6.5x55 vs 260

[Jim n Iowa]

I have always been interested in the 6.5 x 55, but having a 243 and a 7mm mag, I could see no compelling reason to own one. Along comes the 260 and it is getting a lot of press.  My latest issue of "Guns & Ammo has an article on a DPMS LR-260. Having rotated as AR's were being issued in quantity, have no experience with AR type rifle. So now I am drawn to the dark side with this 260. Share some thoughts with me. Also what is the military going to change to. My interest in the 260 is long range accuracy.
Thanks
Jim

[R.W.Dale]

I'd take a long hard look at ammunition avalibility for .260. Even though it's only a few years old .260  is several steps down the road to obsolesence.

 There are 2 ammunition manufactures with a total of 5 diffrent loadings for .260

 6.5x55 is loaded buy just about every ammo maker world wide and has been for quite some time

 .260 has done the same thing for 6.5x55 that .450 Marlin has done for 45-70..... It's tought everyone how great the original is.

 You guys may think I'm crazy but I see .260 taking a place alongside .450 marlin , 35 whelen and .284 win in the next few years.

As for a new military cartrige, 5.56x45 will be the last CARTRIGE the military ever adopts.

[257 roberts]

6.5x55 Swede

[CyberSniper]

The only thing is, the 6.5 x 55 is not made in an AR type rifle.
So, the 6.5 Gendel and the .260 Remington are a couple of
6.5s that are available in that style rifle.
In my limited experience with the .260, bullets lighter than
140 grain grouped better than 140s did.
This was with a Savage tactical rifle, which is no longer
made in .260 I don't think.

[Slamfire]

There's an article in Ackleys "Handbook for Shooters and Reloaders" written by the doctor who autopsied the live targets used to evaluate cartridges between WWI & WWII. The board chose a .284 for the new Garand rifle. The Doc said the woulds made by the 6.5mm with 125 grain bullet at 2850 fps, were greater. Doug MacArthur looked at the stored .30-06 ammo and said no way, Jose.
Imagine those ballistics in an AR type rifle. The Grendel uses one of the cases with a lesser diameter on the body. Like the .25, .30, and .32 Remingtons or the 6.5x53R or 6.5x54.

[glshop20]

I have not had any experience with .260's but have with m-96 swedish mausers and a sporterized husqvarna all in 6.5x55.  All shoot outstanding.  Great accuracy, low recoil and from my experience and others I have talked to good killing power.  I WOULD RECOMMEND IT.

[james]

I vote for the Swede caliber.
james

[Cheesehead]

The reason the 260 is chambered in the ar type rifle is, the case is 51 mm long or the same length as the 308 win. or the same length as many short action mags. The 260 is based on the 308 win. case. One advantage the 260 has over the 6.5x55 is it will fit a true short action rifle.I believe that is the reason for its creation.  Factory loadings of the 260 are considerably hotter than for the 6.5x55. If I were considering a new ar rifle it just might be in the 260. I believe this would be an outstanding deer gun. The moderate recoil, flat trajectory and quick follow up shots for multiple targets are all interesting considerations. Nothing wrong with the 6.5 Swede, I have 3 bolt rifles and one single shot in that chambering.

Cheese

[Jim n Iowa]

Thanks for all your replies. After a lot of thought I decided to have a 6.5x284 made on a Rem 700 vls platform. I thought the dark side would be cool, but I am a BA person. I think this rifle will be capable of much more accuracy than I am, but I have Grandchildren to carry on.
Jim

[nomosendero]

I was one of those who thought the 260 was in trouble, but there has been a revival so to speak of this round created by long range shooters who shoot 308 rifles. The 260 will carry to 1,000 yds. with the 308 powder cap. better than the 308 itself will.
The new Guns Annual has a good article on this. It is a nice round, my Wife uses the 6.5X55 & I like it too, but I would get a 260 over it for a variety of reasons.

[Ruskin]

I am left handed, and I had a 110 DL I purchased in '70 while in USAF.  It is a .243.  I looked at the 6.5 and wanted to convert the 110.  The short action hindered me.  I bought a 110 left hand in '06.  I was going to convert. I used the '06 and killed deer and hogs.  It now is secure as a rifle to keep as is.  Kept looking at the .243.  I have another .243 in Ruger 1. Went to a local gunsmith.  Can do!  I now have a 110DL with 6.5x55 shilen barrel.  Had to change magazine box and make a back cut in receiver.  I am starting break in period.  It is out being refinished in a black finish rahter than rebuling, more durable than bluing.

[Don Fischer]

I have my third 6.5x55, a Win 70 featherweight. I think that the 260 is almost as good but not quite. A bit less powder capacity and I think the cases are both strong enough the the 6.5x55 shades the 260. I think the 260 will go away as a factory round also. Not enough wisbang to it and Americans seem drawn to that. How good a cartridge is means little if it doesn't do a min of 3000fps or shoot a 250gr bullet!

The ammo issue is a non issue. Just take up reloading! Cases for the 260 can be made from the 243, 7mm-08, 308, 358. If your really bored, I think you can also make them from 25-06, 270,,,,,,,,,ya get the point?

The real bottom line is that both cartridges will fire the same bullet's at damn near the same velocity, which is suitable for most any game in the lower 48,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,and Alaska!

The draw back to the 6.5x55 is the rim size. If you for some reason decide to re-barrel a Swede to something else, it'll have to have the same rim size. An option to the 6.5x55 might well be the 6.5x57. same rim as the 308 I believe. To make a bolt for a 308 work for a 6.5x55, you have to open up the bolt face a bit. On the Parker Hale 1200 action I think I also had to have the extractor modified just a bit because of the larger rim.

[Brithunter]

Ahhh just a point here. US made 6.5x55 cases are undersized in the head area hence being able to re-barrel the .243 Ruger. European ammo and cases might not fit the bolt at all.

An option to the 6.5x55 might well be the 6.5x57. same rim as the 308 I believe

   Hmm this is arse about face, the .308 uses the same size as the 6.5x57 Mauser as after all the .308 is a shortened 30-06 which is a shortened 30-03 which was a rip off of the 7mm Mauser case for which the US paid Mauser royalties 

[Ruskin]

You are correct about the bolt face.  At first we thought the .243 was the same size.  When setting the barrel with go/no go guages the cartridge was found to be larger.  Simple task.

When I went to the 6.5, I asked a friend what he thought.  He tended to give a nod to the swede vs the .260.  It would have been easier to convert a .243 to .260 but not as sexy.  I can now drop the line I have a savage 110DL in 6.5 Swede.

[handirifle]

OK embelish for a metric newby here, what advantage does either of these have over a 7-07.  Bear in mind I haven't shot any othe the three, but all seem so close.

Given the rule of larger dia/smae weight, bullets being capable of greater velocity from the same casd, would the 7-08 not have the upper hand?

I know it was not one of the two in question, but this thread piqued my interest.

[Don Fischer]

OK embelish for a metric newby here, what advantage does either of these have over a 7-07.  Bear in mind I haven't shot any othe the three, but all seem so close

       --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cruise altitude of the 707 is about 35,000' and it's velocity is measured in natuical miles per hour, not feet per second. A 707 would make a good whitetail load but is a little light for elk!

If by chance you ment the 7x57 the most of the difference in in the eye of the beholder. It is made fron the 8mm mauser case also called the 8x57. First number is the cal in mm and the second the length of the case in mm. For the most part these disscussions on cartridge selection are really just filler for when we're not out doing gods work, thinning the herds!

[handirifle]

    Oops, I meant the 7-08.  Guess I need to proof read a bit more.  Actually I think a 707 would take aout anything it hit

[handirifle]

Besides, if he reloads, he would already have 7mm bullets to use.  Like a 7MM Mag lite!

[40inarow]

I have quite a bit of experience with both the 260 and 6.5x55. I have been a silhouette shooter for many years. I wildcatted the 6.5x308 long before Remington brought out the 260. You have 2 classes in silhouette, Hunter rifle and Standard. In Hunter you need to have a factory chambering, in Standard you can use a wildcat, whatever you want. So I shot a 6.5x55 in Hunter and 6.5x308 in Standard. Once Remington brought out the 260, I have shot it in both. The total number of rounds shot in both is somewhere around 8000.

You cannot tell a practical difference between the two. There is a theoretical difference due to case capacity, but a couple grains of powder does not make a noticeable change. I found the most accurate loads in the 6.5x55 were very close to those in the 260.

The 6.5x55 and the 260 are tremendous rounds for the vast majority of hunting that Americans actually do. If you like to shoot, you can shoot large quantities of ammo with the 6.5s and enjoy round number 150 as much as round number one. The recoil is easy.They are both very accurate. I have used 120 and 140 gr on deer and hogs and every shot blows through. What more can you get? I've used 85 and 100 gr for coyotes. You've got 243 performance on varmints and 270 performace on big game.

I would buy a 260 because you can use it in a short action which I prefer. If you get a 6.5x55 you will be happy. It's Continentals and Cadillacs. But you should get one or the other and then shoot a couple hundred rounds a month out of it and get real good. You will enjoy your gun and your hunting experiences to the fullest. You will put the bullet in the right place and be successful and satisfied. People get excited about velocity, I bought a 300 Weatherby once, so I've done it too, but the 260 and 6.5x55 are great performers and fun to shoot. It's hard for advertising guys to promote easy shooting cartridges, but that's what you ought to have.