Help me decide on a Lighweight .260

[Cobracutter]

After Hunting with my trusty old M70 in .308 another year from a blind, I have decided I want something shorter.

I already have Ar's and an AR10 in 16", I just don't really feel light hunting with it.

Anyone know of a 16" lighweight rifle in .260 / 6.5sweed or similar round. I don't reload and this rifle will used for nothing but deer.

Would a Tikka in .260 with a chopped down barrel be a good start? I am trying to stay under $1000 for the rifle and any gunsmith work (minus glass and rings obviously).

 

[CrazyDonkey]

Re: Help me decide on a Lighweight .260

Why don't you just rebarrel the m70 and put it in a light stock?

 

[Cobracutter]

Re: Help me decide on a Lighweight .260

Its a late 60's M70 and I don't really want to butcher it. I also don't want to lose another .308.

 

[RyeDaddy]

Re: Help me decide on a Lighweight .260

The Ruger M77 compact in 260 Remington is a 16" 8 twist. Short length of pull, but it might work for you. I think last year may have been the last run of them, but you should be able to find one. People poo-poo Rugers but I have a Mannlicher 6.5x55 M77 with an 18.5" barrel and it shoots quite well. The action's not as smooth as a Tikka, but I trust it to go bang and hit what I'm aiming for. Not a precision rifle by any means but it'll kill deer without issue.

Here's one example of the Ruger, although the price is fuckin' nuts:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=321567659

You could chop down or rebarrel a Kimber Montana or Remington Model 7, but a rebarrel will bust your budget. Both were available in 260 at one time although the Kimber 260 is rare. My 260 Montana is awesome. The only downside to these two is the 9" twist rate of the factory barrel. Mine stabilizes 140 grain Berger's fine, but if the barrel were shorter and I was launching them in the 2500 FPS range I don't believe it would work. If you're shooting 120's and the like no worries.

Chopping a Tikka might be a good bet, but I've never been able to find one in 260 or 6.5x55 (in ALOT of searching) although I know they were made. I think I remember reading that the 260 Rem version was never imported to the US.

 

[fdkay]

Re: Help me decide on a Lighweight .260

Savage lightweight hunter (20" barrel)

Don't know if I'd go that short with a .260.

They also have models in .250 savage, an outstanding whitetail round.

 

[CrazyDonkey]

Re: Help me decide on a Lighweight .260

You can stay right at $1000 if you get a tikka t3 hunter or lite in .308 and have a new barrel put on.

 

[CrazyDonkey]

Re: Help me decide on a Lighweight .260

Tikka might actually have a t3 hunter or lite in 6.5 swede...not sure. I think euro optics was putting in orders for some model in .260, can't remember which one though.

 

[roggom]

Re: Help me decide on a Lighweight .260

I thought I saw a thread that Eurooptic will be taking orders at the beginning of the year for T3's. The lite does come in 260 and 6.5x55, but I am not sure they were imported to the US. The Sporter is chambered in those two, but they run around $1600.

http://www.tikka.fi/pdf/specs/Lite.pdf
http://www.eurooptic.com/tikka-t3-rifles.aspx

Other than that, the T3 lite's are all long action ,so any rifle with the same bolt face will work. The only difference is the bolt stop and the internal mag length. Some guys are building the shorter rounds in long configs for the extra bullet seating room. A nice stainless in 25-06, 270, 30-06, or just the std 243, 7-08, 308 will work.