Anyone care to comment on the .260 Rem for deer I'm not familiar with this cartridge but am considering buying a rifle chambered for it. What bullet recommendations? I'm currently using a lever in .243 and hunt primarily in close range bush with occasionally open areas. Thanks.
Opinions on using the .260 Rem for deer
- Thread starter fugawi
- Start date
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Looks like you don't really need a new rifle,unless you are looking for the added accuracy of a bolt.
A 260 will kill deer just as good any anything else.
A 260 will kill deer just as good any anything else.
migrant hunter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
As a .243 fanatic, I can see 2 small advantages to the .260. More bullet weight, and better selection of premium bullets in 6.5 mm.
I have a .243 and a .308, but I would like either a 7-08 or a .260 to fill the gaping void between them!
If you get a bolt .260 and keep your .243 you will have all your bases covered.
I have a .243 and a .308, but I would like either a 7-08 or a .260 to fill the gaping void between them!
If you get a bolt .260 and keep your .243 you will have all your bases covered.
The Robarms XCR-M is being offered in .243 Win, .260 Rem, and .308 Win. I already use .243 for my go to hunting rifle in a scoped lever but have wanted to use a non restricted black rifle with a red dot as I spot and stalk and most of my shots are 75 yards or less.
I was originally thinking of getting the XCR-M in .308 but I am already building a Norc M14 shorty which I will scope with either a short dot scope or something with more reach. Although I'm unfamiliar with it, from what I've recently read the .260 Rem has a better BC than the .308 and a better bullet selection than the .243 Win. I shoot a 100 grain bullet in .243 and you can go to 140 grains in a .260 with, from what I've read, not much more recoil and as good or better ballistics. It will also produce less recoil than the .308, be just as deadly on deer and give me a better chance for a quick follow up shot if necessary given the manner of hunting I do.
But I'd like some real world opinions from folks that use it.
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I already have a bolt gun in .270 WSM for long range kills. But most of my hunting is not long range that why I bought a lever in .243 - handy with quick follow up shots at short range.
And this is CanadianGunNutz - I'm a gun nut. I have milsurps, hunting rifles, shotguns and handguns.
Not all new obviously but why restrict yourself to one, two or three guns. Heck I have three levers and still want one or two more.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Well if your shots are often less than 75 yards and you like levers, I'd go with a BLR takedown in 7mm-08 with open sights, you'll still be good out to 200 yards! Plenty accurate also.
Plenty accurate also.I already have a bolt gun in .270 WSM for long range kills. But most of my hunting is not long range that why I bought a lever in .243 - handy with quick follow up shots at short range.
And this is CanadianGunNutz - I'm a gun nut. I have milsurps, hunting rifles, shotguns and handguns.
I'm planning on building a LD target/tactical rife in .260 soon. I have read a TON on the subject. Like already said above you will have no issues for deer out to some very respectable distance. the 6.5x55 is historically widely used in Europe for like sized and bigger game. I picked it because of the better flatter ballistics in comparison to the .308 and the recoil and barrel life are very good. A number of competitive "sniper" shooters I've read about use this caliber or the AI version of it (repetitive accurate shooting at varying distance while retaining knock down power). No one I've read really has anything bad to say about this caliber.
Well if your shots are often less than 75 yards and you like levers, I'd go with a BLR takedown in 7mm-08 with open sights, you'll still be good out to 200 yards!
Thanks for the suggestion but read post #5 above.
We must be reading some of the same thing. In the 'States deer hunters are bringing the AR platform into the woods. Hunters up here use the Vz 58/CZ 858, XCR-L and shorty Norcs as black rifle hunting rigs. While the XCR is really the only black rifle of the three, the 'L' version has offered a limited choices in cartridges for hunting: 7.62x39mm and 6.8 SPC.
Recently the selection of non restricted black rifles suitable for hunting has increased. We now have the ACR and RFB in .308 plus the long anticipated XCR-M in .243, .260 and .308. I like the .243, shoot it already, but wanted something in a heavier bullet. I was considering the XCR-M in .308 but then I saw that it was available in .260 Rem (which I knew nothing about and was kind of a non starter for me).
I've been checking out a few of the competitive shooting and benchrest sites online and they all say excellent things about the .260 Rem but I haven't read or heard much about it as a deer cartridge. I put that down to 'magnumitis' and the bigger is better mentality in some deer hunters plus the reluctance to move away from the old 'traditional' deer cartridges. From what I've read the .260 Rem will have more than adequate accuracy for a hunting round, less recoil, and longer barrel life for a firearm that's going to have more rounds down the pipe than the usual hunting rifle.
But I really would like to hear from more actual deer hunters using the .260 Remington. Recommendations for bullet selections, real life experiences - that sort of thing.
Well lets qualify this a bit first, from my perspective. I do not have a 260 hunting rifle, but I have hunted deer with a 6.5x55 which is very similar. The game I shot with the old swede died as if hit by the hammer of thor, I always experienced excellent accuracy and excellent penetration, bullet weight retention is up to you and what bullet you choose. I do have a 260 target rifle that shoots awesome in the accuracy department so lets extrapolate a little shall we? I would suggest that for deer, a bullet in the 120 to 140 range would be ideal for hunting, and if you picked a bullet like the 140 Partition, 130 TTSX, 129 GMX, etc you would have a great bullet that could double up for you on moose or elk should the need ever arise. Factory ammo with bullets of this type might be an issue so you may have to consider reloading, I am not sure what is available in factory form for premium ammo. Accuracy will not be issue if you have a quality firearm, of the rifles you have mentioned I have no personal experience as I hunt almost exclusively with bolt guns. I have hunted with levers too but I prefer my bolts. Performance on game with the aforementioned bullets will be nothing less than ideal if you do your part and put the bullet where it belongs, and yes barrel life will be good if you do not step on the gas too hard and allow cooling periods between shooting groups.
In short, it will do what you want and more. It is an easy cartridge to load for as there are excellent bullets available for both hunting and target and we now have Lapua brass too. I say have it and let us know how it works for you!
In short, it will do what you want and more. It is an easy cartridge to load for as there are excellent bullets available for both hunting and target and we now have Lapua brass too. I say have it and let us know how it works for you!
Slooshark1
CGN frequent flyer
I have a Ruger Compact in .260 and while I've owned many rifles in my life, this is by far the most accurate rifle that I've ever shot. With a 16" barrel, I can shoot 140 Cor-lokts through the same hole at 100 yards. I haven't shot anything with it yet. My wife use to hunt with a Remington Model 7 and she shot a nice bear with it and killed him with one shot. I really like everything the .260 has to offer. I'm sure you could flatten the largest whitetails with it.
Thanks Crashman, sloosshark1 and all the rest who replied. Sounds like even with off the shelf ammo I should be good to go. I expect .260 Cor-lokts will be readily available and not too expensive. 140 gr bullets, especially partitions, should take care of everything I might meet. I'm using 100 gr Nosler Partions now in .243.
And if I handload for my .308 Norc then I'll have brass for both.
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