.264 Win. Mag vs 26 Nosler

[cynicrit]

Just curious, hype and published numbers aside, anyone here had a chance to compare the two? Pros and cons of either/both? If I were considering 6.5mm for a long range rig w/ higher velocity than 6.5CM or 6.5/284?
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PUBLISHER'S NOTE:

Take a look at my 26 Nosler offering by CLICKING HERE.

Len Backus

 

[WildRose]

Barrel life with be shorter with the 26 Nosler. There's no way around that.

If barrel life is a factor it's not the choice to make if you're going to do a lot of shooting with it.

If you're just going to sight in, work up a load, verify and check occasionally and hunt with it then it's a great choice.

I love the .264wm and have a great shooting 700 CDL SF but my next rifle is going to be a 26 Nosler built on a stainless Model 70 action with a 29" Stainless Fluted #3.5 Benchmark Barrel in a McMillan M-40 Stock.

 

[cynicrit]

Just looking to work up loads and harvest deer at the other end of a field or for working through openings in an otherwise inaccessible travel corridor. Thanks for the input.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

For the 26-Nosler, barrel life needs to be taken into the equation.

I am very fond of the 26-Nosler case design. Just not in 264 caliber. I have reamers and rifles built for it necked up in 277/26-Nosler now being called 27-Nosler, 284/26-Nosler now 28-Nosler, 308/26-Nosler aka 30-Nosler and 338/26-Nosler.

The powder to bore ratio, over bore ratio is higher than a 7mm RUM. So my recommendations are:

#1 When sighting in, testing loads, or rechecking, wait, wait, wait between shots. 2 minutes or more.
#2 Assume you will change the barrel after 600 rounds. If it lasts longer great, if less, well .....
#3 Put a dollar in a jar for each shot taken. LOL.

The .264 WM is, like all the belted magnums a known. No where near as over bore but if you push it to maximums and shoot fast barrel life can still be an issue. Not pushed and shot slow, a barrel could last a lifetime. Note: Anyone who says they can get the same external ballistics from a belted magnum in .264 is going to have to push the powder charge into the same over bore realm as a 26-Nosler so barrel life, barrel life, barrel life.

You makes you choice and you pays you money.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Just looking to work up loads and harvest deer at the other end of a field or for working through openings in an otherwise inaccessible travel corridor. Thanks for the input.

.264 Win Mag will server you well.

Oh dear, did I say that.... I dislike belted magnums........

How about a 6.5 Sherman Short Mag or a 6.5 WSM LOL

 

[Outlaw6.0]

.264 Win Mag will server you well.

Oh dear, did I say that.... I dislike belted magnums........

How about a 6.5 Sherman Short Mag or a 6.5 WSM LOL

WSM of course!! Sorry Rich....


If one wanted to build the Nosler & extend the BBL life, they may consider meloniting the barrel & utilizing the relatively inexpensive HBN coating on their bullets. I wouldn't be surprised if you could see another 200-300rnds of usable bore life. That is purely a SWAG of course....



t

 

[Deleted member 46119]

...consider meloniting the barrel & utilizing the relatively inexpensive HBN coating on their bullets...

I don't know about the meloniting, we have lots of testimonials on the forum about it though.

I will comment on the hBN though since almost every bullet that leaves my rifles is coated. So far, in my experience, yes it does help preserve the barrel. When I use my Innovative Technologies - Reloading Equipment bore scope, the barrels remain looking very nice.

The biggest thing, I have not had to make any COAL adjustments for throat erosion and that is the testimonial part. It works for me.

 

[MudRunner2005]

I agree with JFS about a couple things here....The .26 Nosler case has awesome potential....For wildcats. But I think it is entirely too overbore in standard .264 caliber form. 7mm, .30, .338, and maybe even .375 calibers would be a much better option for that case.

If you want great performance and better barrel life than the .26 Nosler, go with the .264 WM. It's a great caliber.

 

[RT2506]

For me it would be the 264 Win mag all the way. Just put a long barrel on it. I have a 700 Rem with a 27 3/4" Shilen barrel, all I could get out of a 28" blank. With Retumbo and 130 gr Accubonds I average 3350 fps with sub MOA accuracy and so far out to 500 yards out of 20+ deer shot all have been DRT. And I mean on the ground before you get them back in the scope from the slight recoil.

Cases are much easier to come by for the 264 Win mag or make. I use 7mm Rem mag cases run through a FL 264 Win mag die and you have a 264 Win mag case.

 

[cynicrit]

For the 26-Nosler, barrel life needs to be taken into the equation.

I am very fond of the 26-Nosler case design. Just not in 264 caliber. I have reamers and rifles built for it necked up in 277/26-Nosler now being called 27-Nosler, 284/26-Nosler now 28-Nosler, 308/26-Nosler aka 30-Nosler and 338/26-Nosler.

The powder to bore ratio, over bore ratio is higher than a 7mm RUM. So my recommendations are:

#1 When sighting in, testing loads, or rechecking, wait, wait, wait between shots. 2 minutes or more.
#2 Assume you will change the barrel after 600 rounds. If it lasts longer great, if less, well .....
#3 Put a dollar in a jar for each shot taken. LOL.

The .264 WM is, like all the belted magnums a known. No where near as over bore but if you push it to maximums and shoot fast barrel life can still be an issue. Not pushed and shot slow, a barrel could last a lifetime. Note: Anyone who says they can get the same external ballistics from a belted magnum in .264 is going to have to push the powder charge into the same over bore realm as a 26-Nosler so barrel life, barrel life, barrel life.

You makes you choice and you pays you money.

Since expanding the 26 Nosler case to accept larger diameter bullets seems to be sort of reinventing the wheel, what is it that you find in the 26 Nosler case that makes it worthwhile? I believe you when you say it, but I find that aspect of wildcatting intriguing.

 

[WildRose]

Since expanding the 26 Nosler case to accept larger diameter bullets seems to be sort of reinventing the wheel, what is it that you find in the 26 Nosler case that makes it worthwhile? I believe you when you say it, but I find that aspect of wildcatting intriguing.

Volume and efficiency. It's a wide, fat case that allows for higher burning of the powder than longer thinner cases with the same or similar case volume.

Same principle as the short magnum cases.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Volume and efficiency. It's a wide, fat case that allows for higher burning of the powder than longer thinner cases with the same or similar case volume.

Same principle as the short magnum cases.

Well said.

Before I talk about my stuff a note: If you go with a 264WM you could later ream it to 26 Nosler.

The 284 Winchester was the original wide, fat case. It begot lots of derivatives.

Then came the WSMs SAUMs and UMs which derived from the 404 Jefferies.

Like elkaholic I saw greater in less. I had already made up a shorter than WSM design but elkaholic's SSM is very fine so I have not gone forward with mine. I really like my 300 RUM and 338 Edge but saw potential in the Nosler design so I moved on that.

There is another design completed that I will go forward with when I get the Nosler loads developed. Actually several. If I don't go with with SwamLord's 375 Mjolnir it could be my own similar design.

I am so intrigued by the 358 CEB with a BC of .920 that I want to build a rifle for that with my design that is similar to SwamLord's.

 

[cynicrit]

Wow. I see. Thank you all again for the input. Seems there's always something else around the corner.

 

[Deleted member 46119]

Wow. I see. Thank you all again for the input. Seems there's always something else around the corner.

Yeah, so will you go with the .264 and be able to to farther later if you want to?