Hello all, I'm in the thought process of building my wife a rifle, I've all ready bought a defiance tenacity and a proof sendero light barrel. looking for something that is relatively (easily) loaded for that will run a 140grain bullet around 2900. I had thoughts about ackley improving the 260 Remington but it just doesn't seem worth it. Open to all short action standard bolt face calibers 6.5-30cal that will do that velocity
260AI. worth it or do something different?
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59FLH
Well-Known Member
I vote 7mm-08. If you willing to run pressures in the mid to high 50'sK, RL-17, Hunter, W760 and others will get you there with a 24" or longer barrel. 22" will get you close.
59FLH
Well-Known Member
There's a lot to choose from, good luck.
Well...if ya don't want to Ai a 260....
Doesn't a 65284norma work in a short action as long as you seat the bullets a touch deeper....
I have one oal at 3.09" or so with a 142lrab..24" barrel...and another at 3.15" with the 142lrab..26" barrel....
And they both shoot very well at around 2950fps or so...
seating a touch shorter doesn't hurt the velocity or the accuracy....just gotta put them both together for the best accuracy.....
Doesn't a 65284norma work in a short action as long as you seat the bullets a touch deeper....
I have one oal at 3.09" or so with a 142lrab..24" barrel...and another at 3.15" with the 142lrab..26" barrel....
And they both shoot very well at around 2950fps or so...
seating a touch shorter doesn't hurt the velocity or the accuracy....just gotta put them both together for the best accuracy.....
LongBomber
Well-Known Member
You can get a 140 to 2900 with a 260ai, depending on barrel length. If off the shelf ammo is not a concern then I wouldn't hesitate to go 260ai. Dies are a stock item from redding, fire-forming is nothing even though some seem to make it out to be an issue. And good brass is available (lapua and Alpha).
Thank you everyone for the insight. And I really like the 260ai idea. The dilemma is the time it takes for a reamer, the wife wants to hunt this upcoming fall. And it looks like reamers are quite a ways back ordered. Unless anyone knew where to find one quick?
Just go with a .260. We have had and still have several. We get 2875 fps with 142 SMK 26" H-4350 and not pushing it. Also load with 140 gr SGK getting over 2,900. Look for accuracy before speed. GREAT caliber for hunting deer or elk.
Currently building a 6.5X284 for Target with a 30" . Just want more speed/power to push 142 to 156gr bullets
Are you getting that velocity out or a standard 260 or 260AI?
Santiam338
Well-Known Member
Go 260 ackley and don't look back..You can settle at 2900 if you want,but you can get more out of it should you choose to...I run 139 Scenars at 2950 with H4350..I can almost hit 3000 with 6.5 Stabil but the 4350 loads shoots so well that I am sticking with it..
I call it my little magnum..I will never be without one..
Good Luck..
I call it my little magnum..I will never be without one..
Good Luck..
260 Rem Standard 26" Bartlein 5R 1:8 H-4350 Lapua Brass. That's a PRS model we built. Also got around 2800 with some 24" tubes.
Personally I would just keep the .260 and not the AI. If you want more speed go with a 6.5X284, but for hunting you don't need anything more than a .260
Just my opinion.
Why go with the 6.5x284 when the 260AI gets real close to its performance anyway, Plus a bit better barrel life and the ability to still shoot 260 If you want and still have fire-formed cases? I looked into doing a 6.5x284 and now I have 2 260AI that are right there with the 6.5x284 for performance. To each his own but I really believe the 260AI has all the benefits and none of the negatives. Also the OP has a short action that Would work much better for the 260 length cartridge.
