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What caliber to convert 308 to?

A

ashiha

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 23, 2011
236
4
Arizona
Currently have an R700 in 308. I'd like to have the rifle trued, have a Bartlein barrel put on and cut to ~20-24 and threaded for a can. I originally wanted to move onto a 7wsm and still want to do so based on ballistics (~1410 yards before subsonic according to load data from Nosler on 160gr SP AccuBond punched into Sierra I6 with 57.5gr of IMR 4350), but it looks like it may be too much work to be done on a short action to make it worth it.

I will be getting a third rifle started soon with a custom action as well for extended long range, likely in 338 LM, but I haven't gotten to that (this will be the high budget build). I will also be buying another 308 (R700 AAC-SD for the threading). So essentially I want to end up with 3 rifles in calibers that are somewhat easy to find components for. 308 for range stuff, ??? for weekend long range up to about 1k, and the 338 LM for everything else.

So with that I ask: What caliber would be best suited to shoot to a grand reliably in Arizona desert conditions that can be built on the R700 short action easily and has somewhat easy to find components?

I have a few in mind, but would rather not saturate your ideas with my own.

Thank you.
 
Much on this topic. get a .260 Remmington hands down. I was talking to Tom Sarver (current world record holder) he persuaded me to the .260. Im gonna have him build me a pair of .260s one for my wife, of course.
 
I'm already amazed by the caliber. Seems like people are making the brass from 308 which is a HUGE plus. Any experience doing this yourself?
 
Seems like people are saying the necked down 308s are not quite the same. I'm wondering if this is something that can be taken into account when rebarreling. I'm a novice reloader at best, but I'm learning. I hope I don't have to neck turn. That seems like a major PITA.
 
The 7WSM is do-able, but not without some serious addt'l costs/upgrades over what you have already go to work with (including but not limited to a new bolt as the 7WSM uses a .540 bolt face whereas the current .308 does not...you'll also have mag issues and various other headaches/expenses to consider vs. a more standard caliber/chambering in the .308/SA platform).

The .260 is arguably THE best in terms of performance, ease of upgrading, availability of components, etc.

Don't undersell the 6.5 Creedmoor or the 6 Creedmoor options which are proven performers and are also not terribly difficult to source components for, especially if you are willing to do a little elbow grease work in forming brass).
 
If you currently have a 308, then I'd go down to a 260 or 243 with a 22-24" barrel. Those two have a lot of great bullets to choose from, they're cheaper to shoot, and less recoil. I love my 308s, but the ballistics of the 6 and 6.5mms are excellent.
 
OP, don't have any experience whatsoever yet. I will have my first .260s built mid 2014...I don't have a clue about the best way to reload for it yet.
 
Another vote for 260 Remington. Yes you can neck down 308 Brass. However, there are several very good sources for 260 brass: Lapua, Nosler, Remington to name a few. I built a rifle in 260 for my son. I have been really impressed with the round.
 
kala_azar said:
6.5 Creedmoor. Well established, good factory brass, and excellent factory ammo if you need it in a pinch. Great round
Click to expand...

Except it is part of the current creedmoore craze (6mm,6.5mm,7mm) and people are complaining about finding that high quality brass. Which is why a good conservative bet would be the .260, which can always be made, and does anything a CM does and at times better.
 
coldboremiracle said:
Except it is part of the current creedmoore craze (6mm,6.5mm,7mm) and people are complaining about finding that high quality brass. Which is why a good conservative bet would be the .260, which can always be made, and does anything a CM does and at times better.
Click to expand...

This is some good advice. If you reload, I would go .260 in a heartbeat.
 
.260 is what I will be moving to once I feel I need something better than my .308. Don't have access to anywhere for shooting farther than 600yds or so right now and have a lot of shooting to do until I outgrow a .308. It looks like a awesome round though, and I would have bought a .260 if I could have found a good deal on one.
 
6.5 Creedmoor brass isn't rocket science to make from .308 (I just did a batch of 1000), and there's Hornady and Nosler commercial brass available. The 6.5 Creedmoor body will also take larger 140 grain bullets without chewing up the case capacity they do in a .260, which is part of why my recent .308 conversion was to 6.5 Creedmoor.
 
jmnielsen said:
.260 is what I will be moving to once I feel I need something better than my .308. Don't have access to anywhere for shooting farther than 600yds or so right now and have a lot of shooting to do until I outgrow a .308. It looks like a awesome round though, and I would have bought a .260 if I could have found a good deal on one.
Click to expand...

I shot a .308 for a number of years. Most days were spent shooting similar distances as you. Occasionally I would get to stretch it out to 1,000 or a little farther. I started shooting a .260 a few years back and I wish that I would have done it sooner. It is a much more forgiving round than the .308, especially when you begin to stretch its legs.
 
260 will be the way I go, the only question is do I pick up a another action to have work done on opposed to changing a complete rifle?
 
Jhnmdahl said:
6.5 Creedmoor brass isn't rocket science to make from .308 (I just did a batch of 1000), and there's Hornady and Nosler commercial brass available. The 6.5 Creedmoor body will also take larger 140 grain bullets without chewing up the case capacity they do in a .260, which is part of why my recent .308 conversion was to 6.5 Creedmoor.
Click to expand...

Im assuming your reffering to OAL with the bigger/longer bullets? It seems like 6's to me; a CM you can seat them longer and get more powder in the case, or seat them deeper in the larger case of the .260 with the same charge. Accuracy being equal, I dont see an advantage there.
Im getting 2920fps from a 140 with 43.0g of H4350 out of a 26" barrel (which I wish was a 23-24") with no pressure signs (6.8MIL to 1K), is that possible with a CM?

BTW if you can make it so easy, how come you arent selling it to all the guys looking for it?
 
Michael Victor said:
It's way easier to rebarrel a .308 into a .260 than to buy a whole action and such. A .260 uses the same action, trigger, mags etc as a .308.
Click to expand...

Michael is spot on. The .260 uses the same short action and also shares the same bolt face as the .308.

My .308 has rarely been shot since getting my DTA SRS in .260. The .260 out performs the .308 everywhere, except in barrel life.
 
coldboremiracle said:
Except it is part of the current creedmoore craze (6mm,6.5mm,7mm) and people are complaining about finding that high quality brass. Which is why a good conservative bet would be the .260, which can always be made, and does anything a CM does and at times better.
Click to expand...

The Creedmoor brass stigma is old news. Current production Hornady Creedmoor brass is high quality, readily available, and way cheaper than other high end brands.

Don't let brass keep you away from Creedmoor...
 
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The more I look into the 260 the more impressed I get. The necking down from 308 does seem to require neck turning to be done properly, but I think I'll be able to handle that considering each one saves me ~50 cents over buying brand new and guarantees that I will always have brass. The ballistics are impressive by anyone's standards. Even if someone thinks another caliber might be slightly better, they can't really deny that it is a great choice. The bolt face matching is another bonus. The round also doesn't take an insane amount of powder which is also nice for my wallet.

This will more than meet my needs. Thank you all for your help.
 
Everyone who shoots 6.5CM loves it, but feels no compulsion to bash other calibers.

SO MANY of the 6mmBR / 6CM / 260 shooters both like their caliber, and seem to get paid to bash the 6.5CM, cuz they gotta do it every single time a caliber question is ever asked.

Honestly, it gets kinda old. THEY are the reason I went with 6.5CM before I really knew much about it.

NO REGRETS.
 
garandman said:
Everyone who shoots 6.5CM loves it, but feels no compulsion to bash other calibers.

SO MANY of the 6mmBR / 6CM / 260 shooters both like their caliber, and seem to get paid to bash the 6.5CM, cuz they gotta do it every single time a caliber question is ever asked.

Honestly, it gets kinda old. THEY are the reason I went with 6.5CM before I really knew much about it.

NO REGRETS.
Click to expand...
Everybody bashes what they dont have. Because they dont have it, they went a different route. Its a way of justifying their own choice. Thats explainable.

I hold nothing against the CM, Ive seen it perform perfectly many times. I simply chose to go a different way, and according to a pie chart I saw in a coloring book its the right way. :)
There have been plenty of WTB CM brass, and where is the CM brass, and how to make your own CM brass threads all over the internet lately. This would suggest its not as plentiful as some would hope. That is the only reason I would/did choose a .260 over it. Same goes for the Lapua. These issues are non existant with the .260, as quality brass from ANY manufacturer can be had.

The only other question I had when choosing was this; what does a CM or Lapua do BETTER than a .260 in a custom rifle?

To which I could find no answer.
 
Feelin' guilty CBM? :)

I'ev never had problems finding 6.5CM brass. In stock at several local dealers.
 
I was recently faced with the same dilemma.
Had 2 .308s and only really shot 1 of them.
I rebarreled to a straight 260 'cause I already had a 7-08 and 243.

If in your shoes, I would look at the 260 or 7-08.
7-08 brass is tough to find right now but 260 Lapua brass is everywhere.
 
I have a 260 and wont look back. I took the recommendation from one of the most respected shooters in world. I have been in love ever since.
 
0311 Hesco said:
I was talking to Tom Sarver (current world record holder) he persuaded me to the .260. Im gonna have him build me a pair of .260s one for my wife, of course.
Click to expand...

WHA????? He's a world record holder? And here I thought he was just a nice guy that ran the cool long distance range.... Wow
 
he sure doesn't give off the vibe that he holds world records in group size as well as score. super cool dude, he's not too important to answer questions. Me and a friend of min and my wife were hanging out in his shop for maybe two hrs talking about builds and actions and calibers...surely the same old crap he talks to everyone about. I know I have heard of some controversy about him but I tell you from one Marine talking to him, I could talk to him all day!
 
A number of good choices. .260, .243, 7-08, etc. Me? I'd go either 6.5CM or 6CM. I am in love with my 6CM (and yes, I mean Creed, not Competition Match). Don't fall for the lack of components stuff either. They are out there. You can't really go wrong with any of the above, and likely some others not yet mentioned. Don't get caught up in the option paralysis, just pick a caliber recognized as being a performer and go shoot. HINT: go to the "what the pros shoot" thread and observe all of the 6mm choices. A 6mm running around 3100fps is pretty sweet...
 
I'd give all the different 6.5's a look as well as 7mm-08 and 243. I currently use 243, 260 and 308, but if I were to start over fresh, I'd more than likely go 6.5 super LR

6.5 Super LR
 
garandman said:
Everyone who shoots 6.5CM loves it, but feels no compulsion to bash other calibers.

SO MANY of the 6mmBR / 6CM / 260 shooters both like their caliber, and seem to get paid to bash the 6.5CM, cuz they gotta do it every single time a caliber question is ever asked.

Honestly, it gets kinda old. THEY are the reason I went with 6.5CM before I really knew much about it.

NO REGRETS.
Click to expand...

I don't know anyone personally that has a .260 and doesn't like it either. The 6.5 CM is a great round and is the best 6.5 option if you do not reload. Brass is starting to become much more available for the CM. It was very difficult to find it for some time. Brass for the .260 has been much easier to find over the past year. It is manufactured by Lapua, Nosler, Norma, and Remington.

My DTA SRS in .260 will shoot better than I can. It will shoot sub 1/2 MOA all day, and I have had some sub 1/8 MOA groups when I can manage to do my part. I have no regrets about going with my .260. I thought about switching over to 6.5 CM last year when I had a batch of custom DTA barrels made, but just couldn't bring myself to doing it with all the brass I have for the .260.

The 6.5 CM and .260 are fantastic rounds. If you are a reloader, the .260 may have a slight edge with lapua brass and a little more case capacity. If you don't reload the 6.5 CM is the best option between the two.
 
Personally with 6.5 cm brass at .50 each, factory loaded ammo that's cheaper then 308 ammo. This is a no brainer for me, 6.5 CM.
 
I have the 6.5cm and 260 rem. They are basically the same thing. If you don't reload then get the creedmoor. If you reload then do the 260.

I think the hornady factory ammo is starting to circulate again. If you go with the creedmoor I would stock up on it.
 
The guys before me have probably handled the "which caliber" part. Personally I'd go with the .260 as well, for no other reason than the fact that Lapua makes brass for it.
Performance is the same.

I do disagree with one thought though:
ashih313 said:
I will be getting a third rifle started soon with a custom action as well for extended long range, likely in 338 LM, but I haven't gotten to that (this will be the high budget build). I will also be buying another 308 (R700 AAC-SD for the threading). So essentially I want to end up with 3 rifles in calibers that are somewhat easy to find components for. 308 for range stuff, ??? for weekend long range up to about 1k, and the 338 LM for everything else.
Click to expand...

I put my money into the rifle I shoot the most. Basically, I'd rather have a high end short-action and an affordable super long range gun than the other way around.
Not that a R700 with the mods your talking about would be shabby, just saying I would've done it the other way around. Perhaps sell the R700, buy a custom SA, then maybe a factory R700 in 338 or 300wm with some mods later on. Assuming this would end up the around the same final price tag and you actually shoot the SA most.
 
The 260 seems to be an easy sell. Get a barrel that's long enough to take full advantage of its LR potential; like 26" (or better, 28" like mine). The extra length allows velocity with lower pressure loads. A 1:8" twist handles practically everything. Rem Brass is fine, and Win brass drawn for 7-08 and .243 necks down/up to .260 fine by simply running it through the 260 F/L resizer die.

The EL/LR (Even Longer LR) should use the 7mm bullet choices. I think the .280 allows for better extended practice with less fatigue, and should definitely allow that extended reach. I would suggest a 1:8" twist for bullets longer/heavier than 168 (maybe also 175), and a 28" (or longer) barrel length to (again) achieve the full potential of the chambering.

Many like the 280AI, but I see no need for such with the .280.

Greg
 
Last edited:
Defusion said:
The guys before me have probably handled the "which caliber" part. Personally I'd go with the .260 as well, for no other reason than the fact that Lapua makes brass for it.
Performance is the same.

I do disagree with one thought though:


I put my money into the rifle I shoot the most. Basically, I'd rather have a high end short-action and an affordable super long range gun than the other way around.
Not that a R700 with the mods your talking about would be shabby, just saying I would've done it the other way around. Perhaps sell the R700, buy a custom SA, then maybe a factory R700 in 338 or 300wm with some mods later on. Assuming this would end up the around the same final price tag and you actually shoot the SA most.
Click to expand...

All three rifles will be given love in their own time. What was mentioned is just within the next few months or so. Most likely the 308 would end up being shot the most and I may opt to go with something like a Bravo-51 and sell the R700 AAC-SD.

Greg Langelius * said:
The 260 seems to be an easy sell. Get a barrel that's long enough to take full advantage of its LR potential; like 26" (or better, 28" like mine). The extra length allows velocity with lower pressure loads. A 1:8" twist handles practically everything. Rem Brass is fine, and Win brass drawn for 7-08 and .243 necks down/up to .260 fine by simply running it through the 260 F/L resizer die.

The EL/LR (Even Longer LR) should use the 7mm bullet choices. I think the .280 allows for better extended practice with less fatigue, and should definitely allow that extended reach. I would suggest a 1:8" twist for bullets longer/heavier than 168 (maybe also 175), and a 28" (or longer) barrel length to (again) achieve the full potential of the chambering.

Many like the 280AI, but I see no need for such with the .280.

Greg
Click to expand...

That's another bonus to the caliber. It has such great ballistics that I don't need to squeeze every little bit I can out of it and can take a loss with a shorter barrel. I'm hoping to get away with a 20".
 
paindoc said:
I have an AIAW 308 that never gets shot. Sell it or convert to the 260? From this thread it sounds like it would be easy and successful??!!
Click to expand...

Send it to me and I'll take good care of it just the way it sits :)

On topic: I've never been a fan of barrels over 22" in length. When I step up from .308 I will be leaning heavily towards 7-08.
 
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