The Question you all hate.....

[Hawg_Leg]

Yes, I know.


Wanting to throw some money at a bolt gun. thinking either a 260rem or 300wm.

dont know which I should go with or why. opinions greatly appreciated.



Let me go ahead and get it out of the way for you;

"Just buy a .308, ammo is easier to get"
"Go back and hit the search button and read 11ty billion threads before asking the question"
"----Other random chest pounding internet warrior comment----"

[BCmJUnKie]

How dare you ask a question like this! Do you know the"ORANGE SEARCH BUTTON!"

Do you reload? Are you looking for something with a crazy sidefolding-polymer-kool-aid dispensing stock? Or more simple.

Does it have to be .300 Win. Mag?

[Hawg_Leg]

How dare you ask a question like this! Do you know the"ORANGE SEARCH BUTTON!"

Do you reload? Are you looking for something with a crazy sidefolding-polymer-kool-aid dispensing stock? Or more simple.

Does it have to be .300 Win. Mag?

Just looking for something flat shooting I can start spending time with @ the range / precision shooting classes. dosent have to be any particular round, but I'd rather not start reloading yet.

no folding stocks. fixed. bipod. optic. done.

[BCmJUnKie]

I prefer Rem. 700, You didnt mention much so what about this? A buddy has one, shoots pretty good
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/models/

[Hawg_Leg]

anyone have any wisdom on the 260 rem?

[mark5pt56]

---Be open minded for one----

Maybe tell us what you really want to do with it and some basic expectations in regards to set up --and how much money you want to spend.

I could be wrong, but going with a 260 and not reloading may be an issue.

What kind of distance do you have access to?

[Hawg_Leg]

---Be open minded for one----

Maybe tell us what you really want to do with it and some basic expectations in regards to set up --and how much money you want to spend.

I could be wrong, but going with a 260 and not reloading may be an issue.

What kind of distance do you have access to?

I'd like something I can get proficient with out to about 1000 yds. , which I know will take a good amount of time and effort.

Price is not so much an issue, but I dont want to buy a 10K rifle right out of the box, but I dont want to go the budget route either. Just something well made, with a high end piece of glass on it.

I have access to about as far as anyone can shoot.

[Todd.K]

Unless you like recoil, or muzzle blast with a MB, or need the bigger bullet for downrange performance get the 260.

If you don't handload consider the 6.5 Creedmoor, not because it does anything better than the 260 but because Hornady match ammo is available and reasonably priced.

[CC556]

Unless you like recoil, or muzzle blast with a MB, or need the bigger bullet for downrange performance get the 260.

If you don't handload consider the 6.5 Creedmoor, not because it does anything better than the 260 but because Hornady match ammo is available and reasonably priced.

This is exactly correct. .260 and 6.5 Creedmoor are extremely similar (dare I even start a brawl by suggesting that for all intents and purposes they are ballistically identical.) The 6.5 Creedmoor has excellent match ammo available for it through Hornady. The .260 is much better suited to someone who reloads, as match grade commercial ammo is much harder to find and more expensive.

For your stated purposes of learning to shoot long range and taking classes I'd much rather be shooting a .260 (or 6.5 Creedmoor) than a .300WM. The external ballistics of the .260 (or 6.5C) will match or beat many .300WM loads, and they'll do it with far less recoil. While I could write pages about this topic, the "shootability" of the .260 (or 6.5C) compared to the .300WM is a significant factor. What I mean by that is over the course of a day whether in a class or in a match or just in the field practicing the much lower recoil of the .260 (or 6.5C) will fatigue you less and let you concentrate much more on making good shots. Further, shooting from any improvised or awkward position will be much easier to accomplish with a rifle that has as little recoil as a .260 (or 6.5C.) If you don't need the terminal ballistic performance of a .300WM then the .260 (or 6.5C) is better from a "shootability" standpoint, ammo capacity standpoint, commercial ammo cost standpoint, and barrel life standpoint.

FWIW I've shot both .260 and 6.5 Creedmoor rifles in matches, and my old .260 match gun is now my wife's match rifle. .260/6.5C are great cartridges.

[rogers0317]

I would look at 6.5 creedmore as well. Ballistics will be just as good as the 300 WM but with the advantages of a short action.

If you end up deciding on a 300 WM though, I would just purchase a standard Remington 700p or 5r. Shoot the barrel out (1000-1500 rounds) then make the modifications you want when you send it in to get rebarreled.