Homework on 260 loads

[Dark Side]

I have a 260 project almost ready(late Nov/early Dec), and have done a LOT of reading up on bullits, loads and powders. Here's my short-list, what do you guys think?

22" 1-8.5 twist Lother barrel

Bullit- 120BT 129SST 140SST or 140Gameking(match bullits are illegal in the UK)

Powder-RL19 RL22 H4350 Viht N150 Viht N540

Target-crow, fox, roe deer, red deer

Range-40-400 yards(safe shot's past 400 yards are hard to come by)

Objective-One load/bullit to kill all /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Advice on what wont work are as important to me as advice on what will!!!

thank's

James.

 

[winmagman]

Dark Side
If it were me, IF, I'd try the Re 19 with the 120 gr BT for a couple of reasons.

First, with a max range of 400 yds the bigger heavier don't have time to shine like they will at longer ranges. So I'm liking the faster/flatter 120s.

Second, The intended targets are on the smallish size( with red deer being the possible exception, I'm un-familiar with them) so heavy bullet type penetration isn't required.

Third, The 22" barrel might not be able to take advantage of the heavier bullet and slower powder combos.

I guess thats three, not a couple, but its my 2 cents worth.

Chris

 

[Dark Side]

Wingman, the red deer I shoot are mainly hinds(females) and weight 140-220Ilb on the hoof.Most of them go for sale, so I dont want extreme meat damage, just a clean humane kill.

thanks

James

 

[Shawn Carlock]

I shoot the Hornady 140 gr Amax with H4350, CCI BR2's, they run @ 2820 fps from my 24" Hart barrel. It is a wonderful load, very accurate and has good terminal ballistics on game the size you are after.

 

[James Jones]

Hey Shawn , what would you consider your max range for that load of say a 180lb whitetail? I understand that your max range and my max range are two differant things but what kinda range could a guy expect to cleanly kill deer wtih this load.
I've got one on the way that has a 27" 3 groove Lilja barrel and I'm guessing that I'll probably be able to get around the 2900fps mark with it.

 

[Shawn Carlock]

I would not be the least bit worried about tagging one @ 600 or so.

 

[winmagman]

Shawn, thats pretty interesting, I've got a 6.5 wssm with a 24" Pac Nor that only gets a little over 2700 with H 4831 or Re 22 and a 140 gr A max. Maybe I need to look at a faster powder.

 

[Shawn Carlock]

I actually get almost 2900 but the scary accuracy was at 2825 or so.

 

[Coyboy]

I shoot the 140 a-max out of my 260ai with h4831 at 2930fps. Last year I shot a large buck at 609yards. Last week I shot 2 mule deer bucks, one at 305 yards, the other at 275 yards. All were one shot kills and none of them went over 30 yards.

One bullet last week failed to exit but this one struck the near shoulder in the area where the joint is, the heart of that deer was literally split in half. Bone fragment was all over in the chest cavity. The bullet never hit the oposing chest wall, and only small frages were recovered.

The other was hit just behind the bone and only broke ribs exit hole was about 1.5".

If conditions are right I would take shots on deer out to 750 with confidence.