260 rem Competition shooters: need opinion on twist & length

[Winny94]

I have a choice b/w 2 in-stock blanks that can be spun up quickly. The first is a Kreiger Std. Palma 1-8.5 twist. The other is a Shilen Select Match Sendero 1-8.

Action: Tikka T3
Use: This will be a long range target rig, but more importantly I want it to start getting into local competitions.
Stock: it will temporarily be in a Boyds, but shortly it will be living in either an MDT chassis or Grayboe Renegade (when theyre released) - regardless, it will be mag fed.

So my questions are:
Being mag fed, is there any way to run 147gr ELD-M, or will being mag fed relegate me to 140gr as a limit? (I assume the 8.5" Kreiger will stabilize the 140, but ive read that is nearing the limit, so the 147s would be better served by the 1-8).

Is the marginal increase in velocity worth the extra 2"?

Ive never shot a Krieger, but their reputation is obvious. I do own a rifle chambered w/ a shilen select match and im comfortable saying its consistently a 1/2 MOA gun, and if the stars align, it will throw an occasional 1/4MOA group - but i havent had the opportunity to stretch this one out at all (its a 17" 308), so I dont know how it will do at distance.

If anyone with 260 experience could weigh in, i'd really appreciate it!

 

[Steven Lunsford]

Winny,

I shot a 260 rem in long range precision matches throughout last year. My barrel was a Krieger Rem Varmint 1-8 finished at 26". I used the berger 140 hybrids and they performed very well.

I prefer a 1-8 twist for a 140 grain bullet, and my reasoning for this is just because that is what Berger says is the optimal twist rate for the 140 hybrid.

I don't have any experience with the 147 ELD-M, but I think you could run the 147 as a mag fed cartridge since the difference in the 140 and the 147 length is (1.440-1.426) .014". I think you would just need to let your gunsmith know that you were planning to shoot the 147 and that you intend to mag feed your rounds.

Are you asking if 2" extra barrel length is worth the increase in velocity? In my opinion it is, I run a 26 to 27" barrel. My opinion on this is based off advice from my gunsmith (Robert Gradous). I recently had my competition 260 re-barreled to a 6.5x47 and Robert recommended I have the barrel finished at 27", so that's what I did.

Good luck with your build

 

[HoustonB77]

Can't tell you witch way to go but my next barrel will be a 8 twist 26 inch for my Tikka T3 TSR-1. I like the option of shooting the heavy pulls. I'm currently shooting 140 Berger hybrids and its a sub half gun with the factory barrel. I just want the extra barrel length for velocity.

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[Supersubes]

Where are you shopping that only has those two in stock? While I like both those makes, given a choice, id do a krieger, but in an 8 twist. I'm just partial to them(and Bartlein). Southern precision rifles has any number of suitable contours in stock now, as well as a few other makes.

 

[Pure-Precision]

Of the two barrels I would select the krieger. But as mentioned the 1-8" is probably slightly better for longer bullets and extended ranges. Personally unless I was going to dedicate it to bench or prone only shooting and not have to move much with it I wouldn't go over 26" in the 260rem, velocity increase is marginal compared to how unwieldy a 30" barrel is. Also with a barrel that long and the slight velocity increase a 1-8.5twist would be sufficient for all but the longest bullets and crazy range. Just some thoughts


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[MarcusOlsson]

I'll pitch in here
As a Swede, i've experienced first hand what happens to 6.5 match bullets under terrible conditions at ELR distances ( read: Sea level and below -15c)
8 twist it good enough for every condition. The 8.6 twist Sauer STR rifles, they are pretty much standard, suffer from decreased BC and the drop don't add up when you get out past 6-700m during winter, summer is slightly better but we still see anomalies and if you run, for example the 130gr Norma ( prime ) at a slow 2750, the 8.6 twist will keyhole when you reach out past 1100m during summer, winter is horrible.

I personally got my latest barrel in 7.5 twist and more and more gun smiths over here are hearing the demand for faster than 8 twist and 7.7 is becoming the new standard due to cold winters and general flat and low country we have over here.

So why go with anything less than 8 twist when it's the golden standard for barrels in 6.5 these days?

Didn't Litz do a test with different barreltwist to see speed increase/decrease and it show little if any effect on the speed from super slow to really fast twist ?

 

[padom]

I would also go with an 8 Twist. My 260rem was an Bartlein 26" 8 twist and shot lights out with H4350 and 140 ELD-M. The 140 ELD-M was just barely under AICS mag length. I had issues getting the 140 Hybrid to my rifles sweet spot for seating depth as the optimal length was longer than mag length. Still shot good at mag length but shot better a little longer.

I would let your smith know what bullet your going to shoot and tell him what mags they need to fit in so he can throat it properly.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I shoot a Savage and use a Lothar-Walther 28" 1:8" LW-50 Stainless Drop-in barrel. It's coming off a 2001 10FP action and onto a brand new Savage 11VT .308 as a swap.

This barrel develops 2850fps with 142SMK/140A-Max over 43.8gr of H4350. I will soon be testing the 143 ELD-X over a starting load of 43.5gr of H-4350. The 142/140 load shows only mild pressure signs. When the testing is close to being done, I will have bought a new barrel of identical proportions and have it to mount up. The old 10FP will then have a new factory .308 barrel, as well as the older .260 barrel to play with.

I believe that adding some length to the barrel allows for a decent velocity with less heat/pressure in the bore, and should prolong barrel life. I bought my 28" from L-W around 2002-2003.

Greg

 

[NukeMMC]

I have 2 different 260s. One is a Rem700 with a 25" Bartlein 1:8" Heavy Palma, the other is a GAP10 Gen2 with a 20" 1:8.2" Bartlein. Same load of 42.8gr of H4350 behind a 140SMK yields 2820fps in the Rem700 and 2700fps with the GAP10. 120fps for a 5" barrel difference.

 

[mercracing]

I would go with the 8 twist. I would even consider looking at something like 7.7 if you were almost always going to shoot the heavies. As far as length, you could do 26" if your muzzle brake or suppressor isn't super long. If your running a longer suppressor the 24" might be where you want to be.

 

[HuntinBuddy80]

My match gun is a Southern Precision Rifles trued 700 in 260 with a 24" M24 Bartlein. I have shot it this past year and am currently coming up on a re-barrel myself. I originally went 24" because if I wanted to shoot with a can I wanted to save all I could. My current load is with a can because it worked up so well is a Nosler RDF 140 doing 2820. This has not been a hot load so far and the powder charge interchanged well with 140 ELDs. I have been debating my next barrel and am going to go to 26" in the same Bartlein M24. I'm more than likely going to go with a brake for next years matches and no can just to get it more maneuverable, and I want to keep the velocity around where I'm at. Just from my experience I think a 26" is a sweet spot for a match gun.

 

[kabarNC]

If you're running a T3 for comps (assuming PRS style ), you may want to look into CTR bottom metal/mags. I do not own short action AICS style mags, but i think the CTRs have more OAL for the 147s. If I'm wrong someone please correct me. I find the CTR mag great for balancing the rifle wherever you want on a barricade.