Suggesti

[Jaswanny]

Greetings all,
I am looking to purchase a new/used .260. Any recommendations, comments or concerns are welcome. I'm currently in the Navy stationed overseas. This rig will be used for hunting in N. Michigan, primary blind hunting with shots 200 yards or less. I have the standards .308, 06, .270, .243, 338, 30-30, 7mm, and .25-06s. Looking for something different to try out. I like the idea of a shorter, lighter recoil weapon that has great ballistics. I am tinkering with the idea of finding a used one and putting a Boyd's laminate on it. Thoughts?

[FordTruck2357@gmail.com]

Have you given any thought 7-08?

[foxx]

I hunt the Baldwin/Luther swamp northwest of Big Rapids. I can tell you from personal experience a savage 10 or 110 in .260 is an IDEAL northern Michigan deer rifle. I use 120gr Nosler Ballistic Tips and have dropped 2 nice sized bucks in their tracks inside of 200 yards with it. It shoots 1/2 MOA and has about the same recoil as a .243. I absolutely love it.

Mine is an old 110 with the older style stagger feed detachable magazine in a factory walnut stock. Being long action, I have the option to use longer cartridges than the short action mag allows. It was one of my first "Custom Build Savage" I built from a collection of many different parts from many different rifles. My pride and joy. :)

I think you are on the right track. Boyds can make nice stocks. They often need final fitting, pillars and bedding, but not always. I would suggest you look at the Heritage with checkerring. It has a slightly smaller pistol grip (than others in their line up) and a slightly higher comb. Most importantly, it allows wrap around checkerring, which the Boyds Classic does not.

Good luck. I think you will enjoy the build and the end results.

[RC20]

You might want to look at the 6.5 Creed or Grendell (Lapua just coming out)

While its a long distance rifle, short barrel and be a good deer gun, my brother says light recoil like a 22

On the Boyds, I like the Thumbhole, lots of choices in colors like Basque and Robbins

The one I just got all fit perfectly fine. I shot a couple 3/8 groups at 75 yds (scope did not have enough power to fine shoot at 100)
That gets you a half inch group at 100, as good as any of my other ones shoot.
I don't plan on bedding that one. I do have an EABS Laminate that needs it.

I just got one and the only regret is I didn't get a deeper recoil pad, though that would not be an issue for a 6.5.

Good bullet selection.

243 another low recoil with a long deer heritage.

[Rick_W]

Welcome - If I were in the market for a new Savage I'd look at the Model 16 Lightweight Hunter (http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/16LWH) in 6.5 Creedmore.

If you want to go used, almost any of the Model 10/11/12 actions, or even a Stevens 200, chambered for .234/.308 family of cartridges is nothing more than a barrel swap and new stock from being whatever you want it to be.

Be careful of whether you buy a center-feed or stagger-feed action and the appropriate action screw spacing for them. Spend some time reading the articles on the home page and the FAQs.

[FW Conch]

I have a 260 and love it. But if I were buying or building now, I would go with the 6.5Creedmore.

[WV1951]

Maybe you have read.
http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?54030-260-dying

[FiveInADime]

I have a 260 and love it. But if I were buying or building now, I would go with the 6.5Creedmore.
SAME story here. Go 6.5 Creed...

They gave it a more interesting handle so it wins the battle with the .260Rem even though they both do the same exact thing.

[SageRat Shooter]

Jaswanny,

You are doing kind of what I am doing... However, be prepared to have an extensive wait time if you order a Boyd's... I just bought the Savage 111 in 270 left hand bolt. I ordered my Boyd's Pro Varmint stock on Oct 12, 2016 and am still waiting for it to be completed.... Let alone having it ship and be in my hands. Then the new bottom metal has to be ordered, shipped and installed before I can actually shoot it.

I then will be ordering my 260 barrel from Northland Shooter Supply (Criterion barrel) have the directional muzzle brake put on my local gunsmith, and then it should be ready for load development....

Good luck to ya and thank you for your service!!

[RC20]

Boyds: It may be the Left Hand configuration.

I ordered one in a Thumb Hole, Target or Bench Rest (forget their term) and it was here within a week, no issue with it, shot a couple of 1/2" MOA groups with it in dim light, a bit of wind and 15 degrees!

[SageRat Shooter]

RC20,

I'm sure that has something to do with it (lefty configuration)... It could also be that it is the pro varmint in the coyote laminate (seems to be the most popular color scheme).... I can't figure it out though... as I ordered a Prairie hunter for my axis (lefty) in the pepper laminate and I had it in hand in 3 weeks.... That was in April of this year, so maybe there is something else delaying things as much as they are.... Sure is frustrating when I keep getting the same canned answer of "it will be another 10 business days"....

[RC20]

Understood. I was expecting a much longer wait and it came within a week.

Hope yours shows up soon, the frustration is not fun.

[SageRat Shooter]

Hope yours shows up soon, the frustration is not fun.

Amen... Got a tracking number finally! should be here on Friday 12/2/16... Just hope they sent me the correct one. Fingers crossed.

[RC20]

Yea, mine came with a Varmint barrel contour channel when I ordered a bull.

Ok as that is what is going in there right now, I can open it up easily enough as needed (have done so on two others) not worth sending back.

[SageRat Shooter]

sorry duplicate post

[SageRat Shooter]

I'm more concerned that they didn't get my order right.... Like sending me a right hand bolt, non laminated, and didn't put the limb saver on it either.... The barrel channel is the least of my concerns, as I have to open the barrel channel anyway... (no varmint or Bull option for us overlooked lefties)...

I've had 2 experiences with Boyd's now.... The first time was flawless... This time has been nothing but a cluster****. I hope it's the correct one I get tomorrow, so I don't ever have to deal with them again.... It's almost taken the fun out my project.

[redman]

If you are just doing deer out to 200-300 a good old 308 is in order. Don't get me wrong, I have a creedmoor and 6.5 x 47 lapua but they aren't any better than a 308 til you start getting out there a ways.

[big honkin jeep]

I would suggest a .308 sporter and just whack a couple of inches off the barrel and stock if you want shorter.
I cut one down to a 16" barreled .308 with several inches off the stock as well a while back and love the way it handles now. I was reluctant at first, but after seeing what guys are doing with the 12" and 14" barreled striker handguns I ahead and I'm glad I did.
As far as lighter recoil I load 38gr H4895 and 130gr TTSX for the younger kids in the family to shoot with less recoil than a .243.
Using that combination you can tune the loads practically as light or as stout as you want within reason.
The .308 loaded with the 130TTSX is capable of some pretty impressive ballistics and seems to shoot much better than other light bullets I've tried in .30 cal.
Good luck and thanks for your service.

[243LPR]

Every deer I've ever shot with the 130 TSX was DRT!

[yobuck]

Every deer I've ever shot with the 130 TSX was DRT!


Big difference between DRT and DRN shots. DRT shots are sometimes very unpleasant to watch.