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260 Loads?

hueys66

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 19, 2009
223
1
46
OREGON DESERT
Anybody share there 260 loads. Just got mine built up and would be good to hear some variety. I plan on shootin the 140gr SMK. I mated up a 26" pipe 8 twist to a 700 action. Thanks for your input.
 
Re: 260 Loads?

I used to shoot 140s but went to the 123s. I like them a lot better. I used 37 to 38grs of varget with the 140s and now use 43.5grs of H4350 with the 123s.
 
Re: 260 Loads?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: raptor99</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I used to shoot 140s but went to the 123s. I like them a lot better. I used 37 to 38grs of varget with the 140s and now use 43.5grs of H4350 with the 123s. </div></div>

I shot the Lapua Scenar 123gr & VV N550 for a couple years. I "liked" them a lot as well.

But don't you find that the 139gr are ALWAYS better in the wind?
 
Re: 260 Loads?

Better to shoot the 142 SMKs instead of the 140 SMKs if they will work in your rifle. You are looking at a much better BC of 0.595 for the 142s vs 0.535 for the 140s. My preference is the Lapua Scenar 139. The 140 AMAX shoots well also but have lower BC than the Sierra 142 or Lapua 139. Look at using H4350 start at about 41 grains and work up for bullets in this range. You should end up some where close to the 43 grains.
 
Re: 260 Loads?

41 grains might be a little high for a starting charge. I started and settled on 37.0 gr of H4350 and pushed the 142 @ 2750 fps, no pressure and outstanding accuracy.

.02
 
Re: 260 Loads?

Usually it will take 42 to 43grs of H4350 to get in the 2700 to 2800fps this is with a 8 twist 5r barrel 24". I shot a 44.3grs H4350 with vel at 2920 but also had a blown primer. Went to H4831SC at 48.3 grs with no signs of press.
 
Re: 260 Loads?

140 A-Max or 142SMK, 43.8-44.0gr of H4350. The 140 worked when i started and teh 139 Scenar did as well, but teh 142SMK is superior to teh 140SMK, and the Scenar tended to generate more pressure for a given load. My initial efforts with the 139 were on the hot side, and I backed away from it when I started getting good results from the 142SMK.

For Varmints try 95gr V-Max and 47.0gr (published minimum) of H4350. You can probably go faster, up to a published max of 49.7gr of H4350, but the 1:8" twist may cause problems. You'll have to try it, paying attention to pressure, and see if the bullets hold together at the higher velocities.

I found plenty of velocity and good accuracy at the 47.0gr load level, and never tried for more speed. I tried a barrel tuner with this bullet, and 200yd accuracy was excellent once a sweet spot was determined, but the sweet spot kept changing with the temperatures.

I don't know how the 95 V-Max handles extreme velocities in a 1:8"twist, and with my barrel being 28" long, I'm probably already in the 3300-3400fps range.

I would suspect that Hornady made the bullet tougher, knowing what it might be up against, but I don't know yet for certain. That may be a project for this season.

With components being on the iffy side these days, trying out the 123SMK may want so sit on hold for a while.

Greg
 
Re: 260 Loads?

Dan Newberry's Practical Riflery Forum has some interesting articles by Donovan Moran that do something like what my <span style="font-style: italic">Black Thoughts</span> articles once did here, but better, and with more specific data.

Greg
 
Re: 260 Loads?

Looks like I will try and find some Scenar 123's, and 142 SMK's. Have 4 hundred 140's though.
 
Re: 260 Loads?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 81sfo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Any of you 260 guys doing this with a 20-22" barrel? </div></div>

I've got (at least) 3x 22" and 2x 24" rifles in 260 Remington.

I haven't spent a lot of time comparing velocities between them, but I did notice the same load of 139gr Scenar, CCI BR2, H4350 in RP 260 brass is consistently FASTER from my 22" Lilja 1:8" twist than my 24" Krieger 1:9" twist. Chambers were cut with different reamers though. I suspect the 22" has a tighter chamber & neck.

Mike
 
Re: 260 Loads?

thanks Micheal,gona go 22" and also which brass brand are getting most accuracy from? Fixing to purchase atleast 500 count soon and unsure of Nosler,Norma,Rem, or Win.?
 
Re: 260 Loads?

I started with Remington 260 brass. Loaded rounds measure about .291". As my first rifle had an especially large neck (~.299"), I gravitated toward resized 308. Lake City, Lapua, Norma, and Winchester.

As I read more here, and acquired more rifles, I started down the path of resized Lapua 243, as well as some Winchester 7mm-08.

Finally now I'm pretty much right back where I started with Remington 260 brass.

I've never measured a group. Typically zero at 100yds, often with rounds-touching on the bullseye. After that I shoot steel almost exclusively, where 1 MOA accuracy is plenty.
 
Re: 260 Loads?

Sounds good thanks,will start with remington brass and see where that takes me.
 
Re: 260 Loads?

I use 41.0 grains of H4350 pushing the no longer made 6.5mm 155 grain SMK's. Accuracy is sub 1/2 MOA and Muzzle velocity is 2500 fps out of a 21" (?) barrel made by Jense Precision.

http://jenseprecision.com/

Going to have to dig out some targets to scan. Here is the rifle that shoots very good groups.

Jense_Precision_260_Remington_Tactical_02_BIG-963x469.jpg


Jense_Precision_260_Remington_Tactical_03_BIG-965x796.jpg




I am very interested in finding some good RE-17 load data for both light and heavy MATCH (Berger, Lapua, SMK) 6.5 bullets. Any ideas?
 
Re: 260 Loads?

Testing a new action soon to be out. We received two for testing in 260. I had some RL17 in the chargemaster so thought I'd try it in the 260. Rem case, 44.5 Rl-17 with a 139 Scenar on top of a 210 match gave us 2990 .25 MOA groups and no pressure, primers look good. Folks at the match this weekend didn't think our chrono numbers were good. We shot some of the loads in Zaks 260 and he had to dial down .4 Mil at 400 to get back on steel. Cases looked good out of his AI also. The chrono numbers with the ballistic program all jived for hits in the field also. We'll see how it works when it's 100 instead of 20
 
Re: 260 Loads?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: RayDog</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Testing a new action soon to be out. We received two for testing in 260. I had some RL17 in the chargemaster so thought I'd try it in the 260. Rem case, 44.5 Rl-17 with a 139 Scenar on top of a 210 match gave us 2990 .25 MOA groups and no pressure, primers look good. Folks at the match this weekend didn't think our chrono numbers were good. We shot some of the loads in Zaks 260 and he had to dial down .4 Mil at 400 to get back on steel. Cases looked good out of his AI also. The chrono numbers with the ballistic program all jived for hits in the field also. We'll see how it works when it's 100 instead of 20 </div></div>

Thank you! I will try that load this weekend! Do you know if Quick Load has an update with this powder in it?