260 Remington fans

[Sagesniffer]

Hello, I've been reloading the 260 Remington for awhile now. I'm shooting a Savage model 11 with the 22" barrel.
Currently my hunting load is the 140gr Nosler Accubond with 45gr IMR7828. Winchester brass and a CCI Primer.
I'm averaging 1.25" 3 shot groups at 100 yards. My average velocity is 2720.
I'm happy with this load and I've already taken a few head of game with it. It worked great, but being a reloader I really want to try and get a little faster with the 140's.
Does anybody out there shoot a 260 with a 22" tube? What kind of velocities are you getting? Any advice on maybe a different powder?
Thanks for any insight.

 

[1_pointer]

I'm a fan of the 260 Rem as well and it'll be getting the lion's share of hunting duty for me for a long time. While I can't help you with load data as I don't have a chronograph, but I was happy with the loads I cooked up with H4350 and the 139gr Scenar. I was about at your speed though. Due to a remodel, this past year I've been using factory ammo. Both the 136gr Lapua and 130gr OTM ammo from Berger shoots great in my light 260 and hope to see what it does shortly in the heavy 260.

 

[fachries]

I'm a fan of the 260 Rem as well and it'll be getting the lion's share of hunting duty for me for a long time. While I can't help you with load data as I don't have a chronograph, but I was happy with the loads I cooked up with H4350 and the 139gr Scenar. I was about at your speed though. Due to a remodel, this past year I've been using factory ammo. Both the 136gr Lapua and 130gr OTM ammo from Berger shoots great in my light 260 and hope to see what it does shortly in the heavy 260.

+1

 

[Dougfirtree]

Hello, I've been reloading the 260 Remington for awhile now. I'm shooting a Savage model 11 with the 22" barrel.
Currently my hunting load is the 140gr Nosler Accubond with 45gr IMR7828. Winchester brass and a CCI Primer.
I'm averaging 1.25" 3 shot groups at 100 yards. My average velocity is 2720.
I'm happy with this load and I've already taken a few head of game with it. It worked great, but being a reloader I really want to try and get a little faster with the 140's.
Does anybody out there shoot a 260 with a 22" tube? What kind of velocities are you getting? Any advice on maybe a different powder?
Thanks for any insight.

I'm guessing that some of the powders that can give high velocities for the 7mm-08 would be worth looking at. I'm thinking of RL 17, Big Game, etc. I'm guessing you won't add a ton to that velocity though. I'd be surprised if you could get up to 2800fps.

 

[TN2shot07]

I’m excited to hunt with mine this year, picked it up after season and made a few tweaks. I’ve also only ran factory through it, but thinking those 140 accubonds will be bad news on whitetails!

 

[ccc23454]

My 260 is in a AR10, while 140s shot well i had to reduce to the 129s to allow me to tinker with COL (mag length)more and also pick up some speed. Very happy with results! H4350 and 7828 have been goto powders

 

[Sagesniffer]

I'm guessing that some of the powders that can give high velocities for the 7mm-08 would be worth looking at. I'm thinking of RL 17, Big Game, etc. I'm guessing you won't add a ton to that velocity though. I'd be surprised if you could get up to 2800fps.

Thanks guys. I wondering if faster is even possible? I would be very happy with 2800.

 

[Sagesniffer]

My 260 is in a AR10, while 140s shot well i had to reduce to the 129s to allow me to tinker with COL (mag length)more and also pick up some speed. Very happy with results! H4350 and 7828 have been goto powders

So what kind of speed do you get with the 129's ? What is you barrel lengh on the AR10?
Also, who makes an AR10 in 260? That would be awesome!

 

[ccc23454]

So what kind of speed do you get with the 129's ? What is you barrel lengh on the AR10?
Also, who makes an AR10 in 260? That would be awesome!

Its a dpms lr308, great rifle:20" barrel, 42.2 h4350 shots 129ablr 2680 with lapua brass SUPER accurate. Not fastest load but very reliable feed, accurate and consistant. Added bonus is for yotes and plinking i just use same load (or 129sst) over resized 7mm08 or 243 brass so if i loose cases i dont care (i am cheap!) But my point was 140s are great but dont be afraid try other bullets and speed isnt everything, if it was you wouldn't be shooting a 260...

 

[p_ham]

I've done some reading lately on the Ackley 40 degree, and people are using RL26 under 147 ELDM and getting around 3000fps out of 26"+ barrels. I don't know how well that would transfer to your chamber, and you probably have to use a drop tube.

With a 22" barrel and a standard chamber you're already over what you should be getting according to Hodgdon. They list 2755 out of a 24" barrel with IMR7828.

 

[std7mag]

1.25" at 100 yards with a Savage 11 in 260 Rem?
I'd be tweaking my load!!
Changing my seating depth, tuning my action!
All or something!
If i couldn't get that down to 0.75" for 5 shots at 100 yards, it would be going on Gunbroker!

Check out BcGunworks post on his 6.5-284. Your 260 Rem should be capable of almost as good accuracy!

 

[tom338]

I agree with std7mag. I know you think thats a good group....its not. Sorry but thats how I feel. If it won't shoot at least .75 or better down the road or I put a new barrel on it.

 

[TN2shot07]

Just curious, for strictly hunting purposes at reasonable ranges (for me <300) why wouldn’t that group be fine if it’s consistent? I do understand the room for improvement, especially with hand loads but wouldn’t hesitate to carry that in the field. I hunted with slugs for a couple years and that would have been an amazing group out of my 870. Also understand if you guys are just coming from a precision shooting idea?

 

[sbhooper]

7828 is definitely not the best powder for that cartridge. The velocity is fine but you should get better accuracy than that. H4350, IMR 4350, Reloder 26, IMR 4831, Reloder 16, IMR4451 and Reloder 17 are better options. I load Hornady 129 Interlocks at 2950 fps, over a near max load of Reloder 17. This is a half-moa load. I have shot at least 50 deer with this load doing depredation work, plus some regular season deer and antelope.

I really like both of my .260s, but save the 140+ grain bullets for my Creeds, as they handle them better in a standard magazine. It is hard to beat the 130-class of bullets in the .260. If you want to stay with the Partition, I would drop back to the 125 and up the velocity. It will do everything that you need.

 

[Sagesniffer]

Just curious, for strictly hunting purposes at reasonable ranges (for me <300) why wouldn’t that group be fine if it’s consistent? I do understand the room for improvement, especially with hand loads but wouldn’t hesitate to carry that in the field. I hunted with slugs for a couple years and that would have been an amazing group out of my 870. Also understand if you guys are just coming from a precision shooting idea?

I agree, for me, this is an acceptable hunting group. For long range target shooting of coarse not.
I probobaly should spend more time to find a better bullet / powder combo.

 

[Sagesniffer]

7828 is definitely not the best powder for that cartridge. The velocity is fine but you should get better accuracy than that. H4350, IMR 4350, Reloder 26, IMR 4831, Reloder 16, IMR4451 and Reloder 17 are better options. I load Hornady 129 Interlocks at 2950 fps, over a near max load of Reloder 17. This is a half-moa load. I have shot at least 50 deer with this load doing depredation work, plus some regular season deer and antelope.

I really like both of my .260s, but save the 140+ grain bullets for my Creeds, as they handle them better in a standard magazine. It is hard to beat the 130-class of bullets in the .260. If you want to stay with the Partition, I would drop back to the 125 and up the velocity. It will do everything that you need.

Thank you for the powder suggestions. I like the idea of trying the 130gr pills. I might give that a try.

 

[1_pointer]

Just curious, for strictly hunting purposes at reasonable ranges (for me <300) why wouldn’t that group be fine if it’s consistent? I do understand the room for improvement, especially with hand loads but wouldn’t hesitate to carry that in the field. I hunted with slugs for a couple years and that would have been an amazing group out of my 870. Also understand if you guys are just coming from a precision shooting idea?

It's more than fine for that distance and even more. If I were the OP, I'd maybe try another powder or two or tinker just a bit with seating depth and if it's not bedded would consider it. I'd gladly hunt, and have a lot, with that level of accuracy.

There's not much at all left for velocity, IMO, with a 260 and 140gr bullets. 100fps and I think he'd be lucky to get that, isn't going to matter.

 

[tom338]

What is your group at 200 yards? Are you ever going to take a shot at 300 yards? What kind of a group do you get then? Remember you are shooting a Rifle not a shotgun. Yes with a shotgun that would be a very good group. You are not shooting a shotgun. Half the fun of reloading is finding out you can shrink your groups with some tweaking. I would think you could shrink that group in half with different powder and seating depths. Maybe not but for my hunting situations that group is not good enough. But my shots are also long in the open country

 

[sbhooper]

Thank you for the powder suggestions. I like the idea of trying the 130gr pills. I might give that a try.

Just to give you a little perspective on the .260, the load that I use, is virtually the same velocity as the Hornady American Whitetail, 130-grain factory load for my .270.

 

[Hunter0925]

Rl26 will give you speed no doubt. You very well may be knocking on 2900fps. For right now I have settled with h4350 and a 130 accubond but am going to play with the 135 berger tomorrow.