leaning toward finishing my first large frame build in .260 Remington instead of .308, but not sure of what barrel length to go with.  Wilson Combat has a 20 and 24 in stock, but the custom makers can make those, but can also split the difference with a 22 inch.  I'll use it mostly for hunting, and probably no more the 300-400 yards on wild hogs.  Thoughts?

I went with a 20" on my Creedmoor AR. Works fine with an adjustable gas block.

at those distances I'd go 18-20. may want to look into a 6.5 creedmoor as it has more support and is mag friendlier.

18" larue good to 1000 yards  add a supressor and live large.look at their UU kits they are first class

When you say more support, are you talking about more caliber support in retail ammo, or more case support in the chamber?

This is what I would do if you're dead set on .260 Rem.

I have owned 2 of them, still have my GAP .260 Rem with Bartlein barrel.  Tac-driver/laser.

Hard on brass though.

Loves 130gr VLDs, whereas most people can't get VLDs to shoot in their .260 gassers.

I had GAP build the gun around the 139gr Scenar, but it worked out for the 130gr VLD too.

I haven't shot it in years though.

To be honest, I haven’t made up my mind and aren’t dead set on anything.  Started out thinking .308 (to go with an all USGI LRB/Kreiger M1A), then thought .260 Rem to go with a Model 7, then considered a 6.5CM due to suggestions here, then even thought “hey, there’s a bunch of 7mm WSM brass, why not that?”.  My guess is that when it gets down to crunch time, it will end up being .308 or 6.5CM

Sir, could you please expand.

I know gassers typically are harder on brass, but does the .260 Rem get more abuse than 6.5 CM ?

While the 6.5 CM has better retail ammo support, the brass for 6.5 CM (as well as the 6.5 Grendel for that matter) is for whatever reason
more expensive the other 308 based cartridges, so this is of particular Importance for re-loaders...The .260 Rem. can be easily converted
from .243 Win brass that is considerably cheaper to purchase and find in fun shops...The .260 Rem. as a slight case capacity over the 6.5
CM but the 6.5 CM runs at higher MAP pressures so its pretty a wash at that point...

I have a new (test fired only) .260 Rem. DPMS 416R Stainless Steel 24" Bull Barrel 8.5T, .936" @ gas block journal (these were designed
for competition use from what I was told by DPMS) It was expensive but has sat in a safe since purchase several years ago and it was
never put into service other than being test fired with four or five boxes of factory loads (functioned flawlessly, and was indeed sub
MOA [.968"] with bland 140gr. Rem. Core-Lokt) it did like Fusion 120gr. loads, Hornady 130gr. Match, and 130gr. Nosler Accubonds
ranging from .452" to .718" at 100 yards. I will be putting it up on EE soon for those that may be Interested...

Nosler has some Interesting load data listed for their 24" 1:9T Wiseman test barrel at: Load Data

Good luck OP.

24" barrels arent that heavy, and you are probably looking at 30+ fps per inch in the 18-24" range, so Id go 24. Get the same velocities with less powder, meaning less noise, less recoil, and longer case life.

At the ranges you mentioned you could go 16”.  I think 18” is more practical but 16” is becoming more popular.  DPMS just released a gen2 hunter in .260 and .243 with a 16” barrel.

Any gas-operated or self-loading firearm is going to be hard on brass when it works at pressures over 58,000psi.

In this case, we're talking 60,000psi.

You just aren't going to get much case life, and I always have to trim because of case length growth.  This makes me want to shoot it less because of the costs associated with brass and the additional time spent trimming.

For .260 Rem, Hornady's 130gr ELD-M load is worth looking at as the most affordable factory ammo option.

I was planning on going that route, but I just don't shoot my .260 Rem anymore, and it's still in pieces.

I raped the lower for the Geissele trigger for one of my 6.5 Grendels and haven't re-built the lower yet.

Same velocity with less recoil?

For each action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Newton's 3rd law of physics.

Even great cartridges are not immune to the laws of physics.

Same velocity with 5% less powder = less recoil. That is because the powder itself (or, more specifically, its gaseous products) has mass, and that mass is accelerated out the end of the barrel. For example, if he is able to send a 130gr bullet out at 2600fps with 40gr of powder instead of 43, than comes out to a 5% reduction in recoil.

I used to teach physics before I started flying for the USAF, so I'm right there with ya ;) .