Load work-up - .264 Win Mag with HBN coated 147 ELD-M's and Berger 156 EOL's (eventually)

[codyadams]

So this is a brand new barrel on a Ruger M77 that began life as a 300 wm. It is a 26" Krieger 4 groove 7.5" twist #5 plus contour chambered in SAAMI spec .264 Winchester Magnum. Stock is a Stocky's Pro-Varmint with adjustable cheek rest, and I pillar bedded it. I wanted to document my load workup in this rifle, and post my data for any of those that may be interested.

I will eventually test out the 156 EOL's when they come out, and possibly throat this rifle longer for the 156's. Right now, the 147 ELD'M seated .010" off is WAY in there, the base of the bearing surface of the bullet is even with the body/shoulder junction. I have heard people say you won't gain anything from throating a .264 WM, due to the fact that you won't fill the case up even with slow burning powder, but the max load I found was 100% fill, and the 3 above that were slightly compressed. Also....if you seat a bullet farther out, you are increasing the case capacity of the cartridge, plain and simple. A 26 Nosler shoots faster than a .264 win mag because it has a larger case capacity....and when you have as much room to move the bullet out as this throat does.....how can it not improve performance? The increase in capacity will be significant.

Anyway, I digress.....Here is my first pressure load work up. The bore was treated with HBN after a good cleaning, as the Smith fired 1 test round through it before I got it back. Loads are 2 rounds fired at 60 and 61 grains, and 1 round fired at all other charges. I did this to ensure the bore was properly HBN treated prior to working up for pressure, so I would get the most accurate data I could. These are rounds 2-16 fired through this rifle.

.264 win mag
7mm rm Federal brass, necked down to .264
CCI 250 Primer
HBN coated 147 eld-m, seated .010" off a saami spec throat (oal 3.330")
Retumbo powder
All loads chronoed w/magneto speed

60 - 2877 fps / 2832 fps
61 - 2876 fps / 2862 fps
62 - 2915 fps
63 - 2938 fps
64 - 2994 fps
65 - 3044 fps
66 - 3077 fps
67 - 3118 fps
68 - 3167 fps
69 - 3204 fps
70 - 3244 fps and first sign of pressure, faint ejector mark
71 - 3292 fps and slightly heavier ejector mark
72 - 3342 fps and identical ejector mark to 71, and first signs of heavier bolt lift.

I noticed my first round fired was higher speed than the second load of the same charge. I have read that the first round fired through an HBN coated barrel will be slightly higher pressure/velocity than following rounds. I guess this shows it to be true, at least for this rifle.

So it looks like 3200 fps will be about max for this set up, and I'm happy with that. At my elevation, this load still retains 1516 ft. lbs. of energy and 2156 fps at 1000 yds, and only has 1.1 mils of wind drift in a 10 mph. That is on par with a 28 nosler shooting a 195 EOL at 3100 for everything but energy, wind would be 1.0 mills of drift and 2158 fps in the same conditions.

As I continue load work up I will update this thread. I know that I had to start with little to no data to go off of with the components I wanted to use, so I figure this may help someone.

 

[wildcat455]

Those are some nice velocities.
I get right around 3150 fps with H4831, H1000, RL26, and Retumbo when I start to see pressure in my factory Sendero. Running mine in Winchester case, Fed 215, 147 ELDM .010" off lands. Wanted to run that bullet at 3200 fps and thought I'd have to settle for 3150 fps.

So, short story here with a point at the end:
I bought a 338 LM a while back, and started playing with RL33 in it, and had really good luck with it. I've been looking for multiple powders that work well in my 338, 300 WM, and 264 WM and decided to try RL33 in my 300 WM. Works great there too... No load data available for the 264 WM, but I do a work up in it as well, using same components I listed earlier. Lo and behold, I get to 3300 fps before I see any kind of pressure.
I backed it off and I now run mine at 3200 fps as well.

Just saying if you think there's more to be had at a higher node with your 264, you might give RL33 a try.

 

[RT2506]

Long story how I ended up with my 264 Win mag but it had less than 40 rounds through it when I got it from my hunting buddy. It is a Rem. 700 action with a Shilen #4 chrome molly 27 3/4" long 9 twist barrel in a Hoge full aluminum action bed stock. It is strictly a deer hunting "bean field" rifle. Because of the 9 twist and at the time the only Nosler Accubond bullets I could get was the 130 gr even though the rifle had previously shot great with Winchester factory 140 gr ammo I went with the 130 AB. This rifle has a somewhat tight chamber because the FL sizing die really does not have much sizing to do except the neck. I made my cases out of Winchester once fired 7 mm Rem. mag cases. I am using CCI 250 primers, 66.5 grs Retumbo (I got ejector marks at 67 grs) 130 AB COAL 3.450 which is 20 thousands off the lands (looks like a Saturn 5 rocket), averages 3350 fps and 1/2 MOA accuracy. I decided not to do any further load work with any other bullets because I am extremely satisfied with this load and what it does in the field on deer. Shoots like a laser beam and every deer 25+ has been DRT from 25 to a touch over 500 yards. Sounds like you have some good velocities with the heavy bullet, hope great accuracy will go with it. I just love most any .264 Cal rifle. I have a few different ones. Keep us informed on your work up.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Tagging in. Looking to build one of these possibly. I would like to see a load work up with the 150 smk as that's one of the best if not the best 6.5 bullet out there at the moment as far as BC goes. I was running some numbers for giggles and a 150 smk at 3200 will mirror a 7mm rem mag with a 180 eld(except energy) and stay supersonic to 1700 yards at my elevation of 1,000 ft.

 

[codyadams]

Here was my target. The two 60 grain loads went in the high left target, as it was only bore sighted. Adjusted, then shot the two 61 grain loads. Adjusted again and shot the rest of them. I was shooting prone in 15+mph winds, bipod front rest and a small backpack for a rear rest. I do think I pulled the 68 grain shot to the right. And considering these are 2-16 fired through this rifle, I think this shows some potential. May even gain some speed too.

 

[codyadams]

And here is the rifle

 

[RT2506]

Nice. Looks like a node between 65 - 67 grs. When I was doing my work up with Retumbo I found that I had to be careful toward the top end because just .2 gr change the pressure would go way up, so be careful. When I backed off .5 grs from 67 grs the point where I started seeing ejector mark with the 130 AB everything has work fine from 40* to around 90* temp. It was in the low 80s when I was doing the work up which is about the max temp when I am deer hunting in north east NC. It can be 40* in the morning and 80s by afternoon there sometimes in November.

 

[codyadams]

Ya, I saw first signs of pressure at 70, and I went ahead and shot 71 and 72 to see if pressure was going to jump quickly or steadily, and my chrono results as well as the pressure signs indicate that it is a smooth increase, no rapid spikes, and I was shooting at 77 degrees (doesn't get much hotter during season in Wyoming), so I feel comfortable working in the top end of the pressure range in this particular rifle.

 

[Trnelson]

I have pretty much the same thing in the works. Been quietly gathering parts for my next 264 win mag for a while. I have a 32" bartlein 8-7 transitional twist barrel on hand finally after an eight month wait. I went with a custom reamer with a tighter neck and a bit more freebore to be able to seat the 150 SMK boat tail at the neck to shoulder junction and have 0.010" of jump to the rifling.

 

[codyadams]

So just finished up load developement with the 147's and Retumbo....the barrel has gotten a little faster with break in, and may continue to speed up. On rounds 25-35, with 69.5 grains Retumbo, HBN coated 147 eld-m seated .010" off, and 7mm rem mag brass sized down to .264 and being fireformed, velocities with magnetospeed were as follows:

1. 3239
2. 3240
3. 3243
4. 3243
5. 3241
6. 3246
7. 3240
8. 3244
9. 3240
10. 3245

With an e.s. of only 7 fps over 10 rounds, two 3 shot groups and one 4 shot group that all printed in the .2's, and no heavy bolt lift, cratered primers, or ejector relief marks, averaging over 3240 fps, this load is doing fantastic. Next up is to stretch it's legs, and see what it can do. Pretty excited for this one!!

At this point, I don't think I'm going to try Reloder 33 with this bullet, Retumbo is probably gonna be better in temp swings, and is being extremly consistent. Also, this was in 84°, bright sunny and no shade, so about as hot as things will get out here.

 

[codyadams]

Also, in between rounds 16 and 25, I did three 3 shot groups at 500 yds, as a kind of ladder test, that led me to choose 69.5 grains. I did 68.5, 69, and 69.5 grains. 68.5 was about 4-1/4", 69 was 3-1/2", and 69.5, was 1-7/8", well under half MOA.

 

[codyadams]

Well, the 156's have arrived!! Time for a new load work up!! Results to follow

 

[wildcat455]

Cool deal! Can't wait to see how they do for you Cody! It's been a year, how's that 7.5 twist Krieger holding up?
Any throat creep yet?
I wonder if trnelson got his transitional twist built? I like the longer barrel he's going with, but really need to have that bullet out of the powder like he's doing. I don't think I should do the SAAMI spec chamber and long barrel.
I've thought about doing my next one in a trans twist, but I dunno. Might end up at 7.5 or 8... still kicking stuff around, no hurry, the rifle I'm building it on still has barrel life in it. My other idea is a switch barrel on my RPR or savage. Lol! Everything is still in the air in other words!

Be sure to post up how those do in your rifle!

 

[Trnelson]

Cool deal! Can't wait to see how they do for you Cody! It's been a year, how's that 7.5 twist Krieger holding up?
Any throat creep yet?
I wonder if trnelson got his transitional twist built? I like the longer barrel he's going with, but really need to have that bullet out of the powder like he's doing. I don't think I should do the SAAMI spec chamber and long barrel.
I've thought about doing my next one in a trans twist, but I dunno. Might end up at 7.5 or 8... still kicking stuff around, no hurry, the rifle I'm building it on still has barrel life in it. My other idea is a switch barrel on my RPR or savage. Lol! Everything is still in the air in other words!

Be sure to post up how those do in your rifle!

I have 76 rounds down the pipe in my new 264 win. with the 8-7 transitional twist, it has been nearly all I hoped it would be. I ended up buying a barrel worth of the 160g Matrix VLD. I settled in at 3,070fps with an SD of 7. Not quite what I hoped it would be, but I heavily favor accuracy over velocity. I loaded another hundred FPS faster before I found a slight hitch in primary extraction. Those faster loads just don't have the single digit SD that I expect and search for. Accuracy of every load at the preferred seating depth is 0.75 MOA or better. I zeroed it at 200 and it takes 5.5 MILS in my SWFA fixed 20 to get to 1,000 yards. The 160 carries so much more momentum at 1,000 it just crushes the steel compared to the 140 Berger or the 143 ELDX. 156g berger probably won't see this barrel, but I will be working with it in my 6.5/06. I'm pretty pleased.