Best long range short action build?

[Acecook]

260 ability

What is the range ability for deer and elk with a 260?

 

[Justin Crossley]

I have read stories of guys taking elk at over 900 yds. with the .260 but I feel that it is a 500 yd. or under caliber personally.

If you want a long range short action in 6.5mm, look into the 6.5 saum. I think Triple is having one built right now if I remember right.

The 300 wsm or 7 wsm also great options for longer range short actions.

 

[Liljozie495]

i love my 300wsm t3 lite, its kick ass! decided to go with a .260 or .260AI for my build next.

 

[Jon Pynch]

300wsm or 7wsm if it's mainly for hunting. i like my 300 wsm, but it's light and i don't shoot it much for fun, just hunting. i have a 6.5-47 that i shoot a lot and would feel comfortable to 800 on animals. i shoot the 6.5 to 1200-1400, but i wouldn't do that on an animal.

 

[Acecook]

This build will be kinda two purpose. I wanna build it for me but also so that as my younger kids get old enough to hunt they have a gun to do it with. That's why I'm leaning toward a 6.5 of some sort. I would like to own a 300WSM but just wonder if it would to much recoil for a starter, even with a brake? I have a 6.5x284 in a savage LRH and it don't kick all. Maybe I ought to have them shoot that...
This is probably a stupid question, but what kind of speed does a 6.5 saum have? I don't know anything about that caliber. Is it a throat eater? How about brass?

 

[Acecook]

Just did a little research on the 6.5saum. Looks pretty friggin sweet!

 

[Liljozie495]

This build will be kinda two purpose. I wanna build it for me but also so that as my younger kids get old enough to hunt they have a gun to do it with. That's why I'm leaning toward a 6.5 of some sort. I would like to own a 300WSM but just wonder if it would to much recoil for a starter, even with a brake? I have a 6.5x284 in a savage LRH and it don't kick all. Maybe I ought to have them shoot that...
This is probably a stupid question, but what kind of speed does a 6.5 saum have? I don't know anything about that caliber. Is it a throat eater? How about brass?

I am kind of doing the same, was going to do the 6.5x284 or 6.5cm. Decided a long range .260 would be easiest. I have also a tikka t3 300wsm, I threw a b&c stock on it sense te tikka stock stocks I personally think are good, but with the 300wsm it beats ya up a smidge!

 

[Chad44]

I'm building a 7mm-08 right not for the same purpose.

 

[6mm Remington]

How about necking the 270 WSM down to a 6.5 WSM?? That would have just a bit more pop than the 6.5 SAUM.

 

[Acecook]

Do you know anybody that's done that?

 

[Shrek]

There are some guys running a 6.5 wsm but it runs long for a short action and is even more hell on barrels. Going to need a long barrel to burn all the slow powder you need to get the performance potential out of it. The 6.5 saum has more than enough powder capacity and is still pretty extreme on the powder to bullet weight scale. Barrels have to keep getting longer and the powder slower as the powder to bullet gets higher. Case pressure is designed at 65,000 psi. After you have run it up to max pressure then the way to get more velocity is to keep it there longer. Longer barrel and slower powder. You also start to run into the limits of many bullets velocity tolerance. IMO the 6.5 wsm is a bridge too far for most situations.

 

[Acecook]

Shrek are you a 6.5 saum fan? What's your pick for a long range SA build?

 

[Shrek]

Short answer is yes. I have a 7mm wsm that is handling everything out west and a 7mm-08 for around here at the moment. I plan on a 6.5 saum one of these days but I have a lot more wants than I've got gots so it's way down the list. My 7mm wsm is on a Winchester short action and is off being re barreled in 7mm wsm again if that tells you anything.

 

[Broz]

. My 7mm wsm is on a Winchester short action and is off being re barreled in 7mm wsm again if that tells you anything.

Yes it does. It tells me you have not experiences a good 300 win mag yet....

Just joking a bit Shrek, but it was hanging right there so I had to swing.

Jeff

 

[Shrek]

Jeff , I hate hunting with a brake and a heavy 7mm is all I can stand to shoot without a brake. My 7mm wsm will kill well as far as I can shoot well so there is no point in anything bigger. Maybe a 7mm Dakota some day but probably not. If I lived out west and could find places to practice shooting long range I might feel differently. Besides , the 300 win mag is a tweener . If I go bigger then I'm going big ! 338 edge , 338 lapua , 338 Norma. Maybe a 50 bmg ai ?

 

[Broz]

Well I respect your choices and opinions. But my opinion is you are cheating yourself not using a modern brake. They have came leap years in design since the Boss system. I have a brake on my 6 br. Many may laugh until they watch the bullet go through a gopher and never loose sight picture.

The 300 win is no more a "tweener" than a 7. They both will do the same thing one just does it a little better with a bit more authority. I have built and owned three 7mm-300 wins and can tell no recoil difference between a 7 with a 180 or a 300 with a 215. But again they were all braked. I am not against 7's at all and have owned and built many. I am more against the misconception of "the 7 is king" I have proved otherwise for my self many times. That might change with the release of the 195 gr 7mm Berger. But for the production bullets we have today I shoot what I do for a reason. I stack the deck in my favor any chance I get. If there were a better 7 I would be shooting it.

To each his own my friend. That is what makes life interesting. Choices!

Jeff

 

[Justin Crossley]

I know that if I could afford it, I would put a brake on every rifle I own.

 

[Sam Millard]

I know that if I could afford it, I would put a brake on every rifle I own.

There is absolutely no reason not to have a brake on any long range rifle. Even if I didn't run a brake, I would wear ear pro for every shot taken at distance. Plenty of time to put them on. Muzzle brakes only suck for people NOT behind the gun For a solo hunter, having a good brake lets you spot your own shots.

As far as long range short action rounds, I believe in plain old 260 Rem so much, I'm dedicating half of my tags this year to mine! Running a 140 Berger hunting bullet, I'll limit myself to 800 yard "in the crease" shots. At that distance, it will still be trucking along at 1700 fps, and the rifle holds .5 moa easily out to 1k.

 

[Acecook]

Sam what powder do you run in your 260?

 

[Sam Millard]

H4350...

With CCI BR2s and Rem brass, 42.5-44.0 has shot well in 3 different 260s I shoot right now, with no pressure signs. I've tried AMAX, SMK, Berger Hunting and Hybrids...all 140 grainers. They all shot well with this load.