.260 Rem loads for hunting
- Thread starter billee
- Start date
With that 1:8 twist you shoot anything in the 6.5 range except for maybe 160 Gr. round nose. I'm a huge fan of Nosler bullets in general. I really like the Accubond I think it's a fantastic bullet. As for the powder check out http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/. Start there some good generic information for powder. Once you select a bullet get some load data from the bullet manufacture. Also, as you have a 20" barrel you may want to go something a little bit faster burning to make use of the barrel. Here is the burn rate chart, fastest to slowest.
https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/burn-rate-color.pdf
https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/burn-rate-color.pdf
No. Faster powders do not help with velocity in shorter barrels. Powder choice is based on case capacity not barrel length, even in a big case like 300 Weatherby with slow magnum powders you reach peak pressure in a couple inches. Whatever gives max velocity in a 30" barrel will also give max velocity in a 20" barrel. The highest velocity powder is the one that reaches a suitable max pressure with a nearly full case to maximize the amount of powder burned without pushing the pressure too high. Powders that are too fast will produce too much pressure with a full case, whereas powders too slow will not reach that max pressure at all.
As for bullets, can't go wrong with any of the premium bonded bullets. I'm leaning towards Woodleighs or swift Sciroccos for my 270.
TacticalTeacher
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Georgian Bay, ON
Loaded up some 95 gr Hornady Vmax for my Remmy M700 260 hunting rig....very accurate booolit thinks it’s a match booolit!!
For deer, I loaded up some of the Hornady 140 gr SST booolits. Did not get a deer last fall so I cannot tell how well this booolit works, but I do know I’ve got a sub-MOA combination....
Cheers, Barney
For deer, I loaded up some of the Hornady 140 gr SST booolits. Did not get a deer last fall so I cannot tell how well this booolit works, but I do know I’ve got a sub-MOA combination....
Cheers, Barney
I wasn't refering to velocity in that context. It has been my experience that in shorter barrel with a slower burning powder you can run into effiency issues. IE not burning the powder entirely. A friend of mine was running 7977 is his 243 Winchester with a 22" barrel and accuracy and velocity were all over the map. I finally convinced him to go to H4831SC and his groups improved his charge dropped by almost 2 grains, velocity remaind around the same.
I am using a 123 SST with h4350 43.0 gr I believe. accurate as can be. There is probably better choices out there as this is supposed to be a grendel bullet I believe, but it was what was in the store. I have only shot coyotes with it in my 260 but it did well at the same velocity on a black bear from my creedmoor.
manicmechanic
CGN Regular
Hey billee - I bought the same rig several years ago for myself and my daughter and found the lightweight barrel to be a little particular about what it liked, but it can be very accurate with a little work.
DISCLAIMER - USE THESE LOADS FOR REFERENCE ONLY - THEY WORK FINE IN MY RIFLES- YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY....
I found 130 g Federal factory ammo managed about 1 1/2"- 1 3/4" at 100 yards for a 3 shot group -with 5 shots that lightweight barrel heats up and the groups open up unless you go several minutes between shots, which kind of defeats the purpose in my opinion.
First attempt at reloading found 41g of IMR4350 behind a 140g Nosler Partion (set to COAL of 2.800") worked very well - groups shrunk to 1" to 1 1/4" consistently for 3 shots.
Next round settled on 36g of Reloader 15 behind a Hornady 140 g SST but with the bullet seated 0.010" off the lands and only neck sized the cases- groups shrunk to 3/4" to 1" consistently for 3 shots- don't think I can really improve much upon that with that lightweight barrel.
I haven't tried seating the Nosler's out that far yet (along with neck sized cases) to see how much the accuracy would improve -it's likely to have some positive effect. I prefer the Noslers when I can get them - they've been around a long time, they work well, and are well priced.
For hunting, I always make sure an over length cartridge will reliably feed and cycle through the magazine and action of a bolt gun.
Lapua makes a 155g Mega traditional soft point bullet that I would like to try for moose (but haven't been able to find), and I've yet to try Hogdon H4831sc which seems to be a very popular powder in the 308 family of cartridges - it is supposed to be less sensitive to temperature changes.
I also have a Savage Model 12 LRP in 260 with a 26" heavy fluted barrel, and it also likes the Hornady SST's and RL 15 recipe. I'm still fire forming brass for it and want to try some lighter bullet weights in the 107-129 g range for varmints.
Hope this helps
Tom
DISCLAIMER - USE THESE LOADS FOR REFERENCE ONLY - THEY WORK FINE IN MY RIFLES- YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY....
I found 130 g Federal factory ammo managed about 1 1/2"- 1 3/4" at 100 yards for a 3 shot group -with 5 shots that lightweight barrel heats up and the groups open up unless you go several minutes between shots, which kind of defeats the purpose in my opinion.
First attempt at reloading found 41g of IMR4350 behind a 140g Nosler Partion (set to COAL of 2.800") worked very well - groups shrunk to 1" to 1 1/4" consistently for 3 shots.
Next round settled on 36g of Reloader 15 behind a Hornady 140 g SST but with the bullet seated 0.010" off the lands and only neck sized the cases- groups shrunk to 3/4" to 1" consistently for 3 shots- don't think I can really improve much upon that with that lightweight barrel.
I haven't tried seating the Nosler's out that far yet (along with neck sized cases) to see how much the accuracy would improve -it's likely to have some positive effect. I prefer the Noslers when I can get them - they've been around a long time, they work well, and are well priced.
For hunting, I always make sure an over length cartridge will reliably feed and cycle through the magazine and action of a bolt gun.
Lapua makes a 155g Mega traditional soft point bullet that I would like to try for moose (but haven't been able to find), and I've yet to try Hogdon H4831sc which seems to be a very popular powder in the 308 family of cartridges - it is supposed to be less sensitive to temperature changes.
I also have a Savage Model 12 LRP in 260 with a 26" heavy fluted barrel, and it also likes the Hornady SST's and RL 15 recipe. I'm still fire forming brass for it and want to try some lighter bullet weights in the 107-129 g range for varmints.
Hope this helps
Tom
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freddyfour
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
I used H4831SC under 140gr partitions
manicmechanic
CGN Regular
Fair enough - RL 17 or RL 19 was what I was originally going to try...
Some fellows I shoot smallbore silhouette with told me they shoot RL 15 in their highpower rifles with great results (clean burning and very accurate) and suggested I give it a try.
If it still has enough velocity and energy to reliably knock down steel rams at 500 meters, we reasoned it should work wonders on moose under 150 yards with a good hunting bullet.
Tom
:Fair enough - RL 17 or RL 19 was what I was originally going to try...
Some fellows I shoot smallbore silhouette with told me they shoot RL 15 in their highpower rifles with great results (clean burning and very accurate) and suggested I give it a try.
If it still has enough velocity and energy to reliably knock down steel rams at 500 meters, we reasoned it should work wonders on moose under 150 yards with a good hunting bullet.
Tom
RL15 is about 100 fps slower than RL17. RL19. 4350, 4831.
For a 20" hunting rifle, I would not start off with the inappropriate powder. You want all the velocity you can get, since you lose around 100 fps with the shorter barrel, to start with.
I am not knocking RL15. I used to buy it in 20kg drums from Bofors. But it is a 120 gr bullet powder, not the 140 to 160 gr I would use in a 260 for deer/moose.
manicmechanic
CGN Regular
Granted, RL 15 might not be the end all velocity wise, but I found this very informative thread started here on CGN by another member on loading for short vs long barrels... please read below this reply in its entirety....
I defer to your expertise Sir - I couldn't have stated it any better....
I am so glad we came to a mutual understanding...
Just curious - what would you recommend as an appropriate "quiet" powder?
All the best
Tom
Ps - My apologies billiee - my intent was not to hijack your thread....
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Thread: short barrel's vs long barrel's - help me understand reloading rules
07-24-2018, 12:41 PM #4
Ganderite Ganderite is online now
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As stated above, the powder that gets the best velocity, gets the best velocity. Barrel length (18" to 32") does not change powder choice.
I have a number of rifles with both long and short barrels. I am more concerned with accuracy than I am velocity, because for practical purposes, the short barrel will get about the same velocity, regardless of the powder I use. I have not found that a deer or moose can tell the difference of 100 fps one way or the other.
So each rifle gets a work up to find the powder/charge that gets the best accuracy.
But there is one other consideration. A 20" or less barrel can have a terrible bark that is painful on the ears. For a hunting rifle (no muffs) I want to use a "quiet" powder. I might have to try 2 or 3 to find the one that does not bark.
Learn by the experience of others.... you won't live long enough to make all the mistakes yourself....
The trouble with most people isn't what they don't know....it's what they do know that simply isn't so.
Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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A 20" bbl 260 will have a muzzle pressure of ~11,500 psi, a 24" bbl will have ~9200 psi....~ 12% more 'bark'.
With H4350 type powders the powder will be 95% consumed at 15" down the barrel, Varget ~ 8".
With a 140gn class bullet you should expect ~2650 ft/s from the 20" bbl. A 24" ~2740 ft/s.
Any powders that provide 95-105% case fill will have similar muzzle pressures, thus 'bark'.
I have not hunted with the 260 Rem but use the 260 in a long range target rifle and have tried many bullet /powder combinations.
What I have discovered is a high BC bullet between 130-140gns works very well with H4350.
The 260 load I use for targets is a 136gn Lapua L, Lapua case, Federal match primer, 42.54gn H4350.
This combo runs 2895 ft/s out of a 26" barrel and will hold 0.3-4 moa at 300m and 1 moa at 1000 yards, 5 shot groups.
With H4350 type powders the powder will be 95% consumed at 15" down the barrel, Varget ~ 8".
With a 140gn class bullet you should expect ~2650 ft/s from the 20" bbl. A 24" ~2740 ft/s.
Any powders that provide 95-105% case fill will have similar muzzle pressures, thus 'bark'.
I have not hunted with the 260 Rem but use the 260 in a long range target rifle and have tried many bullet /powder combinations.
What I have discovered is a high BC bullet between 130-140gns works very well with H4350.
The 260 load I use for targets is a 136gn Lapua L, Lapua case, Federal match primer, 42.54gn H4350.
This combo runs 2895 ft/s out of a 26" barrel and will hold 0.3-4 moa at 300m and 1 moa at 1000 yards, 5 shot groups.
