I feel the same that 260's weren't a problem. What really has surprised me so far is that with the dev notes we saw some nerfs to HC's as well, I think the 120's. Many complained that HC's were really hurt by these changes. I'm not a HC user, but so far in my experience, HC's somehow got stronger than ever. So far this weapon sandbox feels worse than what we had last week.

They were one of the few weapons that with a single perk and no additional set up or kill could drastically change their ttk. Now they require only a little over 100 weapon stat investment to 4 tap, and you're complaining about them being trash and having to scrap them? Meanwhile all the rest you mentioned, their placements in crucible in general ascwell: * Aggressive bursts can 2 burst, not sure if it really is 0.8, but basically no one uses them because they're less suited for the ranges lightweights can compete and require perfect crit accuracy. There are none in the top 100 * High impact pulses require perfect crit accuracy, have the lowest aim assist of all pulse rifles, and have lower stability than most, no one uses these. There are none in the top 100. * Adaptives as you stated require a lot of investment to weapon stat and a specific perk for a 2 burst and still most can't do so * Rapid fires should have one of the fastest base ttks because of their more limited range and the fact they're harder to keep on heads. There's only 1 in the top 100. * 140 hand cannons require perfect crit accuracy for one of the slowest ttks in the game and so long as their recoil forces the gun to block sight of the target in any capacity and cause the sights to disappear every shot, I'd say it's fair. Not to mention how missing even 1 shot on a hand cannon is more punishing than any other primary except bows. Basically all with the exception of Ace have stacked stats, having 80-90 range on the low end and 60-70 stability before performance enhancing perks like Keep Away or Slideways which players always have. There are 7 in the top 100, and most users who are threats are no doubt cheaters or tryhards indistinguishable from such. * Precision scouts still need to wait for boxed breathing to proc, so that's time they're spending unable to see their radar and just hard scoping down a lane or into a wall. And if it doesn't land a head shot, that ttk goes from 0.67 to 1 second. There's 1 in the top 100. And plenty of people used 260s before their damage got nerfed, just most used them exclusively with precision instrument or kill clip due to their 0.93 base ttk, and those are limited to like 5. But if you want to ask why they nerfed them, I could and STILL ask the same of various other weapons and perks. Why does Memento Mori still suffer a damage nerf that was only given for One Eyed Mask enabling 2 taps despite OEM not buffing damage any more? Why is Thorn's catalyst still nerfed after all the stat monsters that came later and how it got nerfed like 4 times over in EOF? Why does Magnificent Howl still require effort to get the bonus damage when they enabled multiple other 180s to 3 tap with the same effort? Why does Last Word still suffer so many of the nerfs it got when 2/3 of it's shots are always ghost bullets or not going where you're clearly aiming? I could go on

Brother I love 260 scouts. I've loved them long before precision instrument. With precision instrument they were busted and everyone always used precision instrument. You had a weapon with endless range, great stickiness, and a lightning fast ttk for only one perk with no kill required. The nerf was necessary. 260s are still fun. I love my trustee with surplus and opening shot as well as my contingency plan with surplus and elemental capacitor.

The whole archetype suffers because of one Trials weapon

260 scouts really weren't an issue. They easily get outranged by any other scout archetype and had very little forgiveness to get the good TTK while using PI. Miss one shot, or deal with someone peek shooting long enough to lose PI and they didn't work. Now I'm living in an emp rift to get the TTK and more ability regen so it feels like it did before the update. It's slowed my gameplay down considerably, because I'm usually a highly mobile player.