Cors on sale for $9.99 per 100 from time to time... They'll even work for loading a 260 Rem . I've found them to be very effective on deer and speed goats as well.

If the 260 Rem brass is too steep for you the 308 Win brass can be necked down free of charge.

Where i live i find this to be true.

That will require neck turning. Not fun!

You could have just left it at that....

The .260 got my vote and my Montana shoots the 120 TSX into little bug-holes.

Swampy, take a note: If you shoot deer in the shoulders in stead of the azz, it doesn't take much to put them down.

George

It makes perfect sense you'd buy junk in a caliber that makes no sense.

Yeah, light rifle that will handle anything from 'yotes to elk and will easily outshoot any Remington I own....horrible.

Front shoulders, Swampy, front shoulders.

Someday you might learn to shoot. You might realize, then, that a .260 is all a guy "needs".

George

Yeah...6.5s are so junk. LOL. ok

Oh you meant the CARTRIDGE .260 no caliber. LOL. Showing your true colors.

This coming from an ass that thinks the rifle world begins and ends with the Remington 700!!!

trusting a guy who doesn't handload is as dumb as trusting a democrat to date your daughter...

it just ain't natural....

another expert opinion from someone who hasn't used one in the field???

to quote Ingwe on the poster ( It fits the best!):
AND THE LEGEND CONTINUES...

If .308 brass is free then so is 7-08. And .260. Same for .243.
So what's the big deal?

I reload.....if you have to ask that question, then never mind.

No Montanas are junk....try to keep up.

Yes, but the same is true on so many subjects and levels. The depth and breadth of your ignorance knows no bounds.

How many Montana's have you owned Mark?

Trying to keep up with ignorant elitist like you is senseless. You can be full fledged, 100% documented wrong and your ignorance will cloud your judgement, once agin. This will cause uncontrolable spewing of BS. As demonstrated so well in this thread.

Continually amazes me how an OP can pose a simple question on here, only to have it turn into a 500 page diatribe on who sucks the most, the longest .

Have you tried reloading your brain?

Swampman - your name wouldn't be 'Larry' would it?

As to having to 'TURN BRASS' when necking from 308 to 260, I have done it and used the on occasion w/o any ill effect, both from Federal 7/08 and Fed 308 Brass, although it cleans up the 'slop' in a factory Saami chamber - it only helps accuracy.

FWIW, my Sako 75 sporter put the first 2 shots in the SAME HOLE at 200 yards of a 3 shot group, BACK TO BACK using the above brass without ANY neck turning.

Speaking w/o experience is....well, spewing Assumptions.

Not trying to high jack the thread, but I could not decide so I bought both. Here is the .260 Rem.. The full write up is posted under the Custom Build thread.





***now back to the infighting*************

No to be a plick, but did you consider a 6.5-284 on the SA? That's what I'd love if I had a SS short action right now.

Thats a great cartridge...i have just been consolidating things over the past year and have several 308 based calibers. Sooo it just fit.

I had to go find the spec's, very nice!

Ditto, cannot reply on the blueprint posts w/o getting logged off trying.......

Perhaps your shoulder is as numb as your brain. There is a significant difference in recoil given bullets with similar construction, Sectional Densities or Ballistic Coefficients.

Case in point, consider the following, based on Nosler�s fastest published data for uncompressed .260 Rem /.308 Win loads and using an 8.3 pound rifle in every case:

.264�/130g AB, 2847fps, 43.5g powder, SD = .266, BC = .488
.264�/140g AB, 2820fps, 44.0g powder, SD = .287, BC = .509
.308�/180g AB, 2638fps, 42.5g powder, SD = .271, BC = .507

Calculated Recoil
=================
12.60 fp = .264�/130g
13.82 fp = .264�/140g
17.35 fp = .308�/180g

In case you are as bad at simple math as you are a logical arguments, that is a 41.4% increase in recoil when going from the .264�/130g to the .308�/180g bullet. It is a 25.5% increase when comparing the .264�/140g to the .308�/180g bullet.


Zero/Maximum Point Blank Range (6� diameter target)
==========================================
243 yds/286 yds= .264�/130g
242 yds/284 yds= .264�/140g
226 yds/266 yds= .308�/180g


300 yard ballistics (10mph crosswind, Point Blank v1.8a)
==========================================
-4.33�, 2324fps, 1439fpe, 5.94� drift = .264�/130g
-4.45�, 2320fps, 1673fpe, 5.74� drift = .264�/140g
-6.59�, 2156fps, 1858fpe, 6.41� drift = .308�/180g


600 yard ballistics (10mph crosswind, Point Blank v1.8a)
==========================================
-65.90�, 1860fps, 992fpe, 26.36� drift = .264�/130g
-66.23�, 1874fps, 1092fpe, 25.38� drift = .264�/140g
-80.13�, 1730fps, 1195fpe, 28.41� drift = .308�/180g


If you accept 1800fps as the minimum working velocity for the AccuBond bullets, as specified by Nosler, the 130g and 140g .264� bullets add 95 yards and 110 yds respectfully over the 180g/.308� load (130g = 640 yds, 140g = 655 yds, 180g = 545 yds).

Considering that 300 yards is well beyond the range where most game is taken and that the vast majority of game is deer and smaller, the 130g/.264� load seems very reasonable and doesn�t incur the 41.4% increase in recoil that comes with the .308�/180g load. Even at 600 yards the .308�/180g load isn�t providing anything that is needed for most hunting purposes.

As to the recoil, if you can�t feel the a 25% or 41% difference in recoil, you ought to see a doctor.

Not a big diff, but Nosler shows the 7mm 140AB as .485

I notice a diff in recoil from 7/08, 260, and 243 and owned many in each fwiw.

If I need a bigger 'WALLOP' in a short action on an '08 case than a 6.5/7mm version, then I will jump over the 30 and get a 338 bore for greater frontal area.

That said, I think for paper thru deer, the 243 is proven, and if going for game thru elk, would rather run a 260 or 7/08 myself, just personal choice. No doubt 308s work, but in my book, they'll kick more...and have an inferior trajectory.

All will work when proper bullets hit and destroy vitals, regardless of headstamp. Since I enjoy burning some rounds downrange to practice/learn, I like to use the least recoiling round that gives solid killing effectiveness and good trajectory - for the job at hand.

and that is why I shoot a 260 remington

Coyote Hunter, try those calcs with bullets having .600 or better BC's in .264 and .308, and see what the difference is.....

I used the number on the midwayusa.com web site. Just confirmed it is listed as .488. Should have used the Nosler web site.

Fortunately the difference at 600 yards is only .2" drop, 6fps, 5fpe and .2" drift - all insignificant enough I won't go back and change the original post. The MPBR zero and range don't change at all.

While I don�t know of any bullets with a .600 BC that I would actually use while hunting, I would and do use 6.5mm 130g Scirocco II�s and since Scirocco II�s are available in .308�/180g as well, I use those for the calculations.

Once again using Nosler velocities and powder charges but with Scirocco II bullets (should be close enough for demonstration purposes):

.264�/130g Scirocco II, 2847fps, 43.5g powder, SD = .266, BC = .571
.308�/180g Scirocco II, 2638fps, 42.5g powder, SD = .271, BC = .520

Calculated Recoil
=================
12.60 fp = .264�/130g
17.35 fp = .308�/180g

Zero/Maximum Point Blank Range (6� diameter target)
==========================================
246 yds/290 yds= .264�/130g
226 yds/266 yds= .308�/180g

300 yard ballistics (10mph crosswind, Point Blank v1.8a)
==========================================
-3.90�, 2396fps, 1657fpe, 4.98� drift = .264�/130g
-6.54�, 2167fps, 1878fpe, 6.23� drift = .308�/180g


600 yard ballistics (10mph crosswind, Point Blank v1.8a)
==========================================
-61.69�, 1989fps, 1142fpe, 22.07� drift = .264�/130g
-79.19�, 1749fps, 1223fpe, 27.50� drift = .308�/180g

1000 yard ballistics (10mph crosswind, Point Blank v1.8a)
==========================================
-270.02�, 1520fps, 667fpe, 69.44� drift = .264�/130g
-349.23�, 1300fps, 675fpe, 88.82� drift = .308�/180g


1800fps retained velocity
===================
750 yards = .264�/130g
560 yards = .308�/180g


Significantly lower recoil and better ballistics than the .308 Win out to 1000 yards, including more than enough of the right stuff for the vast majority of hunting needs? The .260 Rem looks pretty good to me - guess that's why I built a .6.5-06AI on my non-magnum Interarms Mark X long action. Had it been a shorty a .260 Rem would have been my choice.

TERA RMT

RO2 RMT

REDSTONE RMT

Administrator - DELETE this 1 post troll directly above posting garbage please!


CH _ no doubt the .485 7mm AB is not far off....and fwiw, if I still ran 7/08s, it's all I'd want in a bullet at this performance level. I am very happy w/my 260/130 combo

I've said this before and i'm saying it again......i can't understand why the 260 Rem isn't more popular!!!!!

Dunno - Never had a 7mm-'08, but I used a .260 140 gr. factory Corelokt on my Colorado elk at @ 150 yards. Bang-flop. (similar results on a 200 yard caribou earlier, and a 40 yard wolf later)

Brought the rifle (Rem 725 SA)up to Kotz about a week ago for tundra-range caribou - checked sighting today. 3 shots newly purchased factory Rem Corelokts printed a nice 1" triangle at 200 yards, while sitting in the snow, using the snowmachine seat for a rest, 4 inches high and 2.5 left.. (My limited number of neck-sized handloads, same bullet and weight, print an inch higher vertically and dead on horizontally, but larger groups- gotta work on that...)

I'll be using the factory loads for now.

I cranked that poor beat-up 30 year old Leupold VariX 2-7 right 3 clicks back at home. And I'm gonna leave it right there I think, if 3 shots at 300 yards tomorrow for performance check works out horizontaly...

Them beasties are in big trouble...

But I gotta say- I was ripped off. $35/box at Walmart, Fred Meyers, and Sportsmans Warehouse in both Soldotna and Anchorage for either .260 or 7mm-08, while .243, .270, '06, etc are going for 10 bucks less. Even 300 WBY Mag is cheaper! WTF????

But I need the brass anyway for reloading...this will bring me up to an even 100 rounds of brass.

Fug the big-box stores... once I get the reloads worked up to match or exceed the factory loads.

But it's nice to know that in a pinch, factory loads work quite well, if overly expensive!

If I play around enough, I might even get those purpoted "accurate" 120 ballistic tips to shoot as well or better than the 140's. But from all indications so far,... not.

I might even try those Barnes 120's.... expensive as they are. I like the 120 concept - but so far, the gun seems to like the 140's....

Arguing with realistic mechanics is like arguing with the wife....

Well, no - they are 180 opposite - but the end result comes up the same...

'Yes Dear' is the magic phrase - Lol.

Don't be afraid to try the 120 Tsx/TTSX as they have a very good reputation for accuracy....and killing. They will be longer as you know than a cup/core 120.

No doubt, 6.5s have been strutting their stuff a long time when used properly.

Often the 7mm and 30s overshadow in popularity in the US, perhaps the old 'bigger is better' still at play

As always, Shot Placement is your Best Friend