260 Ackley Improved

[Areaonereal]

The regular Nosler Accubonds are excellent. Have taken a number of Plainsgame in SA fron duiker to blue wildebeast all one shot pass thru, except the blue Wildebeast. Very accurate from my 30 06, longest shot was 330 yds. The long range accubonds in my 6.5x284 lack accuracy, also ballistic coefficient s very inflated.

 

[Desperatezulu]

Your 260AI is very close to a 6.5x55 with the heavier bullets, other than you probably will struggle with jump/leade in the 260 if you want to use bullets heavier than 140gr.
Unless you're shooting small/light African game only, I'd steer clear of the Bergers. If you're shooting 140gr above 2700f/s, I'd go with Accubonds as a minimum in terms of tough bullets. 140gr A-Frames would be ideal, as always. Norma Oryx come in 156gr which is a great short to medium range 6.5mm bullet if your gun can manage them (leade, twist rate etc).
Accubond LR's are regarded as being on the soft side for high impact speeds and/or close range. There are enough moderate reports on them for me to ignore them in the 6.5 class - I haven't used them myself, so my comments are anecdotal only.

If you're really chasing speed, then look at mono's, although you'll more than likely have to drop to 125/130gr because of limited leade in the 260 and case capacity with the long mono bullets.

 

[Shawn.54]

A mono is about 20% longer than a jacket/lead core bullet so you need to drop a size to keep them stable if you use a drive band bullet you can move the lighter bullet much faster.
My 375 Ruger using a 200gr moves at 3213fps out of a 22"barrel and 4581fp of energy.
The 22-250 I mentioned earlier uses a 40gr bullet at 4200fps at 170 yards it passed threw a quartering deer almost 23" of bullet path.

 

[dchamp]

I also have a 260AI with a 22"bull barrel set up for tactical precision shooting. I'm shooting a 123gr Lapua through it at just under 2900fps. It is a tack driver. It has killed pronghorn out to 800 yds but I don't think the Scenar opens up consistently enough to use for that purpose. Another bullet that shot well for me in this rifle was the 130gr Swift Scirocco.

For hunting I use a 6.5-284 Blaser R8 with 140gr Berger VLD's also at around 2900fps. A couple of years ago I took a big cow elk at 264 yds. The bullet transversed through the scapula and hit a rib entering the chest cavity. There was no evidence of heart or lungs, only congealed blood and soup. It was devastating, she tried to take a step but couldn't and then collapsed.

 

[norfolk shooter]

Well that rifle came and went back to the seller as it turned out to be a turd of a rifle. Thinking about the good old 7x64

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Hello all,

I have the above calibre inbound as a semi custom build. The intentions for it are a UK deer rifle as well as a plains game rifle in Africa. I would be loading it with 140 grn bullets and was wondering how effective it will be on the stuff out in Africa?? Last May I took my 375 H&H with 250grn pills and everything was down in one shot. Also does anybody use Berger VLD hunting bullets? If so what do you think of them??

Many thanks as always

Manish

@norfolk shooter
Improving the 260 makes as much sense to me as improving the 308 and 7mm08.
The case already has minimal taper, all you are really doing is altering the shoulder angle and gaining very little in velocity. For every 4% gain in powder capacity you get 1% gain in velocity so you would be lucky to get 50 to 75 fps increase.
Is the extra hassle worth it.
Just my 2 cents worth
Bob

 

[sgt_zim]

Woodleigh has a 160 gr PP that has good BC at .509 and very high sectional density at .328 The load data for the 260 REM is at about 2530 fps. I am not sure what speeds you could get from the AI so can't comment on the trajectory but I like the potential of the 160 gr. on hardier animals. Good luck!

i started shooting those out of my 6.5x55 SE a couple years ago. only one deer down, was a bang flop.

I'm pushing at a modest 2450. I get the accuracy I want, no real point in pushing it a lot harder.

 

[dchamp]

@norfolk shooter
Improving the 260 makes as much sense to me as improving the 308 and 7mm08.
The case already has minimal taper, all you are really doing is altering the shoulder angle and gaining very little in velocity. For every 4% gain in powder capacity you get 1% gain in velocity so you would be lucky to get 50 to 75 fps increase.
Is the extra hassle worth it.
Just my 2 cents worth
Bob

Bob it probably doesn't make much sense, especially in the velocity gain, but I bought the rifle that way. It is a tack driver and the brass does not stretch. I get get real good life out of it. I think I'll leave well enough alone and keep it the way it is.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob it probably doesn't make much sense, especially in the velocity gain, but I bought the rifle that way. It is a tack driver and the brass does not stretch. I get get real good life out of it. I think I'll leave well enough alone and keep it the way it is.

@dchamp
It's good it's a tack driver and gentle on cases, I'm just over wild cats,but do love my 2. A 22K Hornet and my 25.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

@norfolk shooter

Improving the 260 makes as much sense to me as improving the 308 and 7mm08.
The case already has minimal taper, all you are really doing is altering the shoulder angle and gaining very little in velocity. For every 4% gain in powder capacity you get 1% gain in velocity so you would be lucky to get 50 to 75 fps increase.
Is the extra hassle worth it.
Just my 2 cents worth
Bob

Bob,
This thread is four years old. I’m sure by now Norfolk Shooter has a 6 or 6.5 Creedmoor?
CEH

 

[IvW]

A very good point. I read somewhere on AH that someone was listing only the diameter of the cartridge withought the ending of the headstamp. So only listing ".260" on the paperwork of the gun and ammo to get through. I'm not sure if it has worked for anyone or if you'd be stuck in a problem.

It would be a real bummer to take a gun into Africa with a garrantee that you would not find your specialty ammo that was not let into the country. This might be a question for your hunt agent or outfitter.

It only works until it does not....6.5mm is not the ideal caliber.for PG in Africa unless you are hunting blesbuck, springbuck size game in more open areas.....I know I know many have shot big PG with 6.5mm but it is not a good idea....

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@norfolk shooter

Bob,
This thread is four years old. I’m sure by now Norfolk Shooter has a 6 or 6.5 Creedmoor?
CEH

@CoElkHunter
I know mate I'm just letting people know an easy formula when it comes to Wildcats. Some just ain't worth it like the 308 and its offspring, the 284 and others. These case is already a good design and at the best you MIGHT get 100 fps extra out of these. Is it worth the hassle?
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CoElkHunter
I know mate I'm just letting people know an easy formula when it comes to Wildcats. Some just ain't worth it like the 308 and its offspring, the 284 and others. These case is already a good design and at the best you MIGHT get 100 fps extra out of these. Is it worth the hassle?
Bob

Bob,
I hear ya. One of the many custom rifles my father in law owns but seldom shoots anymore is a 6mm Remington AI. He shoots the standard 6mm through it which then fireforms the AI case. Problem is, I don’t think he’s ever reloaded the AI cases! We’ve hunted pronghorn together and I use my .270 with 150gr Noslers. I need to find some 130gr though.
CEH

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob,
I hear ya. One of the many custom rifles my father in law owns but seldom shoots anymore is a 6mm Remington AI. He shoots the standard 6mm through it which then fireforms the AI case. Problem is, I don’t think he’s ever reloaded the AI cases! We’ve hunted pronghorn together and I use my .270 with 150gr Noslers. I need to find some 130gr though.
CEH

@CoElkHunter
Mate you need to drag the 6mm AI out and use it. It comes that close the the 6mm ought six it's not funny. The 7x57 and its offspring do work better than most when given the AI treatment. A 100grain Lapua mega at 3,200+ fps out of the 6mm Remington AI would be an awesome deer rifle out to 400 yards and I think it would be better than the 270.
Neither are as good as a 25 but you will graduate to one one day.
A 100grain Barnes ttsx at 3,600 fps out of my 25 leaves nought to be desired. It's 2" @ 100, +2"@200, 275 spot on @400 8 " low. Hold dead on out to that range, bang and go pick up your animal. If you hold on hair and not air that range can be extended some what
Bob

 

[leslie hetrick]

i wonder how the hornady 160 gr rn or old norma 160gr rn,s would do out of a 260-6.5cm, i know how they do out of a CZ-550 in 6.5x55 at 2500-2600 fps at ranges of up to 250 yards with complete pass thru,s on animals up to 200 lbs.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

i wonder how the hornady 160 gr rn or old norma 160gr rn,s would do out of a 260-6.5cm, i know how they do out of a CZ-550 in 6.5x55 at 2500-2600 fps at ranges of up to 250 yards with complete pass thru,s on animals up to 200 lbs.

@leslie hetrick
Probably the same.
I know someone who shot a fallow deer with 160s and 140s out of a 6.5/284 and had the same thing. They switched to 139 SSTs and solved the problems.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

@CoElkHunter
Mate you need to drag the 6mm AI out and use it. It comes that close the the 6mm ought six it's not funny. The 7x57 and its offspring do work better than most when given the AI treatment. A 100grain Lapua mega at 3,200+ fps out of the 6mm Remington AI would be an awesome deer rifle out to 400 yards and I think it would be better than the 270.
Neither are as good as a 25 but you will graduate to one one day.
A 100grain Barnes ttsx at 3,600 fps out of my 25 leaves nought to be desired. It's 2" @ 100, +2"@200, 275 spot on @400 8 " low. Hold dead on out to that range, bang and go pick up your animal. If you hold on hair and not air that range can be extended some what
Bob

Bob,
Maybe I should borrow it from him. I'm sure he's got a bunch of now AI cases and I would just need to find some dies for it?
CEH

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Bob,
Maybe I should borrow it from him. I'm sure he's got a bunch of now AI cases and I would just need to find some dies for it?
CEH

@ CoElkHunter
Just buy it off him. I won't tell the wife. (( my wife I won't tell she won't care, yes I will tell your wife tho)
Ha ha
Bob.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@ CoElkHunter
Just buy it off him. I won't tell the wife. (( my wife I won't tell she won't care, yes I will tell your wife tho)
Ha ha
Bob.

@CoElkHunter
What's so funny with that mate.
Bob

 

[CoElkHunter]

@ CoElkHunter
Just buy it off him. I won't tell the wife. (( my wife I won't tell she won't care, yes I will tell your wife tho)
Ha ha
Bob.

Bob,
Why would I want to buy that when I can get a Savage 6.5 Crudmoor for $500 or less here? I wouldn't even need to reload the 6.5 as it's one of the few (and I mean FEW) factory cartridges you can still find in the gun stores here. That and the 6.8 Australian.
CEH