308 vs 260

[timmymic]

Trying to decide between these two calibers! For hunting deer out to 500 and paper to 1k, looking for light recoil but something that will get the job done!

 

[Firetec]

For me I say 260 all the way. The ballistics are there and there are some great bullets out there. Unless you have a reason to run the 308 I am just not seeing how it beats the 260 on deer to 500 and paper to a 1000.

 

[MudRunner2005]

.260 is a great caliber, but I am a big .308 Win fan. For deer out to 500 and paper & steel to 1K, I think it would be a great caliber for this use.

Just my $0.02...

 

[Sully2]

.260. It will fulfill your needs for sure

 

[idaho elk hunter]

The 7mm-08 will out perform both of these and is more efficient. Check it out with the new cfe223 powder. I have built several light weight hunters in the last year and it is truly performing with this new powder. It is quickly replacing the 284 mountain lite that I built and keep in mind the 260 is harder to find brass for. The 308 is just plain ballisticaly inferior to any thing other than a .177 spring propelled steel ball.

 

[Greyfox]

I shoot both quite a lot. Ballistic edge goes to the 260 if you take advantage of high BC VLD's in 140 gr. At the range you are looking at for deer, I don't think they could tell the difference between the two. I use my 260 for targets, prefer the 6.5x284 for game and 1000+yard targets.

 

[Mikecr]

Lapua now offers 260 brass, just sayin.
Graf & Sons - LAPUA BRASS 260 REM UNPRIMED 100/BX

IMO, both are under capacity.
Way better than either: 260AI
This has the capacity to push 140s over 3Kfps at mild load pressures.
I say this because a 260 can't do this, but my 26WSSM does, and it's capacity matches a 260AI.

I don't even see the 308 as comparative here. It's a flat out poor cartridge choice for LR.

 

[timmymic]

I already have a 7mm-08 but its a savage similar look to the 10 trophy hunter xp but want to build something more tactical looking!

 

[Niles Coyote]

I have both 308 and 260 and have hunted for years with the 308... I just got the 260 and hunted with it last season. I use a 168 berger vld running around 2700fps in the 308 and a 140 a-max moving 2825 from the 260. Both are great calibers for deer. After using my 260 last season and spending about eight months with it developing a load for hunting and general target use at my 1000 yard range I see no reason not to use it. The 260 a much easier cartridge to make first round hits with at longer distances. It requires a wind hold about a third less than the 308 and uses about a twenty-five percent less elevation at 1000.

At 500, using my load data, it's also hitting with a little more than 100 foot pounds of energy compared to my 308 load. I have always used 1800 feet per second as my general rule of thumb for range limit as this tends to be the threshold for many bullets to expand. Using this rule in the past 500 yards was my cut off for the 308, the 260 can go another 200 yards (700y) before hitting this speed... Just something to consider.

Either one you choose will be good from my experience at 500 yards.

 

[vatackdriver]

The 6.5 (.260) pills have a much better BC so a .260 would make real nice long range toy. I would say if you have plenty of time for reloading, 260 would win. That being said I have a .308 that shoots factory ammo .5 moa all day long and hand loads even better. IMO the heavier bullet seems to buck the wind a bit better and decent ammo could be bought in a pinch so .308 is hard to beat.

 

[timmymic]

This is awesome info! Now what if I throw a 6.5 creed in the mix should that be an option too?

 

[trebark]

Given the choice between 308 and 260, the 260 wins in every category.

Essentially, there are four 6.5mm cartridges (excluding wildcats), they are (in case capacity order) 6.5x47lapua, 6.5creedmoor, 260rem, 6.5x284. Of these the 260 provides the right balance of velocity and barrel life.

If you want to build a tactical hunter, here's a great example:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f53/my-260-mcr-59628/

 

[Niles Coyote]

I already have a 7mm-08 but its a savage similar look to the 10 trophy hunter xp but want to build something more tactical looking!

Did someone say tactical?!?

My 260... pic doesn't do it justice

Obermeyer 8.4 twist Remington varmint barrel 24" in a manners T4 about 11.5-12 pounds scoped

My heavy weight 308 deer slayer gearing up for a Rifle's Only precision rifle class last year.

21.75" rock creek 11.27 twist with a M24 barrel contour, around 12.5 pounds scoped

My light weight 308 deer slayer

Standard Remington factory 20" tactical barreled action skim bedded by me in a B&C light tactical stock weighs 10.5

 

[Niles Coyote]

This is awesome info! Now what if I throw a 6.5 creed in the mix should that be an option too?

Of the 6.5x47lapua, 6.5creedmoor and 260rem I chose the 260 because you have a larger selection in brass manufactures.

The 6.5x47lapua and 6.5creedmoor had but one source at the time of my decision. However I think I read Norma was now going to make a creedmoor case. The 260 has four and can also be easily formed using 7mm-08 brass by simply neck sizing it down to 260... Winchester 7mm-08 brass is what I tend to use when not using Lapua.

Ballistically they are all very close but of the three the 260 has more room for powder and therefor more potential.