.260 or 6.5 Creedmoor hunting rifle which one?

Probably a crapshoot. For hunting either will work. Seems like the 6.5 is the popular choice so I'd probably do that. Then again I like "different: so .......

It'll be interesting to hear what everyone thinks and why.

-jeff

I don't have either, but voted for 260 because you are rebarreling a current rifle and you reload. I always wanted a model 7 with a 20" stainless barrel and good synthetic stock, but Remington never offered it in a lefthanded version
Based on available ammo and rifles I would buy a 6.5 creedmoor for myself in a Ruger American or Savage 110.

Aren’t the Tikka’s all long action? If yes, then a 260 AI, using long action mags and a long throat to get heavies as far as possible out of the case and a suitable twist to hold them together would be a formidable hunting rifle.

If not going over-SAAMI length in a 260 AI, then I would go 6.5 Creedmoor.

With a long action, and handloading you can eek a bit more out of the 260.

I own 6.5 Creedmoor it's a tack driver but I've never heard of the 260 so the ammo for the 6.5 will be easier to get.

I'm a fan of my Remington model 7 chambered in 260 Rem. I vote for the 260. I'm also not a fan of trendy stuff. In the late 90s I probably would have rejected the 260. Now that it's more obscure, I dig it.

The most recent edition of Rifle Shooter magazine had a cartridge comparison on both of these cartridges. It's worth the read.

For hunting there is not enough difference between the two for the critter to tell the difference. 260 Remington has slight more case volume and thus gets better velocity with medium to light bullets, 6.5 Creedmoor has more room and twist to push heavier bullets. 260 Remington never really made it as a market success but has not become obsolete yet, 6.5 CM was the new hotness though its newness is starting to fad.

If it’s primarily for hunting and you are reloading, the 260 will ALWAYS give higher velocity for a partition type “hunting” bullet. Higher velocity is more energy on target.

Now, it’s not much difference between them. If you told us you already had 6.5CM reloading components, or if you ONLY buy factory ammo, I would say go with the 6.5cn. But you didn’t! You said you have reloading dies for BOTH. Accuracy ability is equally good. As such, you want the one that will penetrate deepest & cause the largest wound channel. And by way of greater velocity with the same weight projectile, that is the 260.

I own, load and shoot both cartridges. The difference in velocities between them is miniscule, and out of a 20" barrel won't make a difference.
Choose which ever one you like best, for me it would be the 6.5 CM.

I HUNT with a .260 and love it.

Reloading allows selecting the bullet you want and tailoring the load to your rifle.

Reforming any .308 brass (.243 or 7-08) is easy.

.260 is the winner, hands down.

EDIT: I completely missed that you had dies for both. Then it’s a wash, pick whichever one you reload for more.

I’d depends on if you reload or not. If you roll your own it doesn’t matter one bit. They are both easy to load for in my experience.

If you are using off-the-shelf ammo then 6.5 is your only smart choice. .260 is out there, but the popularity of the Creedmor makes it infinitely easier to find.

I have both chambering is different rifles. My wife’s deer rifle is a Ruger M77 Mkii Compact in .260. My favorite paper puncher is a Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5 Creedmor.

I have both. IMO the Creedmoor wins due to ammo availability. Even if you reload that’s sometimes an advantage. Deer won’t know the difference.

If someone has a 260 and likes it, keep it. But otherwise, there is no reason to choose 260. In factory rifles, with factory loads the advantage is clearly in favor of 6.5 CM. But since you are going to re-barrel an existing rifle, and it has a long action magazine, you can all but eliminate the advantages 6.5 has with hand loads. But at best you're going to end up with equal performance. It's still just easier to get there with 6.5 CM.

I would go .260 since I don't have enough hair for a man bun. As far as I know, you can use longer heavier bullets in the 6.5. Better for long range target shooting. A Tikka eliminates that advantage if you handload. Slightly more case capacity in the .260. I dunno.

The 260 can be pushed faster, but are you really going to see that advantage in a 20 inch barrel? My choice would be 6.5 because of significantly higher component and ammo availability. But since you handload that might or might not be a big consideration for you.

Since you already have the dies for both , consider a 6.5 CM is a high pressure long neck cartridge with a 30 degree shoulder and plenty of load data available. Can’t say as much about the 260.

d2wing said:

I would go .260 since I don't have enough hair for a man bun

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But pony tails are OK, right?

[QUOTE="horsemen61, post: 12302213, member: 168808" so which cartridge would you pick (yes these are the only 2 options)[/QUOTE]

Flip a coin. Not enough difference to matter IMO.

horsemen61 said:

Thanks for the thoughts gents! I have a 6.5 Creedmoor currently that I target shoot with I’m leaning towards the .260 just to be different

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And you finally got rid of the Man Bun, & stopped drinking “Orange Mocha Frappuccino’s”, right?

I’m just kidding. If you already have the 6.5CM, I’m not sure of your wanting to get a 260. But hey, nothing wrong with having another .264 caliber. Not my thing…having two of the same caliber(and very similar cartridges), but you shouldn’t do what I or anyone else does. You should do you. So, it’s all good. The argument will forever rage on. *sigh*

I voted the 6.5 CM because of the 2, it is the only 1 I have on hands experience with. The only 1 I have ever fired is the one I own- a Ruger American predator that prints boring sub 1" groups at 100 yards with factory soft point ammo, and has done a phenomenal job on the 3 bucks I have dropped with it.

I have owned both and can add the Swede to it. For a hunting gun you can flip a coin. I currently own (2) 6.5 CM's. One is my all around gun and the other is for medium range work out to 500 yards. The only advantage that the Creedmoor has over the other 2 is that it was designed to handle longer, heavy for caliber bullets. I reach out well out to 500 yards with the 129gr Nosler ABLR, so the Swede and 260 should too. Past 500 is where the CM and PRC have the advantage.

The main reason that I have the Creedmoors is because of availability and price of ammo and components. The brass and ammo for the PRC was 2 or 3 times as high as the CM.

I have both have had a .260 since they first came out.I wanted a SS synthetic stocked rifle new .260 chambered rifles are pretty rare so I bought a 6.5.There’s not much difference between them but since you’re using a Tikka T3x I would go 260 T3s are all long actions new bolt stop and magazine you can gain a good bit.

I don’t think you’ll be unhappy with either.

I put together a .260 last year. I would have considered a 6.5 CM but couldn’t find any dies in stock. In the reading I’ve done, for my applications (punching paper at 200 yards, deer hunting) there is little difference between the two for the bullet weights / lengths I use.

Savage model 16 action
Criterion light varmint barrel
Bell and Carlson stock


I realized after I did it that i am slowly getting all of the .308 parent case cartridges covered…
.243
.260
.308

….gonna have to start looking for a 7mm-08 soon…