260 loads?

[extremesolo]

My tikka SL .260 really likes H4350 with the plain old 129 grain Hornady interlock. It has shot really well and that bullet has a reputation for performance on game as well. It doesn't hurt that it is also one of the cheapest 6.5 bullets available. For me it is a great combo.

 

[BrentM]

There needs to be a discussion about powder charge and cases. Every book uses a certain set of components. Some use x brass, x primer, etc and others use y.

It is generally not a good idea to mix brass, especially when working close to book max. You should start a couple grains under max and work up loads in either .2-.3 or .5 grain increments to the point of finding max charge. This needs to be done for each component selection. Some brass is much thicker and needs to run 1-2 grains lower to produce similar psi/fps.

Having said that, I would suggest you pick a method to get a good load worked up that is safe. If you wish to load to mag length then run a powder charge test. If you wish top play with seating depth then you can do that first and then run a powder charge test. In the end you should have a decent tuned load for the rifle.

 

[WV338]

My 260 loves 139 gr Scenar 45.5 gr H-4831sc 2740 fps OAL 2.842".

 

[Quintus]

Curses I know, but SUperform and IMR 4350 (yeah not temp stable, I've heard)with 120 to 135s is good stuff. The Superform has been amazing with 125 partitions, and 130 Gamekings, Gamechangers, Accubonds, and VLDHunts from multiple rifles. I have been using Remington brass and WLR primers. I am sure I can't win matches with this stuff, but I know I can turn prairie dogs inside-out past 400 yards with astonishing regularity.

 

[Ronald W Schaefer]

I load for my .260 Rem in a Sako 85 Grey Wolf with 22" barrel (actually 55 CM). I have found it likes the 140+ gr bullets best with a strong preference for 142 gr Nosler Accubond LR. I use 44 gr RL-19 and get about 2820 with ES of 56 and SD of 14. Normally about .7 MOA. If you want to use the factory brass I suggest FL resizing the first time and trimming the case neck to the book "trim to" length, chamfer and deburr, then you wont have to do that again until about the 5th reload. That said, I'd prolly dump the factory brass and spend a dime on some new Lapua brass-getting lazy as I've become a gentleman of a certain age! Since its a hunting rig I just seat the bullet to max magazine length and call it a day. FYI, I also load for my son and friend's 6.5 CM and they both like the heavier bullets and RL-19 powder as well but clock in at about 2700 vs the 2820 I get with the .260.--41.5 grs RL-19 vs 44.0 in the .260 Rem. One rifle prefers the 142 gr NABLR and the other the Hornady 143 ELD-X. I usually try several bullets with a powder that give the max velocity with about a 92% loading density, then refine the other components using the bullet that shoots best. That technique seems to shorten the work up process.

 

[John Klingenberg]

Sierra tipped game king (the new one with a green tip and thicker jacket, TMK or game changer. Im not sure what Sierra finally settled on for a name) behind 4831SC. 4831 is a go to in my 260. Accubond is also a great bullet. Most of the savages should give you great accuracy. If youre getting 3/4 inch groups you cant ask for a whole lot more out of a production lower priced rifle IMHO. I do love my Savages.

 

[Chino Tom]

I have a Tikka 260 Rem 22" barrel. This rifle likes 143 gr ELD-X's. 45.5 gr of RL22
with Rem 9 1/2 LR primers. Lapua brass, result in a MV of 2700. It's .5 to .7 MOA
at 100 yds. The Muley in my avatar was taken with this rifle at 250 yards. Deer spun around and dropped.

 

[wv270wsm]

I'd second or third or whatever it is now on the 130 accubonds. We use a mild load of imr 4350 in my sons savage model 16 . I honestly could not tell you how many deer he's piled up with that thing . I've shot two with it myself .
When I first got it for him we were shooting the 120 ballistic tips . They shot great but that's the absolute most meat damage I've ever seen . It could be two inches behind the shoulder centered vertically and still blood shot both front shoulders and back straps horrible
The 130 accubonds seem to be a very good balance of speed and a little stouter construction in my opinion

 

[ronstone09]

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.

I use a 260 for my 600 yd competition at my gun club and I use the following 140 gr. Vld target bullets , 42 6 grains of h4350, I use federal gm210m primers , I use lapua brass and seat the bullet in the lands ! Today I shot a 3 shot one hole group at 100yds that measured 1/8 inch

 

[bearcat2]

Sierra tipped game king (the new one with a green tip and thicker jacket, TMK or game changer. Im not sure what Sierra finally settled on for a name) behind 4831SC. 4831 is a go to in my 260. Accubond is also a great bullet. Most of the savages should give you great accuracy. If youre getting 3/4 inch groups you cant ask for a whole lot more out of a production lower priced rifle IMHO. I do love my Savages.

I'll be happy with 3/4" groups if I can get them with a good hunting bullet. It isn't a match rifle or a custom long range rig after all. To be honest the wife will probably never shoot past 300 with it and unless I decide to coyote hunt with it two or three times that size groups would suffice. But I've had two guns that had a particular bullet they didn't like (actually three, two 270 which hated 140 SSTs and a 218 Improved that hated one bullet I fed it) otherwise unless I did something stupid like load a bullet the rifling wouldn't stabilize I've always had my reloads outshoot factory loads. And I'm a bit of a perfectionist, I like to make a gun perform to the best of its abilities, however good those abilities are.

 

[John Klingenberg]

You reminded me to kick myself in the behind for selling a 218 mashburn in a trim little Australian single shot action

 

[skipglo]

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?

I would also recommend 143 Hornady ELDX..H4350

 

[Huntnaz]

I also use 143 eldx and 42 gr. H4350 my gun shoots .5s all day

 

[Swinehunt74]

First custom build was 6.5/08, which is now standardized to 260. 30 plus yrs with this love affair, shooting multitude of various loads, hunting and match. For hunting with 260 using 130 Accubond or 130 Sierra Game changer, both in front of 44-47 grs H4831,or equally accurate with 43grs IMR 4831. Seat the Accubond to 2.775, and Game changer to 2.800. Both loads shoot out of factory chambers and Match. Best all around 6.5 bullet out. From 6.5 Grendel to 264 Mag, lights out.