Anyone shootin' a .260 Remington. I've been thinking something in a 6.5 and was curious of what one could expect from this in a handgun size tube, say 15" +or-. I'm a confessed non-handloader so I'm, for now, looking at factory fodder for feed. I've seen a lot of conversation over the 6.5/284, what about the .260 Ack Imp?

The .260 Rem is one of my favorite rounds. I started with the .260 in the Encore w/15" barrel and 2x7 Burris. The only factory round I could find around here was the .260 Remington 120grn Accu-tip. It is just like a ballistic tip.
Out of the Encore it was pushing 2485fps. I had it zero'd at 150yds and took two deer with it at 120yds and 180yds. No tracking with shoulder hits that took out some spine.
I found a XP100 rear grip in the .260 and jumped on it. I floated the barrel by sanding out the barrel chanel and put the Burris 2x7 BPlex scope on it. With the factory Remington 120grn Accutips I was getting 2520 and very good accuracy.
I was drawn for a Antelope hunt in Wyoming last fall and only had about 10 days to build a load if I wanted to shoot hand loads. I had a bunch of Speer Hot Core SP's in 120grn and some Nosler Ballistic Tips in 120grn.
I put together a load with the 120grn Speer SP's and 37.5grn of Varget with Fed 210 primers. The first few rounds were in one cluster. They are running 2460fps from the 15" XP. I adjusted the scope and shot a 5 shot group with all five touching and could be covered with a nickel. I didn't even shoot the Ballistic Tips.
I went to 200 yds and set it on zero at 200yds. With a ballistic calculator program and some help I figured the drop and it was -1.5" at 250yds, -3.2 @ 300yds, -7" @ 400yds.
I shot my first antelope with the .260 holding the crosshair about 2" high on the shoulder and dropped him at 225yds. I took another at 425yds holding the 3rd B Plex line on the shoulder.
The guy that got my Encore in 260 is very pleased with it.
I'm going to work up some loads with the Sierra 142grn Match King for longer distance. This bullet has a very high BC. I don't think you can go wrong with the .260.
I also have a 6.5 Rem. Mag which is like the .260 on steriods.
I shoot the 120grn Nosler Ballistic Tip with 52 grn of H4831SC and it is running 2550 from a Encore TC Custom Shop 15" barrel. I have taken deer with it at 150+ yds and a 150lb hog at 120yds. I think it will shine with heavier bullets also.
Good luck with your choice. It is a very good long range round.
The 6.5x284 is a real popular round right now but I think for no more than I could get from it compaired to my .260 XP100 I will keep the XP.

Mike

i have one in a encore.. i shoot a hand load with aa4350 and hornady 100gr and 129gr sp at 2400 fps.. 3 deer 3 shots i love the the round.....

The 260 is a good cartridge as aptly described above. the difference between the 260 and the 6.5-284 is same difference between the 30-06 vs. 308 or the 7-08 vs. the 280 Rem.
A 6.5-284 will push 140 class bullets @ 2700 fps and would probably push 120's at around 2900 (i have never used 120's in my 6.5-284).
The 260 will also have a longer barrel life than the 6.5-284.

A guy up at the rangr shoots a .260 Ackley Improved, he has a 16 and 1/4 barrel and it shoots very accurately. I don't know his load he is shooting.