Roll your own. Handloading solves ammo availability problems and makes for a more accurate rifle to boot. How else could I shoot a 7mm TCU?
The .260 is the latest and greatest answer to a question that has already been answered.
Truth be told, the 7-08 is no great answer either. It's already been done a hundred times. While not quite as short, the 7x57 was chambered in short actions and I dare you to find a ballistic advantage in the 7-08. It's just that in order to boost sales, gun companies have to come out with a new "latest rage" caliber. If they just keep cranking out the old standards, their sales will languish. You have to have the "short magnums" and whatever else out there on the market to get folks to toss their rifle for something new.
For that matter, other than .264" bullets have higher SDs and BCs, there's not a lot of ballistic difference in a .260 and my .257 Roberts. I'd not dump my .257 for a .260, I can tell ya that! It's plenty effective, light on the shoulder, and 3/4 MOA accurate and besides, it's a family heirloom. The other two serious rifles I bought are to fill niches and in one case because I just like the gun. My 7 mag fills the elk and big boar hog niche when all I had was the .257. I felt it was advantageous on heavy game, though all I've ever shot with it was small hogs and deer.
Then, I got my Remington stainless M7 in .308 because I like the caliber and love the little compact, light rifle. I probably wouldn't have bought it (my old M722 .257 Roberts is quite compact, also), but I won a M700 in .25-06 as a door prize at a gun show and traded that for the M7.
I've got all my bases covered with 3 effective rifles. If I hunted some sort of varmints, I might want a .22-250, but I don't. They can come out with all the "latest and greatest" short magnums and various other versions of must have rifles and I'm quite content with what I have now, thanks. I'll never go to Alaska or Africa. I can hunt anything in the lower 48 with the calibers I have now in three rifles and most of what I hunt is on my own property, deer, hogs, and a coyote now and then. I'm a poor man, not an African white hunter. In fact, I've never had a desire for Africa, but would love to hunt Alaska. I've I tripped over a big bag of money or won the lotto I might want some heavy calibers, but living on my meager retirement I'm happy with what I've got. I really don't care what new "must haves" the gun companies create.
When I got my M7, the caliber I wanted was .308. I didn't want the 7. I don't consider the 7 in any way superior to the .308. Okay, the bullets have a little better BCs and SDs. I don't think a hog at 300 yards is going to know the difference in a 7mm bullet out of a 7-08 and my 140 Barnes boat tail X bullet in .30 caliber. If the 7 or the 260 is in any way "Superior" to the .308, it's on paper, not in the field. The .308 is an inherently accurate cartridge and up to 150 grains in bullet weight, pretty much duplicates factory .30-06, though I realize the 06 can be pushed a bit faster with modern powders. Still, the .308 is a fully capable short action .30 caliber for game up to elk and the rifle is far more handy in a stand or out in the mountains than a heavy long action. I don't think it gets no better for me, anyway.
