The Black Sheep of the Family

[South Pender]

In 1958, Winchester introduced its family of short-case belted magnums--the .264, .338, and .458 Winchester Magnums. In 1962, Remington introduced its 7mm. Rem. Mag. on the same case. It is clear that the .264 is the black sheep in this family.

I've been trying to obtain sizing and seating dies for my newly-acquired .264 Win. Mag., and have been surprised and disappointed to find them (and other reloading tools) to be in very short supply. When I stumble on a company that sells L.E. Wilson dies and seaters, for example, the .264 win. Mag. is often omitted from the listings of available cartridges. This has been true of dies from other companies as well (Forster bushing/bump dies and Lee Collet dies being two examples).

I do have an L.E. Wilson bushing neck sizer and a chamber-type seater for my 7mm. Rem. Mag., and I'm wondering whether the 7 Rem. Mag. sizer could be used for my .264 with the appropriate bushings. All drawings of the two cartridges I've seen indicate pretty much identical body dimensions (except for the neck, of course). What do you guys think?

(I don't think the 7 Rem. Mag. seater could be adapted, although I'm still noodling this....)

 

[KMart]

If your seater die is a Forster, call them and see if they have the chamber and a 264 seating plug in stock. They have always sold me the parts in the past.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

Wilson sells direct too so you might want to try them.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

The 264wm was the black sheep of the family because it was the only chambering a guy just hunting could burn the rifling out of the barrel bad enough to miss deer.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

The 264wm was the black sheep of the family because it was the only chambering a guy just hunting could burn the rifling out of the barrel bad enough to miss deer.

Alongside it's little brother, the 6.5 Rem mag.

 

[South Pender]

The 264wm was the black sheep of the family because it was the only chambering a guy just hunting could burn the rifling out of the barrel bad enough to miss deer.

Guess you're not too fond of the 26 Nosler. It gives about 1/3 the barrel life of the .264WM.

Alongside it's little brother, the 6.5 Rem mag.

Yup. Pretty much same size powder charge as the .264WM and so similar barrel life.