So I started shooting 260 Remington last year. I have a Tikka Tac A1 in 260 and am having a issue with loosening primer pockets after a load or two. I'm using CCI primers with 43gr of H4350 and the Hornady A-tip 153 or when i'm playing the 147 ELD-M. I first tried Hornady brass and after 32 or 3 firings the primers pockets were gone. Then I got some prime brass thinking maybe some higher end brass might help me out. I seem to be in the same boat. So I don't have any more pressure signs and from my experience I will get heavy bolt of flat primers before I lose a primer or get loose primer pockets. I have read on some other threads, where other people have had primer pocket issues with 260 rem, so I guess i'm also wondering if that is the common pressure sign of this round or do I just need to buy some Lapua, Alpha, or Peterson brass. From what I read they are some of the best but maybe someone will know which one has the best primer pocket life.
- Thread starter Andrew863
- Start date
43gn H4350 on a heavy 6.5 is a pretty stout load. Lapua will be better than the Hornady, but it's still a stout load and will reduce brass life. I've also heard good things about Alpha brass, and I believe they have a small primer version for 260 Rem, which would also help.
I love Peterson brass in my 260, shot it for a while now, then rechambered to 260 improved and fire formed it and still using it. That said the case capacity is slightly less and I am not sure 43 gns is a good idea in Peterson. The brass is thicker than most others slightly reducing the capacity and primer pockets are much tighter
Been shooting 260 Rem forever and have tons of data on it if your interested, toss the Hornady brass and dont look back its your issue. Lapua/Peterson/Alpha is about the best but I even have Remington RP that has tons of firings on it from light loads to compressed really hot loads. The RP Brass primer pockets will be the first to get sloppy out of the 4 mentioned but they are still alright IMO, there are quite a few guys selling 260 Rem Brass in the PX for decent prices.
Last edited:
I do agree its not on the low side. But from my experience I will get a heavy bolt lift or flat primers when i'm getting on the high side of pressure. Also the Tikka has a long mag length and all of the load data you see is for 2.800 COAL. I'm at 2.950 which also change things, I may be wrong but I really don't think i'm over pressuring this round.
Im leaning towards Lapua but would love to hear from someone that has tried all 3. May try and give small primer a try also but i'm getting mixed reviews on going small primer.
Ow the Hornady is in the trash, I thought the prime brass would help but it didn't. I wish I could find 50 Lapua SRP brass to give a try. I do have a few RP SRP 308 brass at home maybe I can neck it down and give it a try and see how the SRP is.
There a bunch of Lapua and RP in the PX for sale now at decent prices and good quantities...
A really good way to make primer pockets last longer, is to put less powder in the case.
I have shot Lapua for a long time, you will not be disappointed with either Lapua or Peterson
Lapua and Sako brass.
I haven't used Peterson.
I haven't used Peterson.
What about Starline I bought some but haven't built the rifle or loaded for it yet
I shot Lapua and Peterson in my 6 CM. I found the Lapua to be superior, but both are good. My rule of thumb is: if you can get Lapua, get Lapua.
I got 11 firings out of large primer Lapua brass @ 2830fps with a 136 scenar
11 firings out of small primer Peterson at the same speeds with a 136. The. 4 more firings with a 140 at 2900. Those were hot and the brass is not feeling great after that. Primer pockets are still tight, but I think the web is starting to expand.
I have 200 alpha sitting that I’ll play with in a year or 2 after the next batch of Peterson is wore out.
so far I would prefer the small primer Peterson to the Lapua brass.
11 firings out of small primer Peterson at the same speeds with a 136. The. 4 more firings with a 140 at 2900. Those were hot and the brass is not feeling great after that. Primer pockets are still tight, but I think the web is starting to expand.
I have 200 alpha sitting that I’ll play with in a year or 2 after the next batch of Peterson is wore out.
so far I would prefer the small primer Peterson to the Lapua brass.
Best group was a .262 with then usually around the 3/8 range at 100. I have had them out to a mile. That's really the main reason I don't want to slow them down.
What in your opinion did Peterson have over Lapua?
Last edited:
If you're getting any kind of medium to heavy bolt lift, then you are way over pressure.
Your primer pockets opening up are trying to tell you so.
If you want more speed, go improved or buy a 6.5 PRC.
Lastly, if you're gonna play in the danger zone like that, I'd suggest you wear a really good pair of safety glasses.
You're playing around in the 75-80k psi range. That's why the brass is yielding.
Have to agree to disagree, in the past (and I don't know it all i'm not saying that) I have only been loading for 10 years but I have never killed pockets before a heavy bolt lift. How did you come up with 75-80K PSI? Did you run the numbers on quickload? If so how much would I have to drop my powder to get to 60-65K?
He probably used 75-80k PSI because your brass is yielding. I.E. The case head should be strong enough to resist primer pocket stretching below maximum pressure.
I have trashed plenty of primer pockets with out heavy bolt lift. Heavy bolt lift is a sign you weren't watching for the other signs so you could stop. One sign you are running on the ragged edge, is your primer pockets stretching out if a few reloads. Some brass will handle excess pressure better than others.
I have trashed plenty of primer pockets with out heavy bolt lift. Heavy bolt lift is a sign you weren't watching for the other signs so you could stop. One sign you are running on the ragged edge, is your primer pockets stretching out if a few reloads. Some brass will handle excess pressure better than others.
I'm going to try some better brass and if I get the same results ill drop the charge and see where i'm at but at this point I just want to know what load has the best primer pockets.
You are going to have to drop your charge weight anyway. When you change brass you need to work up again. The top manufactures brass will most likely be thicker than Hornady, its going to have less capacity, the same charge weight is going to have more pressure than in Hornady brass.
I have used Lapua and Peterson, I switched to strictly Peterson and haven’t looked back. I shoot a 6.5 SLR and don’t have to turn necks on the Peterson and I have 12 loads on my first set of brass and the pockets are as tight as the first load. I use the 260 brass to form my SLR brass and it is SRP.
No, I used to do this for a living.
Get into the Hodgdon manual for your cartridge you will see what loads yield 62-65k psi.
They are way under the stuff you are loading.
Again, like I said. If you want more performance, get a 6.5 PRC. And load it to normal book levels.
You are playing with fire and your eyesight will be the thing you lose.
They are way under the stuff you are loading.
Again, like I said. If you want more performance, get a 6.5 PRC. And load it to normal book levels.
You are playing with fire and your eyesight will be the thing you lose.
Yea I definitely will do another work up when I change the brass. The brass i'm using not is Norma.
So the max on the site is 41.5 that has 59,900psi and I am 1.5gr over that. That is with a COAL of 2800 on the site. My round is 2.960 and .045 off that lands. I know pressure isn't linear but just ballparking it, the low side on the site is 38.2 and that is 50,500psi. So that is a difference of 9400 psi so that's 2848 per grain of powder. That has me at 64,172psi. That is not exact but its going to be within a couple thousand psi. Again I know the pressure is not perfectly linear. With that said I do think ill slow it down a touch, from running the numbers I can slow it down 50 fps and really not change much at all drop wise. I think that can get me all over published data.
If you have ever used a pressure test barrel, you wouldn't be trying to do what you're doing.
I've said what I've needed to say and nothing is going to change your mind so have at it and good luck.
I've said what I've needed to say and nothing is going to change your mind so have at it and good luck.
I'm around 2710fps. It's out of the factory Tikka tac A1 barrel so i'm sure its slow for that charge.
Peterson will take more abuse than lapua.
you see for years I was one of those guys that would take a faster load over a slower more consistent load…I’m not going to say how much but I ran WAY over book max for several 260 barrels.
I only run Peterson and have in a 6cm 6BR 6BRX and now a 6BRA.
That’s pretty reasonable for a tikka.
I ran 43.9 of H4350 in my Winchester brass and 147’s in my long throat 260 barrel.
that load will almost certainly blow primers in most other brands brass but I had excellent brass life in the rommy Winchester brass.
Thanks this is the kind of info I have been looking for. Any chance u ever tried Alpha?
Yea I have had my 147s up in that area when I had the Hornady brass. I have talked to several others that have also.
One thing I learned years back was to always shoot the first 1-2 loads in brass fairly mild so the base hardened up before stepping on it.
I have never heard this before. I need to give this a try.
The greater the pressure, the less linear powder burn becomes. That's the problem with venturing into uncharted territories. Most appropriate powders for a given cartridge USUALLY won't go into non linear burn rate with what can be stuffed into a cartridge, you'll "just" be over pressure. But as the saying goes mess with the bull, expect the horn.
One brand of brass I want to try for my 260 someday is ADG.
My ADG 7 saum and 338 edge brass has been excellent and I abuse the 338 edge brass pretty badly.
My ADG 7 saum and 338 edge brass has been excellent and I abuse the 338 edge brass pretty badly.
no alpha i will stick with the peterson until theres an issue at which point i might try the alpha.
I have had good results with Petersen small primer and Alpha. The Hornady were ok but pockets did get loose after 3 reloads.
I habe wanted to try the small primer brass. What powder and what charge did you use? Did u have to use a magnum primer?
So how far off ( or into) the lands are your loads?
Small primers won't reliably light over 40.0 grs of powder in cold weather. You might get a click/bang or two Don't use em!
If your asking about min they are .045 off the lands so they fit in the mag.
I shoot 260 AI, I have 6 reloads on my Lapua brass no issues
I don't use 260 brass for my 260. I use Starline 7mm-08 and neck it down. Compare costs. Starline isn't Lapua, but I won't pay their price anyway, As median costing brass goes, Starline is plenty good enough for me. 7-08 also tends to be available when 260 isn't. Honestly, unless it was federal brass, if the pockets were shot out after 2-3 firings, I'd be looking for a lower node. My gun (28") will do 2850 with 140's, but 2650 gets me to 1000yd just as well.
Greg
Greg
Last edited:
43grs. of H4350 with a 150 bullet is too much. To save your brass, load 40.5 of H4350 with a 150gr. bullet. Accuracy is great & your brass will last a long time.
Why don't u buy 260 brass?
