.264 Win
- Thread starter gmarr
- Start date
reynolds357
New member
I have 4 .264 Win mags. Pretty much a 7 Rem mag except it is harder on barrels. 800 or so rounds = time for new barrel.
zachattack2
New member
It is a pretty good a practical caliber.
Here is were you can find some good information.
http://gundata.org/cartridge/33/.264-winchester-magnum/
Here is were you can find some good information.
http://gundata.org/cartridge/33/.264-winchester-magnum/
Mike Irwin
Staff
Truth be told, I've always struggled to find a purpose for the .264.
I've fired two fairly extensively, and reloaded for one, and was just never all that thrilled with the accuracy I was getting.
To be perfectly honest, given the choice between a .264 and a 7mm Rem. Mag., I'd take the 7 all day long.
I've fired two fairly extensively, and reloaded for one, and was just never all that thrilled with the accuracy I was getting.
To be perfectly honest, given the choice between a .264 and a 7mm Rem. Mag., I'd take the 7 all day long.
Like any other cartridge, if used in the right barrel they're very accurate. I used one in a long range match rifle long ago and it shot about MOA at a thousand with Norma 139-gr. match bullets. Sierra didn't make 26 caliber match bullets when I first used it.
Like all extremely overbore capacity rounds, it has a very short barrel life. Mine lasted 640 rounds going from about 4" to 5" accuracy at 600 yards to 20" over 4 fired shots. Its throat had advanced about 1/10th inch over that many rounds; .001" for every 6 or 7 shots.
Winchester came out with it to compete with the 7mm Rem Mag, which it did fairly well. The 7 Rem Mag's barrel life in long range matches was about 750 to 800 rounds which wasn't significantly better. Cutting the .264's powder charge by 10% will gain another 100 to 150 rounds of barrel life.
Use it as a hunting round and it'll do well. Mine puffed a few prairie dogs with 100-gr. hollowpoints. Others have used it on medium size game with good results; proper bullet used, naturally.
Like all extremely overbore capacity rounds, it has a very short barrel life. Mine lasted 640 rounds going from about 4" to 5" accuracy at 600 yards to 20" over 4 fired shots. Its throat had advanced about 1/10th inch over that many rounds; .001" for every 6 or 7 shots.
Winchester came out with it to compete with the 7mm Rem Mag, which it did fairly well. The 7 Rem Mag's barrel life in long range matches was about 750 to 800 rounds which wasn't significantly better. Cutting the .264's powder charge by 10% will gain another 100 to 150 rounds of barrel life.
Use it as a hunting round and it'll do well. Mine puffed a few prairie dogs with 100-gr. hollowpoints. Others have used it on medium size game with good results; proper bullet used, naturally.
Mike Irwin
Staff
"Winchester came out with it to compete with the 7mm Rem Mag, which it did fairly well."
Uhm... no.
Winchester announced the .264 in either 1958 or 1959. It was first commercially available in 1959 or 1960.
Remington introduced the 7mm Magnum in 1962 as one of the original cartridges for the new Model 700 rifle.
The .264 had sold decently when it was first brought out, but when Remington introduced the 700, sales of the .264 plunged drastically.
Uhm... no.
Winchester announced the .264 in either 1958 or 1959. It was first commercially available in 1959 or 1960.
Remington introduced the 7mm Magnum in 1962 as one of the original cartridges for the new Model 700 rifle.
The .264 had sold decently when it was first brought out, but when Remington introduced the 700, sales of the .264 plunged drastically.
Mike Irwin
Staff
OK, that makes more sense. Roy Weatherby designed the 7mm Wby sometime in the 1940s.
It was, IIRC, the first of the mid-bore magnums to come out commercially.
What really killed it though, and what allowed the .264 to eat its lunch, was the fact that Wetherby wouldn't let anyone else chamber his cartridges in their rifles.
It was, IIRC, the first of the mid-bore magnums to come out commercially.
What really killed it though, and what allowed the .264 to eat its lunch, was the fact that Wetherby wouldn't let anyone else chamber his cartridges in their rifles.
Weatherby wouldn't let anyone else chamber his cartridges in other makes of rifles?
Weatherby's shop in Southgate, CA, had no issue chambering my pre-'64 Win. 70 in .300 H&H Mag to the Weatherby version in 1958; Weatherby's chamber reamer was used and its barrel was so stamped. They told me several of them had been rechambered there.
A friend's Dad had his Rem 721 in .300 H&H rechambered to the Weatherby round by someone else. Many a custom FN Mauser action was barreled for them by lots of people in the 1950's.
Weatherby's shop in Southgate, CA, had no issue chambering my pre-'64 Win. 70 in .300 H&H Mag to the Weatherby version in 1958; Weatherby's chamber reamer was used and its barrel was so stamped. They told me several of them had been rechambered there.
A friend's Dad had his Rem 721 in .300 H&H rechambered to the Weatherby round by someone else. Many a custom FN Mauser action was barreled for them by lots of people in the 1950's.
If the rifle is nice I would buy one with 'double set triggers' 
Most 264 incl. the old one I have sport 26" barrels but 24" would work.
You better be an avid handloader as ammo and brass is not easy to find.
Be fussy that the rifle itself is what you like features and quality wise.
The 7mm Rm's out there will do the same thing.
Most 264 incl. the old one I have sport 26" barrels but 24" would work.
You better be an avid handloader as ammo and brass is not easy to find.
Be fussy that the rifle itself is what you like features and quality wise.
The 7mm Rm's out there will do the same thing.
Mike Irwin
Staff
Wetherby would rechamber YOUR rifle, but he wouldn't let Remington or Winchester use his cartridges for many years.
At least that's what I've been told.
He wanted control over the chamberings not unlike the guy at... SSK?
At least that's what I've been told.
He wanted control over the chamberings not unlike the guy at... SSK?
My uncle swears by his .264 Win Mag. I've been hunting with him for 40 years now and it's the only cartridge he's every used in that time. He's taken at least a couple dozen elk and easily twice that many deer with his, all shooting 140 grain bullets. It's pros are it is a very flat shooting round and the SD and BC of the 140 grain bullets is outstanding. Cons are barrel life but in all fairness for hunting applications that generally is not going to come up for most people. If a deal ever presents itself to me, I'm buying it!
About 30 years ago, I hunted with a friend who shot a 264 Win Mag. I must admit it was about the flattest shooting rifle I had ever seen up to that time. I saw him hit a coyote at about 620 yds in a 20 mph wind, I would not even try a shot at that range with my 22-250. And yes, it was hard on barrels.
green_MTman
New member
very good gun and its only a barrel burner with 120 gr.its the same as the 7mm mag with the 140 gr
Far as I know 300 Wby still isn't SAAMI Spec. That's one reason he never did any outside work.
http://saami.org/PubResources/CC_Drawings/C and C Dwgs - TOC - Rifle.pdf
http://saami.org/PubResources/CC_Drawings/C and C Dwgs - TOC - Rifle.pdf
reynolds357
New member
The .300 WBY was the first chambering I am aware of that Roy let the other manufacturers make rifles for. In the mid 80's Remington and Winchester started building the rifles. Saami has the specs for the .300 WBY listed, but they do not show an issue date. Who knows?
Bryan Blitz wrote an article showing what bullet weights are going to match up favorably for long range shooting with the 142 grain 6.5mm.