Is there such thing as a "value" .260rem barrel that will fit an Aero .308AR upper?
I've got this this preconceived notion that .260 barrels are +\- $600 and if I cheap-out, then building a .260 gas gun is a waste of it's true potential and I should have stuck with .308 in the first place

Also, is pmag length going to be long enough or will it severely limit COAL in a .260 and further neuter it?
Help me out

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BHW makes quality .260 Rem. barrels in the $300 range, Pmags will give you about 2.805" COL or so, most
load data for the .260 Rem cartridge is at or below 2.800" COL.

Good Luck.

I'm nearly 8 weeks into my 260rem barrel order with Black Hole Weaponry.  I ordered when they had a 20% off sale in early August.  Total for a 24" 8 twist semi-bull was 330 shipped.  Pmag length should be plenty as Hodgdon lists 140 and 142 grain loads at C.O.L. of  2.78 inches and the pmag accepts up to just over 2.8 IIRC, 2.80 for certain as that's what most 308 factory loads measure at.

ETA, beat.

Did you pay at the time of order or do they wait to charge the card when it ships? Were they honest about lead times?


Thanks guys.
Excuse my ignorance but I shouldn't have any compatibility issues with dpms pattern parts?

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You don't have to load .260 long or extremely hot to get very good performance out to 1000yds.

Southwest Ammunition sells some "match" Lapua 123g loads that clock 2900fps from a 24" barrel and are mag length.  So far I have not been able to develop a better load accuracy wise for my barrel, but I'm having fun trying.

Most of us that have gotten into .260 Remington have done so for target shooting, even though the caliber is superior to .308 when it comes to hunting.

There are no issues with mag length, as mentioned already, .260 Rem book loads all stay within 2.800" COAL.  My 130 VLD, 130 Norma GT, and 129gr SST loads are capable of MOA well beyond 1200yds.  I stay supersonic out to 1500yds+ from a 22" .260 Rem.

You can get a lightweight AR740 profile Lilja for $500 right now, drop-in ready.

They charge immediately.  I don't mind because I still have a lot of parts to order for this one.  And I know this part is paid in full.

I have a 264lbc barrel I ordered from them earlier this year.  Lead time was right about 9 weeks IIRC.  Quoted lead was 8 to 10 weeks at the time.  I suspect I will be at the max of the lead, if not over this time because of the sale they ran from the beginning of August to the 20th of September.  I checked my records after my previous post, and I'm actually only 6 weeks in.    

You can specify dpms or armalite pattern when ordering.

What altitude?
I'll b shooting between 5,500 and 7,000'

And that's kinda what I'm trying to avoid...
I get that "long range" and "budget" don't belong in the same paragraph but I'm looking for a good value

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At 4,400 ft elevation, I'm well into 1500yd supersonic reach.

You used to be able to order the DPMS barrel assemblies from Midway for under $300, but those days are gone.  

My approach to .260 Rem. in a gas gun is that I really need the chamber spec'd exactly how I want it, not a crap reamer run through there off center meant for bolt guns.

My barrel also shoots all the 139gr-142gr pills with astonishing accuracy, so GA Precision knew what they were doing when they chambered this barrel for a gas gun fed from the mag.

Since I have to reload for it, it sits in the case most of the year, while my Grendel's get fed a steady diet of factory ammo year round, with hand loads intermittently.

Brad-

Keep an eye out on the MidwayUSA website for a .260 barrel from DPMS.  They have pretty good reviews and can be had in the $300 range- when you find them.  They were stocked with Creedmoor barrels a few months ago but I haven't really been watching, just saw that by chance.

I think that's about the best way to get a moderately priced barrel.  You aren't likely to find a take-off .260 caliber barrel of any variety, they are pretty hot right now.

EDIT-  I would also agree with the above.  Rather than dealing with the .260 look close at the Grendel.  I just put two of them together for two friends and I'm really hankering for one after shooting some with LRRPF52 a few weeks back.  They are about 80% of the .260 without a lot of the headache.  Even after sinking $5K into a dream Creedmoor I'm really liking the Grendel.

Midway has 2 different 20" .260 Rem barrels in stock right now:

Midway DPMS .260 Rem Barrels

In your experience, is 20" sufficient? The 'bolt gun guy' in me is screaming about 26" barrels...

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With .260 Remington, I think the happy spot is 22" for performance and portability.  20" isn't going to cut a lot off of that, and is more ideal for a hunting stick.

My Creedmoor is 22" and I get about 2760-2800fps out of a 140gr bullet.  Imo that's sufficient.  My 26" bolt gun really doesn't do much better

Well crap. I would love a .260 upper but it would be pissing away money. It sounds like a Grendel would more than meet my needs...

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