.260 or 6.5 Creedmoor hunting rifle which one?

[Seedy Character]

The 6.5 proponents keep harping on component availability.

6.5 and .260 use the SAME BULLET

Brass can be found. .260 is EASILY formed from .24e, 7-08 and .308
6.5 can be MADE from the same, but not just a resize.

Primers are SAME

Powders are SAME

What part makes 6.5 components MORE available? Just asking.

If you have and like 6.5Cr, more power to you.
OP asked about hunting. .260 handles 120-140 gr bullets very well. 6.5 was resigned, marketed, loaded for long range target.
The OP requirements make .260 the obvious choice. Reloading narrows the load, but .260 still wins.

 

[C-grunt]

The 6.5 proponents keep harping on component availability.

6.5 and .260 use the SAME BULLET

Brass can be found. .260 is EASILY formed from .24e, 7-08 and .308
6.5 can be MADE from the same, but not just a resize.

Primers are SAME

Powders are SAME

What part makes 6.5 components MORE available? Just asking.

If you have and like 6.5Cr, more power to you.
OP asked about hunting. .260 handles 120-140 gr bullets very well. 6.5 was resigned, marketed, loaded for long range target.
The OP requirements make .260 the obvious choice. Reloading narrows the load, but .260 still wins.

Buying 6.5CM brass is easier than resizing other brass.

 

[Nature Boy]

Aren’t the Tikka’s all long action? If yes, then a 260 AI,.

this ^^*

(but I’m a crotchety old coot)

 

[LoonWulf]

Ok guys here is the deal I am looking at having my tikka t3 rebarreled from .308 to either .260 or 6.5 Creedmoor this rifle is for hunting most likely it will have a 20 inch barrel so I can mount my 7 inch suppressor on it I want to be able
To shoot It at the range as well quite a bit I have dies and reloading stuff for both cartridges

so which cartridge would you pick (yes these are the only 2 options)

260Ai long throat.......Just to be different and annoying!

 

[Goosey]

The OP requirements make .260 the obvious choice. Reloading narrows the load, but .260 still wins.

They both handle all bullets the same. As far as the real world. And about the brass, what C-grunt said.

Hodgdon max loads w/ same powders:

6.5 95 gr: 3224 fps
260 95 gr: 3284 fps
6.5 107gr: 3194 fps
260 107gr: 3091 fps
6.5 123 gr: 2930 fps
260 123 gr: 2926 fps
6.5 143 gr: 2719 fps
260 143 gr: 2759 fps
6.5 153 gr: 2631 fps
260 153 gr: 2606 fps

 

[bannockburn]

Between the two cartridges I would probably go with the 6.5 CM.

 

[JFrank]

Buying 6.5CM brass is easier than resizing other brass.

How do you form from a 308 to a 6.5 creedmoor when the parent case is a 30 TC ?

Buying brass is definitely the way to go

 

[Aletheia]

Pick the rifle you like the most and ignore the irrelevant for hunting differences between the two cartridges. You will get far more "pleasure" from using a gun you enjoy that you will from any imagined "advantages" of the cartridges when used for hunting.

 

[LoonWulf]

How do you form from a 308 to a 6.5 creedmoor when the parent case is a 30 TC ?

Buying brass is definitely the way to go

Run thru 7-08, then run thru 6.5 die with lotsa lube and the expander removed, trim and remove inevitable donut.
I did it one time just to prove it was possible. Forming up from .243 is easier but your still pushing the shoulder back a ways and sharpening it, i crushed as many as I had work right.

You could make both operations easier by shortening the case before running them thru the 6.5die.

Bought peterson brass for less than a dollar a case, makes much more cents......

 

[JFrank]

Run thru 7-08, then run thru 6.5 die with lotsa lube and the expander removed, trim and remove inevitable donut.
I did it one time just to prove it was possible. Forming up from .243 is easier but your still pushing the shoulder back a ways and sharpening it, i crushed as many as I had work right.

You could make both operations easier by shortening the case before running them thru the 6.5die.

Bought peterson brass for less than a dollar a case, makes much more cents......

Quite a hassle’ I didn’t think was possible and certainly not practical. Do you check the case capacity on Peterson brass and compare to other brands ?

 

[LoonWulf]

Quite a hassle’ I didn’t think was possible and certainly not practical. Do you check the case capacity on Peterson brass and compare to other brands ?

Havent yet, I just fired my first (my dad actually did most of the shooting) box. I'll grab a few weights later today.

 

[Bfh_auto]

I voted 260. My wife has one. It's an amazingly accurate rifle. It's the only rifle I've gotten a 5/8" group at 300 yards with.
The long action allows you to get a little more from it than a 6.5.
Really you could throw a 6.5x55 in the mix too...

 

[Bfh_auto]

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…

View attachment 1079515

338 Federal

 

[Bfh_auto]

The 6.5 proponents keep harping on component availability.

6.5 and .260 use the SAME BULLET

Brass can be found. .260 is EASILY formed from .24e, 7-08 and .308
6.5 can be MADE from the same, but not just a resize.

Primers are SAME

Powders are SAME

What part makes 6.5 components MORE available? Just asking.

If you have and like 6.5Cr, more power to you.
OP asked about hunting. .260 handles 120-140 gr bullets very well. 6.5 was resigned, marketed, loaded for long range target.
The OP requirements make .260 the obvious choice. Reloading narrows the load, but .260 still wins.

One thing to note. I had to neck turn 308 brass when I sized it down. 7-08 didn't need this step.
I like starting from 308 because I get uniform brass.

 

[Condor]

338 Federal

I had not thought about the necked up .308 case…awesome suggestion…thank you

guess i better sign up for a few extra shifts…sounds like a new project is waiting

 

[Captcurt]

I had not thought about the necked up .308 case…awesome suggestion…thank you

guess i better sign up for a few extra shifts…sounds like a new project is waiting

Don't expect to get within 100fps of Federal factory loads if you reload. I tried 4 or powders with a 200gr Speer. 2630 is as close as I could get. The Fusion loads were 2750fps.

 

[Chuck R.]

I made the same decision a year ago, and stuck with the .260. Had match dies, had brass, had even more .243 Win brass.

IF I was starting from scratch I might well have gone with the 6.5C.

My version of a .260 "custom" build; Rem M7, 20" PacNor 3 groove Supermatch barrel, Bartlein 2B profile fluted, graphite black Ceracote in a Manners CF stock. 7lbs 5 ounces "all up":




5 Cheap PRIVI 120 grn OTMs into .934" (I screwed up the last shot), 4 rds went into .467, zero load development.



I thought long and hard about AI-ing it, but the purpose was for a stand/blind whitetail rifle and I really don't think I'd be taking advantage of the benefits of the AI case to make the juice worth the squeeze when it comes to forming brass.

 

[LoonWulf]

Do you check the case capacity on Peterson brass and compare to other brands ?

made a thread, might be of interest to others as well.
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...oor-case-weights-and-water-capacities.905981/

 

[1948CJ2A]

I had not thought about the necked up .308 case…awesome suggestion…thank you

guess i better sign up for a few extra shifts…sounds like a new project is waiting

Might as well add the 358 Win to that list as well

 

[Archie]

I would opt for the .260 Remington, but with a 1-7 twist barrel.
Functionally, the .260 Rem is an update version of the 6.5x55mm Swede. I rather like the 6.5x55mm Swede. However, the .260 Remington has a cartridge head that will fit any of the XXx57mm Mausers, and anything of the .30-06 Springfield 'family' and all that derive from either. Machining a 6.5x55mm bolt face is surely not impossible, but the .473" size is likely more prevalent.
In my opinion (which is logically justified for my taste, but can be argued by others) the main problem with the commercial .260 Remington is that the commercial versions of the rifle (by Remington, of course) are (were?) made with a slower twist in mind, on the assumption that 140 grain bullets were the heaviest to be used. The original loading of the Swede was (seemingly) 10 grams for the bullet. That comes out to about 154 grains, manufacturers found 160 grains to be more 'sensible' (to those who usually work with grains). The original rifles were twisted at 1:7.5" rate, (originally specified in millimeters, so the 7.5 inch figure is likely an approximation). That combination shoots very accurately. The Swedish Army later dropped the bullet weight to 139 grains (9 grams) using the same rifle and accuracy was not material affected. Others prior to me and I like the heavier bullet for game. So I would opt for the faster twist rate.

How do you form from a 308 to a 6.5 creedmoor when the parent case is a 30 TC ?

First, one recognizes the .30 TC is based on the .308 cartridge.
The schematic drawings of the .308 Winchester, the .30 TC, the .260 Remington and the 6.5 Creedmore rounds. Upon examining the four rounds, one notes the head sizes are all the same. Thickness of rim, diameter of rim, and diameter of web area are all the same. The only differences are the length of the TC and (therefore) the Creedmore are shorter. Presumably to fit into the various action types to be used. The shoulder/neck angles are perhaps a bit different, in the belief differences in such angles are useful in some ballistic goal.

Loon Wolf correctly covered the conversion process.

 

[Varminterror]

Claiming a clear “winner” in downfield performance on game here relies upon angels dancing on a pinhead. Those few fps potentially gained with the larger 260 case aren’t substantial.

The real differential is that a guy can walk into a shop, buy a rifle in 6.5 creed, or order a barrel using a standard reamer, and shoot readily available factory ammo with nearly identical performance to what is achieved by the 260 only by ordering a custom barrel with a fast twist and long throat, then reloading.

Going through all of that extra work, it’s worth more to run a long throated, fast twist 260 AI - or better still, a long, fast 284 Shehane, such the advantage is more substantial than ~50fps with the same bullet. I could be convinced to entertain a Sherman of some flavor as well.

 

[mgmorden]

6.5 Creedmoor easily.

In real world performance 6.5 Creedmoor, .260 Rem, and 6.5x55 Swede all are effectively the same.

So outside of performance, the only two criteria I would have to judge the cartridges on would be availability and "tradition".

For "tradition" the 6.5x55 Swede wins out. Its a classic and there is a certain level of "esteem" one can feel by using the old classics. The only POTENTIAL downside to this one is that it does require a long action. The other two fit well in short action. Granted I have never really gotten the "short action" hype and most of my guns in short action cartridges are still built on long action receivers.

For availability, 6.5 Creedmoor won the popularity contest so its going to have more rifles available and more commercial ammo loadings available. It also fits in a short action just like .260 Remington.

With that in mind while depending on your criteria I could recommend either the 6.5 Creedmoor OR the 6.5x55, I'd never recommend the .260 Rem over either of them. That being said if you already have one - don't sweat it. The differences are minor and even then they aren't related to performance.

 

[mgmorden]

Buying 6.5CM brass is easier than resizing other brass.

That and it can be somewhat dangerous to keep around rounds with an incorrect headstamp if you also have a rifle in that cartridge. IE if you make .260 Remington brass from .308 Winchester brass but ALSO have a .308 Winchester there's the potential to mix up which rounds are the REAL .308 Win's and which ones are actually .260.

Obviously there are ways to do this (markers, box labeling, etc), but none are as guaranteed as just having proper headstamps.

To me, making brass from a donor case of the wrong headstamp is an absolute last resort. The only cartridges I've ever even considered it on is converting .30-30 brass to .225 Winchester and that's just because .225 Win brass is basically unobtanium.

 

[horsemen61]

I have to wonder if the original 1~9 twist would work good for the 95 grain Vmax in the .260 Remington

gentlemen please not forget I am a 6.5 Fanboy I have

2x 6.5 Grendel
1x 6.5 Creedmoor
1x 6.5x284
1x 6.5 Swede

I reload for all of the above I will reload for this project rifle I am wanting something light handy packable that I may shoot deer hogs or coyotes with, ammo availability is not a huge concern, shooting heavy for caliber target bullets is not a concern for this rifle I am not looking for an AI option or a Sherman here I’ve think I got it settled it will be a .260 Remington more than likely


Now the question is what barrel would you get/what contour and who would you have install it?

remember as well I want to run a suppressor on it so it has to be thick enough for 5/8x24 threads

 

[Seedy Character]

That and it can be somewhat dangerous to keep around rounds with an incorrect headstamp if you also have a rifle in that cartridge. IE if you make .260 Remington brass from .308 Winchester brass but ALSO have a .308 Winchester there's the potential to mix up which rounds are the REAL .308 Win's and which ones are actually .260.

Obviously there are ways to do this (markers, box labeling, etc), but none are as guaranteed as just having proper headstamps.

To me, making brass from a donor case of the wrong headstamp is an absolute last resort. The only cartridges I've ever even considered it on is converting .30-30 brass to .225 Winchester and that's just because .225 Win brass is basically unobtanium.

Granted, reforming a brass THAT YOU SHOOT to another caliber could cause a safety issue. But, I don't use brass I NEED or LOAD for other brass.
Most of the reformed brass is range pick up. I sell it, trade it, or reform it.

Only 1 belted magnums, so most belted magnums brass gets formed into what I need.

Found some NEW .260Rem brass for $1.50 EA.
They had the same 7-08 brass for $0.70 EA.
I bought the 7-08. I don't own a 7-08. I don't load 7-08. I don't know anybody that shoots. 7-08. I have no problems in resizing to .260.

I had a 6.5x55 for 20 years. Sold it to a good friend, for this wife. After a few years, wanted to replace it. Decided .260 was the way to go.
Doing the same thing today, I would go with. 7-08.

I don't shoot heavy for caliber, or extra long range. 6.5Creed never appealed TO ME.
Luckily, choices exist.

If it got to 1, i could manage just fine with my .30-06.