.260 vs 6.5x55 swede

Turkeyslayer 1300

Turkeyslayer 1300

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What practical difference is there between these two round? They both seem ideal for my current hunting situation. I had my heart set on a Ruger 6.5 swede but they are out of production what do you folks recommend instead? P.s. A 7x57 was also considered
 
There is very little difference between the two, both are excellent low recoil rounds. Depends on which rifle you want, Tikka make the 6.5 x 55, Ruger, Remington make the 260.....
 
He got it. You can still find the Swed in the Tikka. I think they are so close in performance, you won't notice a difference. The deer certainly wouldn't. If either would have an advantage, it would be the 6.5x55 could be had in ball ammo. Not that that's good. But otherwise, you'd be well suited to either one.
 
As the others said, no real difference. If I were buying, and didn't want to handload, I'd buy a .260; the North American factory ammo is more powerful than the 6.5 Swede. I've heard it said that the .260 doesn't do as well as the Swede with 160 gr. bullets, but I read John Barsness' article on the two rounds, and he found a 1 fps difference. (Not a typo...one foot per second.) He did find that generally, 140-grain bullets could go about 50 fps faster from the Swede, about 2800 fps vs 2750 fps.
The similarity in their performance has made a lot of naysayers question why anyone would produce the .260 at all. The best reason is that they could make a cartridge which could do anything the Swede can, with low recoil, and higher pressures in factory ammo, and which was not chambered in hundred-year-old rifles. Lots of justification in my books.
 
Out of production?

Turkeyslayer 1300 said:
What practical difference is there between these two round? They both seem ideal for my current hunting situation. I had my heart set on a Ruger 6.5 swede but they are out of production what do you folks recommend instead? P.s. A 7x57 was also considered
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Ruger still lists this rifle on the website. You can get a Sako if you like or a CZ 550 in the Swed.

And what is the difference, you ask, between the two? It is this simple

6.5 Swedish= cool

260 Rem= cool but not as cool

It is that simple

Big
 
Buy a Swede, if you can find one in a modern rifle, there are a few, particularly European makes. It's just ###ier than anything Remington could ever come up with. :D
Lots of cheap ammo around for it too, ball, and otherwise.
 
The only practical difference between the two rounds is the action length of the rifles. The 260 is a short action and the Swede is a long action. If you're a handloader you might be able to squeeze a bit more powder in the Swede's slightly longer case and also seat the bullets out just a little bit longer. If you're not a handloader then get the one that's easier for to you find factory ammo for locally. Myself, I'd look at the Tikkas or CZ's in 6.5x55 - my favourite round!
 
Yup, action length is everything on the factory rifles.
The swede can handle the big 160's way out there, thee .260 cannot.
The case length difference is not so great , just a few milimeters....
Cat
 
The 6.5X55 has been the demise of many Scandinavian moose. That seems to be a pretty good recommendation. Besides, its old, like I am.;)

You would be well served with that 7X57, also, and there is nothing wrong with the 260 Rem.
 
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Get both like me! Then all you have to decide is which one you are going to shoot at the moment. ;)

BTW, I favour the Swede. More flexibilty for handloading and Lapua match brass is superb. I only keep the .260 for my short action Rem 700.
 
Don't much matter as far as the two cartridges are concerned.

Choose the rifle you like most ... the deer or moose (either) won't be complaining about which one they got hit with, or which one was
"older" than the other - or way "cooler".
 
The real question is what game am I going to shoot and will it require the 160 grain bullet. If not there is nothing wrong with the 260. Same question for the 7mm mauser and 7mm-08--do I need the heavier bullets or not.

44Bore
 
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