Was the 6.5 cm really a necessity?

This thread has gotten off topic but interesting to the point that I'll throw my 2 cents in. Prior to winning a Rem 700 Sendero in 300RUM back in 2003 at a raffle, my deer rifle for 15 years prior to that was an Enfield 303 British. I used factory ammo when I first got it and then once I started handloading I loaded with Sierra 150gr flat base bullets. I took deer out to 350 yards with the open sights on that rifle. Step forward to winning the 300RUM. At this point I was well along in handloading and I was excited to have a new deer rifle. I did my due diligence in research on best bullets and settled on the Swift Scirocco II bullets in 180gr. At 100 yards the first 2 shots went through the same hole and then the 3rd would just slightly move next to the other 2 holes. I tested the load at the local range that had silhouette targets out to 600 yards and I ringed every single one of the consecutively out to 600 and went hunting that fall with that rifle for the first time. So here's the interesting part. I've hunted with that Scirocco bullet for the past 13 years. A few years ago when Berger bullets were becoming all the hype I thought I'd develop a load for my 300 and I did and it would shoot a 3" group at 600 yards so yes they shot just as well as my Scirocco's did. I used them on deer for the first time this year and I can honestly say that I'm not impressed. Every deer was hit right where I put the bullet but all 3 deer either ran or walked off, not far mind you, but every deer I ever hit with a Scirocco fell dead on the spot. And I like that fact because more than once I've shot multiple deer within seconds because if you shoot a deer and it runs, the rest of the deer start running. If you shoot a deer and it drops dead where it stands the other deer just look at the deer that "laid down" and it allows you to fire more rounds. I've taken up to 3 deer within seconds of one another because of this. Even at 568 yards (my longest shot on deer) the buck dropped instantly in it's tracks. So I get what the other poster is saying about Berger bullets. Sure they'll take game, and thousands of deer have fallen to them like another poster as said, but I like better terminal performance out of my bullets and I'll be going back to the Swift. As an aside the ELD-X performed about the same as the Bergers as well. Both deer I took in 2016 ran, again not far but they ran none-the-less.

As to the original post regarding the 260 vs the Creedmore they're both good rounds. I started off with the 260 before the CM ever showed up. As far as accuracy, it was the most accurate round I've ever fired. I developed a load for my ex's rifle and it shot a single hole at 100 yards. I kept the loaded ammo when we divorced as she got the gun, but I always wanted another 260. A few years ago I found a 260 in an AR platform. Just for kicks I fed it my handloads and I was blown away the grouping was about a 1/4" so that load must have just been a sweet spot for most any rifle. It even fit the AR magazine so no complaints here. But I do agree if you're going with longer bullets the CM does have an advantage there unless you turn your bolt action gun into a single shot for the 260 as the bullets have to be seated out so far.
 
All the 260 guys are making the case for the Creed.
Remington doesn't support the 260. It's not a well thought out design.
No brass
No ammo
Not ideal for short actions.

The 6.5 Creed fills the above criteria well!

The 30-40 Krag comes to mind. It was quickly improved and the rest is history!!
Not a good design? It's the same design as the .308 Win, but necked down to .264... I don't think anyone is going say the .308 Win was a "bad design". It dominated the battlefield and the competitions and shooting ranges for decades. Was the idea to put it in a short action with a short mag box a good idea? Not so much...But that's the gun manufacturer's faults. Same with the .260 Rem.
 
Not a good design? It's the same design as the .308 Win, but necked down to .264... I don't think anyone is going say the .308 Win was a "bad design". It dominated the battlefield and the competitions and shooting ranges for decades. Was the idea to put it in a short action with a short mag box a good idea? Not so much...But that's the gun manufacturer's faults. Same with the .260 Rem.
Say what you want. But the 260 wasn't designed right. Wether you want to blame short mag boxes or that the Remington designed a **** poor short action cartridge. It's as broad as it is long.
 
After all the discussions and debates, the answer is simple.
Is any particular cartridge really necessary. If you eliminated Half the available cartridges, We would still have more than we need.

But most gun nuts never get enough and seem to always be looking for something new and searching for that old demon called velocity. Most could make do with 3 or 4 different cartridges, and the old tried and true cartridges already have that covered.

If you looked at a 22 rim fire, a medium cartridge 6mm to 7mm , a good magnum 30 or 338 and then a boomer from 375 to 458 what else would a person really need to hunt/shoot anything.

It ends up being a ford versus Chevy debate with dodges thrown in just to keep the debate going.

I like all firearms/cartridges but don't own all of them. Just my two cents. :cool:

J E CUSTOM
 
Short highly efficient rounds very accurate but that does not mean they are good for hunting. I would like to see proof from Berger and Hornady that their bullets perform well on deer size game because our gell test prove otherwise
I can tell you from personal experiences how Berger, Sierra, Hornady (several different types), Nosler, Barnes, Remington, Winchester, and Federal bullets perform on deer-sized game, and how they stack-up to each other. I still use Berger for hunting, and none of the rest. ;)
 
Berger bullets penetrate 2 inches then explode leaving a huge wound chanal upto 10 inches deep. They do not exit. High shoulder shots are best with since they do not exit and u will not have a blood trail. Hornady accubonds are the only bullets u should use for elk. They will work well and have full penetration and leave a good blood trail. Sierra's HPBT's will do the same
My experiences with Berger bullets prove otherwise.
 
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Say what you want. But the 260 wasn't designed right. Wether you want to blame short mag boxes or that the Remington designed a **** poor short action cartridge. It's as broad as it is long.
It's all a matter of personal opinion. I don't think the .260 was designed as good as it could have been...But I don't feel it was a "bad design" in production form. As you know, I'm an Ackley fan, so I think if Rem had designed the .260 AI and named it the .260 Remington, then it would have been MUCH more popular.
 
Short highly efficient rounds very accurate but that does not mean they are good for hunting. I would like to see proof from Berger and Hornady that their bullets perform well on deer size game because our gell test prove otherwise
Live animal test prove Berger bullets flat hammer animals for me. Elk and mulies both.
 
It's all a matter of personal opinion. I don't think the .260 was designed as good as it could have been...But I don't feel it was a "bad design" in production form. As you know, I'm an Ackley fan, so I think if Rem had designed the .260 AI and named it the .260 Remington, then it would have been MUCH more popular.
260 Aclkey in a long Action is a whole other beast!!
 
260 Aclkey in a long Action is a whole other beast!!
Yep! But as much as I love the .260 AI, I'd really hate to waste a long action...I'd probably just jump up to a 6.5 Sherman and get the most out of the magazine length, pushing the new 155 Bergers. ;)

Short action .260 AI, I'd just do some cutting on the mill and put a Wyatt's box in it, so I can utilize the most out of the SA.
 
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Kind of off topic but what is the oal of the 260 Ackley with a 140 Berger?

Mine is around 2.8" with 140s at the L&Gs. Criterion Barrel and a 260 AI Match reamer.
This has been the limiting factor. I assumed that the match reamer that they said was for long/high bc bullets would be close enough to max me out, but I am showing no pressure signs and am compressed to the point of not holding seating depth. May need to switch from h4831sc to h4350. On the other hand, it shoots pretty well so....
 
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