tonechaser88
Well-Known Member
Is it a big pain to run a 260 AI (6.5-08ai) ? Any way around the specific dies? Anyone neck sizing only ? I've no experience with it. Was considering the 260ai for my next build . Thanks in advance.
260 AI vs 260
- Thread starter tonechaser88
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Going to want a medium length action. It's easier to just do a 6.5-06, 6.5 284 Norma or a 6.5 prc. Fire forming in my uneducated opinion sucks.
tonechaser88
Well-Known Member
Might just run the 260 rem if it's not worth the pain … not planning on running long bullets , probably 122 cayugas or 124 hammers in a short barrel . Just have no experience with reloading for the AI version
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
Dies are easy to find: https://www.eabco.net/Redding-260-Remington-Ackley-Improved-40°-Deluxe-3-Die-Set_p_15208.html
No mater the cartridge, you will fire form it. The Ackley standard headspacing makes fireforming even easier than non-improved cartridges.
Whether you can neck size only depends on more than the cartridge.
IMO, the 260AI is everything the 260 should have been from the git-go
No mater the cartridge, you will fire form it. The Ackley standard headspacing makes fireforming even easier than non-improved cartridges.
Whether you can neck size only depends on more than the cartridge.
IMO, the 260AI is everything the 260 should have been from the git-go
If you can't get AI marked new brass don't do it. Really. Fire forming is a pain in the......
Do the .260 or perhaps the 6.5-284.
Do the .260 or perhaps the 6.5-284.
Do you have a pre existing platform? Or building from scratch?
If you have a pre existing platform and are working with the short action, your not going to massive speed going the ai route With modern powder like rl26, (if it works in your gun) you will get pretty descent speed from the standard 260 And the standard 260 is still no slouch with h4350 However, I'd your working with that length action, the same applies to the ai version So it really just depends on how much pain your willing to endure for say 150fps With the ai you will have to fire form Ai variants can have issues feeding reliably depending on how steep the shoulder is
If your working from scratch and building, I would suggest 6.5prc or 6.5 saum (if you reload) Either will get you way more crank with way less pain in the 6.5 family. Norma is great but your into a long action And the prc or saum will still push a bit harder
Most common practice would be full length neck bushing die
LongBomber
Well-Known Member
You will gain 100-150fps and possibly some case life going to the AI. In mine I can run a 129 or 125 up to 3100-3140, and the 140-144's up to 3K with rl26 and around 2900 with h4831.
Fire-forming is no big deal, dies are easy as Redding makes them. As long as it is setup as a true ai with a bit of crush on standard 260 brass standard ammo works very well.
Fire-forming is no big deal, dies are easy as Redding makes them. As long as it is setup as a true ai with a bit of crush on standard 260 brass standard ammo works very well.
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
Don't be afraid of fire forming. I have done a few thousand rounds of fire forming for various cartridges. .250AI, .25-06AI, .260AI, .280AI, 6.5SS, 7SS, .300NMI, etc. It is super easy.
I am just waiting on a custom .130" FB reamer for my next .260AI. All other parts in hand.
Realistically, 100-150+fps should be expected, depending on the parent case. The .250AI has the greatest case capacity change, IIRC. I saw nearly 200fps in that rifle over a standard .250-3000 Savage. I also could outrun a standard .25-06 Rem with my .25-06AI by 150fps.
Is the extra horsepower worth it? Up to you to decide.
6.5CM, .260 Rem, 6.5SLR, .260AI
Fire forming 6.5SS
I am just waiting on a custom .130" FB reamer for my next .260AI. All other parts in hand.
Realistically, 100-150+fps should be expected, depending on the parent case. The .250AI has the greatest case capacity change, IIRC. I saw nearly 200fps in that rifle over a standard .250-3000 Savage. I also could outrun a standard .25-06 Rem with my .25-06AI by 150fps.
Is the extra horsepower worth it? Up to you to decide.
6.5CM, .260 Rem, 6.5SLR, .260AI
Fire forming 6.5SS
matt_3479
Well-Known Member
I went 260 rem and while i love it, I wish I went 260 Ai off the hop! I "fireform" all my brass to chamber before finalizing load development anyways so what's the difference in that or fire forming to an ackley chamber
Mikecr
Well-Known Member
There is no difference. We are all fire forming our brass in our best die (our chamber) to reach final form.
And Ackleys are designed for this so that 260 ammo can be used (for hunting) to form.
It's a great design, perfect capacity for 140gr 26cal bullets, similar to 6.5x47L being perfect for 130gr bullets.
Not too much, not too little, just right.
And Ackleys are designed for this so that 260 ammo can be used (for hunting) to form.
It's a great design, perfect capacity for 140gr 26cal bullets, similar to 6.5x47L being perfect for 130gr bullets.
Not too much, not too little, just right.
Legionnaire
Well-Known Member
I like my 260 AIs. If you're reloading anyway, no reason not to make the jump.
Just a thought for you to ponder; why not just go with 6.5 CM? It has plenty of factory ammo support when in a pinch.
TRG65
Well-Known Member
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- Dec 21, 2017
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I built a 6.5 addiction which is a semi-AI 6.5x55. It is probably my favorite cartridge that I shoot. However, the larger bolt face for the 6.5x55 makes it a bit more challenging. If I would do it over again, I would probably have gone to 260AI. I think the performance would be very similar, and I would have to be as careful with action boltfaces and magazines.
codyadams
Well-Known Member
Fireforming is so hard.......you gotta get .260 brass, any 6.5 bullet you want, primers and powder. That is quite a task these days....then, you have to actually look at some reloading data, and scour the data to find ".260 Remington".....and then find your bullet and powder combo. Then, you have to load your ammo with a middle of the road load, not max, not min. Then....the really hard part.....you have to SHOOT YOUR NEW GUN!!!!!
All kidding aside....it really is that easy. You do absolutely nothing different than if you were loading a standard .260, other than you just don't want to work up hot loads, just a standard .260 rem medium pressure load. Then have fun shooting your new rifle, and using your fireforming loads to break in the barrel. Then when you load your properly formed brass, your barrel is pretty much broke in, your comfortable with your new rifle, and your good to do your standard load work up. If you don't want to use up as much powder and bullets, you can do the cream of wheat method, which isn't hard either, just different. The only actual hard part may be sourcing components. But forming the rounds is the fun part guys!
As far as needing a medium action, at least with a SAAMI length throat, na. I run mine in a American Rifle Company AICS magazine (2.950" max OAL), and the only bullet I have had to seat off the lands is the 156 EOL, which is .060" off to run through my magazine, and it shoots good there anyway. With rl26 and a 29" barrel, I am running a conservative load, and getting 2940 with the 156. The 140 VLD, 147 eld-m, 143 eld-x, and similar bullets will cycle through the mag touching the lands. Most custom actions have a longer mag box too, which will be close to the length of my ARC AICS mag. If your doing a rem 700 BDL rifle, then your really opened up. Wyatts makes a PRC mag box for a rem 700 short action that allows 3.110" OAL, so throat it for whatever bullet you want, and you will have room to play.
I love my .260 AI, My lapua brass had 14 fireings on it before primer pockets started getting loose, and in that time, I trimmed my brass twice. The first time was just to make it all consistent after fireforming. 40* shoulders make that happen! The reason for doing a .260 AI is not to get a quick and easy solution, it's the uniqueness of the cartridge and fun process that makes it enjoyable.
All kidding aside....it really is that easy. You do absolutely nothing different than if you were loading a standard .260, other than you just don't want to work up hot loads, just a standard .260 rem medium pressure load. Then have fun shooting your new rifle, and using your fireforming loads to break in the barrel. Then when you load your properly formed brass, your barrel is pretty much broke in, your comfortable with your new rifle, and your good to do your standard load work up. If you don't want to use up as much powder and bullets, you can do the cream of wheat method, which isn't hard either, just different. The only actual hard part may be sourcing components. But forming the rounds is the fun part guys!
As far as needing a medium action, at least with a SAAMI length throat, na. I run mine in a American Rifle Company AICS magazine (2.950" max OAL), and the only bullet I have had to seat off the lands is the 156 EOL, which is .060" off to run through my magazine, and it shoots good there anyway. With rl26 and a 29" barrel, I am running a conservative load, and getting 2940 with the 156. The 140 VLD, 147 eld-m, 143 eld-x, and similar bullets will cycle through the mag touching the lands. Most custom actions have a longer mag box too, which will be close to the length of my ARC AICS mag. If your doing a rem 700 BDL rifle, then your really opened up. Wyatts makes a PRC mag box for a rem 700 short action that allows 3.110" OAL, so throat it for whatever bullet you want, and you will have room to play.
I love my .260 AI, My lapua brass had 14 fireings on it before primer pockets started getting loose, and in that time, I trimmed my brass twice. The first time was just to make it all consistent after fireforming. 40* shoulders make that happen! The reason for doing a .260 AI is not to get a quick and easy solution, it's the uniqueness of the cartridge and fun process that makes it enjoyable.
