New Hunting Rifle: 6.5x55 or .260Rem for the handloader?

[Snowdog]

I'm planning on a new rifle for deer this season and I'm curious if one cartridge offers any edge over the other when it comes to ballistics for the handloader. I understand the newer .260 Remington cartridge offers a bit more energy than commercial 6.5x55 as the industry's undoubtedly aware the majority of these rounds will find their way into century-old M96 and M38 rifles and carbines.

Assuming modern commercial rifles chambered in both cartridges are of identical strength, what (besides the .260Rem's short action) advantages do the cartridges hold over the other if either option would be handloaded for?

I'm leaning towards the 6.5x55 as it's got that distinguished service history, but I also find the short-action of the .260 somewhat appealing.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mete]

I've hunted deer with the 6.5x55 for many years and it always performed very well .As Finn Aagaard said , it's the perfect deer cartridge. I no longer reload so I gave up on the cartridge since the loads now are poor ,I think. But if you're a handloader go with the 6.5x55 if you have a modern rifle .The 140 gr bullet ,which I think the best for deer,can be loaded to 2750-2850 without getting any pressure problems .You have more room to extend the bullet also, and you have a bit more case capacity. It does the job without recoil, muzzleblast, velocity and is exceptionally accurate.

 

[Ol` Joe]

There is about 4-5 gr max of water CAPASITY between the two cartridges in favor of the 6.5x55. The reloader might find an extra 50 fps with heavy bullets in the Swede. The 260 works fine in a short action, the 6.5x55 needs a long action. I`ve got both and see no performance difference in them. The 260 has the advantage of the 308 Win as its partent case and the reloader can use any 308 based cases to make 260 brass if it is hard to find in his area. (The 260 isn`t found on Wal Marts shelves, but neither is the 6.5x55) The swede is its own case and cases can be a problem at times. Both show great accuracy in hunting arms. The Swede has been used in Europe for years as a target cartridge. The 260 has a following here in long range shooting.

I`ve shot 6 deer total useing both and never could tell which I was shooting by the way the animals dropped.

Hope this helps.............

 

[MachIVshooter]

The 6.5x55 has a slight edge over the .260, much like the 6mm Rem. vs. .243 Win. But a deer 184 yards away will not know or care whether the bullet hit him at 2347 FPS or 2462 FPS. Pick whichever one is available in the platform you want.

 

[rangerruck]

mechanically , the 6.5 will have a lot more brass and bullets available to get, also the 6.5 has a looonnng neck. Like the 6mm remmy, this makes it very effective at cooling the burn plug before it gets to the throat area. also the longer neck helps to cool faster, and dissapate heat better. In the case of the 6mm remmy versus the 243, the 6mm throat erosion takes about 5 times longer than in a 243, all things being equal.

 

[rangerruck]

that being said, I very much like the idea of the 260.

 

[roo_ster]

I am currently developing 160gr and 140gr loads for my Swede in 6.5x55. I wonder how the .260 handled the 160gr thumper?

Most of my shooting wil be shorter range and many 6.5x55 reloaders I spoke with said that they got the best accuracy with the old-style 160gr jacketed LRN.

 

[Richard.Howe]

This is an interesting question -- I was faced with a similar dilemma a couple of years ago. Bear in mind the useful case capacity difference between the two:

260 Rem: 3.32cc
6.5x55 SM: 3.68cc

Doesn't look like a lot, but the delta is about ~11% increase of burn space when choosing the Swede over the 260.

Having said that...a thorough review of available reloading guides shows that both chamberings max out just shy of 2800fps with your bread-and-butter 140gr jacketed bullets, and 2550fps if your barrel twist is appropriate to shoot the 160gr bullet. The max deviation between same-bullet-weight velocities is about 1.5%.

My take-away was this: the 6.5x55 and the 260 are ballistically identical for the handloader. Six vs. half a dozen. I purchased the 6.5x55 custom Sisk rifle for nostalgic reasons and the neck dimension, but the 260 allows you two important benefits: the ability to be chambered in a short-action (kind of a who-cares), and a vastly superior selection of full-power factory ammo.

If neither of these are important, let me recommend the Swede. I guarantee you'll be the only one around the campfire with one...

 

[R.W.Dale]

I predict the .260 to go the way of the dodo in terms of factory loads. As of right now Federal and rem have 5 diffrent loads in 2 bullet weights 120 and 140grn for the .260 Look for that number to further dwindle in the future. Can you say .260 remington mag

Compare that to the 6.5x55 where just about every ammuntion mfg load this cartrige world wide with bullets ranging from 100grs to 160

In handloading terms I'ed choose the 6.5x55 every time over the .260 for one reason. The Hornady 160grn RN bullet. The .260 just doesn't seem to want to digest these bullets well.

 

[Crosshair]

Don't most manuals limit the pressure to that for a 96 Mauser. In a modern rifle, you should be able to load the 6.5x55 up to 30-06 pressures. I know Speers manual gives data for a 98 Mauser load.

 

[Ol` Joe]

Don't most manuals limit the pressure to that for a 96 Mauser. In a modern rifle, you should be able to load the 6.5x55 up to 30-06 pressures. I know Speers manual gives data for a 98 Mauser load

Speer claims in their #13 manual, pg 203 that the Swede industry standard pressure is 46000 CUP. their data is loaded to 50,000 CUP for use in modern rifles. I believe Nosler, who claims their data is for modern rifles only, and some of the others also load to higher pressure.

At the same pressure the difference between the 260 & 6.5x55 is almost nothing. There is nothing worth while to gain from either over the other as far as velocity with same wgt bullets.

 

[Crosshair]

OK, thanks for the clarification Ol` Joe

 

[atblis]

No contest

6.5x55 because
it has slightly more case capacity
a longer neck
guns chambered in it usually have plenty of length (My loads are pushing 270 OAL and they fit in the mag box).
You can get Lapua brass.
Short actions are overrated (what are the advantages again?).
From a handloaders standpoint, the 6.5x55 has more to offer.

 

[USSR]

Snowdog,

The biggest advantage the 6.5x55 has over the .260 is in the availability of quality brass. I had a 1,000 yard F Class rifle built in 6.5x55 by Terry Cross, and have been very pleased with the results. Using Lapua brass and the 142SMK, I am able to push them at 2925fps with both H4350 and N160, and at 2950fps with RL22.

Don

 

[Snowdog]

It really didn't take much to cement my choice favoring the 6.5x55 Swede. To discover the greater flexibility of the 6.5x55 (as slight as it may be) is all it took.

Thanks for all the replies, folks.

 

[VA27]

What ever you decide: If you go with the 6.5 Swede in a Remington action stay away from Norma brass. The rim is too thick to work with the 700s extractor. If you go with the 260Rem don't bother to buy the 160gr bullets, if you reload. They are too long to stabilize in the 1:9 twist used in most of the rifles chambered for it. BTDT, both ways!

MY dream gun? A Savage 99 in 260, using a Swedish Mauser barrel cut to 17", stocked to the muzzle, a la Manlicher.

 

[crackerjack]

6.5x 55 vs 260 Rem

Had several different rifles in both calibers for years. The action lenght and weight and the ability to get lighter weight rifle is one of the main differences. Never been able to tell the difference on game between them,but never felt needed 160 grainer. Brass is readily available for 260 as is can be formed from 243-7/08-.308. I settled on 260 because I perfer short action lightweight rifles. You want be disappointed with either's performace and there is not a wrong choice between the two.

 

[BrainOnSigs]

As a side note....if you absolutely don't want to handload.....Georgia Arms makes a "Precision Plus" rifle ammo using a 120 gr Nosler ballistic tip bullet. It is chrono'd at 2850 FPS.

Georgia Arms Precision Plus

I have shot sub 3" groups at 600 yards with my Cooper Phoenix in 6.5x55mm Swede.

Not bad for hunting ammo.

 

[atblis]

Cooper

I've been lusting after a Cooper for a while. 6.5-284 is tempting.

 

[lunde]

BOS and I ordered consecutive serial-numbered Cooper Arms M22 Phoenix rifles chambered in 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser (uncataloged) at the end of August of 2005, and our dealers received them in February of this year (they were built on 01/17/2006). We have different scopes on ours. Mine has a Leupold VX-III 4.5-14x40 LR with Varmint Hunter's reticle. Here it is:

Mine shoots phenomenally, using the Sierra 120gr Spitzer Pro-Hunter bullet and 40.1gr of Varget:

I drive to Wyoming this Friday to hunt antelope using this rifle.

 

[R.W.Dale]

 

[Crosshair]

 

[R.W.Dale]

 

[D. Hill]

260 is impressive

Bought 260 in Ruger SS M-77 a few years back for wife. I have been very impressed with long range accuracy and low recoil. I hand load 85gr sierra hollow point for white tail and antelope. and 140 barnes x for elk. I have also had good results with factory Speer Nitrex. Never had problem finding factory loads or brass. Can't say much about 6.5x55, only shot a few times. Seems like a lil more recoil. I have seen wife take deer and speedgoats at 250 yds. It may be capable of way better, that is just what I have seen.

 

[atblis]

My 6.5x55

handloads were pushing a 140gr Amax at 2900 fps. That was out of a 29" barrel though.