.257 vs .264

[KLR650]

So as I look at .257 diameter bullets with a .257 robert ackley improved in mind, the 100gr seems to be common and 117gr is the most prevalent heavy with a few 120's sprinkled in too. However the 6.5 has way more heavy rounds with an average BC that is higher than the avg of the .257.

I figure this is because of the military background of the 6.5, but why hasn't the commercial market in the US offered anything in the 130-142gr realm or 160gr for that matter, surely the 25-06 and 25wssm could sling em better than a 260 could sling a 140.

only a .007 difference, but a huge difference in bullet selection, anyone else wonder about these things?

[MarkCO]

Nope. The longer cases are more difficult to make shoot well as compared to the shorter cases. One could say we have WAY too many cartridge choices and are approaching just silly, but that is part of the human condition...the hunt for a better mousetrap. Much of it is related to perceptions, real or contrived, marketing and then some "momentum". I don't recall many great stories of accuracy with the .257R when I was a kid, but I did remember them about the 6.5x55 Swede. So when I wanted to move up from the .243 and down from the .30-06, I looked at the 7mm-08 and the .260Rem. The cost of brass was less and the 6.5 was more "in between" the 24 and 28 calibers than the 25. Then I looked at bullet selection...seems others had pushed the choice in significant favor of the 6.5s already. As I researched the histories of the cartridges, some of the above was discovered.

[KLR650]

but why the lack of longer bullets with a profile similar to the 130-142gr scenar type 6.5's

6.5 is probably one of the best all around projectiles, one would think the 257 with a nearly identical bore and an american origin, would have a similar amount of options, but i guess it never took off.