260 Rem or 260 AI?

[peashooter]

Hello to all 6.5 shooters,

I am building a 260 Rem and was contemplating using the Ackley Improved version versus the conventional. I would like to hear your experiences with either. I am not going to chamber for the 6.5/.284( My son-in-law has an MCR custom and it is a lazer). I am convinced I am building the 260 Rem., but does the AI version have enough good attributes to justify the added work of fireforming?

 

[CapDog]

I have both, but they are in rifle for two different purposes. The 260AI is a semi custom 700 n a Manners stock, heavy barrel etc and the standard 260Rem is a Ruger Compact that is primarily my 12yr old son`s and my bush gun. So they aren`t direct comparisons.

However for what it`s worth.....

The AI isn`t that much of a pain. I use cream of wheat, but you could use the standard bullet method and get some practice in. Once the brass is formed you are done. I`ve never had to trim the brass at all and I`m on about the 6-7th loading.

I don`t have a direct comparison, but my 260AI gets about 50-100fps faster than published data for the standard 260Rem. If I was a making another long range rig i would go AI again.

 

[Jinx-)]

what I've heard that 260AI throat chamber allows to seat them 140+ gr bullets before body-shoulder junction, in my 260 REM with 1:8 twist I have to seat bullets way pass shoulders, which contributes to amount of powder I can use so it limits muzzle velocity vs AI. Lately I'm considering 6.5x55 with a match chamber which should outperform 260REM or AI...

 

[Plade]

In my experience the 260AI has proven to be a great calibre. In agreement with the comments above - the cream of wheat fireform method is easy; case trimming is almost non existant and brass life has been good for me. I have a long throat in my rifle and can comfortably seat the long 140gn berger vld's with plenty of room for powder. I do not have a straight 260 to compare it to but I shoot the above projectile with low es and low pressure at 2950fps out of a 26in tube. After a lot of load devt Vithavouri n560 has proven to be the ultimate powder in my rifle. Faster velocities are possible (+50/60fps) before pressure rears its head but there is little gain in flogging to the very max. I am based in New Zealand and reliably take game to a self imposed max of 800 yds with this calibre.