.264 vs 26

[HTDUCK]

I used H870 in my 264 WM when i had it with 140 Nosler Parts and was VERY accurate - don't remember the Velocity though ? Im thinking about 3000 fps with a 24 " Rem M700 RJ

My 264 came to life as the result of a barrel I found on sale. McGowen had a 28 in #5 contour w 6 flutes in their " overage " bin on their web sight for $95.00 .
I bought it, scrounged a 700 BDL magnum action and had them screw it together. My initial inclination was to build a 6.5 STW but after reading further decided to go 264 Win instead.

After several conversations w a couple of guys who shot the 264 for years I was advised to use either H870 or AA8700 instead of the IMR4350 that Sierra recommended. Problem was both were long discontinued. They pointed me to a mil slurp powder WC872. It has pretty much the same burn rate.
I've never used any other powder in it, no need to.
My hunting load uses the 130 AB and I get 3350 fps with an ES less than 10fps.
130 Bergers on top of the same powder charge launch at 3420.
Both loads are sub MOA .

 

[1100 Remington Man]

I have used a Winchester Model 70 .264 Win Mag since the early 1980,s . I was like everyone else was caught up in Magum fever since my previous rifle was a .270 Win & I was looking for the ultimate Deer & Antelope cartridge. I will say I have not been dissipointed with the .264 Win Mag & I think it should be more popular than it is, but that's not the way it is. I also don't recommend it to anyone who does not reload, but if you do you will not be dissipointed as I think Winchester did acheave it's goal as the Ultimate Deer & Antelope Cartridge with a reasonable level of recoil most people can handle.

 

[truck driver]

Well guys I just read the Shooting times article on the 26Nosler and still don't know any more about it than I did before I read it. No shot targets to see their one inch group claims or crony readings on velocity on the reloads they used. In other words the article wasn't worth the money I spent on the rag and should have left it in the store.
I don't know what Nosler paid for that review but if they paid anything I would be asking for my money back.

 

[muleman]

I have to agree with you T.D.. The articles in ST and G&A were not what I was hoping for.

 

[truck driver]

Well I have to take back the statement about no crony reports on their reloads because there is and I just plain missed it and the felt recoil chart do to concentrating on the article it's self. But still think Nosler got cheated on it because it did nothing to convince me that it would do more than the 264 Winchester.

 

[rmarshall]

I have been reading this post and have thought the whole time, whats the point of the 26 nosler!
I have a buddy who has ordered one and told me to to the same, in my eyes the does not show enough of a advantage of the 264 win to justify the cost of the brass, dies and ammo. Looking at posts from the past and this one the 264 win mag will do what the 26 will do at a much lower cost. But I guess if you want the newest and the so called greatest go for it. I shoot a baby 260 remington compared to these beasts and well I love it, so to each his own, I think I would buy and even now considering a 264 win mag in a beautiful Model 70. Scotty has convinced me the 264 win mag is awesome, he has some screaming accurate loads with his model 70. I told my buddy while he was trying to convince me to buy a 26 nosler, that I will shoot my 270 WSM and the 150 LRAB. Only 8" of difference at a 1000, but the WSM will hit harder. just my 2 cents

 

[dubyam]

You might consider converting to the 140gr Berger in the 270WSM. Doing so in the 270Wby makes the 'bee flatter, with less drop out to 1000 (as far as I calculated) than the 26Nosler. It's a neat idea, but I suspect it will go the way of the 7mmRUM before too long. Very few people will want to swap barrels every 800rds or so. Heck, in a finicky rifle, load development might take 100-150rds or more, and practice will eat up another 20-50 per year, if you're very limited in your practice time with this rifle. Taking shots at 500+ with a rifle means I'm going to practice with it a lot.

Just my $.02. Certainly anyone who wants one, feel free. No skin off my nose, for sure. I'll be anxious to hear how it performs in the real world.

 

[DrMike]

There are no flies on the .264 Winchester, that's for sure. I don't doubt that the 26 Nosler will be a screamer, and that it will reach out and touch them. I know of one being built in this area. I'm bending toward a 6.5X68S, just to be different.

 

[HTDUCK]

There are no flies on the .264 Winchester, that's for sure. I don't doubt that the 26 Nosler will be a screamer, and that it will reach out and touch them. I know of one being built in this area. I'm bending toward a 6.5X68S, just to be different.

Well hanging around with Creedmore and RADD got me again.
I'm having a 260AI built right now.
Should hopefully get her home from the smith this weekend........

 

[DrMike]

A 260AI would be a fascinating cartridge, to be sure. That RADD is a sho' 'nuf dreadful disease; it'll empty a bank account in no time and send you in for marriage counselling every time. :grin:

 

[BK]

Heck, I'm just happy Nosler is giving us something new and exciting to play with. Life would be pretty boring if all we had to fiddle with was made before 1960! Three of my Dave's wouldn't be here (in commercialized form, anyway)... .25-06, 7WSM, and Whelen....

 

[rmarshall]

BK
I agree, Its great to see new stuff come out, great to see an awesome company like Nosler always looking for better. I actually thought it would be cool to look into a 26, until my buddy started telling me about the price of the brass, dies, ammo etc. The cost of things is not as big as issue to him. Heck he has some big money in a 6.5x284 that he is going to sell. And I guess im the kind of guy that wants to prove to him that the same thing can be accomplished with a 264 win mag or a 270 WSM or a whatever. I do like to see great products and hope they have success, but new is not always better in my eyes. I am a cheapy too, i guess that's my biggest reasoning, I don't have the funds to throw toward every new product.

 

[SJB358]

I have been reading this post and have thought the whole time, whats the point of the 26 nosler!
I have a buddy who has ordered one and told me to to the same, in my eyes the does not show enough of a advantage of the 264 win to justify the cost of the brass, dies and ammo. Looking at posts from the past and this one the 264 win mag will do what the 26 will do at a much lower cost. But I guess if you want the newest and the so called greatest go for it. I shoot a baby 260 remington compared to these beasts and well I love it, so to each his own, I think I would buy and even now considering a 264 win mag in a beautiful Model 70. Scotty has convinced me the 264 win mag is awesome, he has some screaming accurate loads with his model 70. I told my buddy while he was trying to convince me to buy a 26 nosler, that I will shoot my 270 WSM and the 150 LRAB. Only 8" of difference at a 1000, but the WSM will hit harder. just my 2 cents

I love my 264 Win Mag, I know the Nosler has more, but I won't be giving up my 264 Win for it. I think Nosler did a cool thing with developing the cartridge, but I just like what I have with my current set up. Were I building a new rifle, maybe, but now, since I have had a 264 for awhile, I like it too much to jettison it for very little in the way of extra speed. The 264 is already a pig as it sits..

 

[gerry]

When I saw the cost of brass of the 26 Nosler my interest in it went down, remember it costs a lot more in Canada than the U.S. As it sits now the 264 WM is the one I like for a big 6.5mm magnum but the concept of the 26 Nosler is intriguing. BTW on the pre buy sale at HuntingBC for the new Nosler rifles they sold more than a dozen in 26 Nosler so within a few months guys that plunked down their hard earned cash will be giving their impressions of the guns and ammo.