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260 or 6.5X55

1492 Views 9 Replies 4 Participants Last post by targetacqmgt, Nov 4, 2012

dhom

Discussion Starter · Nov 2, 2012

I would like to get a short rifle action and screw one of these barrels on probably a Hogue stock. I have a very limited budget. Anybody able to tell me where to get an action and what the price range would be? Would it be better to look for a Ruger 77 or CZ rifle already chambered for one of these rounds?

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Bindernut

· #2 · Nov 2, 2012

The 6.5x55 won't run through a short action unless you limit yourself to 120gr bullets or lighter.
That is one of the reasons behind Remington developing the .260. They wanted to fit that power class into a short-action rifle.

As for building...
Unless you've got a good deal on a used action locally, you're probably going to wind up buying a complete rifle and rebarreling it. It'll be cheaper to find a rifle in the caliber you want right off the bat unless you've got a specific reason for wanting to build.

The CZ550 is available in 6.5x55. I think they're currently the only maker chambering the cartridge right now. Remington and Ruger have in the past though.

You can get .260Rem from Remington and Ruger. Probably Savage as well but I don't have their catalog handy.

If they've got one on the catalog, your cheapest option (and still a very good rifle) would be a Savage in .260

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JLA

· #3 · Nov 3, 2012

.260 rem all the way. Nuttn better than a .308 win case necked down to .264. Slightly outclasses the 7mm-08 in the LR accuracy dept because it has access to the high BC (.500+) projectiles and can run them at high velocity. a .520 BC 123 gr Lapua scenar at 2500 fps (thats a light load for the .260 rem) is still super sonic at 1000 yds.

can you say hoo-rah??

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JLA

· #4 · Nov 3, 2012

And ill also second the savage action. Go shop around the gunshows, gunshops and pawn shops. look for a bargain priced savage short action already in .308 or .243 or something similar. from there its as simple as rebarreling it and putting the set up in a good stock and topping it with good glass in a good mount.

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JLA

· #5 · Nov 3, 2012

If i had the 6.5-284 build to do over. Id have gone SA and barreld with a heavy .260 rem tube. Not that i dont like the 6.5-284, it s agreat round, brass is just too stickin expensive. .260 rem brass can be made by simply runing readily available .308 win brass into a .260 rem die and trimming it to .260 rem length.

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targetacqmgt

· #6 · Nov 3, 2012

Ahh JLA I really LIKE my Swedish mauser even though the ammo is expensive. Have any technical issues with the Swed??

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dhom

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 3, 2012

I guess I should look for the complete rifle. I did consider the 6.5/284 but, rejected it for the same reasons. The jacked up price on brass. I'm not particular on short or long action. Most of my rifles are long action and I don't see a disadvantage to that. As always ,,,, thanks for your input.

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Bindernut

· #8 · Nov 3, 2012

targetacqmgt said:
Ahh JLA I really LIKE my Swedish mauser even though the ammo is expensive. Have any technical issues with the Swed??

Expensive? If you're buying boxed ammo then I suppose. I've been reloading for my Swedes since I started amassing them in the mid-90s.
Brass is hard to come by since Winchester (or whoever their supplier is) only tools up for a run once a year. Remington does small runs of brass as well. I've got plenty of both stockpiled.

As for any issues with loading for the Swede. Nothing unique that I've ever come up with.

If you're loading for a military Gustaf or Husky stick with 140gr or 160gr bullets. Every one I've ever had was absolutely deadly accurate with 160gr round-noses even if the bore looked like a gravel road.
With mild Mauser loads, the brass will last darn near forever. I only have to trim my Mauser brass every 4th or 5th loading and I've never had a split neck with the mild loads.

For my CZ55, I load 140gr. For this rifle, I load it on the top end (above Mauser loads) and, same as Josh says about the .260, it'll outclass the 7mm-08 and .308 for long-range performance.
A friend of mine with a Rem700 Classic does the same...Hot loads with 140gr.
ONLY do that in a modern rifle though, not an old Swede!
It carries enough energy and it'll hammer even a good sized elk out to 300yds.

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JLA

· #9 · Nov 4, 2012

I dont have any personal experience with the Swede round. But I do have friends that shoot it and they love it. I read that it is among the few ballistic dream cartridges.

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targetacqmgt

· #10 · Nov 4, 2012

Bindernut said:
Expensive? If you're buying boxed ammo then I suppose. I've been reloading for my Swedes since I started amassing them in the mid-90s.
Brass is hard to come by since Winchester (or whoever their supplier is) only tools up for a run once a year. Remington does small runs of brass as well. I've got plenty of both stockpiled.

As for any issues with loading for the Swede. Nothing unique that I've ever come up with.

If you're loading for a military Gustaf or Husky stick with 140gr or 160gr bullets. Every one I've ever had was absolutely deadly accurate with 160gr round-noses even if the bore looked like a gravel road.
With mild Mauser loads, the brass will last darn near forever. I only have to trim my Mauser brass every 4th or 5th loading and I've never had a split neck with the mild loads.

For my CZ55, I load 140gr. For this rifle, I load it on the top end (above Mauser loads) and, same as Josh says about the .260, it'll outclass the 7mm-08 and .308 for long-range performance.
A friend of mine with a Rem700 Classic does the same...Hot loads with 140gr.
ONLY do that in a modern rifle though, not an old Swede!
It carries enough energy and it'll hammer even a good sized elk out to 300yds.

Yup rebuild my ammo stock after a nasty divorce, where EX-step daughter took all my rifles and ammo down to the cops to be destroyed while I did not have access to the marital house.

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