260 Remington 25" barrel-- Varmint or Bull?

[SageRat Shooter]

Hi again all,

So, after I have been looking at my 260 build again.... I had originally thought that Criterion's varmint profile (.828) at the muzzle was plenty of thickness for sustained fire and would still be about 1.5-2 lbs lighter than going with a full bull (1.007) profile.

This is going to be for long range stuff ( milk jugs at 1000, coyotes, fox, prairie dogs, etc... I don't plan on packing it all over kingdom come, but humping it out to a landing, where I can just set it up and glass for the "critter" is more likely going to be how it's used.

So, now I'm rethinking the varmint profile and leaning more toward going with the bull profile.....

Anybody have any recommendations on my thinking here? Or am I just overkilling it thinking a bull barrel is going to give me any better performance?

Thanks,

SRS

[LongRange]

over thinking it...get your calipers out and set them at 0.179 so you can see the difference... .250 is a 1/4" so .179 is just over an 1/8" and i doubt you will ever put more than 10 rounds at a time through your barrel.

[SageRat Shooter]

Thanks Long Range! I figured I was over thinking it... That's usually my downfall.... I've spent the last 2 years doing the research and I "had it all figured out" until I actually started building it.... Now I'm second guessing myself.

"paralysis by analysis"

Regards,
SRS

[Robinhood]

"paralysis by analysis"

I have suffered from this for years.
Now I put olives and olive juice in my Bloody Mary's and all is well.

[cowtownup]

IMO Get the straight bull....

Load it with 41.8 grains of H4350 under a 142 SMK and CCI BR2's and set them .015 off the lands....

I think it will shoot right there....

[LongRange]

I've shot 35 rounds through a 260 heavy varmint all at once with no poi change so if that's your worry don't worry...like I said most ppl will never shoot more than 5-10 at a time before letting it cool


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[SageRat Shooter]

Cowtownup,

I'm actually planning on shooting the new ELD-X from Hornady, but I do plan on using H4350, R19, H4831SC, or R17 and seating the bullet between .02 -.04 off the lands. But, what I plan to do and what my gun will want to do can sometimes not be on the same page. I will also try the SMK and the Berger if I cant get the ELD-X to shoot.

Thanks for the load data!

[RC20]

I would try to factor in the temperature you would be shooting at as well as how sustained a rate of fire you would be doing.

The Bull would resist the heat buildup longer, but then it also would take longer to cool down.

While I am inclined to Varmint profile, I have two Bulls. At the time I was not entirely sure, heavy was better that too lite (bench rest) and weight can help for steady if you are trying to put all the bullets in one small group.

I am going back to the Varmint and see what I can make it do (Savage not after market). It was doing some good groups before (not consistent but then I am not). I have it on my test chassis now, it shot a couple of 5 shot 1/2 MOA groups in not great conditions.

[1953greg]

your reloading and shooting skills, or lac of, far outweigh any difference there even might be between varmint and bull barrels........by a bunch

[SageRat Shooter]

The question was more directed to sustained fire in a SHTF scenario... not as an accuracy question... As far as normal use I agree that varmint will be plenty of barrel for what I will use it for.

[RC20]

Quit thinking, get the Varmint, the bull is an awful lot heavier than the diameter indicates 2 lbs or more.

If it comes down to a SHTF situation, then you are still going to be able to hit what is needed.


Military guns were good to 3 inches or so at 100.

Reasonably , if its gotten to that point you probably would have multiple guns on or with you.

If its under 100, then a tack driver is not my first choice.

If its 200 or more to start , by the time anything gets to 100 there probably is not much left.

Keep in mind that there is a vast difference between mobs and trained military.

One of the reasons militias did not work out was they broke. Its not that they were cowards, its you need extended training to stay cohesive.

[SageRat Shooter]

RC20,

I already have man... Ordered my Criterion 260 rem match varmint barrel @ 25".... 10-16 weeks for delivery.... :) the SHTF scenario was so that I could make sure to have a setup that I COULD use effectively if I ever HAD too. You never know what may happen (especially in the next 4 years)....

SRS

[1953greg]

[QUOTE=SageRat Shooter;392923]The question was more directed to sustained fire in a SHTF scenario... not as an accuracy question...

ugh....we dnt know that