swithing from 260 to 260ai

[devildogandboy]

here's a 260ai go guage at Midway.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/159688/ptg-headspace-go-gage-260-remington-improved-40-degree-shoulder?cm_vc=ProductFinding

Bruce

[upSLIDEdown]

So I'm getting ready to rebarrel, and am having a super hard time deciding between 6.5 Creedmoor, 260, and 260 AI. Foxx, and/or anyone else here have any good info/input to help would be great. I'm really struggling with the decision at the moment.

Thanks

[emtrescue6]

Any of those three calibers will do what you want with the 260AI having a slight edge in over-all performance (but it is a very small edge...100-200 fps over the 260 Rem), but with it, it creates additional reloading challenges...reloading for AI's takes a few additional steps. Components (brass and/or loaded ammo) for the 260 Rem will generally be more readily available on shelves.

[upSLIDEdown]

I realize I'd be fireforming brass, but otherwise, components are the same. I wouldn't be shooting off the shelf ammo in a 260. Now with the Creed, maybe. The Hornady stuff seems to do really well, and then I'd just reload that brass.

[emtrescue6]

The off the shelf Hornady ammo for the 260 and the 6.5 will perform equally well... the 260 brass is easier to come by in general.

Fireforming takes time and in most (not all) cases fireformed cases do better when annealed (just pointing out the extra steps)...I love my Akley rifles...wouldn't trade my 257 Bob AI for anything...but loading for it does take about twice as much effort as my non-Ackley rifles. At the end of the day, the performance increase in the 260AI over the 260 is very small.

Again...the difference between the three is very small...the real difference will be availability of components (brass), it's simply a matter of picking one.

[foxx]

Hmmm... I do not have a 6.5. I have 260 and 260AI, like them both. The AI does not require any case trimming. I find fire forming to be easy and just a one-time deal. Once its done, its done and I haven't had to perform any extra annealing or anything. In fact, I've found there is less case prep in the long run. I have read the AI's don't always feed from a mag as well or as dependably. If you are runnin' and gunnin' that mey be a problem, so the 260 may be better than the 260AI in that regard. I single-load, so I don't know. From all I read and all I've experienced, they are all good, and inherently accurate.

[emtrescue6]

Great points Foxx....

[upSLIDEdown]

The lack of trimming is one thing I'd read about that I liked a lot. I've also heard 6.5 CM doesn't take much trimming though. Not sure how true that is though.

[FW Conch]

I believe the greater the shoulder angle, the less the brass flows forward.

[upSLIDEdown]

That was my assumption. The Creed is 30°, 260AI is 40°, correct?

What's a regular 260?

What

[foxx]

Yes, those angles are right. 260 is 20*, that's why it slides better into the chamber from the mag.

Honestly, I think all three are very accurate and fun to shoot. I don't know for sure, but I suspect if someone has a strong opinion about one over the other it may be because they were lucky enough to have a very good shooter and therefore tend to get over-impressed by it when, in fact, they are all good. As I said earlier, I have both 260 and 260AI. If you're not hunting with it, or just loading one at a time, I would always prefer the AI. Otherwise, the 260 chambers better. I also think that is more true with Savages than maybe Tikka or Remington.

I am also guessing the Creed may not need as much trimming as often as 260, but I would not choose it based on that. If trimming is an issue, I would go more towards the AI b/c it will NOT need trimming. Ever. That way you don't even have to check them. If it might need trimming, and you get out of the habit of checking, it can gradually get to a point where it does need trimming and you don't notice it before there's a problem. I might be over-playing that issue, though.

[FW Conch]

There is a really good article on Accurate Shooter-6mmBR site, comparing the 6.5mm's. This article contributed to my decision to build my 260Rem some years back when rumors of the 260's demise were greatly exaggerated. I have been very pleased with it.

[emtrescue6]

Yes, those angles are right. 260 is 20*, that's why it slides better into the chamber from the mag.

Honestly, I think all three are very accurate and fun to shoot. I don't know for sure, but I suspect if someone has a strong opinion about one over the other it may be because they were lucky enough to have a very good shooter and therefore tend to get over-impressed by it when, in fact, they are all good. As I said earlier, I have both 260 and 260AI. If you're not hunting with it, or just loading one at a time, I would always prefer the AI. Otherwise, the 260 chambers better. I also think that is more true with Savages than maybe Tikka or Remington.

I am also guessing the Creed may not need as much trimming as often as 260, but I would not choose it based on that. If trimming is an issue, I would go more towards the AI b/c it will NOT need trimming. Ever. That way you don't even have to check them. If it might need trimming, and you get out of the habit of checking, it can gradually get to a point where it does need trimming and you don't notice it before there's a problem. I might be over-playing that issue, though.

I agree with pretty much everything Fo says here...with one exception. I wouldn't say that the 260AI will never need to be trimmed...just a lot less frequently. I have a couple Ackley's and some of them (my 257 Bob AI) has had some cases after 5-6 reloadings that needed to be trmmed. I have a 243 AI that needs cases trimmed after every 4-5 reloadings...but brass certainly lasts longer. None of my AI's have any problem's with feeding, but mine are all on Rem 700 BDL actions built by high end smiths who took the time to also polish and "tune" the magaine and follower to ensure good feeding.

I would also agree that the Creed would likely need less trimming, but don't know that...most my friends who are diehard 6.5 fans actually prefer the 6.5 Swede or the 6.5-06 over the Creed and the 260 Rem....and many love the 6.5x55 as well. There are many great 6.5's out there. Decisions decisons decisons...if it were me, I go with the 260 AI...simply again because brass will be easier to come by.

[upSLIDEdown]

Yeah, I really like the thought of the AI, but I also like feeding from a mag. Granted, it's strictly a target gun, so it doesn't NEED to be mag-fed. I just like having that option. I like the fact that the Creedmoor is kinda halfway between the two. Ballistics of the 260, but closer to the brass work of the AI due to being a 30* shoulder. It's really looking like the Creedmoor is what I'm going to go with. My main issue is I have a buddy that's a die hard Lapua fan and shoots a 260 and says he hates the CM because Lapua (the end all, be all maker of brass) doesn't make brass for it, and if he can't get Lapua brass for it, it sucks. lol

I've seen some people say the older Hornady CM brass was sketchy, but the new stuff has been fantastic, so I dunno. Tough call. If Norma would stop dragging their feet and make their brass, it would help a little... lol