6.5 CM vs 260 Rem with Lapua Brass

[Prose]

Was re-reading the demigod article today and also a couple loading manuals that were about 10 years old. Common terminology used was "the 260 Rem with lapua brass shoots equivalent bullet weights about 100-150 FPS faster than the CM with Hornady Brass"

Now that people are using Peterson or Lapua Brass with the CM, how close is that gap now? Is the gap gone? What about R26, did that catch it up?

 

[jsthntn247]

I got compressed with 42gr of Rl 16 in a creedmoor in Peterson's brass. Load ended up being 41.3 with a 140 Berger at 2820. Got ejector marks at 42.5

 

[Prose]

Is there less velocity with Lapua/Peterson than with the hornady brass?

 

[jsthntn247]

Never shot anything else than small rifle primer brass. There is less case capacity with Peterson’s for sure though.

 

[Loggins J]

My 260 shoots 2900 with a 136 grain lapua 308 small primer I have pushed it to 2980 but 2900 shot the best

 

[jimbo88mm]

260 still has a tiny bit more room than the CM. That hasn't changed. You can get both with small primers. You can use R26 in both. I suspect the 260 still has a velocity edge. I still think the difference is negligible for most circumstances.

 

[boltman13]

They both are fine rounds, take your pick. The limitation on the 260 is mag length and heavy long 6.5 mm bullets crowding case capacity. Properly throated, and loaded single shot the 260 does have a slight advantage over the CM with the heavy bullets. The 260 Rem. AI extends that advantage a little more, if you want to do the brass prep. I get 2,885 fps with a 29" barrel in the Creed. and that is fast enough to suit me.

 

[Grimstod]

One thing I do not understand about that article is that he chose the fastest cartridge rather then the one that shot the best.

 

[wboggs]

My most accurate load,0.23" 5 shot grps, out of my standard 260 is 2930 using h4350 and lapua brass out of a 30" barrel. They are 2.89" oal and loaded single shot.
Looks like there is little if any practical difference with the CM. One big difference is factory ammo where there is no comparison.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

My most accurate load,0.23" 5 shot grps, out of my standard 260 is 2930 using h4350 and lapua brass out of a 30" barrel. They are 2.89" oal and loaded single shot.
Looks like there is little if any practical difference with the CM. One big difference is factory ammo where there is no comparison.

+1 on the factory ammo. I have an AR 6.5CM and a Model 700 260 bolt action. The Hornady 140 ELD-M shoots around 0.6-0.9 MOA in my AR10 at around $1.10 / round. The MV SD’s have usually been in the high teens when I measured 10 shots. None of the factory 260 Rem ammo shot really well for me and had consistent MVs except a brand called Eagle Eye with the Berger 130 AR Tactical Hybrid which costs me around $1.85 / round depending on how many were purchased. It shoots about the same as the ELD-M in the AR10 but the Eagle Eye had tighter MVs in the low teens. Both are around 2780 fps from 22” barrels. I know several guys that shoot near the top in the Pro PRS class that have finished in the top few shooters using the factory 6CM ELD-M loads.

 

[wboggs]

+1 on the factory ammo. I have an AR 6.5CM and a Model 700 260 bolt action. The Hornady 140 ELD-M shoots around 0.6-0.9 MOA in my AR10 at around $1.10 / round. The MV SD’s have usually been in the high teens when I measured 10 shots. None of the factory 260 Rem ammo shot really well for me and had consistent MVs except a brand called Eagle Eye with the Berger 130 AR Tactical Hybrid which costs me around $1.85 / round depending on how many were purchased. It shoots about the same as the ELD-M in the AR10 but the Eagle Eye had tighter MVs in the low teens. Both are around 2780 fps from 22” barrels. I know several guys that shoot near the top in the Pro PRS class that have finished in the top few shooters using the factory 6CM ELD-M loads.

Remington lost the battle a long time ago. They should have taken out some body taper. lengthen the neck, put a 30-35 degree shoulder, and made some good target loads. They would have owned the space. If I bought a new rifle.it would be a CM.

 

[dstoenner]

Remington lost the battle a long time ago. They should have taken out some body taper. lengthen the neck, put a 30-35 degree shoulder, and made some good target loads. They would have owned the space. If I bought a new rifle.it would be a CM.

I shoot a 260 Rem in F-Class matches. 140 Berger Hybrids at 1000 and 130 hybrids at mid range. I agree with your ideas about taper, shoulder and neck length. My 6BR has 2500 rounds on it and the throat has only advanced .075 and it shoots nice small groups.

This barrel will be pretty much used up by the end of this season. I am moving to 6x47 Lapua. For me the Creedmoor, be it 6 or 6.5, is just not enough different from the 260 I already shoot. I have 7 reloads on my Lapua 260 brass and it still has tight primer pockets. This brass has now lasted for 2 barrels. I think with 6X47 I can get better barrel life than the 260 which is goodness. I have 340 cases now for the 6x47 so maybe set for life if it is as easy on brass as the 6BR

David

 

[wboggs]

I shoot a 260 Rem in F-Class matches. 140 Berger Hybrids at 1000 and 130 hybrids at mid range. I agree with your ideas about taper, shoulder and neck length. My 6BR has 2500 rounds on it and the throat has only advanced .075 and it shoots nice small groups.

This barrel will be pretty much used up by the end of this season. I am moving to 6x47 Lapua. For me the Creedmoor, be it 6 or 6.5, is just not enough different from the 260 I already shoot. I have 7 reloads on my Lapua 260 brass and it still has tight primer pockets. This brass has now lasted for 2 barrels. I think with 6X47 I can get better barrel life than the 260 which is goodness. I have 340 cases now for the 6x47 so maybe set for life if it is as easy on brass as the 6BR

David

 

[wboggs]

I shoot a 260 Rem in F-Class matches. 140 Berger Hybrids at 1000 and 130 hybrids at mid range. I agree with your ideas about taper, shoulder and neck length. My 6BR has 2500 rounds on it and the throat has only advanced .075 and it shoots nice small groups.

This barrel will be pretty much used up by the end of this season. I am moving to 6x47 Lapua. For me the Creedmoor, be it 6 or 6.5, is just not enough different from the 260 I already shoot. I have 7 reloads on my Lapua 260 brass and it still has tight primer pockets. This brass has now lasted for 2 barrels. I think with 6X47 I can get better barrel life than the 260 which is goodness. I have 340 cases now for the 6x47 so maybe set for life if it is as easy on brass as the 6BR

David

How do you do with the 260 in f class? Have you tried any of the 123s for midrange?
Bill

 

[dstoenner]

How do you do with the 260 in f class? Have you tried any of the 123s for midrange?
Bill

I feel it does pretty good. The key are both the hybrids I use. I am using a 30 inch barrel so I am getting 2841 for the 140s and 2985 for the 130s with relative moderate loads of h4350. For the 140s at 1000 I need 26 MOA elevation and for a 10 mph wind only need 6.1 for windage. Only negative is that 60+ rounds do wear you down a little.

I started work when I first got my 260 up and running in 2008 with lapua 123s then everything European just evaporated. Berger came out with the 130s and they just worked with every load so I never went back to try the lapua.

In Feb I shot a midrange 300/500/600 and came out with 443/450 -21x with the 130s. My friend that I shot with said those things were like lasers.

Do you shoot f-class and if so what is your caliber of choice?

 

[wboggs]

I feel it does pretty good. The key are both the hybrids I use. I am using a 30 inch barrel so I am getting 2841 for the 140s and 2985 for the 130s with relative moderate loads of h4350. For the 140s at 1000 I need 26 MOA elevation and for a 10 mph wind only need 6.1 for windage. Only negative is that 60+ rounds do wear you down a little.

I started work when I first got my 260 up and running in 2008 with lapua 123s then everything European just evaporated. Berger came out with the 130s and they just worked with every load so I never went back to try the lapua.

In Feb I shot a midrange 300/500/600 and came out with 443/450 -21x with the 130s. My friend that I shot with said those things were like lasers.

Do you shoot f-class and if so what is your caliber of choice?

Not anymore. My health and eyes have made me noncompetive. I

I feel it does pretty good. The key are both the hybrids I use. I am using a 30 inch barrel so I am getting 2841 for the 140s and 2985 for the 130s with relative moderate loads of h4350. For the 140s at 1000 I need 26 MOA elevation and for a 10 mph wind only need 6.1 for windage. Only negative is that 60+ rounds do wear you down a little.

I started work when I first got my 260 up and running in 2008 with lapua 123s then everything European just evaporated. Berger came out with the 130s and they just worked with every load so I never went back to try the lapua.

In Feb I shot a midrange 300/500/600 and came out with 443/450 -21x with the 130s. My friend that I shot with said those things were like lasers.

Do you shoot f-class and if so what is your caliber of choice?

Not anymore. My health and eyes have made it impossible for me to shoot those long strings. Used to shoot a 6xc with either 105 or 115s. Most guys were using .308s and it was easy to shoot against them. My buddy lives close to David Tubb and he got me interested in it. Then I went to a 260 with the 142smk but my eyes gave out and I really never got to shoot well with it.
Still like to reload and experiment. Can shoot some 5 shot grips and steel out to 1000.
Now building a 6.5 PRC to out shoot my buddy's 338 lapua.

 

[Prose]

So if a guy were to shoot 6.5 CM or 260 with the small primer pocket, does the firing pin have to be changed or bolt bushed or can a person just switch brass with no other concerns?

 

[DHuffman]

So if a guy were to shoot 6.5 CM or 260 with the small primer pocket, does the firing pin have to be changed or bolt bushed or can a person just switch brass with no other concerns?

That could go either way. Brand of action will play a role in it as well.

 

[wboggs]

So if a guy were to shoot 6.5 CM or 260 with the small primer pocket, does the firing pin have to be changed or bolt bushed or can a person just switch brass with no other concerns?

I can use either in my r700 sa. SP gives a lower velocity but half the sd

 

[Beeman]

I've had no issues with my 6.5X47 built on a Remington 700 SA. Thought that I may need to have it bushed, but so far so good. It is a hunting rifle that shoots 130 AccuBonds at 2900 fps out of a 25" Benchmark.