I had <span style="text-decoration: line-through">five </span> (now four) 308 rifles, a 6.5-284Win and a 6.5x55 but still yearned for a 260 Rem.
Recently was able to score a new AAC 260 M700 barrel in the classifieds here. I wound up using a 6 yr old Rem 700SPS Varmint in 308 Win as a donor action. I was a bit hesitant doing so as it was a crazy accurate rifle right out of the box with it's original 26inch tube, then cut to 20" and then eventually 16". It shot everything well,155,168,175gr's But the decision was made to use it.
The process was simple, the rifle was completely dismantled. I chose not to do any truing at this time and simply tried a few different recoil lugs I had onhand until the headspace passed the go,nogo and field gauges. I went ahead and Cerakoted the action,fluted the bolt and did my own tig welded knob conversion while it was stripped. Used an old style trigger that I tweaked to a nice crisp 3 lbs. The barreled action was set in a AICS 1.5 without bedding of anykind. Everything was assembled last Saturday night, a Nightforce 12x42 was placed atop of it for some load development.
Sunday afternoon I was able to get a few rounds through it after I ran a couple of patches to clear any debris that might have been in the bore. Only had four pieces of Remington 260 brass available then. I bore sighted the rifle on a fence post with my eye and then fired a round at 100yds the. POI was slightly low and left of the aiming point so I simply adjusted the reticle to the hole and the rifle was ready to shoot some groups. These are the next 9 rounds fired from the new AAC barrel. 142gr SMK's were used with H4350, the powder charges are noted. The first group came in at .5, 2nd was .8 and the 3rd group measured .7 in.ch I ran out of time and that was that my weekend was done.
Fast foward a week to this Saturday the 15th and I had a nephew over for some shooting. He tried 5 rounds with it at 200yards. Now the rifle had 15 rounds down it and it's doing ok.
Today(Sunday) I get up before daylight and find a few hogs milling about near my camphouse so I screw a can on and send a 142gr SMK behind 42grs of H4350 down 100yds and right into a nice eating size sow's shoulder. PSSSST thud! That was round #16.
Note the rifle is still wearing the Nightforce. The illuninated reticle worked like a champ in the darkness of the night.
About noon today I was able to shoot a few more loads through it. My CED chronograph is not working right so I have no velocities to show. The Nightforce was replaced with a Leupold MK IV 4.5x14 and all shooting was suppressed.
Trying more 142gr loads using H4350 I settled on the 42gr load as it shot best. Next I tried 140gr Berger Hunting VLD's and H4831. I didnt have much load data onhand and really havent checked yet but setteled on 44.3grs with a 2.920" OAL using reformed Lapua 243 Win brass. This was my confirmation target before calling it a day. The top 3 shot group went .3 and the bottom 5 shot group went.6. Thinking this is pretty decent considering I didnt go into any great pains to accurize it.
A couple of pics of the rifle ready to go.
Recently was able to score a new AAC 260 M700 barrel in the classifieds here. I wound up using a 6 yr old Rem 700SPS Varmint in 308 Win as a donor action. I was a bit hesitant doing so as it was a crazy accurate rifle right out of the box with it's original 26inch tube, then cut to 20" and then eventually 16". It shot everything well,155,168,175gr's But the decision was made to use it.
The process was simple, the rifle was completely dismantled. I chose not to do any truing at this time and simply tried a few different recoil lugs I had onhand until the headspace passed the go,nogo and field gauges. I went ahead and Cerakoted the action,fluted the bolt and did my own tig welded knob conversion while it was stripped. Used an old style trigger that I tweaked to a nice crisp 3 lbs. The barreled action was set in a AICS 1.5 without bedding of anykind. Everything was assembled last Saturday night, a Nightforce 12x42 was placed atop of it for some load development.
Sunday afternoon I was able to get a few rounds through it after I ran a couple of patches to clear any debris that might have been in the bore. Only had four pieces of Remington 260 brass available then. I bore sighted the rifle on a fence post with my eye and then fired a round at 100yds the. POI was slightly low and left of the aiming point so I simply adjusted the reticle to the hole and the rifle was ready to shoot some groups. These are the next 9 rounds fired from the new AAC barrel. 142gr SMK's were used with H4350, the powder charges are noted. The first group came in at .5, 2nd was .8 and the 3rd group measured .7 in.ch I ran out of time and that was that my weekend was done.
Fast foward a week to this Saturday the 15th and I had a nephew over for some shooting. He tried 5 rounds with it at 200yards. Now the rifle had 15 rounds down it and it's doing ok.
Today(Sunday) I get up before daylight and find a few hogs milling about near my camphouse so I screw a can on and send a 142gr SMK behind 42grs of H4350 down 100yds and right into a nice eating size sow's shoulder. PSSSST thud! That was round #16.
Note the rifle is still wearing the Nightforce. The illuninated reticle worked like a champ in the darkness of the night.
About noon today I was able to shoot a few more loads through it. My CED chronograph is not working right so I have no velocities to show. The Nightforce was replaced with a Leupold MK IV 4.5x14 and all shooting was suppressed.
Trying more 142gr loads using H4350 I settled on the 42gr load as it shot best. Next I tried 140gr Berger Hunting VLD's and H4831. I didnt have much load data onhand and really havent checked yet but setteled on 44.3grs with a 2.920" OAL using reformed Lapua 243 Win brass. This was my confirmation target before calling it a day. The top 3 shot group went .3 and the bottom 5 shot group went.6. Thinking this is pretty decent considering I didnt go into any great pains to accurize it.
A couple of pics of the rifle ready to go.
