Official 26 Nosler SAAMI Drawing Now Available
Nosler has introduced a new 6.5mm (.264 caliber) hunting cartridge, the 26 Nosler. Nosler will initially offer 26 Nosler cartridge brass, and then, eventually, 26 Nosler loaded ammunition.
This new cartridge is designed to be a speedy, flat-shooting hunting cartridge, with performance exceeding a 6.5-284. This is possible because the 26 Nosler is a big, long cartridge with plenty of “boiler room”. Length from base to neck/shoulder junction is 2.33″ for the 26 Nosler, compared to 1.91″ for the 6.5-284 (and 2.04″ for a 7mm Rem Magnum). The 26 Nosler has a 35° shoulder angle and a magnum-size 0.534″ outside rim diameter.
The 26 Nosler cartridge can drive the Nosler 129 grain, AccuBond® LR bullet at 3400 fps. Zeroed at 350 yards, the 26 Nosler has a Point Blank Range of 0-415 yards. Loaded with the 129gr Accubond, the 26 Nosler retains as much velocity at 400 yards as a .260 Rem produces at the muzzle. This makes the 26 Nosler a “quintessential deer, antelope and long-range” cartridge according to company CEO/President Bob Nosler.
Nosler has just released the SAMMI print for this cartridge. CLICK HERE for SAMMI Print PDF.
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Tags: 26 Nosler, 6.5mm, Brass, Cartridge, hunting, SAMMI, WSM
To me the 7mm Rem Mag is a more versatile round handing bullets from 100 to 175 grains. With the 6.5 your limited to the 140 grain bullet, in the high BC category anyways. Although it appears to be a nice specialty cartridge I believe it to be a tough sell over 7mm mag.
Guy,
You make good points. But I suspect some guys will be necking this cartridge up to 7mm very soon. On the SAAMI print is: “Mean Average Pressure = 65,000 psi”. If that’s the actual rated pressure, this brass should allow for a very high velocity 6.5 or 7mm magnum offering.
Had to chuckle, I didn’t think about necking “up” I was wondering about necking down! 6mm 115 DTAC mmmmmmm
25 Nosler sounds better!
Curious as to the recoil. I suspect it will be comparable to the 7mm mag.
Ok so it looks like a lengthen wsm case. Bigger doesn’t always mean better.
Another new caliber is a good thing, the more option shooter have the better.. It is just that I cant find the niche for this particular one yet, is it a hunting caliber or shooting caliber. They sure advertise to the long range hunting community with the 415 it seems to me that this will be a specialize tools for antelope and long range deer gun, and there is a market for that. Yet again the design will appeal to shooter as 6.5mm bullet with the beltless case and 35 degree shoulder,+ the high pressure,are a solid base for a long range target round. Lets not forget, its not a short action gun its based on a 30.06 length action, it is yet to discover if it will convenient enough to take the long 7mm 180 grain vld bullet for those who want to neck up, and if it will be short enough for those who want to neck down to 6mm. Action weight will also be a little more.As any other caliber, shooter are going to modify specs to suit there need, and wildcat will emerge. But the main objective for Nosler is to focus on marketing the round as it is,have manufacturer built gun for it.. and more important yet, have them build the gun to the advertise ballistic with long barrel and twist rate to suit the heavy bullet. I’m sure that there marketing department already have it all under control. But controlling gun manufacturer that will want to do the 22 inch light brush gun with this will be a challenge. For those who think it never append … wssm are a good example of gun that where not built for the use of the round it shoots. And looking at the nosler offering I found out that they have 1 gun with a 1 in 9 twist and one in 1 in 8, customer already have to make difficult choice. But a new caliber is a good thing, and its the first to have the nosler name on it.
While I am a big fan of new cartridges (even if they fill a very small niche), I see this cartridge as doing almost exactly what a 270 WSM does. 130 grain bullets up to 3400 fps with handloads and probably less powder than the longer 260 Nosler. That said, it’s always cool to be the kid with the newest toys!
Always nice to see a new performance cartridge touted by a major source like Nosler. Looks to be a slightly sawed off 7 ultra mag to me. About 0.3″ worth. As the above have suggested up and/or down necking will likely take place. Fun. One of these days I would like to see a real interest come to the fore for the 22CHeetah. It got such bad press the first time around such is not likely but properly fed nothing – and I do mean nothing – comes close. Not too hard on barrels either. Think of the rack of guns a shooter might have if limited to 4000fps of more. Also Fun. RL
I had a 264 Win Mag many years ago. Ballistically this looks very similar. I expect that it will have similar success, which isn’t a lot. If the neck was longer it would have more appeal.
Like Alans. .264 Win Mag.
I am anxious to match this .26 up with my 264 which I have always loved. With the extra load I can’t wait to try it out.
I do not currently own a gun, but would love to have one of these to bring my shooting skills back up to par!
i would like to teach kids how to be responsible with firearms.
Glad to see the magnum belt go away on their 26 design. It is a pain in the rear for reloaders. It is an artifact left over from early H&H big game cartridges. Never was really necessary on the 7mm Rem Mag.
Nosler says their 26 bolt rifles are set up to go to heavier (longer 6.5 bullets) than the 140 gr. when the market is ready.
I have hunted 3 seasons now with my 26 nosler I built on savage action. It is extremely versatile.! Hand loaded with 100 gr VLD bullets for prairie dogs, coyotes. VLD 129/130/143(ELD-X) for deer. It is the closest thing I have ever shot to a lazer beam. KIlls “right now”! I haven’t loaded this yet for heavy 156 to 160 (sierra SP if I could find some) but with ELD-x took 2 mule does(mature +200 lbs) with a lucky shot.