Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
Nothing wrong with the 260, its a great round. I'm just a 260AI fan boy, lol! 44gr H4831 has always shot amazing for me and other across dozens of barrels and rifles.
Anyone shooting 260 Remington still ?
- Thread starter 806guns
- Start date
260AI will be my choice when I rebarrel my 260. I'd like to see what it does with those 153.5gr Berger's.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
Not to derail this thread with pics and AI info, but check my posts in the "260AI Roll Call" thread. I shoot the 153.5 in F/open and it does just fine.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
I will state one thing to watch out for with SAAMI 260 Rem chambers, the SAAMI print calls out a 3° lead angle which can be very fussy with different bullet shapes and a 1°30" lead like most target chambers would provide better results across a larger variety of bullet shapes.
Dos XX
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Berger 130 Hybrids are the easy button for .260 at mag length. They will shoot enough faster than a 140 gr to almost close the ballistic gap between them. This at mag length. They also are easy to tune and very jump tolerant. I have shot them out 1400 yards with very good accuracy.
ELR LVR
Silver $$ Contributor
Just curious,
How do you like the .284 compared to the 6.5x284?
Accuracy wise
Recoil Wise
The new Lapua 144 Max range should be on your radar. I've not used them yet as I have still have 400 or so Berger 144 LRHT to get through, but then I'll be trying them and expecting similar results to the Bergers.
Yes, I'd forgotten about them. My Tikkas do seem to like Lapua bullets. They're significantly cheaper than Bergers here too.
I have five 260s that I built, I have a montoge of groups shot by all five with the same load. The largest group was .13 inches Shot in an Armalite AR-10t with a Lilja 1-8 barrel, the other four were .10 inches out of Rem 700s that have trued and oversized threaded actions with .250 recoil lugs and Kipplinger single set triggers, minim headspace with a base sweep at closing, Lothar Walther SS premium barrels.
The choice of bullets is critical to the 260's case capacity ratio, as is the choice of the powder. The best bullet I have found is the 120 grain SMK at 3,215 fps with a 4 SD. The best powder I have found is actually H-414, so you have really used the wrong bullets and the wrong powder to achieve the best performance.
Here is how you load for a 1200+ yard super sonic bullet that holds to
.75 inch group at 500 yards, That is an eye socket for three shots at 500 on a life size face picture. You load the 120s ..003 off the lands so the top of the boat tail is exactly at the bottom of the case neck, in 100% prepared brass, segregated by the exact same, fire formed, water case capacity. Then you use a start load for H-414 and add 1/2 grain at a time, and continue until it shoots a one hole 100 yard group. The groups will look terrible, until you hit the sweet spot, then it is instant gold. You should have a slightly cratered primer at that point.
In the AR I had to set the barrel's bore out to the mag length using a bore reamer to use the 120s.
I use a CH trimmer to square the base, then I ream the primer pocket with a CH tool to square and uniform the pockets, then trim to the same length and fire form, with a full load, then weigh the water fired brass to get the water capacity weight of each case. They are marked on the base with a dental bur.
I do not shoot in competition nor do I do social work any more, I am retired. I build for Spl Ops troops that need something special for a tool. I got out of paper shooting 50 years ago and started shooting reactive targets only.
I learned about this loading process from social worker from the hill. So is not my creation, is a pass down of knowledge from a person that spent 30 years in Africa working on assignments with a 6.5x08.
Try it, you might be surprised at the results of increasing the bullet speed to 3,200 and thus shortening the time of flight.
The choice of bullets is critical to the 260's case capacity ratio, as is the choice of the powder. The best bullet I have found is the 120 grain SMK at 3,215 fps with a 4 SD. The best powder I have found is actually H-414, so you have really used the wrong bullets and the wrong powder to achieve the best performance.
Here is how you load for a 1200+ yard super sonic bullet that holds to
.75 inch group at 500 yards, That is an eye socket for three shots at 500 on a life size face picture. You load the 120s ..003 off the lands so the top of the boat tail is exactly at the bottom of the case neck, in 100% prepared brass, segregated by the exact same, fire formed, water case capacity. Then you use a start load for H-414 and add 1/2 grain at a time, and continue until it shoots a one hole 100 yard group. The groups will look terrible, until you hit the sweet spot, then it is instant gold. You should have a slightly cratered primer at that point.
In the AR I had to set the barrel's bore out to the mag length using a bore reamer to use the 120s.
I use a CH trimmer to square the base, then I ream the primer pocket with a CH tool to square and uniform the pockets, then trim to the same length and fire form, with a full load, then weigh the water fired brass to get the water capacity weight of each case. They are marked on the base with a dental bur.
I do not shoot in competition nor do I do social work any more, I am retired. I build for Spl Ops troops that need something special for a tool. I got out of paper shooting 50 years ago and started shooting reactive targets only.
I learned about this loading process from social worker from the hill. So is not my creation, is a pass down of knowledge from a person that spent 30 years in Africa working on assignments with a 6.5x08.
Try it, you might be surprised at the results of increasing the bullet speed to 3,200 and thus shortening the time of flight.
Magnumwill
Silver $$ Contributor
Still have my JP LRP-07 in 260. Had an issue with pressure and shooting it suppressed that I think I finally solved with a new bolt. Fun gun and cartridge.
I had purchased a Mossberg Patriot in .308 for my wife and she shot her 1 and only deer with it.
On November 2023 she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, had surgery and started chemo. During this time she decided that a Remington Model in .308 was in her future. So I started the research. I found 2 but not in the greatest condition and overpriced for their condition. The third one I found was mint with a scope, but it was in .260.
I showed the pictures of the first 2 two her and said the expected NO! Then I showed the .260, and oh yeah! was the answer.
Deal was struck and it arrived along with 2 boxes of Federal ammo.
In January 2024 we went to the range and we both shot 3 rds each. Packed because it was too cold. Went out again in February, again shot 3rds each and left, too cold again.
She died 09 April 2025 never to shoot the rifle again. I want to take a deer with it next week.
It's a beautiful caliber. Brass is difficult to get but I have 100 Lapua brass.
On November 2023 she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer, had surgery and started chemo. During this time she decided that a Remington Model in .308 was in her future. So I started the research. I found 2 but not in the greatest condition and overpriced for their condition. The third one I found was mint with a scope, but it was in .260.
I showed the pictures of the first 2 two her and said the expected NO! Then I showed the .260, and oh yeah! was the answer.
Deal was struck and it arrived along with 2 boxes of Federal ammo.
In January 2024 we went to the range and we both shot 3 rds each. Packed because it was too cold. Went out again in February, again shot 3rds each and left, too cold again.
She died 09 April 2025 never to shoot the rifle again. I want to take a deer with it next week.
It's a beautiful caliber. Brass is difficult to get but I have 100 Lapua brass.
Herzo
Silver $$ Contributor
I have 3 260"s, one a stock Savage 10 and as second Savage rebarrelled with a 28" Brux They both are 1/4 MOA with Barnes 145's and H4350 or N160. The third is an AR10 that I built for CMP AtR Tactical competition -- I'm still working with it. I'm able to make 1 MOA, but struggling to get it to 1/2. I haven't had the time to work a load for it.
What twist is your Savage?
Herzo
Silver $$ Contributor
All are1:8.
I love the 284 and as long as I still shoot to a 1000+yds I will always have one. They are very accurate and I can get damn near twice the rounds out of a barrel compared to the 6.5x284. I shoot the 162ELDs in mine and or the 175SMKs depending on where I can get a good deal or whichever one shoots the best in that rifle. I have shot out to a mile with the 162s 20x40" steel target and hit it 5 out of 8 times. The only reason for my misses was due to wind calls. Recoil is not bad and if you are sensitive to it a brake really does cut it down or even a can but then the damn thing gets so long with a can. All of mine have been really easy to get to shoot too.
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ELR LVR
Silver $$ Contributor
Excellent, thank you for the info.
I already have and have owned several 6x284's for years and years
Phenomenal LR cartridge
My first venture in a straight .284 was
I did build a 284 for a friend as a light hunting rifle (Bartlein Carbon barrel / carbon fiber chassis etc )
So I already have a chamber reamer and throating reamer
And did the load development for that rifle and was very impressed with its ease of tuning
Recoil was very minimal for a 10lb rifle also which impressed me even for 183 SMK's
But double the barrel life sounds great.
BTW, for a Hornady - I really like the 162 - ELDM, I use those in my 7/08
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