.260 Remington

hodaka · August 20, 2008, 06:14 PM

I just started working on this round. I started by using Lapua .308 brass with XMR 4350 and 120 and 142 Sierra's. I'm loading a Remington 700 VLS which has a long throat. I've been seating them 0.05 off of the lands. Are any of you experienced in this round? The Sierra's are okay, but I'm not getting much under an inch yet. I've got some 120 Hornady's to try next. Is 4064 a better powder? Any others? Thanks.

**Unclenick** · August 20, 2008, 10:28 PM

The 4350's should be a good powders with this round, but you would need be running it up near case capacity at SAAMI max COL to get to a good burning pressure, so with the bullet seated out longer and making a little extra powder space, you may find you are exceeding published maximum loads to get good performance from it. If you try to load 4350 down to find a slower-than-maximum load sweet spot, it won't burn very efficiently. If you want to explore accuracy loads that are below maximum, to get good ignition and burning efficiency you might try Varget or even good old IMR4895.

As to seating depth, you should shoot different seating depths looking for best accuracy. 0.020" to 0.030" is the most commonly reported best accuracy range, but try starting 0.010" off the lands using a starting load of powder, and move back in 0.005" increments until you get the smallest group. Then start working the powder charge up to get best accuracy.

hodaka · August 23, 2008, 03:13 PM

Today I learned that IMR 4064 and 142 Sierra's do not go well together in this rifle. Not as good as the 4350. By luck, however, I stumbled onto something that may. I had a piece of a box of 120 gr. Amax bullets. I loaded up 5 of each nickel Winchester hulls with 43 and 44 grains of 4064. This was more of an effort to fire form than anything else. The 5 rounds with 43gr were pretty good, but the 5 with 44 grains put 4 into the same hole and the 5th was about 1/8th of an inch from touching. This was at 100 yds. Yahoo! Tomorrow I will learn if this is reproducible.

kenjs1 · August 26, 2008, 08:38 AM

Good job Hodka. It is the easiest cartridge I load. I use 140 Sierra gamekings and IMR 4831sc. I was frustrated at first but after changing the factory stock out it is ridiculously accurate over various powders and even factory loads. Mine is a Browning Stalker. If you haven't shot a deer yet those 140 Gamekings hit like nothnig else I have ever seen. Just remarkable. Don't you love this round!!!

WCW · August 26, 2008, 05:41 PM

I really like the .260 Remington, and my experience is that is performs best at max or near max loads. My Rem 700 is really just a hunting rig, but it will shoot well under an inch with the right loads in this caliber. I have several loads using Accurate 4350 that shoot excellent groups with bare bones Hornady and Speer bullets.

Another powder you might try is H4831. I use the SC stuff to get a little more in the small case without too much 'crunching' going on during the bullet seating. I also have discovered a couple good shooting combinations with H414 powder too. I have yet to try Varget but I have heard some good things about it as well. A lot of shooters have discovered the high ballistic coefficients this cartridge offers and are using it in 1000 yard competitions, and I can tell you that most good quality 140 grain bullets and H4831 makes for a fine silhouette round. Good luck with your load development.

August 20, 2008, 06:14 PM	#1
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	.260 Remington I just started working on this round. I started by using Lapua .308 brass with XMR 4350 and 120 and 142 Sierra's. I'm loading a Remington 700 VLS which has a long throat. I've been seating them 0.05 off of the lands. Are any of you experienced in this round? The Sierra's are okay, but I'm not getting much under an inch yet. I've got some 120 Hornady's to try next. Is 4064 a better powder? Any others? Thanks.

August 20, 2008, 10:28 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,057	The 4350's should be a good powders with this round, but you would need be running it up near case capacity at SAAMI max COL to get to a good burning pressure, so with the bullet seated out longer and making a little extra powder space, you may find you are exceeding published maximum loads to get good performance from it. If you try to load 4350 down to find a slower-than-maximum load sweet spot, it won't burn very efficiently. If you want to explore accuracy loads that are below maximum, to get good ignition and burning efficiency you might try Varget or even good old IMR4895. As to seating depth, you should shoot different seating depths looking for best accuracy. 0.020" to 0.030" is the most commonly reported best accuracy range, but try starting 0.010" off the lands using a starting load of powder, and move back in 0.005" increments until you get the smallest group. Then start working the powder charge up to get best accuracy. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

August 23, 2008, 03:13 PM	#3
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	update Today I learned that IMR 4064 and 142 Sierra's do not go well together in this rifle. Not as good as the 4350. By luck, however, I stumbled onto something that may. I had a piece of a box of 120 gr. Amax bullets. I loaded up 5 of each nickel Winchester hulls with 43 and 44 grains of 4064. This was more of an effort to fire form than anything else. The 5 rounds with 43gr were pretty good, but the 5 with 44 grains put 4 into the same hole and the 5th was about 1/8th of an inch from touching. This was at 100 yds. Yahoo! Tomorrow I will learn if this is reproducible.

August 26, 2008, 08:38 AM	#4
kenjs1 Senior Member Join Date: July 10, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 129	Good job Hodka. It is the easiest cartridge I load. I use 140 Sierra gamekings and IMR 4831sc. I was frustrated at first but after changing the factory stock out it is ridiculously accurate over various powders and even factory loads. Mine is a Browning Stalker. If you haven't shot a deer yet those 140 Gamekings hit like nothnig else I have ever seen. Just remarkable. Don't you love this round!!! Last edited by kenjs1; August 26, 2008 at 09:55 PM.

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August 26, 2008, 05:41 PM	#5
WCW Senior Member Join Date: March 6, 2007 Posts: 132	I really like the .260 Remington, and my experience is that is performs best at max or near max loads. My Rem 700 is really just a hunting rig, but it will shoot well under an inch with the right loads in this caliber. I have several loads using Accurate 4350 that shoot excellent groups with bare bones Hornady and Speer bullets. Another powder you might try is H4831. I use the SC stuff to get a little more in the small case without too much 'crunching' going on during the bullet seating. I also have discovered a couple good shooting combinations with H414 powder too. I have yet to try Varget but I have heard some good things about it as well. A lot of shooters have discovered the high ballistic coefficients this cartridge offers and are using it in 1000 yard competitions, and I can tell you that most good quality 140 grain bullets and H4831 makes for a fine silhouette round. Good luck with your load development.