260 or 6.5x55??

[Elkwonder]

OK I am in the process of thinning the heard and reorganizing. I have decided a good full house load 6.5 in a light package is about perfect for me. I hate muzzle brakes and I shoot my guns a lot so that I am familiar with the weight and balance of my hunting gun. More recoil than the 6.5 as I get older is just unappealing....
I am wondering what you guys would go with between these two calibers. I see a small advantage both ways. I will have a 260 set up for shooting distance already, so I will be very familiar with the caliber. However the 6.5x55 gets a little extra fps with the 140's for hunting.
Is there anything I am missing? Lapua makes brass for both...
Tikka laminated stainless would be the gun I would get, and both calibers are listed to have a 22.4 inch barrel.....so is either caliber better suited for the short 22.4 Tikka barrel?

 

[Mikecr]

22" barrel is too short for either cartridge. You'll have very high muzzle pressures, as a good bit of the powder will not be burned until releasing at the muzzle(big fireball).
The 6.5x55 is by far the better capacity for 140gr bullets. While the plain 260 is under capacity for 140s and slightly over capacity for 130s.

IMO, accuracy is the most powerful of all ballistic attributes.
If I were set on a short 26cal, I'd go 6.5x47L, 130gr bullets, and ~24" barrel. It's faster powder and more accuracy in a short barrel.

 

[Elkwonder]

I guess what I have the hardest time understanding is WHY does Tikka put that short of a barrel on these calibers if they honestly need a longer one. I mean they have been chambering for the 6.5x55 over there for forever, wouldn't you think they know how long the barrel should be? This is the only downfall I know of which Tikkas is the short barrels,,,,

 

[Mikecr]

I don't know why they would.
But if we could always use ~22" barrels, with no prices for it, don't you think everyone would?

Maybe 22" barrels are forgiving enough for hundred yard grouping that anything beyond -is just beyond guarantee with their customers anyway..
Cooper is an example company that plays this kind of game, and I'm conceding to this even while I love their guns. They attach a ~47yd group card to each of their guns, while knowing full well they would be assumed by customers as 100yd groups. They use barrels that are short and slow in twist to force use of lightest in cal bullets (as the customer soon figures out). Well, light for cal bullets from short slow twist barrels shoot really nice little groups(up close).

Lot of opinions on my part. I don't even know what your field shooting would amount to.

 

[CliffM]

I actually don't see that much of a handicap to the shorter barrel. Depending on the powder used the velocity loss might only be 20-50 fps. The muzzle pressures are really quite tame, in the 10,000- 12,000 psi range with even the slowest powders. There are 10-12 common powders that will give 100% burn in 22", double that if 98% is acceptable.
I would guess that the barrel length has more to do with the weight and balance of the rifle than any performance considerations.
The 6.5x55 might give a little more latitude tailoring a load for the purpose that you want it for.

Cliff

 

[BEEMAN]

22" barrel is too short for either cartridge. You'll have very high muzzle pressures, as a good bit of the powder will not be burned until releasing at the muzzle(big fireball).
The 6.5x55 is by far the better capacity for 140gr bullets. While the plain 260 is under capacity for 140s and slightly over capacity for 130s.

IMO, accuracy is the most powerful of all ballistic attributes.
If I were set on a short 26cal, I'd go 6.5x47L, 130gr bullets, and ~24" barrel. It's faster powder and more accuracy in a short barrel.

I agree on the 6.5x47. My RBROS built is simply awesome. 42.2 gr of H4350 drives a 130 berger at 3000 fps out of a 26" barrel. It always surprises me how the 6.5x47 is left out of most conversations that include the 260 and the creedmore. It really is a nice little round with exceptional accuracy.

 

[.30US]

I'd go 6.5x55mm between the two. If you're looking at the Tikka T3, they're all built on the long action, as I understand it; might as well have the extra case capacity. 6.5x47 was thrown out, so I'll assume you're okay with having a rifle custom built and handloading exclusively...even more reason to go with the 6.5x55mm since it will really jump up with handloading and you could overcome the 22" barrel criticism. If you're going to go with a custom barrel for a 6.5x47, as was suggested, why not the 6.5x55mm Bob Jourdan Ackley Improved? 2900+fps with a 140gr. isn't bad and the recoil is still pretty mild. But, if you're going to keep it simple while thinning the herd, get the 22" Tikka in either caliber and load it with a little faster powder than you might if it had a 24+". FYI, Lapua's 6.5x55mm brass is the cheapest in their line.

 

[Wado]

I sold this one, still regret it. I still have my 96.

 

[scottishkat]

I have had 4 260 remingtons own 3 currently. Really like the round don't care for it in 22.4 but that is what my Sako has as well. Capable of extreme accuracy if you're going with the Tikka I would do the 6.5x55. I would not say that either one will shoot 140's any faster than the other.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

 

[Bbear]

Went through the same questions and opted for a 6.5x55. Just took it to the range this past weekend and put 4 shots into .33" at 100. I opted for a 24" barrel on mine.
Next range date I'll check to see if the shots are repeatable and run 10-15 over the chrony.

 

[6mm06guy]

+1 for 6.5x55, I have a howa 1500 stainless, and it shoots great with a 22" barrel.

 

[codyadams]

My dad has a 6.5x55 built on a 98 large ring Mauser. It has a 24" tube, and he is getting 2855 with 140 Berger hybrid targets and IMR 7828. I believe his charge is around 51 grains...but don't quote me. Nosler brass. Just so you have an idea on performance, I'm sure you can get better performance, but that isn't always where your velocity is. I believe he got up to 2930 with h4831 I think, but his groups opened up. With the IMR 7828 load listed above, it is a solid .5 MOA gun. Barrel contour is a magnum sporter, has a vortex viper pst 4-16, Harris bipod and triad tactical stock pack with a couple goodies in it and the gun is just a touch over 10 lbs. I have a 260 AI, and my pet load for my rifle is a 140 H-VLD @ 3000 fps using H-4831sc, but then again, I have a 30" tube....ha ha.

 

[just country]

morning, 6.5x55. extremely accurate, very soft recoil. easy to reload.lightbulbgun)

 

[wbm]

The Swede is one of my all time favorites. In a bolt action rifle, I never found an advantage the 260 has over the 6.5x55.