260 barrel length

[jpterp]

Hey guys, I'm new posting here but I've been lurking for a few years. Ive got questions for you who have worked with the 260.

I'm looking to put together what you might call a "walking long range rifle". Its going to be a do it all rifle coyotes, deer, paper puncher.... I see it as a viable 600 yard deer harvester as well as a stalking rifle. It will be a Remington 700 SA, McMillan Remington Classic stock and I'm thinking a #5 contour Hart barrel. I'm looking to keep the all up finished weight with scope around 7.75 lbs. I have two questions before I begin.

I would like to keep the length of the barrel around 20" to keep weight down and make it manuverable, (similar to the Remington 700 SPS Tactical) but I also want to be able to send the 130 Bergers and Accubonds out at a minimum of 2800 fps. I have a 22" 260 now and it struggles to get that velocity. Would I be better off going 260 AI? Does anybody have experience with a "short" barrel 260?

What scope would you recommend for this rig considering the weight I'm trying to achieve. I don't need high magnification - I do fine with 10 & 12 power scopes at further ranges on other rifles. I've been told to consider a straight 6 with turrets, but I'm afraid it may not be enough. Any recomendations?

Thanks, John

 

[Shortmagman]

I have had some experience with a 260 Rem with a 20 inch barrel. I bought a Remington Model 7 with a 20 inch barrel sometime about 1998 so I have been shooting that gun with the stock barrel until last year when I had the gun re-barreled with a 22 inch Hart barrel. I have data from both.

I know you want the gun to be light but I like a 22 inch barrel. As an example my 22 incher gives 2875 ft/sec with a 120 Barnes TSX bullet while the 20 inch barrel produced 2750 with the exact same load (47.0 grains of RL-19).I got 2914ft/sec with the 22 inch barrel and 2778 with the 20 inch barrel with the exact same load, 120 TSX bullet and 47 .5 grains of RL-19.

I have had no difficult getting 2900 ft/sec with 130 Accubond bullets from the new Hart barrel. I never was able to get that with the stock barrel. I know that the barrel itself plays some role in this but I think the extra 2 inches also plays an important role.

My gun with the Hart barrel weighs in at 8 lbs. and 12 oz about a pound more that you want, this with a 3x9x40 Nikon BDC Scope. I had Hart match the Accurate Innovations stock with the barrel contour so I don't know the exact contour that I have eventhought I know that it is heaver than what you want. I am quite pleased with my set up.

 

[Dano1]

A 20" bbl would be Ok, but the velocity sacrifice may be too large, especially if you are using it for deer at 600yds. Would it have enough energy (due to lost velocity) when it gets there. There is no question as to the accuracy. But retained energy is another matter. For the extra 2-4 " and the little amount of weight saved by going with a shorter bbl, could mean as much as 350FPS (in the same load) and lost energy as well.

24" might be too much for you, but 22" would be my minium for any rifle bbl. Almost all of mine are 26" I don't mind the extra weight.

Dan

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Mine is not finished yet but my smith has a 28" blank and instructions to leave it as long as he can. I like long barrels ans I want all the speed I can get.

 

[dwm]

How about this?

 

[mike33]

I have a model 7 in 260 and enjoy carring it in the pa. and Md. woods i hunt at times. I think my barrel is 181/2" someone correct me if this is not right. Any way im shooting 100 gr. Nosler BT. 50 grains of Win. 760 . Vel. is around 3050. I have killed 5 deer with it and none have taken more than 2 steps if that. But the longest one was only 125 yards. I think the 22" would probably work better for you with the larger bullets. But for under 250 yards deer hunting the 100 gr. will work very well for you.
Mike

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

dwm

thanks for the chart were do i get info like that?

 

[Dano1]

Looking at the chart from dwm, I would have thought the velocities diffrences would have been more drastic. I guess that the .260 is quite an efficent cartridge in a 24" bbl.
I am still wondering about a 20"-22" bbl as the chart seems to indicate that there wasn't a complete powder burn using H4350, or H4831SC. However using a faster burning powder like Varget or H4895 It seems that a shorter bbl would do just fine. Has any body seen any numbers for these situations???

This seem likee an interesting subject!

Dan

 

[mike33]

That chart was impressing to me. I never really had a chance to discuss much of the 260. I would say my model 7 is sufficient.
Mike

 

[jpterp]

Thanks for the info and especially the chart. I know I will be sacrificing "efficiency", but I can't help but wonder if it would be worth it. Maybe I should go 22" and see what I get, then consider going shorter.

I've been tossing this idea around for over a year so I guess it wouldn't hurt to give it a little more thought.

 

[dwm]

That chart was developed with Quickload. Quickload is a great tool for analyzing loads, etc.

I did build a 260 on a Savage long action after developing that table.

It may be even better than the 25-06 I used to have, mainly because of the fantastic heavy for the caliber bullet selection.

You have the 130 Accubond, 140SST, 140 Game King, 140AMAX, 140 Berger VLD, 140 and 142 SMK, what more could you ask for? Go for an 8 twist ...

 

[magman44]

I know that I am new to this thread but I will tell you what I am having my wife built a .260 rem with a 22 inch #3 lija barrel fluted and having the action fluted by kampfeld custom and a mcmillian edge stock if you like i well let youknow the final weight if you want i am going to top it off with a 3.5-10x50 leupold

 

[blacktails]

Magman44,

PM sent.

 

[mike33]

I know that I am new to this thread but I will tell you what I am having my wife built a .260 rem with a 22 inch #3 lija barrel fluted and having the action fluted by kampfeld custom and a mcmillian edge stock if you like i well let youknow the final weight if you want i am going to top it off with a 3.5-10x50 leupold

What a nice set up you will have. I probably already posted but i have killed a lot of deer with mine using the nosler bt 100 grain. Every deer has been 1 shot and none has taken more than 2-3 steps most have dropped in tracks.
mike