260 AI on a Long Action

[Luke45]

Ackley shoulders are typically 40 degrees, WSM's are 35, Rum's are 30. Nobody I know of is commercially making any calibers with a 40 degree shoulder.

Cool. But still, it's not a reason to tell someone not to get an ackley especially if they have never owned one. 260 AI has amazing preformacne and the "cool" factor

[varmint72]

My Ackley feeds well no problems.I like all the 6.5 cartridges but I have a soft spot for the 6.5-06imp through 260ack will be real close in velocity.

[Londerko]

Ya! Thanks varmint72!
A 6.5-06imp sounds like an awesome round! What bullets do you shoot out of it? If you shoot Bergers are you able to load them to the lands and still fit in the magazine. That was really the only reason I was considering the 260imp over the 6.5-06imp, because I knew with a 260 In a long action I could load the bullets as far out as I see fit, and yet still have them fit in the magazine and be a repeater.

[varmint72]

I have it on a predator action that is the same as a REM long action.I can seat the bullets way out and still have room in the mag.I use the 140 Berger with retumbo powder mag primers for 3050fps.it feeds well and the 140bullets so far have been very impressive.the only down side is its too fun to shoot I'm going to burn the barrel up to fast.

[Londerko]

Wow! That's really impressive!
Having a BC over .6 and going over 3000fps is a deadly combo in a fairly light recoiling rifle. And it's even a repeater!!!
Just out of curiosity, what is your magazine length and COL? Any reason why your combo wouldnt work in a standard savage 110 action and have it still be a repeater?

[stomp442]

The 260 Ackley with standard throats and even seated to standard short action lengths will do anything the 6.5-284 will do with less powder. My 260 Ackley is built on a long action with a Mcgowen barrel. I'm running 140 bergers at just off the lands at a c.b.t.o. of 2.217" even though its on a long action it would still fit and feed fine from a short action. I don't feel like I am giving up any performance by having the bullet seated slightly deeper than I would like but its nice to know I have plenty of room to chase the lands as the barrel wares. Using Lapua brass and 42grains of H4350 I am getting 2950fps out of my 26" barrel. For comparison I am running 57 grains of Retumbo in my 6.5-284 with the same 140 berger to get 2960fps. Barrel life, recoil and efficiency is all better with the 260AI.

I also have a 6.5-06 Ackley improved built on a winchester model 70 with 140 Bergers seated to mag length and I am getting incredible performance out of it. Using 59.5gr of H4831 I am getting 3180fps. This is my long range hunting rifle and it does not leave me wanting for more gun at all.

[Londerko]

Wow!
Thanks Stomp, that's exactly the kind of answer I was looking for. Thank you.
Please forgive my ignorance...
C.B.T.O??? Please explain- Leo

[Londerko]

Cartridge base to ogive
Got it!

[stomp442]

Oops. Double tap.

[Londerko]

What does your CBTO of 2.217 translate into COAL with a Berger 140?

[stomp442]

Its right around 2.8 I believe but I would have to measure it. I will try to do that when I get home from work tonight.

[stomp442]

2.812" C.O.A.L. is what I am running.

[Londerko]

Great! Ya that would work on a short action too. Thanks for the info and the help.

[TC260]

i would never own a 6.5-06 though for safety reasons. when you have freinds that shoot 270's 25-06's and 30-06. if your neckin up 25-06 or necking down 30-06 ect you could very easily interchange them on accident becasue of the case stamps. Unless the 6.5-06 headpaces different like the 280?

If things are that chaotic around your bench at the range where guys don't know whose ammo is going into which gun then I agree, probably shouldn't be playing with wildcats.

[Luke45]

If things are that chaotic around your bench at the range where guys don't know whose ammo is going into which gun then I agree, probably shouldn't be playing with wildcats.

i would rather a 6.5-06 ackley so there is no way to interchange them with a 25-06 or 270.

[mudpig]

I just got done building two 1903 Springfields in 260 Rem (not AI) with a .120 total freebore. These aren't AI so I don't know about feeding issues but my 22-250AI has NO such issues and my long 260 has NO issues. I just got done doing barrel break in with cheap Rem core lok 140gr and am starting ladders with 123 Amax loaded COAL 2.862". Hoping to get close to 3100fps.

[cheezie]

Luke45 is approximately correct. But a 6.5-06 will significantly outperform a 260AI and be the equal of the 6.5-284. And then there's the 6.5WSM, which trumps them all.

[Rooster 50]

Luke45 is approximately correct. But a 6.5-06 will significantly outperform a 260AI and be the equal of the 6.5-284. And then there's the 6.5WSM, which trumps them all.

Thinking real hard about a 6.5 WSM whats your experience with it?

[stomp442]

Luke45 is approximately correct. But a 6.5-06 will significantly outperform a 260AI and be the equal of the 6.5-284. And then there's the 6.5WSM, which trumps them all.

Not on my experience. 6.5-06 will perform exactly the same as a 6.5-284 right around 2950-3000 fps. The 260 Ackley will do the same 2950 quite easily with a lot less powder.

[stomp442]

As as the 6.5wsm I've found it to be less than ideal. Yeah it really screams but it takes a lot of powder to get there. When I had mine I think I was running 65 grains of powder to get just over 3100fps. By comparison my 6.5-06 Ackley with 59gr of powder is giving me 3180fps. Needless to say the 6.5wsm was soon sold off in favor of the more efficient 6.5-06 Ackley.