6.5x55 swede vs .260rem

burnt_servo said:
this sounds like it comes down to being able to find a LH action more than anything else .
how much money is the op willing to spend ?

find a cheap LH action and rebarrel , short action , go with 260 , long action go with 6.5x55 .

other than that , have him learn to operate the bolt with his right hand , and check out what trade ex has to offer .
Click to expand...

Well finding a LH action is no problem...just locate a donor rifle and use that action, sell what is excess, have done it before ;)

I understand the process and the different action lengths, thanks for your input nevertheless.

Unfortunately shooting one hand or the other has next to NOTHING to do wtih LEARNING how to operate a bolt with one hand or the other. Fine motor control, muscle memory, and eye dominance all play a huge role in that, and they are much more difficult to change to right handed. Anyone can operate a bolt right handed, hell I could teach my border collie to do it. Teaching anyone who's not comfortable to properly operate a trigger or position themselves is very difficult to do, particularly since he's been shooting over 8 years already.

Money isn't a huge factor...a quality rifle will last 30+ years with next to no money spent in upkeep, so I don't mind spending a couple of thousand dollars all told, and that is why we are building a rifle. We can get exactly what we want, from who we want, they way we want...we already know all that, only question left is what calibre. There are lh 6.5x55 factory rifles out there, so if I wanted to go that route it would be doable, but that's not fun.
 
looch said:
My 260:

stiller.jpg


Krieger barrel courtesy of Obtunded
Stiller action and stock courtesy of Ian Robertson
Assembly by Mick McPhee
Click to expand...

Beautiful....but when you deal three people who many consider the best or very close to it, what else would you expect.

Out of curiosity what did the Stiller action run? Are Ian's prices the same as what Stillers has on their website?

What else (besides a trigger) did you need to buy to complete it?
 
I'm a lefty as well and I'll second that reaching over to cycle the bolt, while it can be done, is a poor way to do business. Having shot a right handed for 20 years it was like the sky opened up when I got my first rifle that was actually designed to be operated by me.

We're a bit of a 6.5 family. I have a T3 in 260 and a Husqvarna Mauser in 6.5x55. My father has a T3 in 6.5x55 and a Carl Gustaf.

They really are six of one and a half dozen of the other. For 140's and 2700 I'm generally around 43ish grains and he is about 45ish.

Both have been very easy to feed, it's hard to throw together a load that they won't shoot half decent. Though my 260 does tend to favour powders just a bit on the faster side...say a H4350 rather than H4831.

I hear people on the 6.5x55 having a longer throat, however we've shot several moose with 140grn and there hasn't been an issue with penetration, so I personally don't feel the need to shoot 160's. However if that's you bag then no doubt the Swede is better, I burned off some 160 Hornady at the range and they were definitely impinging on the power space.

Winner either way! Good luck with the build.
 
Chruncharoo said:
I'm a lefty as well and I'll second that reaching over to cycle the bolt, while it can be done, is a poor way to do business. Having shot a right handed for 20 years it was like the sky opened up when I got my first rifle that was actually designed to be operated by me.

We're a bit of a 6.5 family. I have a T3 in 260 and a Husqvarna Mauser in 6.5x55. My father has a T3 in 6.5x55 and a Carl Gustaf.

They really are six of one and a half dozen of the other. For 140's and 2700 I'm generally around 43ish grains and he is about 45ish.

Both have been very easy to feed, it's hard to throw together a load that they won't shoot half decent. Though my 260 does tend to favour powders just a bit on the faster side...say a H4350 rather than H4831.

I hear people on the 6.5x55 having a longer throat, however we've shot several moose with 140grn and there hasn't been an issue with penetration, so I personally don't feel the need to shoot 160's. However if that's you bag then no doubt the Swede is better, I burned off some 160 Hornady at the range and they were definitely impinging on the power space.

Winner either way! Good luck with the build.
Click to expand...

That's great info...love it when someone has both. I personally think that an ultra premium 130 - 140gr bullet like a Barnes TSX or Accubond moving at 2700fps is a bullet that can take down moose, black bears, and deer with ease, so I feel no need to go with a 160grn, and would never want to sacrifice the velocity and flat shooting that would come with it in a 6.5 I am a card carrying member of the 'smaller premium bullet going really fast' club.

Man I love talking about this stuff....now just figuring a way to sneak all the parcels past the 'postal inspector' at home ;)
 
JEC said:
Ballistically, they are very similar. I have owned both. The 6.5 has a longer throat so you can load longer (heavier) bullets. With the 260, 140gr bullets seat deeper in the case so you can't load them quite as hot. Having said that, the 120gr is a very good bullet in the 260. You won't find a better deer caliber than the 260, but if you are going after moose/elk...you would likely need to load 140's.
Click to expand...

I can get 2560 fps with 155gr Lapua Mega's (COAL @ 2.63) in my 23" 260, with H4350 (40.0 grs). Not sure how much faster a Swede could push it...but I bet not much faster. Regardless, I believe the 130gr TSX would be the moose/elk bullet for the 6.5's, unless you want to accept the limited range of the heavier, blunt nosed 155/160s.......


here's my two 260's

Sept_15_09_004.jpg


April_26_09_021.jpg
 
When the swede first became popular I bought one,then another,then another etc etc.When the .260 came out I bought one, it was a pos at first but with a little work it became a less than moa gun.I still have one of each caliber but the swede is a tikka t3 and the .260 is a rem. vls, both shoot extremely well and have not been difficult to load for. The swede in a modern action can be made to go to higher velocities than a .260.
This is a tough choice glad I don't have to make it for you.
 
I have 2 6.5x55's, considering that shells are sort of hard to come by I reload. If I am going to reload, I might as well form/buy cheaper cases 260 it would be
 
todbartell said:
I can get 2560 fps with 155gr Lapua Mega's (COAL @ 2.63) in my 23" 260, with H4350 (40.0 grs). Not sure how much faster a Swede could push it...but I bet not much faster. Regardless, I believe the 130gr TSX would be the moose/elk bullet for the 6.5's, unless you want to accept the limited range of the heavier, blunt nosed 155/160s.......


here's my two 260's

Sept_15_09_004.jpg


April_26_09_021.jpg
Click to expand...

Very nice Mark....Is the top one a factory Remington action that you had worked on or is it someone elses...and if someone elses, who's?
 
I'm surprised that so many people suggest that the 6.5x55 SE is hard to find ammo for .I have had no problem finding low cost stuff and /or premium Lapua. I reload because I shot targets with one of my 6.5 s and am working on optimums but ammo and components have been easy to find
 
Yeah I handload so factory is no concern...and when I walk into my local gun store or WSS, I see shelves full of 6.5x55 components, brass included so it's not much of a concern for me. I feel that the 6.5x55 has the edge based on variety of loads and extensive history. The 260 I feel has a much more efficient case design...god I'm no closer to a decision lol.
 
MuleyMadness said:
Yeah I handload so factory is no concern...and when I walk into my local gun store or WSS, I see shelves full of 6.5x55 components, brass included so it's not much of a concern for me. I feel that the 6.5x55 has the edge based on variety of loads and extensive history. The 260 I feel has a much more efficient case design...god I'm no closer to a decision lol.
Click to expand...

Perhaps consider a Thompson Encore pro hunter with both barrels and alternate between the two as your supplies fluctuate in your gun supply shopping area. Besides which a single shot is lefty friendly. :D

h t t p://www.tcarms.com/firearms/encore.php
 
neither is a common cartridge to find ammo or brass or reloading dies in any gun shop, but for those who want to find the stuff, it can be found
 
Getting factory ammo is much easier concerning the Swede in a hunting rifle. That gets the nod for me. If you have a modern rifle the Swede allows a little more horsepower pressures being equal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom