What can't the .260 Remington do?

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srawl

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From everything I read it seems to be the perfect all around caliber for North America. (Range and shot placement taken into consideration) and if you ever wanted to do some long range comp, well almost perfect there too.

I ask because I want a new/different rifle in a new/different caliber and though I will admit the limited factory ammo makes me nervous, I have no problem reloading for it if it is as good as its rumored to be.

I was thinking .243 or 7mm-08 but the 260 seems to be the best of all worlds...

Other than the calibers that seem to be the same thing like 6.5x55 or 6.5 creedmore...

Are there any down sides to the .260 rem other than the lack of factory ammo, and am I correct about it being suited for all but the largest and smallest game?
 
the 6.5 mm projectile has got a really good following and is an excellent bullet. There are a number of factors that give it this. 1 the high sectional density of the bullets.... they are long for thier weight. 2 mildly recoiling..... and loads of other factors.

i think really now the .260 is a mainstream round you will find that it is probably on all the shelves in american gun shops...

i shoot 7mm08. also a superb round... just gives me a bit more bullet wieght should i want it...

.260 is a great middle wieght hunter that is not for dangerous game or big bears but great for the rest.
 
Are there any down sides to the .260 rem other than the lack of factory ammo, and am I correct about it being suited for all but the largest and smallest game?
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No down sides at all if you reload. The perfect deer cartridge.
 
I wouldn't hunt large bears with it. It would be borderline on elk size animals but would work. For 95% of what American hunters do I think it would be fine.
 
i think really now the .260 is a mainstream round you will find that it is probably on all the shelves in american gun shops...
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Not on the gun store shelves around here.... See the previous thread titled "260 Rem, for reloaders only..." I wish it were common and plentiful. Sounds like an amazing little cartridge.
 
What can't the 260 do? Scratch your back, rub your feet, walk the dog or beat the 6.5x55 and that is about it :D
The mid ranged 6.5s are fantastic, more then enough punch for any deer, very mild recoil, and inclined to remarkable accuracy, as far as larger game goes anything so big that I could not get a clean kill with a body shot using a 6.5mm is going to have an awful big and easy to hit head/neck.
 
There's absolutely nothing wrong with the .260 as an all-around American caliber.

What can it *not* do? The only thing I am not crazy about with respect to cartridges whose parent case is the .308 Win is the fact that you can't push heavier bullets as fast in them as you can with (say) .30-06-parent calibers, which is why I'm also not crazy about the (otherwise excellent) 7mm-08 or the .308 itself. I am a sectional-density fiend, so that's kind of my little obsession--so for bear or elk in open country, for instance, I'd like to use something a little heavier than a 140gr bullet while still shooting relatively flat. With a 140-grainer, you're pretty much at 1200f/lbs at 300 yards--so it's your call depending on your quarry and your hunting style.

In other words, what it cannot do is not absolute but relative.

Use the caliber that turns you on, and get good with it. Calibers are personal, as long as it's not an insane choice, make it "your thing" and don't let anyone sway you.
 
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I do believe, barring African Big Game, or a big bear heading your way with you as his/her target of immediate concern, the .260 Rem with a good shooter behind the trigger could do just about anything you'd want or need it to do.

What can't it do? Replace the .30-30/.308/.30-06 in the immediate future for most US hunter/shooters?
 
shane.rawlings said:
I was thinking .243 or 7mm-08 but the 260 seems to be the best of all worlds...
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The .260 strikes a nice balance between those two cartridges. Heavier bullets than the .243 make it more appealing as a hunting cartridge. Lighter recoil than the 7-08 make it more comfortable to shoot.

It's limitations come down to ammo and rifles, not the cartridge itself. The limited availability of factory ammo is a big turn off for some and that is the Catch 22 of it. Until there is more ammo available, there won't be a large following from hunters, but until there is a larger following from hunters, there won't be ammo available. As such that makes it a reloader's cartridge at this point. As far as rifles go, the long, high SD bullets that give it a lot of it's appeal for hunting bigger game and long range shooting, begin to seriously intrude on powder space in rifles that are genuinely limited to a 2.800" max COAL. That limitation in the AR10 platform was exactly what gave rise to the 6.5 Creedmoor, in fact. If you want to really get the most from the .260, you want a rifle with a generous magazine and action length and a barrel with a throat cut to accept the bullets seated long. Take care of those two things and you get a fantastically capable cartridge.
 
Heck, even MidwayUSA shows 22 different loads. The little store down road may not stock it, but it's out there..... I have 3 at this time and really like this round. DD
 
When you can't find ammo on your hunting trip, I guess it can't do anything at all. :p
 
Fremmer said:
When you can't find ammo on your hunting trip, I guess it can't do anything at all. :p
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Don't know about you, but I generally take far more ammo on most hunting trips than I can use. The one exception is prairie dogs. Doesn't seem to matter how many rounds I take with me, as they always seem to disappear!

By the way, my .260 is my go-to gun for 500+ yards.
 
I researched the .260 a couple of years ago and I really wanted a rifle in that caliber. What I found was that locating a rifle in .260 wasn't easy and finding ammo was even harder. I am a reloader so that really wouldn't have stopped me but again, it reminded me that finding ammo at most of the big box stores wasn't going to happen. I've still got my eyes on a Cooper in that caliber, maybe someday?
 
I don't think anyone would regret a 260 shooting a good handload of 130 gr. Accubond.
 
I disagree with the statement that it is nearly too lite for elk. the europeans find the 6.5x55 a moose killing fool. i have not used the .260 on moose but nearly ran into one with my p.u. once, them critters is big!
 
From everything I read it seems to be the perfect all around caliber for North America.
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There are a lot of cartridges that are suitable for any game in the lower 48. Not counting Weatherby & proprietary stuff, off the top of my head these would be the ones that can get it done, but shy of "overkill":

.243 WSSM
.243 Win
6mm rem
.257 Roberts
.25 WSSM
.25-06 Rem
.260 Rem
6.5x55
6.5mm Rem Mag
6.5-284
.264 Win Mag
.270 Win
.270 WSM
7mm-08 Rem
7x57mm
.280 Rem
7mm WSM
7mm Rem Mag
7mm STW
7mm RUM
.30-30 Win
.30 Rem
.303 British
.300 Savage
.308 Win
.30-06 Sprg.
.300 H&H
.300 WSM
.300 Win Mag
.300 RUM
.32 Rem
8x57mm
325 WSM
8mm Rem Mag
.338 Federal
.338 Win Mag
.338 Lapua Mag
.338 RUM
.35 Rem
.35 Whelen
.350 Rem Mag
.375 Win
.375 H&H

And a whole bunch of less known or nearly obsolete stuff. the .375 RUM & up are unnecessarily powerful for continental US game. The first four and a couple others (like .30-30) are kinda borderline for the larger species, especially bull elk or moose. But with good bullet placement and at reasonable ranges, they'll all do the trick. However, the .30-06 really is still the most flexible without having excessive recoil.

Nothing wrong with the .260, it's a dandy little 6.5. But I wouldn't trade my .25-06 for one.
 
In a standard, factory rifle, maybe the only thing you can't do is accurately shoot 160 gr. bullets. However, with a 140 gr. Barnes X, you're really not at a loss.
 
Years ago the most smaller bullets had some performance problems do to bullet design. Today with barne's X bullets setting the way for others and bonded heavy jacket bullets there is not any thing short of grizzlily's it can't handle. Give a 6.5 rifle to native hunters in the far north and polar bears and walrus are fair game too. I bought a 7mag and 308 to many years ago . With a bit more knowledge gained over the years today the 6.5s look real good.
 
hardluk1 said:
Years ago the most smaller bullets had some performance problems do to bullet design. Today with barne's X bullets setting the way for others and bonded heavy jacket bullets there is not any thing short of grizzlily's it can't handle. Give a 6.5 rifle to native hunters in the far north and polar bears and walrus are fair game too. I bought a 7mag and 308 to many years ago . With a bit more knowledge gained over the years today the 6.5s look real good.
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In my opinion given our modern light per caliber all copper bullets for the hunter 7mm08 may strike a better balance and is certainly more avalible in ammunition and rifles.

A light all copper bullet will cut recoil down to 260 levels or less yet you retain the heavy bullet capabilities that will let you do everything 308 will should you deem fit.

I would also like to point out that 7mm bullet offerings have just as wide a selection of high BC, high SD projectiles as 6.5




posted via that mobile app with the sig lines everyone complaints about
 
^ No dust on the 7mm-08, I have one of those too. A very close rival to the mid ranged 6.5s, I like my 6.5 more but that is only because that rifle will outshoot my 7mm-08 easly.
 
Kachok said:
^ No dust on the 7mm-08, I have one of those too. A very close rival to the mid ranged 6.5s, I like my 6.5 more but that is only because that rifle will outshoot my 7mm-08 easly.
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I think it all comes down to wich way you lean on the original 308 based rounds.

If you've been a 243 kinda guy then 260 is for you.

If 308 is your thing then 7-08 is your huckleberry




posted via that mobile app with the sig lines everyone complaints about
 
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