Is the .260 Remington (or any 6.5mm) alive and well?

Not to hijack the thread, but I've been interested in 6.5 cartridges for a while for a general purpose hunting rifle. Looking ahead 5 years or so, does it seem like the .260 Remington or 6.5 CM will win out in terms of factory ammo options and availability?...again, thinking in terms of hunting.
 
Last edited:
"Yeah, I owned one. Now it's feed issues are someone else's problem."

Maybe you should have build/purchased a better quality rifle. Or even more likely you just needed better magazines. My FOUR Grendels have NEVER had a problem feeding, firing or ejecting...


"The 6.5 Grendel is a bad idea."

Opinion from an internet "expert" in cartridge designing?:rolleyes:


"AA tried special followers and what not..."

Nothing new or unusual, many NON-.223 based caertridges need special followers INCLUDING the 6.8 SPC and others.


"There's a reason the AK magazine is roughly 1/8" wider than the AR magazine and curved..."

An extra 1/8" width or length would help many cartridges in the AR-15...

The Grendel is a greatly IMPROVED 7.62X39mm case. But, AGAIN and AGAIN, MOST of the taper has been taken out of the Grendel case so the AR-15 problem with the highly tapered Russian case does not exist...

T.
 
.260 Rem

"Per wiki and other online articles it has the same ballistics as a .300 Winchester magnum with a fraction of the recoil and in a much lighter rifle."

I've become a huge fan of many of the 6.5mm cartridges and the .260 Rem in particular.

As usual wiki has gotten it wrong or half right at best...

The .260 (and 6.5 CM) may have the same "trajectory" but not the same "ballistics" as a .300 WM.


"Older slightly less powerful 6.5 mms like the 6.5×54mm Mannlicher–Schönauer are proven long time favorites in the Scandinavian countries for moose hunting."

First, from what I understand, "Scandanavian moose" are far smaller that the moose species in NA.

Second, the 6.5X55 Swede and NOT the 6.5X54mm M-S/Greek is popular in Scandinavian countries.

Third, these older, less powerful 6.5mm cartridges gained their reputations shooting very heavy bullets of about 160g at relatively low velocities. These bullets had great penetration which gave them their reputations for killing game out of proportion to their size. These lower velocities also allowed early, less reliable bullets from breaking up and further increasing penetration...


"Seems like it ought to be the go to cartridge for all kinds of hunting and long range use."

I've found the 6.5mm cartridges so versatile I have sold every rifle I owned between .223R and .308W and replaced them with 2 6.5mm cartridges, the 6.5 Grendel for the AR-15 and the .260R in everything else.

With 2 cartridges in 2 rifles, I can hunt any game in NA. The .260 Rem for most and the .338-06 for the bigger stuff...

T.
 
Last edited:
Heres what is holding back the 6.5s. Folks wont get behind just one. You would see more 6.5 popularity if everyone would get behind the 260. Ruger is pushing the creedmoore which really only has an advantage as it pertains to semi auto use. The historical popularity of the 6.5x55 is unfurtunate in that it needs a long action but everyone wants a short action. 260 Rem is the best of all worlds. You would think it would win out as the 243 Win did with the 24's. They use the same parent case.
 
"Hard to get feeding in an auto... More cartridge development focused on straighter wall cases is needed"

Internet BS! And, as usual WRONG...

With FOUR rifles in 6.5 Grendel, I've NEVER had a problem with feeding. Have you shot even one?


"They've got the same issues as all 7.62x39 or PPC-based cases in the AR: they really want a more curved magazine like the AK has."

Duh, have you even seen the 6.5 G case? Instead of "looking later" you need to look now!

The problem with the 7.62X39mm feeding in an AR-15 due to excessive case taper does NOT EXIST with the Grendel case. LOOK at the case, although based on a 7.62X39mm case, most of the taper has been taken out.

Come on guy, seriously, LOOK...

AND, the 6.8 SPC case has MORE TAPER than the 6.5 Grendel, .021" for the SPC vs. .014" for the Grendel.

The 6mm PPC has EVEN LESS taper, .010". Kind of blows you "internet wanna-be expert theory" about case taper.

Both the Grendel and the 6mm PPC have even less taper than the .223 Rem of .024". Again guy, seriously, LOOK!!!

T.
Click to expand...
I'm guessing what they really meant was the sharp shoulder angle from case body to neck--which can in fact cause feeding issues in some set-ups. I have built and worked on a couple of ARs in this caliber and I think that it's fair to say the cartridge design is "sensitive" to hardware and magazine variations.
 
I shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor in a long range bolt action,and a 260 Remington in a DPMS LR260-H semi-auto. I don't shoot any factory ammo,I handload for everything I shoot.
If anyone produced the barrel contour that I have with my DPMS LR260-H back when I was looking,the semi-auto would've been a 6.5 Creedmoor also. Both rounds are so close in performance it's really a tie,but the Creedmoor has an advantage with seating longer bullets.
The good thing about reloading for the 260 is that I resize 243 brass for it,and 243 brass is pretty cheap.It's a hunting rifle to me,and I don't care if I lose brass out in the field hunting hogs-yotes-deer-etc. I do care about loosing my 6.5 Creedmoor brass,the Nosler/Norma brass ain't cheap.

Other than the butt stock,hand grip,and trigger,this rifle is factory DPMS. It shoots great,is pretty lite for this type of platform,and functions excellent.

 
ka9fax said:
What about a 6BR vs 6.5CM at 100 200 yards for taget?
Click to expand...

The individual rifle is going to make much more difference at that range than the caliber with those choices.

I went with 260 Rem over the 6.5 Creedmoor for my Savage because Lapua brass is available.
 
Heres what is holding back the 6.5s. Folks wont get behind just one. You would see more 6.5 popularity if everyone would get behind the 260. Ruger is pushing the creedmoore which really only has an advantage as it pertains to semi auto use. The historical popularity of the 6.5x55 is unfurtunate in that it needs a long action but everyone wants a short action. 260 Rem is the best of all worlds. You would think it would win out as the 243 Win did with the 24's. They use the same parent case
Click to expand...


There's a lot of truth in this. There are 8 or 9 really good 6.5mm rounds, and a lot of overlap. While that's a great thing for handloaders and competitors, the casual shooters and hunters that don't reload are sitting on the sidelines, waiting to see which loads become the new classics, and which ones die in obscurity.
 
I also agree with DVDCRR. That is one of my major hesitations.
I am quite certain 6.5X55 will survive in some form indefinitely because of its European popularity.
I am guessing the US will see one of three take over:
260- due to support from manufacturer
6.5CM - probably the best round on paper
6.5X55 - there are a ton of rifles out there and military surplus with an established European market, and it can do it all, but being a long action I doubt it.

Something like the 6.5 PCC could probably fill the casual shooters desire much better than any of those three.
 
dvdcrr's post is a good one. I think too, there are just too many cartridges.

Yes, 6.5CM for gas guns and .260 for bolt guns is the way I prefer, but if you want both, the 6.5CM. I ran mostly 123 grain bullets in the gas .260 as they were more accurate due to length issues in the AR10 pattern magazines. (I sold my AR10 pattern .260, but kept the bolt guns ) That is where the 6.5CM has the advantage, fitting in AR10 pattern magazines. The .260 was in the lead across the varied groups, but with Ruger now pushing the 6.5CM, that might turn the tide towards the CM. In PRS (long range competition) most of the competitors have 6.5s and other cartridges, but we are seeing more and more go to 6mm (6CM, 6XC, 6x47 etc.) so the LR support has waned a tad for the 6.5s. The 6.5x55 Swede is a good caliber, but a long action, but I don't think it is in trouble yet.

I also have a 6.5PCC and I love it as a mid-range cartridge in the AR15 platform. The 6.5G is a slightly better cartridge, but a little more money, less AR15 parts commonality and there is the issue of feeding. Most guys around here do not fully load their magazines and have no issues. The problem comes when you load more than 10 in a larger magazine, which for most applications is not going to happen anyway. The 6.5G is more popular, but for my uses, the 6.5PCC was a better fit.

The 6.5 bullet selection is great now, and I think it always will be with so much competition in amongst the various cartridges. If you reload, pick one and move on. If you are trying to pick one (using factory ammo) to buy in a bolt gun, toss up between the 6.5CM and .260Rem. in a gas gun, get the 6.5CM.

Target shooting inside 300 yards, go with a .223 or some .223 case based wildcat. Most 6.5s shine from 300 on out to about 1000 depending on what you are doing.
 
I love my tikka .260 with 30 mm LR leupold! It is a tack driver and the recoil is very manageable. It's not all about how big of a caliber. It's about being confident in your gun and making a good shot! .260 ammo isnt as readily available as say .270 but it can be ordered very easily or if you reload that great!!
 
I use: .260 REM, 6.5x55, 6.5 Carcano, 6.5 Japanese and I sold others over the years. Either you like them or you don't. I am thinking maybe a 6.5-30-30 in the future.
 
It's too bad it's all splintered up instead of one clearcut caliber available far and wide.

As far as Ruger being behind the Creedmoor, do they make both a bolt and a semi?
 
Ruger has a .308 pattern AR that is rumored will be available in 6.5CM in 2016 and they just came our with their precision rifle (bolt) in .243, 6.5CM and .308.

For about $1100, it is a great value and while rank and file deer hunters may not take to it at 10-11 pounds, but it is a game changer. The middle to low quality precision rifle builders are in serious trouble. Some of the best PRS shooters have already tried them and given their stamp of approval. With barrel changes the same as on an AR, once aftermarket barrel makers start making barrels for it it will be THE choice for many. With the lower cost and easier barrel changes, I will likely go for the .243 chambering instead of the 6.5CM. But anyone not already invested in a caliber and gear, the 6.5CM is the best choice if they want to get into long range for about $2K...when it has been about $4K for the last decade. Only trick now is getting them.
 
I have a DPMS LR .308 on layaway at my LGS. But now i have my eye on the precision rifle and thinking about changing from .308 to 6.5CM. eather rifle would be used for BR only, and at 100 to 200 yards. The gun shop owner said he had no problem if i would like to change to the Ruger in eather cal. do you guys think this would be a good move. of course i want the most accurate rifle. Thanks
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top