So I’m not the only one... 264 Win Mag

[wildcat455]

http://sportingclassicsdaily.com/264-win-mag/

Well, actually I knew I wasn't the only one...
January 2018 article, so it's relatively recent, and may be worth someone's time to read if they are in to 6.5mm cartridges.
For some, this is not anything new. For others, it might provide insight on why some of us love this cartridge so much.
The author does a pretty good job of promoting application based decisions on cartridge choice, probably better than I could do anyway.
So here it is. And as always, your choice is your choice. No one else can impose their set of requirements on you if you are informed and know what your requirements are.

I believe the trend in 6.5mm bullets increasing weight and BC (due primarily to other "new shiny" cartridges) will benefit those who shoot the 264 win mag.

Berger is due to release its offering, I think in 156 gr. weight.
Powder and barrels have caught up... this may be the final piece of the puzzle for the 264 as well.
It may or may not go back into an across the board production rifle offering, but that won't break my heart, considering the quality of production rifles these days.

Please discuss after reading the article!

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Some say only accurate rifles are interesting. I say accurate fast rifles are more interesting!

Steve

 

[dok7mm]

I'm currently putting together parts for a .264 wm. I have two 7.5 twist #3 Barts, 5R. Do I need it? No, but I want one. Will it surpass my 6.5 Sherman? No, but because the .264wm was the first great 6.5, I want one.

I've made up some dummies with the matrix 150 & 160 vlds, but really just waiting on Berger's heavy before I spec the reamer. One son was wanting a .264wm, but backed out. It was enough to get me fired up to start a build of my own.

 

[Edd]

Can one of you 264 Win Mag owners tell me how many grs of H1000 powder a new case will hold when filled to the bottom of the neck?

 

[wildcat455]

I cannot.
At least not now. I'll be home after a bit and I can measure an unfired case for you using H1000. The only unfired cases I have are Winchester, so as long as that is what you are looking for it should work. All of them vary a bit, with Winchester typically holding the most.

I can tell you the data will be more meaningful to you for reloading if it is a fired case in your rifle, and you use water to measure it.
My Winchester cases fired in my rifle hold 86.2 grains of water to the top of the neck.

 

[Canhunter35]

All things equal, though the 7rm with appropriate throating and twist rate for the heavy 7mm bullet still is serious competition for the 264. From what I can see, lesser recoil is the major plus of the 7rm

 

[Dosh]

455, my first hunting rifle was a .264WM. Was a great rifle for Az mule deer back in the 60's. I could kick myself for selling it in the early 80's. My hunting pal has a Remington 700 BDL in .264WM that shoots crazy accurate and now has me wanting one. Hang on to yours, they're a great classic caliber.

 

[wildcat455]

Can one of you 264 Win Mag owners tell me how many grs of H1000 powder a new case will hold when filled to the bottom of the neck?

77.8 gr of H1000 to bottom of neck in New unfired Winchester case.

 

[Edd]

Thanks

 

[wildcat455]

All things equal, though the 7rm with appropriate throating and twist rate for the heavy 7mm bullet still is serious competition for the 264. From what I can see, lesser recoil is the major plus of the 7rm

I need you to clarify what you are saying here.
"All things equal" and "heavy 7 mm bullet" contradict each other. All things equal is all things equal, not all things equal, EXCEPT...

Your final statement about less recoil is simply untrue. Compare a 140 gr bullet at 3200 fps out of a 264, and a 139 gr bullet at 3100 fps out of a 7 Mag,
And the 7 Mag has more recoil. By .1 foot pounds.
19.2 ft pounds of recoil energy for the 264 in this case, and 19.3 foot pounds for the 7 Mag.
Essentially, the same amount of recoil for a given bullet weight at a given speed, with equal weight rifles. It just physics.
Here's a link with the data.

https://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

 

[HARPERC]

...I believe the trend in 6.5mm bullets increasing weight and BC (due primarily to other "new shiny" cartridges) will benefit those who shoot the 264 win mag.

........Berger is due to release its offering, I think in 156 gr. weight....Powder and barrels have caught up... this may be the final piece of the puzzle for the 264 as well.

......Uncertain the fate of the .264, the same changes benefitting it, also benefit the new shiny choices. Regardless of usefulness, nostalgia only goes so far in this game.

 

[wildcat455]

Very true. But as long as I can get a reamer, and brass, I'll always have a 264 if I want it, which is to say, the rest of my life, anyway.

 

[HARPERC]

Just get one with a twist fast enough for whatever bullet comes a long.

 

[elkaholic]

Shoot what you like! That is one of the things that keeps shooting so interesting. If you enjoy what you have, and it is suitable for your needs, there are no good or bad choices.