Thinking of purchasing a new Finnlight .260

[aussiepete]

Hi all.

This is my very first post on any forum, so forgive me if I'm doing it wrong.

I am presently considering buying a new 85 Finnlight in .260.

I know precious little about this cartridge, but what I read looks good. I would like some experienced opinions regarding the rifle and cartridge. I presently have an older Sako .22 Hornet and a Sako 85 Hunter .270. I would like a rifle that would fill the gap and be my "every day, all situation rifle". I hunt Eastern Australia and hence come accross roos, goats, pigs, foxes, rabbits, wild dogs and deer.

Thanks

aussiepete

 

[louisb1974]

Aussiepete-

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. I recently joined and I am unsure on how post either. I have considered the .260 Rem also. I have a Tikka 6.5x55 and 7mm-08 the .260 is in that same group. There are so may options but it fills the gap between the .270 win and hornet.I like gthe Finn lite. I have one in .300 win mag. It is a great rifle to carry around especially if you are doing a great deal of horse back or walking. Good Hunting.

Louisb1974

 

[paulsonconstruction]

aussiepete:
Played with the 260 & it is a nice cartridge & would work well on all the critters you listed, but your not really filling a "gap". The 260 & 270 are ballistically equal as far as any animal could tell if hit by either. The 260 is another of the recently introduced cartridges that gives long action/cartridge performance in a shorter action/cartridge length, thus supposedly giving a more compact & lighter rifle. Can't say I really notice the difference. You can't go wrong with any Sako in any caliber, but if you are truly trying to fill the gap in performance & get less recoil & muzzle blast, one of the 6mm cartridges would be a more suitable choice. You would also have a much wider choice of bullet weights & designs from 55 to 100 grains, allowing you to use a bullet tailored for the animal in question. Having said all that, you might as well buy it now so you can use the filling the gap idea to by more Sakos later. Come to think of it I have a few "gaps" to fill myself. Good luck & good shootin'.

 

[L61R]

aussiepete and louisb!
Welcome to the forum!! You are doing just fine posting here!!
Keep up the good work and youxB4ll find out how things work here! and never be afraid of asking!
louisb!
Please go to the edit profile (top right corner of the page) and scroll down to signature, the add your country of residence and hit save. If you just type it in the location box it wonxB4t show on the forum.
Thanks Guys!
Jim aka L61R

 

[sakotex]

aussiepete- welcome to the forum.
i second and third paulson's comments about the 6mm. I'm a big user and fan of 6mm for the reason's expressed by paulson. however, i find the 243 win and 6mm/244 rem are too much blast and recoil unless you specialize in long range hunting. if you can find a sako a1 or l461 in 6x222 (known down under as the 243 myra i think), 6x45, 6x47, or 6ppc. these all will likely require handloading. the 6br is also a possibility, but it requires the sako medium action a2 or l579. i've read that the 243 myra and other 222-based cartridges come from the myra sports store in new south wales. good luck and all the best.

 

[aussiepete]

Thanks for your welcomes and replys.

Because I'm fixated on the idea of a new Finnlight, my choice of calibres is limited to Sako's offerings. So to purchase a Finnlight that fills the gap between my existing 22 Hornet and 270 I reckoned I had a choice of 22-250 (I thought it a bit loud, they call it a "mate hater" here), 243 (every buggers got one), 6.5x55 (I know nothing about these), or the 260. I think the 25-06 & 7mm-08 are to close in size to my 270?

Is my thinking correct?

Pete

 

[paulsonconstruction]

aussiepete:
The 260 Rem is nothing more than a 308 Win necked down for .264 (6.5mm) diameter bullets & has about the same case capacity as the 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser. They both shoot bullets from 95/100 gr to 160 gr. at about the same speed, so I consider them ballistic twins. With the 6.5 Swede available I never saw a reason for the 260 other than a marketing gimmick. The 7mm-08 is a 308 Win necked down to 7mm & shoot bullets from 100 gr. to 175 gr. The 25-06 shoots bullets from 75 gr. to 120 gr. @ slightly higher velocities than the previous mentioned rounds. The 270 Win is a 30-06 necked down to .277 diameter & shoots bullets from 100 gr. to 150 gr. @ somewhat higher velocities than the shorter rounds. So, all the above mentioned rounds are in the same 'Class" of cartridges & are designed for the same purposes. The only difference is that the 25-06 & the 270 require a longer action.You wouldn't notice the difference with regard to their effect on game shot with them or in their trajectories in the field. Get on a bullet maker's or powder maker's website & look @ the various bullet & powder options & velocity capabilities for all the calibers the Finnlite is offered in & it may help you decide. The reason "every bugger" has a 243 is that it is a very good cartridge offering less recoil & more versatility than the other rounds and truly does fill a gap between the bigger game rifle & the 22 centerfire varmint rounds. The 22-250 bullets might be on the light side for pigs & deer & goats if they are big ones, but good 85 to 100 gr. bullets in a 243 will take care of any animal you listed. Just be careful you don't use ammo loaded with the Varmint type bullet design except for the roos, foxes, & rabbits. I would love to see what a 55 or 58 gr. 243 varmint bullet @ 4000 fps would do to a roo or a rabbit. Good hunting!

 

[aussiepete]

Gday paulsonconstruction

I just noticed that your last post was 243. It's a sign.

Thanks for the nice clear explanation of each of the rounds on question, It really clarifies the situation for me.
It looks like I'll be another bugger that's got a 243. I guess not everyone has it in a Finnlight though.
The idea is that I strap it to the back of my new Eberlestock Trailhook Backpack (arriving via post from your fair country in the next couple of days.) and then disappear into the bush knowing that I have a calibre that can take what is offered without turning it all into minced meat. If I'm going for bigger game like deer or pigs, I'll take the 270. If I'm rabbit, fox or dog shooting, I'll take the hornet.

I've really enjoyed my first forum experience. Thanks for everyones help and opinions.

Pete.

 

[paulsonconstruction]

aussiepete:
Glad to be of help. There are so many (too many in my opinion) calibers out there that I think a lot of people are confused by the almost ridiculous number of choices. Most of the new calibers that have been introduced in the last 20 years are just duplications of a caliber that already exists that they give another name to so they can market more rifles & ammo to people that have to have the "newest & bestest". The real improvements, lately, to the brass cased cartridge have been in the wonderful bullets that they can be loaded with. The bullet makers have really been on the cutting edge in improving performance. If you handload or have a friend that does, I would highly recommend you try some James Calhoon 30 gr. Double Hollow Points in your Hornet. I don't know if there are any restrictions on shipping bullets to Aus., but it would be worth it if you can. My Hornet gets over 3400 fps with a trajectory that is like a laser to 200 yards. It was designed specifically for the Hornet, has a BC higher than Hornady's 35 grainer, & is perfect fox medicine. Just goggle James Calhoon. His website has all the info. Good Hunting!

 

[louisb1974]

I don't think it is a bad thing with new calibers. A lot of good calibers started out as "wildcat" cartriges. In fact your .243 is a necked down .308 as well as the 7mm-08. I checked out the Calhoon. You learn something new everyday. I think I'll try those double hollow points. I have always had is-givings about the .243 on deer or hogs. I seen first had a lot of wounded and lot animals with the .243. Of course a lot can be attributed to the hunter but a lot is to do with the bullet passing through to game with little damage. With the newer bullet types I am sure that problem has improved but I think the .243 is border line for larger game. If you can use the .22 Hornet for varmits and the .270 for larger game why the .243 to fill a gap? But any excuse is good enough to purchase a new Sako. That is not good rational that since everybody has a .243 I should get one. Dare to be different unless they laugh you out of the hunting camp.

Louis

 

[paulsonconstruction]

louisb1974:
I agree that new calibers are a good thing. All I'm saying is that most of the new calibers for the last twenty years are duplications of what already exists & are presented to the shooting public as something "new". The wildcats of the past actually filled a need. If they don't fill a need, what are they needed for other than sales? The 243 is a versatile, multi-use cartridge and the user MUST use the proper bullet for the animal he is after. Most of the stories you here about lost or wounded game with the 243 are from improper bullet selection or improper bullet placement. I've seen lost game with improper bullet placement with 300 & 338 Win Mags on elk & mule deer, & I'm sure power was not the problem. The 243 carries 1000 ft/lb of energy with a 100 gr. bullet @ 300 yards. That is more than adequate to anchor a deer if the man behind the gun does his part. I'm not sure what you mean with regard to the bullet passing thru game with little or no damage unless you are using FMJ type bullets. Most of the quality hunting bullets offered today give reliable expansion & energy transfer to any animal they hit. The problem is that most hunters don't practice & shoot enough to become proficient enough with their weapon to hit the bull in the ass with a hand grenade, so they blame the cartridge. Shot the Hornet today & also tried some 37 gr. Calhoons in a 223 with very promising results.

 

[bloorooster]

My experience with the. 243 is this....55gr is a varmint puffer...80-85gr. Works well with deer with proper shot placement and if neck shots are used ,a good sized whitetail will not go far,and most just drop like wet mash...95-100gr are effective on the shoulder and leave a good 2"exit wound. I base this on the average shot distance (in my area) of 25-100 yrds. The reason everybody has a .243win, is simple, its a pretty damn good round!-Bloo

 

[paulsonconstruction]

bloo:
My experience has been similar with the various bullet weights. The only thing to watch for is that some of the bullets in the 80 to 87 gr. area are designed for varmint expansion & some are designed for controlled expansion on medium size game animals. So sometimes weight alone doesn't dictate use. My favorite bullet is the old 87 gr Hornady Spire Point. I have shot deer, pronghorn, pigs, coyotes, fox, goats, sheep, & multitude of varmints with it without a single failure because of the bullet. Some of the newer bullets of the same design & weight class may perform as well or better, but I haven't tried any yet. The 105 gr. Speer is a very hard tough bullet & from my experience will only properly expand on bigger tougher game like big northern whitetail, muleys, and tough ol' pigs and should be avoided for use on lighter thin skinned animals. With all the wonderful selection of ammo available these days, Aussiepete should be able to find one load that will work for any of the various animals he may encounter in his area. Varmints die with any bullet.

 

[spdrw]

Just spotted the 260 reference. I'm a big fan of the 260 Remington because of light recoil and high SD, and have an 85 Hunter. I reload lead free because of California restrictions. That has given me problems finding what the 85 likes.
If I were hunting in other areas, I would use the Hornady SST, 140 gr which it shoots well. Still fine tuning 130 gr, Barnes TSX.
Would avoid the lighter 6.5 mm bullets. Had disappointing results with Hornady 100 gr SP and 95 gr V-MAX.The JBM ballistics calculator, trajectory/drift Miller Stabilty, shows that there are problems of stability with them.Now working with the Sierra MatchKing, 107 gr, which shows promise for a practice round.

SpdrW

 

[spdrw]

Need to update my previous comments about the Model 85 and light bullets. It now appears the new Leupold VX-3 scope was having problems. It is presently at the factory for inspection and repair.
A temporary replacement Redfield has led to an amazing change in accuracy. A reload using a 129 gr. Hornady SST over 44.3 gr of RL 19 produced a 3 shot overlapping cloverleaf.
Now hard to deciper cause of previous poor results with lighter bullets, ie stability or scope.
Back to the drawing board,

 

[vlindustriesqld1]

G'day Aussie Pete,
This is pete from Qld. good to see another brother on the forum,
I was a pro roo shooter in my younger years, you will find the 243 a magic calibre for Aussie Game.
you can vary your loads for pigs or roos without too many drama's. I find now the newer cartriges like
22.250 are really good with ballistic tip ammo and have extreme accuracy. don't forget 6.5X55 either,
it is well suited for our conditions. Good Hunting
Pete.