.264 winchester magnum

[bensonwe]

I would like some thought on this please. I don't have the money right now, I don't have the time to reload for it, I don't have the time to shoot it even if I reload for it but I've always thought this would be a neat caliber. Has anyone shot this caliber? if so what's it like? does it kick like a mule? Does it go bang in a really cool way? I would only kill the marauding sheets of paper that's overrunning my neighborhood and may shoot a few pd's this summer. Any thoughts?

[Mk42gunner]

I've never owned or shot one, but I have kind of desired one over the years.

Recoil won't be bad, I have a bit of experience with the next two larger belted magnums, the .270 Weatherby and the 7mm Remington Magnums. If you can handle a .30-06 you can handle ay of the three, just make sure you have plenty of eye relief on the scope.

Robert

[Lloyd Smale]

ive owned one and its been one of my favorite long range calibers for over 20 years. Ive killed well over 50 deer with the 264 and it KILLS. It and the 257 wby are two rounds that I see more bang flops with then any other rounds. For some reason and don't ask me why it allways seemed to flatter deer faster then the 7 mags or even the 30 mags. Maybe its in my head. Maybe its because I like nostailia rounds but I will allways have a 264. Recoil is about the same as a 7mag as is the power level. In all reality two peas in a pod. to me theres just something about hitting the field with a 264 or 300 H&H or even a good old 06

[mfraser264]

Get one, enjoy it, and keep the caliber alive. Have shot it for years. Been very good on Whitetail deer. Brass is scarce if you are not looking for the premium brands. Felt Recoil to me is more a function of how well the stock fits and the old Savage in .264 fits well and even on a bench is pleasant to shoot. Would not shoot, shoot , shoot without allowing the barrel to cool off but that is the dame advise for other calibers. The 6.5 caliber ballistics are being found again especially for long range shooting. Again, get yourself one and enjoy. RCBS was making a 140 grain long nose bullet mold silhouette shooting that works great in the long throated .264 rifles.

[Bill*B]

Elmer Keith used to advise .264 Winchester Magnum shooters to "always keep a little hair in the sights", because the rifle shot so flat. He said that if he held over he usually shot over!

[rmcc]

What Lloyd said, and then some! One of the most versatile long range cartridges ever developed. Only the 257 WTHBY will shoot flatter. Out of sight BCs. Not as much factory loaded ammo as in the past. But can be loaded to about anything you want from 85 HP to 160 RN. Had a lot of bad press about barrel burn, but probably no more than any other "over" bore. I wish I still had my Model 70 in this caliber, in a state of stupidity I traded it off and have regretted it ever since. More one shot kills on ANYTHING else I have ever shot!!!

rmcc

[Lloyd Smale]

Glad to see some appreciate this old round for the great killer it is. To many were swayed by the nonsense wrote about it in the past that doesn't apply today. 50 years ago we had 4831 for our slowest powder and that combined with the 24 inch barrels that Winchester put on these guns initially didn't make a good combo. But then in all reality it wasn't much worse then the 7 rem mag that all the gun writers of the time sang praises of. Today with a 26 inch barrel and modern slow powders the 264 is no more overbore then rounds like the 7 mags, the 300 wby, or about any of the magnum rounds on the market. What it IS is a DEER KILLING MACHINE

[Harter66]

I came into 1 not long ago I haven't shot it much because as mentioned brass and anything resembling shooter grade ammo is impossible to find. I ain't paying $2.50 a shot for brass. I've only shot a couple of loads with it but the FN 98 Timney triggered 24" bbl'd imported in Washington DC "Musketeer" seems like a shooter. It's the only mag in the stable .

[Lloyd Smale]

7 mag brass through your 264 dies = 264 brass. easy as that.

[06ackley]

I built one on a savage action with a pac nor barrel and I love it.Mine really likes the 140gr bullets.Once you find brass its an awesome round.

[jaydub in wi]

I agree with Lloyd that it is one deer killing machine. Bought a model 70 in 1998. Loaded up 120 gr Barnes X bullets with a good amount of IMR 7828. Shot about a dozen or so deer and only 1 needed a second shot. That one was my fault. It would be the last rifle I would ever sell

[Ballistics in Scotland]

It is an extremely good long range cartridge for anything up to deer size, with a phenomenally flat trajectory. Some would dispute extending that to elk, but I can't imagine much going wrong if sensible use of it is made. It doesn't recoil at all badly by magnum rifle standards, and it is about as good as rifles get for bridging the gap between deer and prairie dogs. Cartridges and brass may sometimes be hard to get, but there will always be, at a pinch some sort of magnum case which can be easily formed.

But paper isn't going to turn up at any range you don't plan for it to, and you don't require it to flop. It has a reputation as a barrel eater, probably most justified with light bullets and fast powders, and in rapid strings of shots. In the use you describe, I can't see how you would be worse off with a .243 or .22-250 at considerably lower running costs. It all comes down to your emotional attachment to this particular rifle.

[Mk42gunner]

Some would dispute extending that to elk, but I can't imagine much going wrong if sensible use of it is made.

Very true words, no matter what the cartridge.

It also makes a difference if you live in elk country and see them on a daily or weekly basis, instead of living 500-1,000 miles away and dream of a once in a lifetime trip.

Robert

[dakota]

I bought one in 1969. It was my favorite crow rifle. I also used it on coyotes and jack rabbits. It was very acurate. I really liked the rifle, but a friend liked it more. He only shot PD's with it. It is now completely shot out and he won't sell it back to me, cause it was his first centerfire rifle.

[comuaiki]

I bought a used one about 30 years ago in a model 70 and probably won't leave my possession in while I am still above dirt - it has served me well. I am not sure how old the rifle is and probably should call Winchester and give them the serial number so they can date it for me, I know it is not a pre 64 but still a dam good rifle.

I have taken a lot of elk with one shot and only one required a second shot, which was my fault shooting out to about 700 yards at the time and not having the marksman skills at the time to accurately place the shot. I later caught up to it and finished the job with a second shot probably at a 100yards. I have dies but have never loaded anything for it because I still have about four boxes of factory ammo but picked up about 200 cases of brass about ten years ago, I just need to get loading. In my opinion the Remington factory 140 gn loads work well and the core lokt holds up good. Been contemplating on loading some Nosler 140 gn partitions and some 160 gn Woodleigh's to see how it preforms. The one thing I am not sure of is if the twist rate in my Model 70 will stabilize the 160 gn boolits.

I have plenty of other toys I shoot more often now a days and don't take the Model 70 out on hunts often enough. Five shots is about all I can take from a shooting bench without flinching which is why I now own a Caldwell Lead Rest, this is not to say it kicks hard but shooting from a rest tends to impart more recoil on you and affects your ability to shoot well. In a real hunting situation I can say I have never felt any recoil from any of my guns because your mind is in another state and not on recoil. When your shooting paper trying to get the most accuracy out of any rifle your need to try to eliminate as many variables which could impact your rifles accuracy. This does not mean you should not practice once you have developed your hand loads or if using factory ammo, that is fundamentally more important than shooting from a bench if this is to be used as a hunting machine.

Hopes this helps.