.264 Win Mag.

[hookr88]

I have this Sako Finnbear, pre Garcia, in .264 Win Mag. I am not real familiar with this caliber. Any thoughts out there on ther pro's and con's of this caliber and what type of game you would use it on? I.E. deer and/or elk? Thanks, Brian

[bobcat]

I've used the 264 Mag. on deer and elk. Great cartridge. Very similar to the 7mm Rem. Mag.

Only thing I didn't like was the recoil. I sold it several years ago and bought a 270.

[Skyvalhunter]

I have a win .264 pre 64 model. Great gun for deer. Some of the cons have been it takes alot of powder for what you get meaning alot is wasted. Good flat shooting gun that might be a little underkill for elk but that depends if you are a shot placement or knock down type of person. Like most it depends on the eye of the beholder.

[carpsniperg2]

the 264 is a outstanding caliber great all around gun i have a very good friend that has hunted with one since he got out of the war and taken everything from moose to yote ammo is a bit hard to find but he is a handloader like me and componets arn't to hard to find. like said very sim to the 7mm rem mag you go from 264 to 284 for the 7mm cal

[Curly]

I have this Sako Finnbear, pre Garcia, in .264 Win Mag. I am not real familiar with this caliber. Any thoughts out there on ther pro's and con's of this caliber and what type of game you would use it on? I.E. deer and/or elk? Thanks, Brian

Very bad cartridge........you should let me take it off your hands.

[Bigshooter]

I've used the 264 Mag. on deer and elk. Great cartridge. Very similar to the 7mm Rem. Mag.

Only thing I didn't like was the recoil. I sold it several years ago and bought a 270.

I am pretty sure, but not 100% sure that the .264 is a 7mm necked down.

[bobcat]

Well, yeah, the 264 Win. Mag, 7mm Rem. Mag, 300 Win. Mag, 338 Win. Mag, and 458 Win. Mag are all based off the same case.  And maybe another I might have forgotten?

[Bigshooter]

Well, yeah, the 264 Win. Mag, 7mm Rem. Mag, 300 Win. Mag, 338 Win. Mag, and 458 Win. Mag are all based off the same case.  And maybe another I might have forgotten?

So are you saying the all of the cases you listed are similar to the 7mm?

[bobcat]

Yes, they all use the same basic case just with a different diameter bullet.

[Woodchuck]

As curly stated, those things are horrible kicking mules, no knockdown energy, slow, innaccurate. I feel compelled to help. give me your address i will come give you 50 bucks and get it out of your hair

[bobcat]

As curly stated, those things are horrible kicking mules, no knockdown energy, slow, innaccurate. I feel compelled to help. give me your address i will come give you 50 bucks and get it out of your hair

             

                       

[bearpaw]

I have an uncle who shot everything with his and loves it. Probably 20 elk, many deer, bear, and even coyotes. A few early gun writers gave it a bad rap as a barrel burner and it really never caught on. Great catridge if you like magnums and clean your gun regularly.

I too would be willing to take that "no good" rifle off your hands....

Bobcat, are you sure all those cartridges are based from the same one? I didn't look in my reloading book to see in what respect you are talking, but I am pretty sure case capacities and dimensions are different and I thought those catridges come from at least two different cases.

[Curly]

http://www.chuckhawks.com/264mag.htm

The smallest caliber in Winchester's series of standard length belted magnums, which includes the .264, .300, .338, and .458 Winchester Magnums, the .264 Winchester Magnum (a 6.5mm to Europeans) was designed to be the ultimate ultra-long range big game cartridge. Winchester called it "The Westerner" in their early catalogs.

[bearpaw]

If I remember correctly, the 7mm cartridge has a shorter main body, you can fire form brass from 7mm brass to 257 WTBY but not to 264.

The 264 is a 338 necked down.

The 300 win mag was a newer designed case with the same belted base but the main body of the case is actually longer for more case capacity than the 7mm or the 264.

[bobcat]

Bobcat, are you sure all those cartridges are based from the same one? I didn't look in my reloading book to see in what respect you are talking, but I am pretty sure case capacities and dimensions are different and I thought those catridges come from at least two different cases.

Yes they are all based on the 375 H&H case.

The cartridges that Roy Weatherby developed in the 1940's and 1950's set the standard for the development of most other magnum cartridges. All offered substantially increased performance compared to standard rifle cartridges of the same caliber.

Subsequent magnum rifle cartridges that followed the same basic principles were the 7x61mm S&H, .308 and .358 Norma Magnums, .264, .300, .338, and .458 Winchester Magnums, and the 7mm, 8mm, and .416 Remington Magnums. All of these are based on a blown out .375 H&H case. All but the 8mm and .416 Rem. Magnums are shortened to function in standard length rifle actions. They outperform previous standard cartridges such as the 6.5x55, .280 Remington, .30-06, 8x57, .33 Winchester, and .35 Whelen.

[bearpaw]

OK, I see what you mean the base and belt, but beyond there the cases vary in length and capacity.

[Jamieb]

The .264 Win mag is a smokeing round, fast, flat, and hits hard. Theres alot of good bullets out there for this caliber. You can make .264 brass from 7 rem mag brass in just one pass through the sizer. A lot of folks complain about the belted cases but I havent found any downside to them. So far in my colection is a .257WBY, .264 Win mag, 7mm RM, 30-338, .338.

[bearpaw]

nice range of cartridges....

[BigGoonTuna]

the 7mm was developed from the .264 mag if i'm not mistaken...both are spawned from the .338 mag.

my dad's only centerfire rifle is an old remington 700BDL.  he bought it when he lived in lewiston ID about 30 years ago.  said it was a pretty common caliber around there back in those days.

the biggest downside is the lack of factory ammo.  the only easily available load is the 140gr remington cor-lokt...and they're around $40 a box!

[ribka]

And those pre-Gracia Sako Finnbears are junk too. 
(I only have 3 of them)

Was looking at one in .264 mag on Gunbroker

[257 Wby Mag]

264's are awesome!! Factory fodder is garbage, handloads it become what its a flat shootin hard hittin sonafabitch!! Load up some good 140 and you'll rule the roost!!

[Jamieb]

 Winchester brought out the .338 and the .264 in 1958, Remington bought out their 7mag in 1962. Winchester broght out the 300 Win mag in 1963, they made this case a little longer so it couldnt be chambered into a .338 by mistake. The other cartridge in this line is the 458 Win mag. If I recall right it was came out in 1956, I'm not totaly sure on that year but I do know it was the first in this line up. Like a ton of other cartrides these all came from the 300 H&H parent case, The 300 WBY,7mm WBY, 270 WBY, and the .257 WBY also were devoloped from the 300 H&H case.

[257 Wby Mag]

Perty much all the belted mags started from the 300 H&H, some are full length, some are shortened, some alot shortened. ie; 6.5 Rem Mag, 350 Rem Mag.. Exceptions are the Big Weatherby's, ie; 30-378,338-378,378,460. None of them are accurate, as they head space off the belt, not the shoulder.... grin

[hookr88]

Thanks for all the info. This rifle has been collecting dust in my safe since it was given to me a couple of years ago. I have a buddy who might buy it. If not, I might just keep it and actually start playing with it, I guess it depends on how much I want an M1A. Thanks again for all the input.

[bearpaw]

hookr88, it sounds like if you wanted to get rid of it, it wouldn't last long on here...

[KillBilly]

.264 Winchester Magnum  

.264 Winchester Magnum 
Place of origin United States
Designer Winchester
Designed 1959
Manufacturer Winchester

Specifications:
Bullet diameter .264 in (6.7 mm)
Neck diameter .299 in (7.6 mm)
Shoulder diameter .491 in (12.5 mm)
Base diameter .515 in (13.1 mm)
Rim diameter .532 in (13.5 mm)
Case length 2.5 in (64 mm)
Overall length 3.34 in (85 mm)
Rifling twist 1:9
Primer type Large rifle
Maximum pressure 64,000 psi (440 MPa)
Ballistic performance
Bullet weight/type Velocity Energy
100 gr (6.5 g) Nosler Ballistic Tip 3,510 ft/s (1,070 m/s) 2,735 ft·lbf (3,708 J)
125 gr (8.1 g) Nosler Partition 3,180 ft/s (970 m/s) 2,806 ft·lbf (3,804 J)
140 gr (9.1 g) BTSP 3,200 ft/s (980 m/s) 3,183 ft·lbf (4,316 J)
 
 
The .264 Winchester Magnum is one of a series of short-cased (2.5in.) belted magnum cartridges developed by Winchester, and officially introduced to the public by them in 1959.

Ballistically, it is almost identical to the 6.5 x 68 (also incorrectly known as the 6.5 x 68 RWS, 6.5 x 68 Schüler or the 6.5 x 68 Von Hofe Express) and the 6.5 x 63 Messner Magnum.

The .264 Win. Mag. is an excellent, potentially accurate, very flat-shooting cartridge capable of taking any game in the lower 48 US states, and one of the most powerful of all .264in (6.5 mm) cartridges. When loaded with 140 grain bullets at a muzzle velocity of 3,100 ft/s (949 m/s) it is an adequate round for deer out to 500 yards (457 m).

Background:
The .264 Win. Mag., like many magnum rounds, can wear out barrels more quickly than other rounds.[2] This was particularly true in the 1950s to early 1960s, with the chrome-moly steels then almost universally used for barrels. But recent advances with stainless steel barrels, especially when cryogenically treated, have extended barrel life considerably, with the .264 Win. Mag. and many other cartridges.

While very few production line riflemakers currently offer the .264 Win. Mag. as a factory chambering, the caliber remains popular with some enthusiasts using custom built rifles and handloading their own ammunition.

The introduction of Remington's 7 mm Magnum in 1962 almost immediately eclipsed the .264 Win. Mag., and it never fully recovered from the competition of the slightly larger-bore cartridge
In Europe, two of the .264 Win. Mag.'s champions were George Swenson of John Wilkes gunmakers, London, and David Lloyd of Northampton, England. Lloyd built a number of his deluxe Lloyd rifles in .264 Win. Mag. calibre, mainly for sportsmen seeking a calibre that would give high velocity performance with bullets heavier than the 100 grains fired by the .244 H&H Magnum.

When loaded with 129 grain bullets, the 264 Win. Mag. has moderate recoil, but with 140 grain bullets, recoil increases significantly.

[Intruder]

Real nice gun and a good caliber.  Only meaningful downside is that your bullet weight is pretty muched maxed at about 140.... as such not considered "ideal" for elk and the big bears.  That being said, for 90% of situations in N. America your good to go.  I wouldn't be overly concerned hunting elk with it myself.  Real flat shooter w/ good BCs. 

[hookr88]

Bearpaw, I think you're right. If my buddy doesn't buy it after reading all the comments and I decide I want that M1A more than Sako I'll definately post here first. By the way to all who replied, thanks for making a tough decision even tougher

[high country]

boy, given the latest super slow powders and a 142smk or berger, that is a potent son of a gun to a long ways off.

[rbros]

The 264WM with todays powder and bullets has alot going for it.  I have built several of them for customers and although they tend to be finicky about reloading, once the right combo is found, they are hard to beat.  Retumbo and H1000 seem to work the best from what I have found.  3200-3300 with 140 bergers is possible in 26" barrels.  Best accuracy seems to be right around the 3200fps range though with the 140 bergers.  Barrel life is the downfall.  As a pure hunting rifle, it will last forever, but if you shoot alot, plan on rebarreling around 1200 rounds. 

[bearpaw]

welcome rbros, I saw that was your first post...

[rbros]

Thanks bearpaw.

I had a friend refer me to this site.  I will be contributing more.

[fremont]

Real nice gun and a good caliber.  Only meaningful downside is that your bullet weight is pretty muched maxed at about 140.... as such not considered "ideal" for elk and the big bears. 

You've got the 156 Norma Oryx (good bullet) and the 160 Sierra semi-spitzer may have been a candidate, too.