260 Rem Vs. 6.5-06

[Clark]

IMR-4166 is slower than IMR-4895 and closer to IMR-4064. It's not a big difference, but it's the same speed range as RL-15, Varget, AA-4064 etc...

Quickload thinks my 50.7 gr should make 3236 fps with IMR4895 and it chronos at 3197 fps with 4166, so it is a little slower.

So far I have just used the 4166 in Oct 2015 on a new Krieger barrel 300WinMag 125 gr and this new 6.5-06 120 gr Shilen select match ratchet barrel 6.5-06.

So I have no controlled test, but it sure does seem to be easy to keep clean of Copper fouling.

So with the two anecdotes, I am a fan of IMR4166.

 

[morcey2]

Quickload thinks my 50.7 gr should make 3236 fps with IMR4895 and it chronos at 3197 fps with 4166, so it is a little slower.

So far I have just used the 4166 in Oct 2015 on a new Krieger barrel 300WinMag 125 gr and this new 6.5-06 120 gr Shilen select match ratchet barrel 6.5-06.

So I have no controlled test, but it sure does seem to be easy to keep clean of Copper fouling.

So with the two anecdotes, I am a fan of IMR4166.

I've got a 257 Roberts that copper-fouls really quickly. It likes IMR-4064 and H-4350 both so I'm going to be trying 4166 and 4451 to see if they can get a handle on the fouling in that particular gun while keeping the accuracy. It's cheaper than a re-barrel. It can only maintain its accuracy for about 40-50 shots before it needs to be cleaned.

Matt

 

[Nomosendero]

+2 on that. The 270 isn't new and exciting like some of the new fad calibers but it is as excellent one. It has been proven over many years.... reasonable recoil, excellent performance, wide range of bullets available.

Over on the fire, a well respected guy there says that he is getting 2800 with the 170 Berger in a 22" 270. Sounds higher than I expected and may have been a fast barrel but if it's the case then a 1-8 26" tube would be nice and still able to shoot all the factory in a pinch.

 

[RandyinVa]

i will put the performance of my 260 Ackly up again any 6.5-06

You could do a 260 AI and have the best if both worlds. Almost same ballistics in a smaller more pack friendly rifle. And you wont hardly ever have to trim your brass. The 260ai is a great caliber.

 

[billigoat]

I'll keep you posted! I really have not spent a lot of time with it yet, but plan to over the next several weeks. H-1000 and retumbo will be the powders I'll be testing with 140 Bergers and the 140 Amax using Fed 210 primers.

Capt Academy, have you had any time to try out your loads yet?

 

[BillLarson]

i will put the performance of my 260 Ackly up again any 6.5-06

In what respect...............????
case capacity............???...... nope
bullet speed..............???......nope
cost of brass.............???......nope
barrel life................?????..... possible

 

[RandyinVa]

Case capacity is not a measure of performance, nor is speed.
Performance in my mind is groups or in the case of hunting, killing effectiveness.

Mine has shot a 3 shot group of .268 including the bullets. What would beat that in your mind for performance?
With accuracy like that and a speed of almost 3k it would rate well except against a 6.5 284.

Would add that the cost of brass is the cost decided by the number of reloads and I am VERY happy in that area also.

 

[Clark]

Bart points out that he has never killed a deer with a cartridge, always with a bullet.

 

[MudRunner2005]

Case capacity is not a measure of performance, nor is speed.
Performance in my mind is groups or in the case of hunting, killing effectiveness.

Mine has shot a 3 shot group of .268 including the bullets. What would beat that in your mind for performance?
With accuracy like that and a speed of almost 3k it would rate well except against a 6.5 284.

Would add that the cost of brass is the cost decided by the number of reloads and I am VERY happy in that area also.

My .308 Win does that...Regularly.

Also, I do agree that the .260 AI is an exceptional cartridge, and one that I would like to build someday, but I don't think it's going to really beat the 6.5-06 AI in performance.

Both cartridges can be equally accurate so that's not really a factor that you can consider in performance, IMO. Just like with a car, performance means HP, TQ, and how fast and efficiently it gets from point A to point B. The 6.5-06 AI is going to be faster, flatter, hit harder, retain more more downrange energy, and do it all with only about 15 more grains of powder. And if you factor in cost, brass is almost as cheap (and can be cheaper if you buy .270 Win brass to form).

That being said, I am not saying either one is "better" cartridge than the other, because I like both cartridges, I'm just looking at it from a purely performance standpoint.

 

[BillLarson]

Case capacity is not a measure of performance, nor is speed.
Performance in my mind is groups or in the case of hunting, killing effectiveness.

Mine has shot a 3 shot group of .268 including the bullets. What would beat that in your mind for performance?
With accuracy like that and a speed of almost 3k it would rate well except against a 6.5 284.

Would add that the cost of brass is the cost decided by the number of reloads and I am VERY happy in that area also.

Randy,you opinion is greatly appreciated.
However it is your opinion,...........not fact.......
case capacity is surely directly proportional to cartridge performance
.260 ai is only a slight improvement to the 6.5-308 case..not a particularly common hunting cartridge.Or killing cartridge...
as far as 6.5`s the Swede 6.5x55 outshines the .260 in hunting and competition...
accuracy is really dependant on the particular barrel.....
quality brass lasts longer and if you are talking performance it adds to it........
these are not my opinions..... facts taken outa any reloading book.....

 

[BillLarson]

bart points out that he has never killed a deer with a cartridge, always with a bullet.

aman............

 

[morcey2]

Bart points out that he has never killed a deer with a cartridge, always with a bullet.

Or in my case, the front-end of a Chevy. The ballistic coefficient sucks, but it sure has knock-down (and across-the-road-into-the-bushes) power.

 

[Frank in the Laurels]

For all intents and purposes there isn't all that much difference between the two, a slightly longer barrel and some of these new powders and you'd be real close....you'll always have or can make brass for both, because when you can't reloading as we all know it will be over, very good case life, easy on the shoulder and ears, more than enough for deer-sized game, about even in my book ! Wonder if ole' Ray Romain of Brockway is still kicking, he was a big advocate of the 6.5/06 in the early days of 1000 matches...Daryl Cassel's good friend from Williamsport, haven't seen or heard from him in a coon's age.

 

[WildRose]

Case capacity is not a measure of performance, nor is speed.
Performance in my mind is groups or in the case of hunting, killing effectiveness.

Mine has shot a 3 shot group of .268 including the bullets. What would beat that in your mind for performance?
With accuracy like that and a speed of almost 3k it would rate well except against a 6.5 284.

Would add that the cost of brass is the cost decided by the number of reloads and I am VERY happy in that area also.

Velocity is most certainly one measure of performance.

If it didn't matter at all we wouldn't keep trying to find the ideal case size for a given caliber.

One of the primary ways we determine if a given round is adequate for a given species at a given range is by looking at the energy at the desired range. Energy is a function of mass, velocity, and ballistic coefficient.