Talk me out of building 260 ai

[sqdougherty]

Howdy there, I have a .260rem sako finnlight that I bought 10+ years ago and have put a ton of rounds through it. So many that it seems my accuracy has declined, plus I'd like a faster twist barrel. After some internet sleuthing, I've decided I'm going to buy a new barrel. So the real debate is whether to stick with 260rem or switch to 260ai..... my inclination is to make the jump to 260ai, despite the added hassle.

So my question is this, how annoying is it really to make/fireform the rifle brass to fit the chamber? I recognize there is a marginal gain in velocity, but I like to tinker. My real concern is that it'll take an inordinate amount of time to get the brass in shape to be able to fully realize the gain of the AI shoulder.

 

[eastbank]

if you want a .260 ai go for it, just shoot a standard .260 rem in it and it will be fire formed into the .260 ai that can be reloaded with out any other work. i had a .280 ai and fire forming standard .280 was easy as pie and they shot pretty good to.

 

[436]

Dies aren't cheap, brass is easy to form in any AI chamber, as to the performance, the 260 Rem does pretty well as is, perhaps one of the guys that's made the change over could shed more light on that end. I don't think I'd rechamber that rifle, I think I'd keep the factory barrel and buy a new one, you might want to go back down the .260 Rem road again. Good luck Cheers

 

[sqdougherty]

if you want a .260 ai go for it, just shoot a standard .260 rem in it and it will be fire formed into the .260 ai that can be reloaded with out any other work. i had a .280 ai and fire forming standard .280 was easy as pie and they shot pretty good to.

So that is more or less what I thinking I would do, but as most folks are well aware the internet is full of opinions regarding the do's and don'ts

 

[sqdougherty]

Dies aren't cheap, brass is easy to form in any AI chamber, as to the performance, the 260 Rem does pretty well as is, perhaps one of the guys that's made the change over could shed more light on that end. I don't think I'd rechamber that rifle, I think I'd keep the factory barrel and buy a new one, you might want to go back down the .260 Rem road again. Good luck Cheers

I'm much too much of a hoarder to get rid of the old barrel, so no worries there and that is sort of what I was thinking

 

[Taylorbok]

10+ years...
If you want an AI do it,
forming is no problem but honestly if you shoot that little do you really care if the bullet is going 150 fps faster?
It will literally be years before you have enough pieces of formed brass to reload.

 

[HSmithTX]

Nope, no way, 260AI is a really good cartridge so I am not helping anyone talk you out of it. Cheap bullets loaded with a just low of midrange load and bullet in the lands 15-20 thou, break in the barrel and form the brass at the same time. Go put another 2500+ through it.

 

[GLTaylor]

AI brass is very easy to form. I have a bunch of AI cartridges. Most improvement in velocity is usually on the order of 10-15%.
The biggest benefit of the 40 degree shoulder to me is it essentially stops case stretching. I hate having to trim brass every 2-3 firings. With the AI, trimming essentially goes away

 

[Taylorbok]

10-15% is a stretch. but it will 100% help with trimming

 

[Weaver93]

Do it, tinkering is fun. Don't have to set out to just fire-form. Shoot it for fun and hunting with regular loads and eventually you have your brass. Neck size a few and fire a couple times off the bat and send them to Whidden. You'll have your dies in a couple, three months and off to the races! Mine is a Mack Brothers action with a Hawk Hill varmint contour and it shoots well fire-forming.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I really love the .260 Rem. and will always have one (or two). It is easy to fireform, but then it is just like getting another cartridge with components (dies) and the extra work in fireforming for another 100-150fps...
If you are looking for more velocity in a 6.5mm get a 6.5 PRC or 6.5X284 and keep the .260! You have two 6.5s then.
It would still be fun to just switch your 260 to a 260AI. You already have the brass, action, stock, just need a new barrel and dies.
Good luck and have fun!

 

[ButterBean]

Why would I try to talk you outta that? Build it and don't look back,

 

[Weaver93]

I really love the .260 Rem. and will always have one (or two). It is easy to fireform, but then it is just like getting another cartridge with components (dies) and the extra work in fireforming for another 100-150fps...
If you are looking for more velocity in a 6.5mm get a 6.5 PRC or 6.5X284 and keep the .260! You have two 6.5s then.
It would still be fun to just switch your 260 to a 260AI. You already have the brass, action, stock, just need a new barrel and dies.
Good luck and have fun!

I get what you're saying, especially about the dies, but I didn't really set out to fire-form mine. I did take a hand full to the range to shoot a couple times to send for the dies, but everything else I just loaded to shoot hunting or playing same as I did the .260 to start with. It was my coyote/groundhog gun so I just went through it as usual. By the time I had a couple hundred cases formed the dies were here. I was going to shoot it anyway so no added work for me.

 

[sqdougherty]

Why would I try to talk you outta that? Build it and don't look back,

I mean you're telling me what I want to hear