Hunting construction
Soft-point, bonded, partitioned, and monolithic expanding bullets are designed differently. Their intended impact-velocity ranges and use cases come from the bullet or ammunition manufacturer.
THE CARTRIDGE LIBRARY · SPORTING & MATCH RIFLE
.260 Remington
A 6.5mm-class cartridge in the .308 Winchester case family. It combines a short-action case with a range of 6.5mm target and hunting bullets.
2A Ledger reference desk · Sources checked October 18, 2026
Read the dimensions
- Overall · min–max
- 2.530–2.800 in
64.262–71.120 mm - Case length · max
- 2.035 in
51.689 mm - Bullet maximum
- 0.2645 in
6.718 mm - Rim diameter · max
- 0.473 in
12.014 mm
Know the exact name
At a glance
- Cartridge family
- Sporting & match rifle
- Bullet specification
- 0.2645 in / 6.718 mmBullet maximum
- Factory examples
- 2 loadsSelected, sourced examples below
- Weight in cited examples
- 129–130 grGrains measure mass, not powder charge
.260 Remington is identified by its complete cartridge designation. The resource-table alternative is 260 Rem. A caliber number, bullet diameter, or family resemblance on its own does not identify ammunition compatibility.
.260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6.5×55 are separate cases even when they use the same nominal bullet diameter.
Dimensions: open the exact dimensional drawing ↗. The displayed number is bullet maximum, rather than an assertion that every manufactured projectile or barrel has this exact diameter.
Origins & evolution
Background & development
The .260 Remington formalized a wildcat idea that had circulated for decades: a 6.5 mm cartridge in the .308 Winchester case family. Sierra points to Ken Waters’ .263 Express description as early as 1962. Later versions of the 6.5-.308 idea appeared under other names, so crediting one person with the first example would oversimplify its development.
Competitive shooting gave that old idea renewed commercial momentum in the 1990s. High-power and silhouette shooters were already exploring the advantages of streamlined 6.5 mm bullets, and prominent shooters and writers drew attention to the performance available from the compact case. Remington standardized the design as the .260 Remington. Its history predates the more recent popularity of the 6.5 Creedmoor and PRC families: it represents an earlier factory-supported attempt to combine 6.5 mm projectile performance with a short-action rifle.
Historical sources: Sierra: .260 Remington cartridge history ↗
Construction changes the story
Loads, variations & specialty offerings
Match construction
Open-tip match and tipped match bullets prioritize consistency and aerodynamics. A match designation does not by itself mean the projectile was designed for hunting expansion.
Specialty offerings
Lead-free, reduced-recoil, and premium long-range products are separate load designs when offered. Compare the exact SKU, bullet weight, test barrel, and intended role rather than relying on a cartridge-wide average.
In the cited .260 Remington examples, bullet weights are 129, 130 grains. These are the weights actually present in this source selection, not a claim that every possible loading is listed.
Bullet construction background: Hornady: anatomy of a bullet ↗. Exact product descriptions and velocities are cited in the factory table.
From the factory catalog
129 grains
2,930 fps
SST®
130 grains
2,840 fps
ELD® Match
Compare all 2 cited factory load records
| Maker / product | Bullet mass | Published construction | Muzzle velocity | Test barrel | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hornady8552 | 129 gr 8.36 g | SST® | 2,930 fps 893 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗ |
| Hornady8553 | 130 gr 8.42 g | ELD® Match | 2,840 fps 866 m/s | Not stated here; see source | Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗ |
Explore the published data
Ballistics you can inspect
Select a legend entry to add or remove its line. Hover or tap a plotted point, or use the position slider. With the graph focused, arrow keys move the inspector. Solid dots identify source points; dashed connectors show estimates between them. Load construction, pressure category, and test setup can differ even at the same grain weight.
Read the original values as accessible tables
.260 Remington: factory velocity downrange
| Exact load | Source | Published points |
|---|---|---|
| 129 gr Hornady SST® | Hornady | 0: 2930; 100: 2737; 200: 2552; 300: 2375; 400: 2204; 500: 2041 |
| 130 gr Hornady ELD® Match | Hornady | 0: 2840; 100: 2674; 200: 2515; 300: 2361; 400: 2212; 500: 2069 |
How to interpret the comparison
Changing bullet weight also often changes bullet design and propellant choice. Two curves are comparisons of the listed products, not a controlled experiment proving that bullet weight alone caused the difference. Catalog downrange points are projections under the maker’s conditions; barrel-study points are recorded observations in the study firearm.
Direct answers
Common questions
What is .260 Remington?
A 6.5mm-class cartridge in the .308 Winchester case family. It combines a short-action case with a range of 6.5mm target and hunting bullets.
What diameter does .260 Remington use?
The cited dimensional standard lists 0.2645 inches (6.718 mm), bullet maximum. This drawing convention is different from a casual caliber nickname.
Are similarly named cartridges interchangeable?
.260 Remington, 6.5 Creedmoor, and 6.5×55 are separate cases even when they use the same nominal bullet diameter.
Are the graph values measured or estimated?
The downrange view uses the exact manufacturer catalog records shown in the source table. Dashed connectors and intermediate inspector values use linear interpolation between the displayed source points. Calculated energy uses the listed bullet mass and velocity.
Does higher energy mean the best load?
Energy is calculated from mass and velocity. It does not establish accuracy, expansion, penetration, pattern density, recoil, or suitability for a particular firearm. Use the exact product documentation and firearm manual.
Trace the facts
Sources & methodology
Compiled by 2A Ledger from the linked standards, manufacturer publications, and identified test records. Checked October 18, 2026. Historical tests and older catalogs retain their original dates; a listing here does not establish current availability.
- SAAMI: dimensional drawing · PDF p. 97 ↗
- Sierra: .260 Remington cartridge background ↗
- Hornady · PDF p. 184 ↗
Diameter figures preserve the cited drawing convention. Inch–millimeter conversion uses exactly 25.4 mm per inch. Factory specifications describe the maker’s test setup; your firearm, ammunition lot, temperature, and measuring method can produce different results. This is an educational factory-ammunition reference, not a reloading manual.