.260 suggestions wanted

[miningshawn]

I can't seem to find any .264 bullets during the plague, except a box of 1000 Barnes Match Burners in 145 grain. I have tried an OCW workup using:
Starline Brass
CCI-BR2's
VV N550 - from 38.5 to 42.5
I had my best groups (if kind of 1MOA is a best group...) at 42 and 42.5. I set up 5 rounds each at 42, 42.1, 42.2, 42.3, 42.4, and 42.5 and tried to narrow it down.

I didn't get the same results, I got wildly different results. More like a shotgun than a rifle kind of results. Easily 4+MOA on the smallest group. I did check the scope mounting and base. I also checked the action screws. All right and all tight. The rifle is a factory fresh Rem 700 PCR (one of the last ones bought after they went belly up) and the only change is the addition of a muzzle brake. The scope is a new Strike Eagle. (I had thought to use this rifle in the unmodified factory class - which is limited to $1000 rifle and $1000 scope). I am at my wits end trying to work out a load for this rifle.

The first test was seating depth, and best results were at 0.035 from the lands. I went back to the reloading room and turned the necks, bumped the shoulders back 0.002, and seated up the OCW as described above. To say I am disappointed is an understatement.

In the powder cabinet I have RL16, RL17, Win StaBall 6.5, H4350 (Kind of saving this for another project), HV100, and H4831 (not H4831SC). This is the first time I just could not get a combination to work. Which powder and combination would you suggest? There is precious little about the 145 Barnes, and even less for the .260. I am leaning towards RL17; but, I am open to suggestions!

I am going to try and get these Barnes to work - I still can't find Berger 140's or 144's and I have something like 875 of them left.

Just to add insult to injury I had a brand new shooter (son-in-law) with me at the range. As this debacle was going on I was doing a work up on a RPR 5.56 also, (I seem to have a thing for discontinued rifles...) and it was shooting 0.25MOA from the bipod with a rear bag no matter what was handload was in it. It shot just over 1MOA with frickin' XM193?!?! Thank goodness I had the trusty old RPR .308 along to get him some shots on steel out to 825. I hope to get this kid interested!

 

[ebb]

Have you shot anything else in this rifle? Maybe it isn't the bullets maybe its the rifle?

 

[std7mag]

My first question is to ask exactly which 260 cartridge your working with?
260 Rem? 6.5 CM?

My second question would be, where did you get your load data?

I could find no data for the 145gr Matchburner in 260 Rem from Barnes.

Vihtavouri is showing 40.1gr of N550 as max with a 144gr Berger.

As mentioned above, maybe it's the combination of rifle & bullet.

Do you know the twist rate of your barrel?

 

[SVT_Tactical]

Do you know the twist rate of your barrel?

This is important trying to stabilize the 145s.

you can find lighter .264 bullets in smaller batches available. I would either get a small sample of lighter pills and see how it groups to see if stabilizing is the issue or even by some factory ammo to test with lighter bullet weights.

Sent you a PM as well with links to some in stock.

 

[6MMsteve]

I've never gotten a nosler bullet to go below .5 even in a 6 dasher with a brux barrel...that would shoot anything berger in .1 to .25 but a good shooter with skills prolly could just not me

 

[Bill Norris]

H-4831 is another good powder to try in the 260.

 

[BDman]

Change bullets. Some barrel/bullet combos simply will not work. I saw incredible accuracy from a friends 1/9 twist .260 with 147 ELDM's. The same rifle wouldn't do moa with 142 SMK's. Everyone told him it wouldn't stabilize anything over 140. He proved them wrong. I'm guessing if it's a Remmy .260 it's a 1/9 so, generally, 140 is a good starting point. Sometimes a barrel/powder combo won't work either but you've got some good ones to try. I'd try the H4350, RL16 and RL17 - in that order. JMHO

 

[10XSHOOTER]

If it's one of the last Remington's, it may be the barrel. have had a couple of them (not .260) That shot that way. pulled barrel and put on Kreigers and WALA they shoot! Have a .260 AI that loves 139 Scenars.

 

[Bc'z]

Lapua 6.5mm 123gr OTM Scenar

Product Information Caliber: 6.5mm Bullet Diameter: 0.264" Bullet Weight: 123 Grains OAL: 1.298" Bullet Style: Scenar OTM Boat Tail G1 BC: 0.527 G7 BC: 0.263 Part Number: 4PL6032 or 4HL6032 Quantity: 100 or 1000

www.bluecollarreloading.com

Lapua 6.5mm 136gr OTM Scenar-L

Product Information Caliber: 6.5mm Bullet Diameter: 0.264" Bullet Weight: 136 Grains OAL: 1.347" Bullet Style: OTM Scenar-L G1 BC: 0.545 G7 BC: 0.274 Part Number: 4PL6019 or 4HL6019 Quantity: 100 or 1000

www.bluecollarreloading.com

 

[miningshawn]

Have you shot anything else in this rifle? Maybe it isn't the bullets maybe its the rifle?

Not yet. I may try to find a box of factory rounds, good suggestion.

 

[miningshawn]

My first question is to ask exactly which 260 cartridge your working with?
260 Rem? 6.5 CM?

My second question would be, where did you get your load data?

I could find no data for the 145gr Matchburner in 260 Rem from Barnes.

Vihtavouri is showing 40.1gr of N550 as max with a 144gr Berger.

As mentioned above, maybe it's the combination of rifle & bullet.

Do you know the twist rate of your barrel?

It is a .260 Remington.

Load data from Barnes on phone call, comparison and extrapolation across 7 load manuals I own for 144-147 grain bullets. Lots of looking on the internet.

Barrel is a factory 1:8 5R. Berger twist calculator gives me a factor of 2.05 or "comfortably stable".

 

[KY_Windage]

What do your fired cases measure to the shoulder, compared to the .002 you say you are setting them back? IOW, are you REALLY setting them back .002?

If you are, you may want to try a little more.

 

[ebb]

There is only one 260 cartridge.

 

[chromatica]

I shoot 260 Rem in my F-class rifle. My goto load is 136 gr Scenars with 43.4 gr H4831sc using ADG brass. This forum has several posts describing a charge of 44.3 gr of H4831 sc, but ADG recommends reducing published loads by 1 grain because of smaller internal case volume. Load development led me to a charge of 43.4. (I picked up several bottles of H4831sc from Brownells a few weeks ago.) I have shot my best scores with this combination.

I have also had success using A-tip 135s with 43.4 grains of H4831sc.

I have also tried 107 Sierra Matchkings using RL-17 at 3100 fps. I was able to shoot several 1/2 inch groups at 100 yards but the groups really opened up at 600 yards. Ballistics on this load looked pretty promising because of the very high muzzle velocity. However, RL-17 is known to yield large swings in muzzle velocity because it is not temperature stable. I suspect that my large swings in muzzle velocity (ES of 100 fps) were the prime cause of my large groups at 600. Wind was a secondary factor with light bullets.

My sense is that 144 and 147 grain bullets are a little heavy for 260. Those projectiles would be better matched to 6.5-284 or 6.5 PRC.

 

[miningshawn]

What do your fired cases measure to the shoulder, compared to the .002 you say you are setting them back? IOW, are you REALLY setting them back .002?

If you are, you may want to try a little more.

Once fired in my chamber the cases are 1.6275" to the shoulder using a Lock-N-Load comparator. I full-length resize to 1.625" using a bushing die and the same gauge. Pretty standard for every round I load. I am not a believer in neck sizing.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

"My sense is that 144 and 147 grain bullets are a little heavy for 260." really? Seem to work fine in the smaller capacity Creedmoor.

Is there a reason why Matchburners are available? I can honestly say that I have never seen them used or ever noticed them in gear lists for competitions on this forum. I'll stick with Berger, Lapua, Sierra and Hornady (at a pinch, in 6mm and 224). HBC from Aussie in the '08.

 

[JimSC]

Change bullets. Some barrel/bullet combos simply will not work.

I can second that. I am on my fourth Rem .260 barrel now and all have had their own preferences in powder/ bullet combos. Even same brand barrels with the same length and twist can be different. Best results for me were with H4350, IMR 4350 and 4831SC using 140 gn bullets and Varget using 120 - 123's. Not a single barrel liked 107 or 130 gn bullets. Just see if you can find some 140, 120 and 120 gn bullets, keep experimenting, when you find the right combo it is worth it.

 

[Dos XX]

Berger 130 AR Hybrids and H4350. This combination has shot great in 3) .260's for me. The 130 AR Hybrids are short enough to run at magazine length and not eat up all your powder capacity. Two of the rifles had 26" 8 twist barrels and they could run 2950 ish easily in Lapua brass. The other was a 20" 8 twist barrel. I don't remember the velocity on that barrel. It was obviously less, but it was deadly as well. If you hunt with it, as a bonus they kill shit bang-flop dead, too.

They claim to have them in stock here. I have never dealt with this company.

Berger .264 130g Ar Hyb Otm 100ct

BERGER .264 130G AR HYB OTM 100CT, Berger Bullets, Hybrid OTM Tactical

www.buckwaters.com

What kind of mag does that rifle use? AICS? What is the max OAL of the mag it uses? One of the problems you can run into with a .260 at short action mag length, is the longer 140-144 grain bullets have to be seated so deep to fit in a mag that they are way down in the body which eats up your powder capacity. A 6.5 CM or 6.5 x 47 with shorter cases can have an advantage in the short action with the longer bullets because they can be seated all the way out and still fit in a short action mag. If you are single loading like in an F Class rifle, you load the .260 as long as you want.

 

[Bc'z]

Berger 130 AR Hybrids and H4350. This combination has shot great in 3) .260's for me. The 130 AR Hybrids are short enough to run at magazine length and not eat up all your powder capacity. Two of the rifles had 26" 8 twist barrels and they could run 2950 ish easily in Lapua brass. The other was a 20" 8 twist barrel. I don't remember the velocity on that barrel. It was obviously less, but it was deadly as well. If you hunt with it, as a bonus they kill shit bang-flop dead, too.

They claim to have them in stock here. I have never dealt with this company.

Berger .264 130g Ar Hyb Otm 100ct

BERGER .264 130G AR HYB OTM 100CT, Berger Bullets, Hybrid OTM Tactical

www.buckwaters.com

What kind of mag does that rifle use? AICS? What is the max OAL of the mag it uses? One of the problems you can run into with a .260 at short action mag length, is the longer 140-144 grain bullets have to be seated so deep to fit in a mag that they are way down in the body which eats up your powder capacity. A 6.5 CM or 6.5 x 47 with shorter cases can have an advantage in the short action with the longer bullets because they can be seated all the way out and still fit in a short action mag. If you are single loading like in an F Class rifle, you load the .260 as long as you want.

My wife's 260 with 20" barrel runs this combination right at 2700, 123's are running 2800.

 

[simplerider]

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