The 260 Rem, big thing in a little package!

Charshooter · March 11, 2007, 08:13 PM

I had a 264 soon after Winchester came out with the western and with 140 grain bullets, it was not that hard on barrels. I began shooting the 264 non-magnum back when a buddy on mine let me have a 264/284 for a season while he was on vacation. It was a custom rifle on a Winchester action with a 26” Hart barrel. I was impressed with the way it shot and having shot the 243/284, I realized this caliber configuration brought out the best in the 284 case. It was faster than my 270, but with two inches on extra barrel length and a 10-grain lighter bullet, one would expect this, but what I really admired was the rifles superb accuracy and the caliber tolerance for bullet selection. I have had 270s that liked 130 grain pills and ones that seemed to prefer the 150 grain and all the 270s I had did well with the 140 grain. This little wildcat did just as well with 160-grain pills as it did with the 120 grains.

I had wondered back then just how well the 264 would perform on a 308 case, since that case was what PO Ackley had written about, a 264 on a short action size case would the 260 be what the doctor ordered? My chance came out concomitantly when Remington came out with the 260 Rem and my Browning A-Bolt in 243 began to lose its edge. At that time, I decided not to own another 243 as I was not shooting large Varmints as much as I once did and that several other short action calibers were as good or better than the 243 including the 257 Roberts, the 7mm-08 Rem and the old 7x57 Mauser. I had used all these at one time or another and was fond of them. What attracted me to the 260 was its ability to shoot light projectiles like a 257 and heavy ones like a 7-08 and how it seemed to fit in as a kid sister to the 270 as a long range light caliber-bullet round and double as a kid brother to the 308 as a suitable broken country number with 140 grain controlled expansion bullets.

I had my A-Bolt re barreled to 260 with a 24” custom barrel and changed out the stock to one of Bell & Carlson’s Medalist models. When I had the rifle fine tuned and refitted with a straight Leupold FXIII 6 x 42 scope, it was s ready for my range. What I have now is a rifle that will shoot as well as I can ever hope to. The best shooters I know have made dime accuracy with this rifle and I have made some one MOA 200 yard shots last year! The recoil is about the same as the 243 with this heaver setup and my best guess is that it would be less than the 7mm-08 Rem with any rifle configuration, albeit a small difference with similar weight bullets. The effectiveness compared to the 7-08 is very close with 140-grain bullets, with the 260 slightly slower but having grater sectional density it might average out at 200 or more yards.

I like the short action 308 case the best today because its just more fun to hand load than the longer 30-06 case loads or any of the magnums. It is combatively cheap to shoot and easy on the shoulder. As a hunting round, it is just as good as the long action in most intended purposes. While the 270 will hit harder at a distance, the difference in power is rarely needed in deer size game. This is truly, as PO Ackley predicted a purposeful cartridge!

I have decided to order the 260 in a Remington Mountain rifle and now have one and am really glad I purchased it. One of the few new rifles I have ever owned and what a shooter! I think the 260 has now become my mainstay!

esheato · March 11, 2007, 11:07 PM

I wholeheartedly agree. I bought a custom rifle last year in .260 Rem and it's everything I could ask for.

Lightweight, flat trajectory, low recoil, easy/cheap to reload, phenomenal sectional density and 6.5mm bullets are renowned for above average penetration.

Honestly, what more could you ask for?

Ed

**JohnKSa** · March 11, 2007, 11:10 PM

I believe I've posted this before, but Shooting USA recently broadcast a rerun covering an NRA Silhouette match. One of the bits of information dispensed in the show was that the majority of the match entrants were using rifles chambered in .260 Remington.

fisherman66 · March 11, 2007, 11:29 PM

Well written post Charshooter. I think you just talked me out of a 7-08 for my next rifle.

March 11, 2007, 08:13 PM	#1
Charshooter Senior Member Join Date: March 10, 2007 Location: Ozarks Posts: 202	The 260 Rem, big thing in a little package! I had a 264 soon after Winchester came out with the western and with 140 grain bullets, it was not that hard on barrels. I began shooting the 264 non-magnum back when a buddy on mine let me have a 264/284 for a season while he was on vacation. It was a custom rifle on a Winchester action with a 26” Hart barrel. I was impressed with the way it shot and having shot the 243/284, I realized this caliber configuration brought out the best in the 284 case. It was faster than my 270, but with two inches on extra barrel length and a 10-grain lighter bullet, one would expect this, but what I really admired was the rifles superb accuracy and the caliber tolerance for bullet selection. I have had 270s that liked 130 grain pills and ones that seemed to prefer the 150 grain and all the 270s I had did well with the 140 grain. This little wildcat did just as well with 160-grain pills as it did with the 120 grains. I had wondered back then just how well the 264 would perform on a 308 case, since that case was what PO Ackley had written about, a 264 on a short action size case would the 260 be what the doctor ordered? My chance came out concomitantly when Remington came out with the 260 Rem and my Browning A-Bolt in 243 began to lose its edge. At that time, I decided not to own another 243 as I was not shooting large Varmints as much as I once did and that several other short action calibers were as good or better than the 243 including the 257 Roberts, the 7mm-08 Rem and the old 7x57 Mauser. I had used all these at one time or another and was fond of them. What attracted me to the 260 was its ability to shoot light projectiles like a 257 and heavy ones like a 7-08 and how it seemed to fit in as a kid sister to the 270 as a long range light caliber-bullet round and double as a kid brother to the 308 as a suitable broken country number with 140 grain controlled expansion bullets. I had my A-Bolt re barreled to 260 with a 24” custom barrel and changed out the stock to one of Bell & Carlson’s Medalist models. When I had the rifle fine tuned and refitted with a straight Leupold FXIII 6 x 42 scope, it was s ready for my range. What I have now is a rifle that will shoot as well as I can ever hope to. The best shooters I know have made dime accuracy with this rifle and I have made some one MOA 200 yard shots last year! The recoil is about the same as the 243 with this heaver setup and my best guess is that it would be less than the 7mm-08 Rem with any rifle configuration, albeit a small difference with similar weight bullets. The effectiveness compared to the 7-08 is very close with 140-grain bullets, with the 260 slightly slower but having grater sectional density it might average out at 200 or more yards. I like the short action 308 case the best today because its just more fun to hand load than the longer 30-06 case loads or any of the magnums. It is combatively cheap to shoot and easy on the shoulder. As a hunting round, it is just as good as the long action in most intended purposes. While the 270 will hit harder at a distance, the difference in power is rarely needed in deer size game. This is truly, as PO Ackley predicted a purposeful cartridge! I have decided to order the 260 in a Remington Mountain rifle and now have one and am really glad I purchased it. One of the few new rifles I have ever owned and what a shooter! I think the 260 has now become my mainstay! __________________ Born pre-war and proud of it! No loud hippity hop rock music please!

March 11, 2007, 11:10 PM	#3
JohnKSa Staff Join Date: February 12, 2001 Location: DFW Area Posts: 12,202	I believe I've posted this before, but Shooting USA recently broadcast a rerun covering an NRA Silhouette match. One of the bits of information dispensed in the show was that the majority of the match entrants were using rifles chambered in .260 Remington. __________________ Did you know that there is a TEXAS State Rifle Association? Check out Black Bear Flashlights. Gun Shows this Weekend.

March 11, 2007, 11:07 PM	#2
esheato Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 2004 Location: Marysville, CA Posts: 110	I wholeheartedly agree. I bought a custom rifle last year in .260 Rem and it's everything I could ask for. Lightweight, flat trajectory, low recoil, easy/cheap to reload, phenomenal sectional density and 6.5mm bullets are renowned for above average penetration. Honestly, what more could you ask for? Ed

March 11, 2007, 11:29 PM	#4
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: Rowlett, TX Posts: 4,303	Well written post Charshooter. I think you just talked me out of a 7-08 for my next rifle.