260 or 6.5 Creedmor?

HeadHunter204

HeadHunter204

New member
I'm in the process of building a long range gun based off a Savage model 12 action. I'm pretty set on a pacnor barrel, only problem is I'm stuck on caliber. I'm going with either a 260 or 6.5 Creedmoor but I don't know much about the calibers. Will someone educate me, voice opinions on which you'd choose and why, post pictures of groups or pics of your savages. Also, I'm looking at the hornady amax to shoot out of whichever I choose. All input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks fellas.
 
I went with the .260 simply because i wanted to be able to go into the sporting goods store of any state i was hunting in and get ammo off the shelf if need be.

I have two .260's, one is a bone stock savage lwh that is a perfect carry/brush gun that still has minute of coyote so far to about 400yds. (i did miss yesturday at 560yds but i can't blame it on the rifle.)

The other i have is a savage 110 flatback action that is timed and trued with a krieger crome moly bull, 1:8 at 24" and kanjar set trigger which is set at 20ozs. It comes in at 12 lbs scoped with a bipod and is pretty much a bench gun for me.

I have tried all the amaxs for the .260 and settled on the 140gr with 42grs of H4350 for both rifles, that bullet/powder combo works very well for both guns but leaves the hide a mess if your after fur.

The model 12 is a good foundation for a build and you will be able seat the bullets as far out as need be with it. I have found that for my two rifles setting the col at 2.780 works just as good as jamming them in the lands.

You can find good info on both rounds at demigodllc.com.
 
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Headhunter,
I'm no expert and frankly wished I'd looked further into the .264 caliber before building one, but I have a 6.5 X 55 being finished up. As you may know both the 260 and 6.5 Creedmoor are the same caliber. The difference is the size of their casings and both high a high BC and are very efficient and highly accurate long range rounds. I guess you would have to look into what purpose you intend to use it for, other than "shooting long rang." If I had to do it all over again, since I shoot for accuracy and not hunting, personally I'd choose the 260 which is the one of the two you mentioned that has been around the longest. The Creedmoor is a much newer invention that many target shooters think is the ticket in accuracy. Also, if I remember correctly, the 260 has the smaller casing of the two and has the velocity similar to the 6.5 X 55 Mauser. The one thing I'm sure of is that the 6.5 is extremely accurate, especially out to 1K and I think either one would work fine for you. But it's the purpose that should matter for you. And I'd also be interested for see how well that rig shoots using that Savage Model 12 action. The reason I say that is because unless you change out the trigger mechanism (with that darn "accutrigger- sear block foolishness), depth seating may not work up to the rifle's accuracy potential when you try and jam the bullet say .030 into the lands. That's what drives me NUTS in all my Savages and even the one Model 12 that has the target trigger mechanism. I've shot a couple of 260's having the Remington Action and one with a Shilen and the other with a Bartlein barrel and they made me look like I could really shoot. Good luck in your build and hope she performs to your expectations. I know the ones I've shot, shoot better than I anticipated using Berger 140 Target Bullets and especially with Sierra 142 HPBT Target's.
 


Maybe, I should not write this; so please do not get mad:

The 260 started to die the day Remington came out with the 7mm Remington Mag..

I started with a 220 swift in 1960’s and it has died too, many times too. I still shoot the swift just out of the love of speed.

So, if you love the 260 go for it.

I see riflemen over the years hang on to the 30 cal. / 308Win, 30-06 and now 300Win.

Long range target shooters love 30 cal. but some are looking to 6mm. With 6mm you do not get the wind drift of the 30 cal and the recoil.

What do I shoot the most? Well, it is 6mm (243win). There so many bullets to choose from and with all the new powders. I can get all the speed I need.

I like Lapua brass and they make it in 243Win. I do not like the price but they pay for themselves in the long run.

In fact this last batch of brass may out live me,

Have fun and of course there is always bragging rights on a new rifle. It is like have a new baby. They cost about the same.
 
willy1947
I think you are confusing the 280 Remington w/ the 260 Remington. the 260 was commercially introduced in 1997 and the 7mm mag. in 1962. Doubtful the 260 started to "die" in '62. As has been pointed out the 260 & the 6.5 Creedmor are the same caliber, they are different cartridges!!!
 
if i remember right the .260 has a little bit more powder capacity because the creedmoor is shorter in oal so u can seat 140 grain bullets with out pushing them past the shoulder i think that is what i came up with when i researched them
 
Originally Posted By: willardif i remember right the .260 has a little bit more powder capacity because the creedmoor is shorter in oal so u can seat 140 grain bullets with out pushing them past the shoulder i think that is what i came up with when i researched them

That's correct. More powder space in the 260, more neck in the creedmore. I don't think you can get creedmore brass from lapua, but I don't think you would be displeased with either. I would personally go with the 260 FWIW.
 
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Thanks for correcting my bad guys, i realized i had wrote caliber about 20 miles from the computer. I have a "standard" accu-trigger on a .308 that breaks at 20 ozs as well. (yes it has been modified) It can be made to break even lower but for someone who may not be used to light triggers, i wouldn't start there.
 
I went with the 260, but they should both preform well. One of the main differences is brass makers. Other than that I think they are pretty equal.
 
Wow, consistent feedback on a subject (rare in any forum).

Sounds like the 260 is the winner. I was looking at getting a Nosler M48 in the 260. I'm glad I stumbled upon this thread; more ammo supporting me (again, rare in any forum).
 
If you reload go 260. If factory ammo go 6.5 Creedmoor. I have 4 260s. Love them to death. But starting over I would look heavily to the creed. Like the others have said, flip a coin or throw a dart at the board, one in the same.
 
I recentally finished my. 260 build. Used a 700 action fully blueprinted and put a Shilen SS select match barrel with a 1-8" twist. I had Niel Jones rework the trigger and he did a great job. I originally looked at the 6.5 Lapua vs. the. 260 Rem. I went with with the. 260 because my buddy was building a 6.5 Lapua and I wanted to be different. Also my gunsmith already had the. 260 reamer. Plus Lapua is making great brass for it too. Mine is a dual purpose target/hunting rig and I'm trying to find a dual purpose bullet to simplify things. Don't know if that's smart or not?
 
I personally would go with the 260 also. Only for the fact that it is more available, you will find more load data info and can use readily available brass to neck up or down. Now that Lapua is making 260 brass though that becomes less of an issue.

Here is an excellent write up on 3 popular 6.5 calibers by Zak Smith who is very knowledgeable when it comes to long range shooting: 6.5 Comparison
 
I have decided on the 6.5 Creed . As soon as my profit margin comes up a little I will start buying them . I figure that I need 5 of them . All Rugers .
Need 2 sporter models , 2 target /varmint models and 1 to shorten down to 18 1/2" for my wife . All will be stainless M77mk2 s .

I figure it is an ideal winter caliber for where I live . I don't think I would be able to realize any more accuracy or velocity from the Creed than I could the 260 .
When the 260 came out I lived and hunted in very densly populated brown bear country . So I always hunted deer with bear calibers .
I like the Rugers because they are accurate enough while being the toughest bolt rifle made . With CZs coming in 2 nd . The reason I plan on doubling up on rifles is the reason Im buying the Creed instead of the 260 . . Ruger has the infuriating habit of stopping production of some of the best rifles and carts. Ever put together .
 
If you don't reload then the creedmoor is the obvious choice. Hornady match ammo is among the best and its cheap too. Like 24 bucks a box in my area. If reloading I have to give the slight edge to the 260 only because of brass choices. Having said that I just sold my 260 because my 6.5 creedmoor build just got finished up.
 
I plan on laying in a big supply of brass and finding the best bullet and load .
Im thinking the 130 gr. Barnes MRX .
But who knows . Until BATF made Barnes stop selling the Banded Solids for the 6.5 I planned on using the 110 gr for fur and the 120 TTSX for everything else . Maybe the 130 s will be slow enough to not blow the heck out of the hide .
Its my theroy that the 6.5 will work as well on big game as most things up to when something in the 338 size is needed.

Having done a bunch of rifle builds . I'm not really up for building these . It would be nice to be able t make brass from something as common as the 243 . .or 308 .
 
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