264 winchester Magnum
- Thread starter salasj
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sageadvice
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Not sure what you want to know. Lots of info if you just Google it.
My longtime best friend and hunting partner may be taking one in Winchester form this year on our Wyoming Mule deer and Antelope hunt. I think this cartridge is one of the 3 or 4 very best ever rounds produced for the type of hunt we have planned and could be very easily considered the best.
I would think that the 26" barrel is a very good idea for this cartridge. Congrats!
Joey
My longtime best friend and hunting partner may be taking one in Winchester form this year on our Wyoming Mule deer and Antelope hunt. I think this cartridge is one of the 3 or 4 very best ever rounds produced for the type of hunt we have planned and could be very easily considered the best.
I would think that the 26" barrel is a very good idea for this cartridge. Congrats!
Joey
cbeard
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I've always wanted a Win Pre-'64 in .264. They called it "The Westerner" when it was introduced and I think that fits well. I'm told Remington's 7MM Mag just overtook it in popularity in the '60s but I am hearing and reading alot about it the past few years so maybe a resurgence is happening.
sageadvice
Long Time Member
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Cbeard, That's exactly the gun my pard will be bringing this year. His gun is in almost mint original condition and i'd fear of damaging it's value especially being that he has so many others to pick from.
The .264 Win Mag kinda takes a back seat to a few of the "bigger Mags, the 270 Weatherby, 270WSM, and the 7mm Rem mag. These Bigger guys are engineered to shoot heavier factory loaded ammo that produces more energy down range. In the case of lopes or mule Deer, this extra energy and these heavier bullets are not necessarily needed.
Though it certainly could be considered big enough to take elk, IMO, it's real nitch with 120-140 gr bullets, is in the more diminutive Mule Deer, antelope, Sheep, open country, long range stuff.
Joey
The .264 Win Mag kinda takes a back seat to a few of the "bigger Mags, the 270 Weatherby, 270WSM, and the 7mm Rem mag. These Bigger guys are engineered to shoot heavier factory loaded ammo that produces more energy down range. In the case of lopes or mule Deer, this extra energy and these heavier bullets are not necessarily needed.
Though it certainly could be considered big enough to take elk, IMO, it's real nitch with 120-140 gr bullets, is in the more diminutive Mule Deer, antelope, Sheep, open country, long range stuff.
Joey
You guys are right it was one of the best rounds ever developed for deer sized game. From what I remember they got a bad rap for short barrel life and I think Winchester did try some things to prolong barrel life. Knowing that most factory barrels aren't of the same quality as an aftermarket barrel I'm sure that had something to do with it. Joey you're right the 7MM Remington mag over took it and I think Winchesters .300 Winny mag, and Weatherby mags also flew by it and didn't have the bad rap on the barrel life issue. I also believe that Winchester went to a stainless barrel on some of them because I've seen a few that the finish wasn't as consisitant on and had some blotching on it etc if I remember correctly. Most of the people I knew that had them said they shot great and I still have a couple of friends that still have theirs today. It's a great cartridge but it had to overcome the .270 and 7mm and .30 cal popularity and didn't make it. The 6.5 cal bore is still very popular in europe and the 6.5X55 has killed tons of game. They love that round for Moose & deer in Sweden. That bullet has done well in long range shooting has good BC and has had a resurgence there that may be part of the reason for rekindled interest in it's popularity for hunting. It's a great cartridge and one that should have survived but didn't in our market just like the issues surrounding the .280/ 7MMExpress back then although the .280 finally made it but had trouble in the shadow of the .270 Win and the .7mm Rem mag. and that's a fine round too that never had the success it deserved until later.
2
264X300
Guest
I actually have two 264's. My father gave me his pre-64 Winchester since he is no longer able to hunt and he wants to keep it in the family. Rifle has less than 200 rounds thru it since my dad did not use it much and I only shoot it occasionally. He purchased it to hunt Caribou in Alaska, but never made it back up there after he bought it. He took three deer with it and I hit my first deer with it at close to 400 yds. Took a second or two for the bullet to get there and I herd it hit him then down he went.
I purchased a used Remington 264 from a pawn shop in the mid 80's and according to the serial number, it was mfg in 63. I've run three to four hundred rounds thru it and it is a fine shooting rifle. I have switched from 140 gr Noser's to 130 gr Barnes pushed with 56 gr of RL-22 and it seems to like the mix. I have taken two deer with it and not one of the deer hit with either of the 264's went more than a few feet. I had some accuracy problems early on, but have since solved the problem and obtain great results at the range now.
I reload and have found that 264 casings are hard to come by. When you do find them they tend to be a touch more expensive than other comperable calibers. The solution I have come up with is to purchase 7MM casings and run them into my 264 die. Same case except the 264 is 6.50 MM and the 7MM is ...well...7MM. Not recommending, just saying what I do. MY last deer and a spike elk were taken with 7MM casings resized into 264's.
I have also used IMR 4350, but I noticed a huge reduction in split casings when I switched to RL-22. The necks used to split with regularity, but now they are few and far between. I used to think it kicked hard until I shot my 300 WM a few times. The 264 feels like a 22 now which is a good thing. No flinch now.
For deer and lopes you will be real happy. I took a young spike elk and had to hit him twice, but it worked. As of now, the 264 is my back-up elk rifle after my 300 WM.
I have been told that the barrel thing was limited to the early production rifles and was some what fixed after that. I know my dad's still groups inside of a quarter at 100 yds with factory rounds so his barrel still works fine. Its also a 26" barrel. The Remington barrel is 24"s.
What I know or think I know
264
I purchased a used Remington 264 from a pawn shop in the mid 80's and according to the serial number, it was mfg in 63. I've run three to four hundred rounds thru it and it is a fine shooting rifle. I have switched from 140 gr Noser's to 130 gr Barnes pushed with 56 gr of RL-22 and it seems to like the mix. I have taken two deer with it and not one of the deer hit with either of the 264's went more than a few feet. I had some accuracy problems early on, but have since solved the problem and obtain great results at the range now.
I reload and have found that 264 casings are hard to come by. When you do find them they tend to be a touch more expensive than other comperable calibers. The solution I have come up with is to purchase 7MM casings and run them into my 264 die. Same case except the 264 is 6.50 MM and the 7MM is ...well...7MM. Not recommending, just saying what I do. MY last deer and a spike elk were taken with 7MM casings resized into 264's.
I have also used IMR 4350, but I noticed a huge reduction in split casings when I switched to RL-22. The necks used to split with regularity, but now they are few and far between. I used to think it kicked hard until I shot my 300 WM a few times. The 264 feels like a 22 now which is a good thing. No flinch now.
For deer and lopes you will be real happy. I took a young spike elk and had to hit him twice, but it worked. As of now, the 264 is my back-up elk rifle after my 300 WM.
I have been told that the barrel thing was limited to the early production rifles and was some what fixed after that. I know my dad's still groups inside of a quarter at 100 yds with factory rounds so his barrel still works fine. Its also a 26" barrel. The Remington barrel is 24"s.
What I know or think I know
264
sageadvice
Long Time Member
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Nice job 264, Real Nice!!!
Joey
Joey
264, anneal your cases before you size down, it will make a big difference in case life.
also, take care as to check the neck thickness, (this also may be part of your problem). after necking down the thickness may be too much, if thats the case you will have to turn them. I've seen guns destroyed, mostly the 257 weatherby with necked down 7mm remington cases because of neck thickness.(the neck needs to have room to expand while the bullet release's, otherwise you are igniting a bomb)
sorry if you already know this, just wanted to give you a heads up.
also, take care as to check the neck thickness, (this also may be part of your problem). after necking down the thickness may be too much, if thats the case you will have to turn them. I've seen guns destroyed, mostly the 257 weatherby with necked down 7mm remington cases because of neck thickness.(the neck needs to have room to expand while the bullet release's, otherwise you are igniting a bomb)
sorry if you already know this, just wanted to give you a heads up.
B
BTM
Guest
If anyone wants a few free boxes of .264, you've got them. However, I can't ship them, so you'll need to pick them up in Southern California.
Rifle was stolen a long time ago, but not the ammo.
Rifle was stolen a long time ago, but not the ammo.
