At the current rate I'm shooting, I will be due for a new barrel on my trusty rifle in early 2012. (It's a Remington .308 SPS with nothing Remington left but the action and barrel.)
I shoot mostly from 100 to 600 yards, occasionally stretching out to 1000 and making lots of misses. I shoot only my own handloads--usually 175-grain SMKs.
Question 1: Is there any reason not to do the new barrel in .260 Remington? The biggest issue I can find is the stockpile of .30-caliber MatchKings I'd need to trade out. I assume barrel life is shorter for .260 as well. I don't shoot F-TR or anything where I'm required to use a particular caliber.
Question 2: Given that the advantage of 6.5-mm rounds lies in sectional density/ballistic coefficients, why wouldn't we be able to cook up something even better in .243?
I shoot mostly from 100 to 600 yards, occasionally stretching out to 1000 and making lots of misses. I shoot only my own handloads--usually 175-grain SMKs.
Question 1: Is there any reason not to do the new barrel in .260 Remington? The biggest issue I can find is the stockpile of .30-caliber MatchKings I'd need to trade out. I assume barrel life is shorter for .260 as well. I don't shoot F-TR or anything where I'm required to use a particular caliber.
Question 2: Given that the advantage of 6.5-mm rounds lies in sectional density/ballistic coefficients, why wouldn't we be able to cook up something even better in .243?