308
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260, 7mm-08, & 308
- Thread starter BCM1323654788
- Start date
As said by others they are all good. You could use any of the three.
I like the 7mm-08. The bullets can be as heavy as 175grains and that is about the heaviest that most use in a 308. I shoot a 7mm-08 173 Grain Soft point at 2500fps from my 24 inch barreled rifle. Factory ammo is usually around 139 grains and has light recoil even at a full power level.
The 308 is certainly the most capable hunting gun, and the 260 is a better long range target gun, but you do not need all of the 308 power inside of 300 yards, and the flat shooting 260 will not even have the flight time to show off its flat trajectory. The 7-08 is a nice easy shooting gun that is very capable inside of 300 yards, and a good target gun out to 600yards.
I like the 7mm-08. The bullets can be as heavy as 175grains and that is about the heaviest that most use in a 308. I shoot a 7mm-08 173 Grain Soft point at 2500fps from my 24 inch barreled rifle. Factory ammo is usually around 139 grains and has light recoil even at a full power level.
The 308 is certainly the most capable hunting gun, and the 260 is a better long range target gun, but you do not need all of the 308 power inside of 300 yards, and the flat shooting 260 will not even have the flight time to show off its flat trajectory. The 7-08 is a nice easy shooting gun that is very capable inside of 300 yards, and a good target gun out to 600yards.
I probably wouldn't choose a .260, just because it never really caught on. A 6.5 creedmoor seems to be catching on way more and and there are lots of rifle choices. That's where I'd probably be.
260 Rem- 130 or 140 Accubonds
7-08- 140 Accubonds
7-08- 140 Accubonds
I personally like the .260 remington better than the 6.5 creedmoor. If you reload, it is tit for tat. If you ever need to buy off the shelf ammo, the 6.5 is far easier to find than the .260 and is a lot cheaper. The .260 and 7mm-08 both run about $28 a box of basic hunting loads where as a 6.5, .308 etc runs about $18 a box. I cannot for the life of me understand this, reloading them cost about the same.
As for recoil, the .260 and 6.5 are quite mild and still get great range and penetration. However, the 6.5 may just be a fad in the stores and may fade over time (I hope it does not) but something like the .308 will most likely be on the shelves well through your lifetime as it has survived a long time already.
Rosewood
As for recoil, the .260 and 6.5 are quite mild and still get great range and penetration. However, the 6.5 may just be a fad in the stores and may fade over time (I hope it does not) but something like the .308 will most likely be on the shelves well through your lifetime as it has survived a long time already.
Rosewood
Some very interesting points guys, thanks for all the input!
My manual states that some 260 rifles with a standard chamber can run into issues with the longer bullets contacting the lands, and warns to seat the bullets accordingly. Anyone familiar with Kimber specs? I want to speak with them on the phone, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Have you guys ever encountered any issues in your own rifles?
A load that I found to be quiet pleasing ballistically, was the 129gr Hornady interlock in 260 with the velocity around 2600-2700 fps, it seemed to be very light recoiling when compared to loads having 10-20 more grains of lead and moving around 2800 fps, and it still has a sectional density of .264!
While studying my Hornady reloading manual I noticed the .264 bullets seem to have a wider range of useful velocity when compared to the 7mm-08 & .308 bullets on average (1600-3300 and 2200-3400). I'd be interested to know how and for what reason this occurs?
Also, anyone shooting 257 Roberts behind the deer's shoulders and getting consistent pass through shots?
My manual states that some 260 rifles with a standard chamber can run into issues with the longer bullets contacting the lands, and warns to seat the bullets accordingly. Anyone familiar with Kimber specs? I want to speak with them on the phone, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. Have you guys ever encountered any issues in your own rifles?
A load that I found to be quiet pleasing ballistically, was the 129gr Hornady interlock in 260 with the velocity around 2600-2700 fps, it seemed to be very light recoiling when compared to loads having 10-20 more grains of lead and moving around 2800 fps, and it still has a sectional density of .264!
While studying my Hornady reloading manual I noticed the .264 bullets seem to have a wider range of useful velocity when compared to the 7mm-08 & .308 bullets on average (1600-3300 and 2200-3400). I'd be interested to know how and for what reason this occurs?
Also, anyone shooting 257 Roberts behind the deer's shoulders and getting consistent pass through shots?
A pass through shot is going to depend more on the bullet than just the caliber. I shot a 6mm Rem for a few years, the little brother to the 257rob, with 100 grain interloks, it was heck on whitetail. But I'm a shoulder shooter.
I used to just seat the bullet to what the manual called for. In recent years I have paid more attention to OAL and finally discovered how much it has on accuracy. They are tools for measuring your max OAL, but you can do it with your components. I take a fired piece of brass, partially resize it to tighten the neck up slightly, insert a bullet in the neck out longer than what I know it will take to hit the lands then gently chamber the cartridge. The lands will push the bullet deeper in the case to where it stops at your max oal. I take it out and measure and then repeat a few times to make sure I am getting a good measurement. Then I typically seat my first round about .020" off the lands for my first test loads.
Since I started measuring, I have discovered that some manual listed OALs are really too long for certain guns and I have to seat them deeper so that I am not forcing the loaded round into the lands which can cause pressure issues especially if you are not anticipating it and doing that deliberately.
Rosewood
So, based on your (op) last post: you are trying to decide on a new rifle in the Kimber lineup?
If that is the case, I would go with the 308. I almost bought a new Kimber 257 Roberts a couple years ago, but backed out after reading a number of internet complaints about accuracy in every caliber of interest to me, except 308. I was’t confident that any caliber other than 308 could be trusted from Kimber. On the other hand, I have experienced the accuracy of two of Kimber’s 308’s, an LPT and a Montana, both owned buy a good friend. They are each sub moa. The LPT remains sub moa out to at least 600yards. The best part is that all of the shooting that I took part in was with Factory Federal Gold Matal Match ammo—no special reloading tricks required.
If that is the case, I would go with the 308. I almost bought a new Kimber 257 Roberts a couple years ago, but backed out after reading a number of internet complaints about accuracy in every caliber of interest to me, except 308. I was’t confident that any caliber other than 308 could be trusted from Kimber. On the other hand, I have experienced the accuracy of two of Kimber’s 308’s, an LPT and a Montana, both owned buy a good friend. They are each sub moa. The LPT remains sub moa out to at least 600yards. The best part is that all of the shooting that I took part in was with Factory Federal Gold Matal Match ammo—no special reloading tricks required.
