6.5x47 or .260

[Malxwal]

Bumping this up again with reference to barrel lengths and velocities ( im currently in a location with ridiculous internet content restrictions).
I'd like to keep the barrel relatively short (20"-22")in whatever caliber I decide on, what sort of lengths would still see me getting good enough velocities without having to max out on loads, assuming I'm using 120/123gr Amax ?

 

[farmer7]

Bumping this up again with reference to barrel lengths and velocities ( im currently in a location with ridiculous internet content restrictions).
I'd like to keep the barrel relatively short (20"-22")in whatever caliber I decide on, what sort of lengths would still see me getting good enough velocities without having to max out on loads, assuming I'm using 120/123gr Amax ?

I went with the .260, Tikka Varmint and put it in a GRS stock. Barrel length is 23.6" so a touch longer, I've only tried 123gr Scenar, 123gr AMAX and 140gr AMAX but shoots them all very well, the 123's were both in the 2830-2890fps range using H4350 and RS62, did did go further but settled here as accuracy was good, the 140's are only doing 2660fps using N165 which is certainly not the most efficient powder in the .260 but shoots very nicely, pressure is realatively low, (cant get anymore in the case!) and I'm going easy on the barrel!

I only trimmed the cases to uniform lengths and haven't had to trim again. Case life should be good and a good bit cheaper than the '47 brass. Although the muzzle velocity is low it stays supersonic to a bit past 1200 yards and has 52" less drift than my .308 and 107" less drop which went subsonic at 900 yards using the 155gr AMAX.

 

[Malxwal]

I went with the .260, Tikka Varmint and put it in a GRS stock. Barrel length is 23.6" so a touch longer, I've only tried 123gr Scenar, 123gr AMAX and 140gr AMAX but shoots them all very well, the 123's were both in the 2830-2890fps range using H4350 and RS62, did did go further but settled here as accuracy was good, the 140's are only doing 2660fps using N165 which is certainly not the most efficient powder in the .260 but shoots very nicely, pressure is realatively low, (cant get anymore in the case!) and I'm going easy on the barrel!

I only trimmed the cases to uniform lengths and haven't had to trim again. Case life should be good and a good bit cheaper than the '47 brass. Although the muzzle velocity is low it stays supersonic to a bit past 1200 yards and has 52" less drift than my .308 and 107" less drop which went subsonic at 900 yards using the 155gr AMAX.

Would this be the 260 that won the SGA again this year ?

 

[farmer7]

It did scrape through! Also with regards going for a short barrel, bear in mind that if noise is a consideration the shorter barrel will be louder. There is a considerable difference between my 20" .308 and the 24" .260, I know it can be offset somewhat by powder choice/burn rate/muzzle pressure though.

 

[FGYT]

Bumping this up again with reference to barrel lengths and velocities ( im currently in a location with ridiculous internet content restrictions).
I'd like to keep the barrel relatively short (20"-22")in whatever caliber I decide on, what sort of lengths would still see me getting good enough velocities without having to max out on loads, assuming I'm using 120/123gr Amax ?

getting
2453fps for 140gn SGK SPBT with R15
2690fps for 130 SGK HPBT with R15

mine is a 6.5x47L with a 16.5" barrel accurate so far to 400yrds and should be good to 7-800 before transonic and a lot further if the new Hday ELD BCs are true

I was looking at the 6.5 family for stalking (hence the Velocity restricting short barrel) and in the end decided i would be happy with any of .260" Rem. 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5x47L in the end I got the Lapua

 

[Malxwal]

getting
2453fps for 140gn SGK SPBT with R15
2690fps for 130 SGK HPBT with R15

mine is a 6.5x47L with a 16.5" barrel accurate so far to 400yrds and should be good to 7-800 before transonic and a lot further if the new Hday ELD BCs are true

I was looking at the 6.5 family for stalking (hence the Velocity restricting short barrel) and in the end decided i would be happy with any of .260" Rem. 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5x47L in the end I got the Lapua

Given those are at the very heavy end of the scale for a 47L, the velocities sound about right for what I've been told in terms of loss per inch from 24". Are you driving them quite hard to compensate for the short barrel ? Its this sort of data in relation to accuracy its good to see, as I had read that the bughole groups could tend to disperse with velocity decreasing.

It did scrape through! Also with regards going for a short barrel, bear in mind that if noise is a consideration the shorter barrel will be louder. There is a considerable difference between my 20" .308 and the 24" .260, I know it can be offset somewhat by powder choice/burn rate/muzzle pressure though.

I do recount just how quiet your 260 sounded, and i recall you had an extra baffle in your mod ? This year you were in the same line so I never noticed.
I also have a 20" 308 and yes a fair difference in report from the 24" one using the same mod.

 

[FGYT]

this was one build that i read up on
The Latest GRADOUS Kill Stick has ARRIVED!! 16.5 6.5x47L

no im not driving to hard as Im only after a accurate legal Deer load and the Hunting bullets wont deliver Bug hole accuracy

will try a 123 Amax target bullet some day but i dont need it

 

[jthyttin]

My last two 260 Rem are 22" barrel and currently using N150 for 120gr class bullets. Velocities 2800fps +- and quite pleasant to shoot a round or two w/o hearing protection (hunting).

I checked the Vihtavuori data, I'm below max. but actual accuracy load depends on barrel length, profile etc. so I'll only say 0.5mm jump seems to work for 123gr Scenar.