6.5x55 vs 260 vs 7-08

[Colt46]

I'd prefer the swede

Options do tend to be limited and often only come in an '06 length action.

The 7-08 and the .260 come in the shorter .308 length action.
The .260 may be the most underappreciated cartridge going. Mild recoil, accurate, devestating on deer sized game. What more could you want?

 

[stalkingbear]

7mm08

I like the 7mm08 better because I just like 7mm bullets for deer sized game and the .260 ain't a lick more accurate than 7mm08.

 

[jonboynumba1]

6.5x55....the original .270!

there now every comparison that can be made has-LOL

you could probably say the same thing about the 7mm mauser someone mentioned. They are all (properly loaded) great whitetail rounds in their own right.

So many calibers...so little time!

 

[USSR]

Don, the magazine box is too short for a 30-06. Winchester must have made the classic M70 in two action lengths.

I have lots of IMR 4350. 43.0 grains of the stuff with a 140 Hornady Spire Point gave me a velocity of 2429 fps. Tested it last weekend. Any ideas of how much more 4350 I can put in that case with a 140?

SlamFire1,

Yeah, they made the Classic in a short action and a long action. COAL for the 6.5x55 is 3.062" according to Sierra, and 3.150" as loaded by Lapua. Remember, those Swedish Mausers have throats WAY out there, so the heavy-for-caliber bullets in the 6.5x55 really stick out there. Since short action magazine boxes are between 2.80" and 2.90", there is simply no way you can chamber a 6.5x55 in a short action and have it magazine feed.

Have never used IMR4350. With H4350, I use 46.0gr behind a 142SMK, and reach 2925fps out of a 28" Obermeyer.

Don

 

[Slamfire]

Yeah, they made the Classic in a short action and a long action. COAL for the 6.5x55 is 3.062" according to Sierra, and 3.150" as loaded by Lapua. Remember, those Swedish Mausers have throats WAY out there, so the heavy-for-caliber bullets in the 6.5x55 really stick out there. Since short action magazine boxes are between 2.80" and 2.90", there is simply no way you can chamber a 6.5x55 in a short action and have it magazine feed.

Have never used IMR4350. With H4350, I use 46.0gr behind a 142SMK, and reach 2925fps out of a 28" Obermeyer.

I only recently purchased the M70 Classic and the M700 Custom Series in 6.5 Swede. And I was using the original owners reloads in the M70. According to the box notes, the 140 grain cartridges were 2.990". That is probably as long as that M70 allows, as my compact action in 308 does not feed bullets much longer than 2.800"

The 700 is the long action, I could probably load the bullet out further, assuming the throat accomodates.

Thanks for the H4350 load. I have around ten pounds of that powder, I will give that a try.

2925 fps, that is smoking!. I have watched the bullet trace on the sub caliber guys. I will bet the mid range trajectory of your load is barely above the target at 1000 yards. As a comparision, I see the 308 trace at least several target heights about the target, as the round starts dropping into the bull.

 

[USSR]

Yeah, it's about 26MOA from a 100 yard zero to 1k. I was going to give you the COAL, but I shot up all my ammo this year, and will use the Stoney Point OAL guage on my rifle before loading again next year. I can tell you, I had the rifle chambered so that all the boattail is in the shoulder area and I'm about .010" off the lands at that point. The brass is Lapua, and I use the Russian primers in them. Today was a good day. The brown truck brought me a box of free 140gr Berger bullets of a new design that I will be testing for Berger. Can't beat the price.

Don

 

[skinewmexico]

That is a good day.