Deer Hunting Load Advice 260 Rem

[VinceMule]

you may have to drop down to the 129s to get the speed you are wanting.

 

[Jester896]

I use 127gr LRX on H100V and they average 2895 in mine

5 shot group

 

[lancetkenyon]

How far is the typical max distance shot where you hunt? If 300-400 or under, that 2550fps will be plenty.

I wouldn't go any more over 44gr H4350 with a 142, actually I wouldn't go much over 43.0 if it were me. You have got to be at max.
You might want to go get about 100+ rounds down the barrel and get it broken in. You should expect about 100fps speed up from new to 100+ rounds down the barrel. Also, 2850 in a 26" will be about 2700 in a 20". You are asking an awful lot out of a 20" pushing a 142 @ 2800. Try RL26 if you are trying to wring out max velocity.

Looking at your numbers, .4-.6gr of additional powder are not going to get you 200-250fps more anyway.

 

[Hydra6]

As pointed out on another forum you posted this question - 1) Tikka barrels known to be slow and 2) the 20 inch barrel loses velocity over the 24 or 26 inch barrels.

You might try Winchester STABALL 65 - it seems to be a H4350 alternative and seems to provide more velocity. (I bought STABALL65 back when H4350 was unobtainable and used STABALL 65 in 260 and 65CM).

If you are deer hunting, the 142 ABLRs are specifically designed to provide terminal performance at lower impact velocity. Let the ABLR do its thing. Maybe switch to the 129ABLRs if you want more speed.

I have a Tikka 260 CTR 20 inch also and it shoots great and I accept the slower velocity for the tradeoff in barrel length.

 

[WA Coyote]

Tikkas aren't necessarily "slow", they simply tend to have longer throats and less aggressive lead angles which don't build pressure as quickly. This also means they can typically take a little more powder to achieve "book" velocities. The 129 ABLR would be a better choice than the 142s, but I've found that entire line of bullets rather difficult to achieve either the velocity or accuracy delivered by other bullet lines of similar weight and form.

On the 20" CTR + 127 LRX:

We killed a several deer and antelope, a handful of coyotes and four or five elk with the 127 LRX out of the 20" CTR. I don't recall seeing a single one of those animals taking more than a couple steps after bullet impact, and I never had one fail to exit. I distinctly remember one cow elk at over 500, that little bullet went through a solid 4' of elk and exited… and the elk bounced it went down so fast. Initially I loaded them for the kids to hunt elk with, but they turned out to be excellent killers on everything so we just kept shooting them.

IIRC, we were running the 127 LRX right around 2800 with 45(ish) grains of 4350. They were not the most accurate bullet in that rifle, delivering groups in the 1" range.

If you're chasing the velocity dragon, then a 20" gun ain't the way to go… that's just physics. As Lance said, it'll speed up a little after 100ish rounds, but I think I only got about 50-75 fps once the barrel "broke in".

If you're looking for a good combination of BC, Velocity, and killing performance out of the 20" CTR, then the Berger 130 HVLD or OTM is probably your huckleberry.

The 130 Accubond was another reliable killer, was easy to work with, and shot in the 2850 range. Kids killed a couple antelope and one deer with them before I moved to the LRX.

 

[Beluebow]

In my old 26" .260 Rem, I ran 140 VLDs.
Lapua LRP brass
CCI BR2
42.5gr H4350
140 HVLD
2850fps

Sounds about right Lance, especially in a 26" gun.

Looked back through the notes written on my bench and it was indeed 42.5 grains of 4350 behind a 139 Scenar for 2765 in the 20" CTR.

I also had a 22" Rock barreled .260 that ran 140 Amax at 2825, 42.5 grains of 4350 in that one too (all loads also in Lapua LRP brass).

Mine was almost identical to both of these....
Bart 26" 8 twist
Lapua LRP
CCI BR2
H4350 42.3gr
Berger 140hybrid
SMK 142gr....42.0 H4350
2800-2820ish

 

[lacajun]

How far is the typical max distance shot where you hunt? If 300-400 or under, that 2550fps will be plenty.

I wouldn't go any more over 44gr H4350 with a 142, actually I wouldn't go much over 43.0 if it were me. You have got to be at max.
You might want to go get about 100+ rounds down the barrel and get it broken in. You should expect about 100fps speed up from new to 100+ rounds down the barrel. Also, 2850 in a 26" will be about 2700 in a 20". You are asking an awful lot out of a 20" pushing a 142 @ 2800. Try RL26 if you are trying to wring out max velocity.

Looking at your numbers, .4-.6gr of additional powder are not going to get you 200-250fps more anyway.

Yeah I figured the 20 in barrel had me hand cuffed. I shot 3 rounds loaded with 43.3/ H4350 with not even an ejector mark. I'm gonna bump it .2 to 43,5 and just roll with it as long as there are no pressure signs. Based on what Ive seen so far that should get me to 2600ish......my longest shot is 400 yards but typically 300 or less.

 

[VinceMule]

you may want to try Lapua 260 brass or Alpha small primer brass, find what is pressure for your rifle, not what a book says. The front end on those LRAB are soft and will give very reliable expansion at a lower velocity, and so would all the Bergers.

Remember, less velocity is just a few more clicks on the scope knob.

 

[Jester896]

there is about a 70 or 80 fps difference between my 26" and 20" .308

 

[lacajun]

you may want to try Lapua 260 brass or Alpha small primer brass, find what is pressure for your rifle, not what a book says. The front end on those LRAB are soft and will give very reliable expansion at a lower velocity, and so would all the Bergers.

Remember, less velocity is just a few more clicks on the scope knob.

Got almost 2600 FPS out of 43.5 H4350 no pressure signs. trying 43.7 & 43.8 tomorrow

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Diff cartridge, 6.5CM, but I get great speeds out of 6.5 StaBall. Its matches what I was getting with both Superformance and RL26 but with better temp stability.
I ran 2 diff 147 grainers at 2870 and 2880 in a 26". Same powder charge put a 127LRX at 2990. These were book loads plus maybe .1gr in one case. No pressure signs, cases went 10+ firings before necks went.
To get 200fps id expect you to need like 2 more full grains anyway.

As states 2550-2600 with a good long range lead core bullets gets you way out there. Youre golden as is. If you had to run lead free id say pour the coal to er lol.

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Oh ya, a 22" 6.5CM got 2750 with 143EldX. Im sure you could match that with ur bigger case even in 20"