Can a 6.5 Creedmoor barrel be rechambered for 260 rem?

Warning: Possible totally newbie/dumb question....

How feasible would it be to rechamber a new 6.5 Creedmoor barrel for 260 Rem?

I am trying to find a Savage action for a rifle build and I found a suitable 'donor' rifle that is chambered for 6.5 Creedmoor. It would be a very nice bonus if the barrel could be rechambered for 260 rem.

My ignorant newbie examination of the SAAMI specs for 260 rem versus 6.5 Creedmore seem to indicate that the 6.5 Creedmore chamber is ever so slightly smaller than the 260 rem and therefore (in ignorant newbie logic) it could be rechambered to the ever so slightly larger 260 rem?

Total stupid fantasy? :o

That is not at all a dumb question, it will be close either way, and I to would love to know they answer to that one.

Dean

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SAAMI specs for 260 rem versus 6.5 Creedmore seem to indicate that the 6.5 Creedmore chamber is ever so slightly smaller than the 260 rem and therefore (in ignorant newbie logic) it could be rechambered to the ever so slightly larger 260 rem?

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Thousandths Matter!

IMO watching how barrels are made, it would be impossible. Also, company wise, it would be a liability issue as well.

It would be less expensive to buy a new pre-fit barrel.

In the interest of safety, I would forget the idea.

Dennis

Worst case I guess I would just try to sell the 6.5 Creedmoor barrel.

It can and easily be rechambered. The only way it would be a problem if you had a sub par barrel to start with that has a sloppy chamber. Most rechambers run around the $75 range and who ever was doing the rechambering should have the knowledge to know if the rechamber is good. If you already have a creedmore barrel you would be money ahead to rechamber it, might as well get the crown touched up while you are at it.

So if I understand correctly, a Creedmore chamber is smaller than a remmy 260, and there is enough meat to open it up, or do you have to lop off a good section of the barrel.

Dean

Why even bother? Both cartridges are nearly identical in performance and some would argue the Creedmore is a better choice. Save your money and buy some brass or factory ammo and go shooting.

The 260 is longer and the creedmore is roughly .003" undersized. If I was doing it I would set it back .050-.100" and make everything was completely cleaned up.

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Originally Posted by stomp442

Why even bother? Both cartridges are nearly identical in performance and some would argue the Creedmore is a better choice. Save your money and buy some brass or factory ammo and go shooting.

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Certainly nothing wrong with the 6.5 Creedmoor, but I have 400 Lapua 260 rem brass so I plan to continue shooting 260 Rem for the foreseeable future. :)

Sinman, are you doing barrel work like this currently? Looking for some work? :)

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Originally Posted by sinman

The 260 is longer and the creedmore is roughly .003" undersized. If I was doing it I would set it back .050-.100" and make everything was completely cleaned up.

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WOW I knew they were close, but not that close.

Dean

If you decide to sell the barrel lmk.

Youll get better barrel life from the creedmoor

If they are in fact that close couldn't you just resize your .260 brass trim them up and fire form? I know I resize .308s down to .250 Savage all the time it can't be nearly that hard. I realize its an extra step or two but its free and easy.

Ok, I ordered the LRP 6.5 Creedmoor (and some other stuff) from Jim at NSS. I will be selling the HS Precision stock and the 6.5 Creedmoor barrel (or possibly I will pursue getting it rechambered in 260 Rem).

Thanks for all the info/advice.

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Why even bother? Both cartridges are nearly identical in performance and some would argue the Creedmore is a better choice. Save your money and buy some brass or factory ammo and go shooting.

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Why bother indeed? Having had both, no argument from me that the Creedmoor is a better choice.

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Originally Posted by wbm

Why bother indeed? Having had both, no argument from me that the Creedmoor is a better choice.

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That's nice but I don't want another 6.5mm cartridge to deal with. When I'm ready to tackle another caliber, it will be a different bullet size, like a .284 Winchester.

This really seems like a lot of work for nothing. Isnt one of great things about the creedmoor relatively cheap high quality brass? I would really give the creedmoor a shot before i went spending money on getting the barrel re chambered. Brass and dies would be about the same cost as the smith work and if you decide you like it you could sell your lapua 260 cases on here quick and easy.

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Originally Posted by stomp442

If they are in fact that close couldn't you just resize your .260 brass trim them up and fire form? I know I resize .308s down to .250 Savage all the time it can't be nearly that hard. I realize its an extra step or two but its free and easy.

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People have tried (with varying degrees of success) to form 6.5 CM brass from different brands of .308 Win cases. One of the things that give them fits is that because the original case is a fair bit longer, the new 'neck' ends up being formed from what was previously the shoulder material - and the shoulder tends to be a good bit thicker in most cartridges than the neck. There would likely be a fair amount of outside neck turning and/or inside neck reaming involved. Way cheaper/easier to sell the existing brass and buy new.

Personally I like the 6.5 CM, and think its a better match for a short-action, especially if you have any interest in feeding from say, an AI magazine (i.e. constricted to a Remington 700SA mag length of 2.820"). But if you do want to go with a .260 Rem... I'd say have the barrel set back a bit, as already suggested, so that you know that you are getting a completely clean and new chamber cut and go shoot.

I guess im the only one that enjoys forming cases. I find it quite fun and easy and well worth the time when the end result is perfectly formed cases.

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Originally Posted by stomp442

I guess im the only one that enjoys forming cases.

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Might be ;)

When I was forming 6.5-08 cases from Win .308, I was glad it was a simple two-step process - neck with a 7-08 die, then with the 6.5-08 die and done. People using Lapua .308 had to turn necks, the folks using Lapua .243 usually had to ream for donuts. When forming my 6 Dasher brass - neck turn, expand up to .25 cal and then partial size neck to form a false shoulder... that had me sincerely wishing I'd just stayed with a straight 6 BR. It might be less onerous if I only needed a hundred cases... but I normally make about 500 pcs of brass per match barrel to cover the times when I have 3-day matches on back to back weekends. That much case forming just ain't fun for me.

Heck, thats part of why I'm lovin' my .30 BR... only 31 pcs of brass total, and the gunsmith made them for me as part of the chamber job. All I had to do was load and shoot. Sweet! ;)

i dont mind forming my 6.5cm brass or the neck turning that goes with them i've gottin to where i clean up all my 308 and 6.5 brass .the reason i picked the 6.5 over the 260 was like it was said in the above post i can load 140 gr. pills and if i want to get a bdm iin the future i wont have to change the length any .

I would be interested in some of that 260 lapua brass.

I generally make 100 pieces of brass and i will admit it takes time but time spent in the reloading room is generally better than time spent anywhere else. Except the range of course.

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Originally Posted by Onewolf

How feasible would it be to rechamber a new 6.5 Creedmoor barrel for 260 Rem?

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:Cry: WHY? When life gives you filet mignon you don't treat it like round steak and make chop suey!

AmmoGuide has a Rechamber/Rebarrel calculator that isn't idiot-proof but will tell you if one chamber's SAAMI envelope (e.g. 6.5 Creedmore) is smaller at every point than another (e.g. 260 Remington). Join at AmmoGuide.com. It's a neat site for all reloaders. Pay attention to what sinman says - chambers can vary a good bit depending on the 'smith.

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Originally Posted by memilanuk

Might be ;)

When forming my 6 Dasher brass - neck turn, expand up to .25 cal and then partial size neck to form a false shoulder... that had me sincerely wishing I'd just stayed with a straight 6 BR. It might be less onerous if I only needed a hundred cases... but I normally make about 500 pcs of brass per match barrel to cover the times when I have 3-day matches on back to back weekends. That much case forming just ain't fun for me.

Heck, thats part of why I'm lovin' my .30 BR... only 31 pcs of brass total, and the gunsmith made them for me as part of the chamber job. All I had to do was load and shoot. Sweet! ;)

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I have found an easier way to make Dasher brass without the neck up/neck down routine.

Do tell...

I'm open to suggestions... after a lot of reading of various opinions (which I realize are a lot like noses...) it seemed that just lubing the body alone wasn't enough to give consistent best results, nor just seating the bullet long - apparently the strike of the firing pin can shove the case forward in the chamber unless one uses a hideous amount of neck tension... the false shoulder seemed like the method that gave the most predictable results. That said, it was/is a PITA (in my opinion)... enough that I was kind of eye-balling one of those hydraulic forming dies for the next time I have to make more 6 Dasher cases. Either that or just say screw it and have it set back to a straight 6 BR.

If you have a better way, please share.

It's called a "shellholder" bolt head. I made one from an old .223 bolthead, fashioned just like a shell holder for a reloading press.
I load 12 gr. of bullseye, topped off with cornmeal and then a wax plug. Slide the case into the shellholder bolt head and pull the trigger. The cases come out to the exact same length as the headspace gauge, and the shoulder is just as sharp as a factory case.
I have always found it is better to blow the kinks out of the cases before you turn the necks, it eliminates the donut problem.

Well, for anyone that thinks the 6.5 Creedmoor is the way to go and is looking for a barrel, I have the Savage LRP 6.5 Creedmoor barrel for sale in the classifieds section here: http://www.savageshooters.com/showth...eedmoor-barrel