.260 Remington vs. the 25-06
IMO both have pros and cons. On the plus side just about anything that has ever been done with a .308 case has yielded cartridges that were highly accurate. No one really knows why. The best explanation I have heard from the ballistic experts has to do with the optimal height of the powder column in relation to the diameter of the case. From a practical prospective, it just works wonderfully well. On the minus side case capacity can sometimes be an issue. Our 308 class cases are highly efficient. (Definition of an efficient cartridge: A cartridge you can’t quite get enough powder in) On top of that, the case neck is relatively short…something those of us that reload sometimes find disfavor with. While the .260 has a fairly high ballistic coefficient the price we pay for that with the heavier rounds (140 & 160 grain) is reduced case capacity, as the bullets end up being seated very deeply with (perhaps) higher pressures given some combinations of powder and primers. Reduced case capacity offers reduced velocities in some instances. This difference probably exists more on paper than anywhere else, as all of us have been conditioned (brain washed by sharp advertising tactics) to worship the Gods of velocity to some extent…some of us more than others. One of the largest advantages offered by the 6.5MM bullets is the high sectional density that promotes penetration well beyond of what some would expect given what many would view as somewhat anemic velocity. The bottom line is that this round kills way better than you think it will. All of this taken into account my preference is the 6.5 X 55 Swedish Mauser. Yep, I’m a bit of a traditionalist. I find the larger case capacity and longer case neck a convenience as respects reloading and I’m able to get close enough to the performance of the .260 to render the difference of little practical value. I promise you that the deer I’ve pointed my 6.5 at did not know the difference!
I also own several .25-06 rifles that I’ve hunted with for a number of years. I’ve lost track of the number of deer I’ve killed with a .25-06. My bullet of choice is the 115 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip loaded to approximately 3100 fps. The fact that the .25-06 shoots flatter than the .260, when loaded with the heavier rounds, is admittedly more theoretical than practical in value. Like the .260 the .25-06 just kills better than anyone thinks it should. In terms of their actual use on deer with 120 bullets either cartridge seems to have a track record of killing deer efficiently. The practical difference is so small that it can be ignored.
