260 loads?

[bearcat2]

Bought a 260 a while back, mainly for the wife to use. It is just a cheap Savage model 11 in left hand (both the wife and I are left handed) but a nice handling light little rifle to pack and has very minimal recoil. I don't expect match accuracy out of this gun, but I bought a couple boxes of Federal 140 match factory ammo and couple boxes Nosler factory ammo loaded with 120 ballistic tips when I got it because they didn't have any brass in the store and I wanted something to shoot right away. Both of those will shoot 3/4" groups and to the same point of aim at 100 yards. I did notice that about every third or fourth Nosler chambered stiffly which I am assuming is the brass, because they certainly aren't hitting the lands with those short 120s. Kind of surprised me because I assumed Nosler would be good quality brass.

Went to work up some loads today. I worked up several loads with 130 Swift Scirroco and H4350 (which everybody I read swears is the cat's meow for 260 or 6.5 CM) 41.5 and 42 grain loads were shooting 1.25" and 1.35" groups (3 shot) at 100 yards, respectively. When I went up from there the groups opened up over 2", but started to close back up above 43 gr. 43.8 gave me a 1.11" group but I had been seperating brass by brand (also have some Remington brass now) and the Federal brass was starting to show a little flattening of primers but no cratering at all, somehow I got a Nosler brass mixed in and that blew the primer plumb out. (Still no cratering, makes me wonder about the quality of Nosler brass which I've never used before. All brass is once fired and full length resized). With that result I really don't want to load that hot unless I do a lot of checking for pressure and stick with Federal brass. The groups just weren't justifying that. So then I loaded up a couple loads with 129 grain Hornady Interbonds. 42 and 42.5 grains of H4350, didn't even bother to walk out to the target and measure those groups, both looked about 3" through the scope. By then it was getting dark so I didn't do any more tonight. Another interesting thing was the Scirroco's were grouping 3-4" high compared to both factory loads, while the Interbonds seemed about evenly spaced around the bull.

Oh the Scirroco's were loaded to 2.80 OAL while the Interbonds were loaded to crimp in the cannelure groove. I don't have a gauge to check the distance to my lands but the Scirroco's at 2.85 I could feel touch them when I went to close the bolt a hairs breath, so I backed them off to 2.80 (my magazine will fit them nicely at 2.95 OAL).

Anybody else shoot one of these cheap Savage's or a similar rifle and can they tell me what they have had luck with for hunting loads? I really want to use the Scirroco's on game for performance but had heard they could be finicky to load. The Interbonds are also supposed to be a good big game bullet, but I have tried to load Hornady SST's in my 270 in the past and could never get good accuracy out of them (I also was supremely unimpressed with there performance both out of my rifle and several clients I have guided who used them, I would say 80% plus of them I have seen used shed their jacket and came apart, while I killed one elk with them and have seen some others killed with them I would never recommend them for elk after my experiences) so I wasn't totally shocked but was certainly hoping for better. I know the gun will shoot decent, just the two cheapest factory ammo's on the shelf both shot 3/4 MOA but I'm looking for a good hunting load, one the wife can use for whitetail, mule deer and possibly elk at moderate ranges, so I'm looking for accuracy with a quality bullet (preferably that won't break the bank). Anybody else shoot the Scirroco's and get decent accuracy? Is there another powder I should try?

 

[bearcat2]

Sorry for the novel, was trying to add all info that might be pertinent

 

[shooter7]

My gun likes the 143 ELD-x with a 42.4gr charge of H4350. I seat them to allow .010 clearance in the mag OAL 2.840". Of I recall, this is about a .065" jump to the lands.

I like Nosler brass and its proven to be consistent for me but my most recent batch of .260 Rem brass is from Starline.

Without neck turning or deburring flash holes I can get ES in the teens and SD in single digits over a 10 shot string.

I also use CCI 200 primers. Haven't felt the need to try anything different.


Unfortunately, my rifle is not a savage and wears a Krieger barrel, so this might all be irrelevant. Also, please note that I get ejector marks at 42.7gr so this is a pretty spicy load.

Another load that works pretty good for me is the Berger 130 HVLD with 41.0gr H4350 loaded to mag length.

 

[Schnyd112]

Check the barrel twist first. Depending on how old it is, .260 may be a 9 twist that won't stabilize the longer bullets. mostly just excludes the 140gr+, low drag bullets though.

I would try the 130 accubonds over of h4831sc starting at 44 g for a hunting load. 4350 will probably give you better speed but I haven't used it much in .260.

 

[Epirate43]

I have two different 260s that I load for. The hunting version shoots 130 Berger vlds with 43.7 grains of H4350, lapua brass, Fed 210m primers. Velocity is 2970 and shoots bug holes. I have a second load for this same gun using 124 grain hammer hunters. Same reloading components only using 43.8 grains of powder. Shoots as good as my Berger load does. My match gun shoots the 130 OTM Bergers with 43.5 grains of H4350. That bullet will shoot anywhere u seat it from .010 - .080 off the lands. Last thing I will add is neither of these guns are savage rifles.

 

[scottishkat]

I have been shooting the 260 Rem since 2000 and have owned 5 of them. Sorry none of them were Savages. H4831SC has been more accurate in most cases velocity pretty much the same. I've tried 130's in most of them as I read what Ken Waters and Jim Carmichael had to say. The first time I shot the 140NAB with H4831SC was an ahah moment for me and 120's have been great too. H414 and Win 760 are really good choices as well.

I have hundreds of targets and mostly use Rem 9.5 or Fed 210M primers. 9.5's I would say have a slight accuracy edge. For deer I have been using the 120TSX for 3 years and have probably harvested 20 or more deer with them including 11 in a row DRT. Just hit em behind the shoulder and see what happens.

I might be concerned about shooting an animal that weighed over 300 pounds with the 120 TSX but its going to make 2 holes so hit em in the right spot and you wont have to look to hard.

Good luck and shoot straight y'all

 

[26Reload]

The ex has a ruger compact 260..16" factory barrel..shoots 130ab really well...she has shot out her own holes at 100yds....and wipes out clay pigeon at 300....also wiped out an elk at 75yds couple years ago...
Dont have the load info....but can way factory loads were up to par in any weight....
130 seems the magical number in her 260.....

 

[MarkA]

Scirroco can be very hard to tune in about any cartridge. Never got the accuracy in .260 with them or Interbonds. The 130 Accubonds will shoot very nicely in most guns. I was loading 42.5 grains of H4350, but I found the key was to start lower and chrono speeds as I worked up to speed at 2,850 fps. That has worked in several 260's I helped load for. Depending on powder lot # you can reach that speed as low 41 grains and high as 43 has been my experience.

Try with OAL at 2.750

 

[bearcat2]

Thank y'all. I worked a 20 hr day yesterday and 10 today, so not feeling up to doing much but napping right now did just clean the rifle and will try a couple loads at different OAL and maybe also see if it will shoot the cheap target bullets I got to plink with it. Probably not until tomorrow or Friday though. Unfortunately I dont have any of the other powders normally loaded in the 260 on hand (have enough re17 for maybe two rounds) but I may just need to pick up some other bullets next time I make it to town. Unfortunately I don't own any other 6.5s so I don't have a bunch of choices on hand.

 

[mike33]

Nosler 100 grain Bt.

 

[keithcandler]

Throw the nosler and federal brass in the trash, it is soft. Get some Lapua 243 and neck up or 7/08 brass and neck down(not the best option as it often leades to neck turning). Palma 308 brass is hard to kill, will take the upper end accuracy nodes in spades...neck turning is part of this plan.

We used R#26, long drop tube, with 140g nosler ballistic tip-143g eld x bullets with some serious speed at the accuracy node. With H4350, 130g Accubond, 140g Sierra BTSP are super easy to tune along with the Barnes 127g Long range(jump .050 from the lands).

R#17 fire cracks a barrel quick, so eyes wide open.

 

[aushunter1]

What works in one rifle wont nessacarily work in another so people providing load data to me is a waste of time.
Powder choice & component choice yes.

I have never done any reloading using OAL, I have always used a comparator & always know how far off the lands I am.

Like everyone I have my process, always starting 10 thou off the lands then when finding the best charge start changing my CBTO forward to 5 thou & back to 15/20/25 thou if nessacary.

Probably why your primers started to show signs of flattening is because the max load for H4350 is 42.7gr, if your loading 43.8 then your 1.1gr over max.
Not saying you cant shoot over max if you know what your doing but there's your reason.

Anyway its rare but when I have gone through my process & Im not happy but really want to use a projectile then I change powders & go through the process all over again.

For me in my rifle H4350 works well with 130gr projectiles while with 140's work better with H4831sc.

Also people tend to think it might be a load problem but what about say action torque?

Do you know what torque you are running?

 

[bearcat2]

No I have no idea what torque I am running. I know my Lee data says a max of 42.7 for H4350 (all my other reloading books are old enough they either don't have 260 in them or the few that do don't list Hodgon powders. However almost every single load I seen on the internet was 43-45.5 grains of H4350 for 130 projectile. I don't usually go over listed maxes when working up loads, but started at 41 and started working my way up watching for pressure signs, because I knew I was pushing up against the edge, but that seemed to be where everyone was running their best loads. I'm generally a fairly careful reloader (there are a couple guys I know who I would NEVER shoot any rounds they had reloaded. Some guys just always have to push the envelope, or one old guy in particular used to sit around and drink vodka while reloading, I've seen some of those loads that you could literally see the bullet leave the barrel while the next might take half the brass down the barrel with it) and watch for pressure signs, I've never blown a primer before, that one surprised me.

I'll play with the Scirrocos a little more but I'll probably just have to switch to a different bullet.

 

[bearcat2]

I shoot Berger VLDs in my STW because they are so deadly accurate (>3" groups at 800 when I do my part) but have never been really impressed with their performance on game, they tend to fragment at closer ranges or on bone. So with a gun that I consider on the bottom end for elk I wanted a bullet I was more confident in. Especially considering the wife is newbie hunter, would hate to have her have a bad experience.