The 260 Remington and the 6mm Creedmoor are two popular cartridges that have gained a lot of attention in the shooting community. Both cartridges are known for their accuracy, high ballistic coefficients, and low recoil. In this article, we will take an in-depth look at the 260 Remington and the 6mm Creedmoor, compare their features, and help you decide which cartridge is best suited for your needs.
Here is the short answer:
The 260 Remington has more energy at close range (within 300 yards) but falls behind the 6mm Creedmoor at long range. The 260 Remington is better for hunting bigger game animals at close range while the 6mm Creedmoor is better for long range shooting.
Now that we have looked at the short answer, we can look closer at each cartridge, their ballistics, and see how they compare in-depth.
In-depth look at the 260 Remington
The 260 Remington is a centerfire rifle cartridge that was debuted by Remington Arms in 1997. It’s based on the 308 Winchester case but adapted to take .264 caliber bullets instead. The 260 delivers accurate shots with flat trajectories and moderate recoil. Plus it can handle different weights of bullets from 85 grains up to 140 grain rounds – which makes this perfect for taking out medium-to-large game animals!
The most significant upside of the 260 Remington is that it is a rifle cartridge that has better ballistics than its parent cartridge with less recoil. This makes it ideal for youth or small-frame shooters who still want to be able to shoot at longer ranges.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 260 Remington with a 120-grain bullet:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 2950 | 2319 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.2 | 2828 | 2131 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.8 | 2710 | 1957 |
| 150 | -1 | 1.8 | 2595 | 1794 |
| 200 | -3.2 | 3.3 | 2483 | 1642 |
| 250 | -6.9 | 5.1 | 2373 | 1500 |
| 300 | -12.1 | 7.6 | 2266 | 1369 |
| 350 | -19.1 | 10.6 | 2163 | 1246 |
| 400 | -27.8 | 14.2 | 2061 | 1132 |
| 450 | -38.6 | 18.3 | 1962 | 1026 |
| 500 | -51.5 | 23 | 1866 | 928 |
In-depth look at the 6mm Creedmoor
The 6mm Creedmoor is a centerfire rifle cartridge developed by Hornady in 2007. It is based on the 308 Winchester case necked down to accept .243 caliber bullets–much like the 243 Winchester just with a slightly shorter case. This cartridge is essentially a slightly better 243 Winchester with a little more energy and a little less drop.
For hunting, the 6mm Creedmoor is going to be ideal for game like deer, pronghorn, and wild hogs. The 6mm Creedmoor has minimal recoil which is a plus when looking for a cartridge that you can shoot for long periods of time.
Here is a ballistics chart of the 6mm Creedmoor with a 107-grain boat-tail hollow point:
| range (YD) | drop (IN) | wind drift (IN) | velocity FPS | energy ft-lb |
| 0 | -1.5 | 0 | 3000 | 2138 |
| 50 | -0.2 | 0.1 | 2912 | 2014 |
| 100 | 0 | 0.5 | 2826 | 1897 |
| 150 | -0.9 | 1.2 | 2741 | 1785 |
| 200 | -2.9 | 2.2 | 2658 | 1679 |
| 250 | -6.1 | 3.5 | 2577 | 1577 |
| 300 | -10.7 | 5.2 | 2497 | 1481 |
| 350 | -16.6 | 7 | 2418 | 1389 |
| 400 | -24 | 9.3 | 2341 | 1302 |
| 450 | -33 | 12 | 2265 | 1219 |
| 500 | -43.8 | 15.1 | 2191 | 1140 |
In-Depth Comparison
Both the 260 Remington and the 6mm Creedmoor have a lot of similarities but differ in some key aspects. Let’s compare them side by side to understand their differences.
Ballistics:
When it comes to ballistics, both cartridges perform admirably, with the 6mm Creedmoor offering slightly better performance at long range. The 6mm Creedmoor offers a higher velocity, with a flatter trajectory and less bullet drop than the 260 Remington. However, the 260 Remington offers a heavier bullet and about 200 to 300 more foot-pounds of energy, depending on the weight of the bullet, than the 6mm Creedmoor.
Recoil:
The 6mm Creedmoor does have the advantage over the 260 Remington in regards to recoil by about 3-5 foot-pounds of recoil. This is an advantage for those who are shooting at long range or are shooting often as this will reduce the chances of developing a flinch to your rifle.
Accuracy:
Both the 260 Remington and the 6mm Creedmoor are known for their accuracy. However, the 6mm Creedmoor has an advantage in this aspect due to its shorter case length, making it easier to seat bullets closer to the rifling, resulting in better accuracy.
Ammo Availability:
Both cartridges are popular among hunters and shooters, and their popularity is on the rise. However, the 260 Remington has been around for longer and has a more extensive variety of factory ammunition available. On the other hand, the 6mm Creedmoor is slowly catching up, and manufacturers are beginning to offer more options.
Price:
The price of both cartridges is comparable, with the 260 Remington being more expensive by 40 cents per round due to its longer case and higher powder charge therefore you need more material per cartridge.
Conclusion
Overall, the 6mm Creedmoor will be better for those who are looking to do a lot of long-range shooting. The 260 Remington is going to be a better choice for the hunter who needs a reliable cartridge that will take a wide variety of game.