.260REM COAL question

[JayboNZ]

I got some Sierra 130gr Gamekings to use in my .260REM as both a target projectile for shooting at the local range and as a hunting projectile for fallow deer hoping to get a single load for both purposes.

I tried loading some towards the max COAL (aiming for 2.78 inches) and found them very hard to chamber in my Savage 16. I had to seat the projectile back to a COAL of 2.7 inches to get them to chamber easily and not jamming into the rifling.

I'm struggling to figure out if this is because of the shape of this particular projectile (not a long tapered projectile compared to a MatchKing) or is the chamber in my rifle possible not cut correctly?

Anyone have some experience using these projectiles in .260REM?

 

[Coolhand]

Jaybo , I shoot the 120 Pro Hunters for Fallow/ Reds in my .260, I have never bothered to worry about what the manuals say about COAL, I seat mine so they feed in the mag and they shoot , bloody well mate. Try seating them so you get good mag feed and see what they group like.
I have no doubt the 130's will shoot fine & I have no idea how much jump the 120's have in my chamber.


Mike.

 

[Brians356]

JayboNZ,

Are you measuring the COAL literally, i.e. to the tip of the bullet? Or are you using a 0.400" bushing to measure to the datum line on the bullet ogive (also erroneously sometimes referred to as COAL, e.g. Hornady's "Lock-N-Load OAL Gauge".)

 

[JayboNZ]

JayboNZ,

Are you measuring the COAL literally, i.e. to the tip of the bullet? Or are you using a 0.400" bushing to measure to the datum line on the bullet ogive (also erroneously sometimes referred to as COAL, e.g. Hornady's "Lock-N-Load OAL Gauge".)

I am measuring it literally, from tip of bullet to base of case.

 

[Sniper338]

Forget about what the data book says on the COAL.... you need to measure your seating depth then find out where to go from there....

1. Measure your seating depth in your chamber
2. Test several different seating depth around that measurement
3. Hopefully the seating depth the rifle likes fits in the mag... if not you will either be single shot or need to find a shorter bullet.
4. Forget about what the books say for seating depth... every gun is different about what it likes. The rifle will tell you..

 

[Brians356]

Forget about what the data book says on the COAL.... you need to measure your seating depth then find out where to go from there....

But you must agree it's odd that a production gun would be chambered far too short in the leade to accept a round (and not a VLD bullet) which is < SAAMI Max COAL 2.800". Anything < Max COAL should fit in the magazine, and not jam the bullet when chambered. No?

 

[loneranger04]

from what I have read and experienced with Savage barrels they tend to have short throats. That's a plus if you want to be close to the rifling but it isn't if you're using factory ammo in a hunting rifle. Too easy to pull the bullet out of the case when ejecting a live round. If you're hand loading, like others have said, just seat the bullet deeper and keep shooting. If you seat the bullet in the lands then you'll need to watch for pressure. I've had pressure problems when seating the bullet deeper in the case because of less case volume, I guess.
I had one of their 12 LRPs in .260 and the chamber was tight but the throat was normal. Had to push the shoulder back after each firing. Rifle shot itty bitty groups and I sold it.

 

[rocknut]

I have recently had the same experience with a 260 rem barrel that was supposed to be throated to .160 free bore to shoot the long 140 grain bullets. When I got the barrel mounted in the Savage receiver, I took my Hornady comparator to see where the bullet needed to be seated to be near the lands. The overall length was 2.75. This length leaves me with the heel of the bullet seated deeply into the case, below the case-shoulder line. After calling both the vendor and manufacture it appears that the throat was cut so the round that has to be shorter than magazine length. To advance the bullet to above the case-shoulder line, I would have to throat the chamber some .100 of an inchforward! If you want a longer throat, you will have to have it reamed.
I had a .308 barrel before this that had the same issue. I'm thinking the manufactures plan on you having the throat reamed.

 

[JayboNZ]

Thanks for all the info guys.

I've got some 120gr Pro-Hunters on the shelf so will give those a go.

I'll keep on working within the throat length of the rifle and go from there. So far I haven't seen any pressure signs and it is shooting fine for hunting accuracy and feeding great from the mag.

Will tinker with the seating depth a bit more and see if it improves much.