John, all valid points, and I do think that down the road that the 6.5CM will far surpass the .260Rem, but I think it is marketing and not performance that will be the largest driver. I do not think Ruger is going to make a .260Rem anything...they have clearly chosen the 6.5CM. Will someone else enter the market with a .260Rem in a $1K tactical practical rig that competes with the RPR? If yes, and they are big enough with good QC, the tables may turn. But I do think the 6.5CM will cause some fade in calibers like the 6.5x55, 6.5x284, the .257s and to a lesser degree the .260Rem and the 7mm-08.
That the 6.5CM works in the .308 pattern ARs is a minor benefit to its eventual place in the market, but one not lost on me. When I have a friend ask me about a LR rig, I ask them what else they own and might own down the road. If they even think they might want a 6.5mm gas gun, or they are not a reloader, my answer comes back 6.5CM, it just makes sense.
Trust me, I understand the average guy, and why they don't care, and they probably should not care. Remington gets more requests for .260Rem than any other caliber...but even being a .260Rem and 700 fan, I have gone to Rugers, and .243 Win due to Big Greens lack of QC, and I already am tooled up for .243 with guns, brass, bullets and powder. But, even within the TFL group, I likely shoot and reload a lot more than the average so it matters little to me. Barrels and bullets are the same to me...consumables, but not to the average gun buyer.
6mm bores do dominate PRS. The Dasher is coming on strong and there are a few others. But do I for a second think that the 1000 or so PRS shooters are affecting the bread and butter sales at the major retailers? Not for a second, but I do think the RPR in 6.5CM may be the single best thing to happen to precision shooting/hunting/plinking and "me too" sales in the bolt gun market ever.