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

[codyadams]

Haven't shot it a terrible amount to be honest, somewhere aroumd 100 rounds so far is all

 

[wildcat455]

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.

I think you did just fine with it!

 

[wildcat455]

Haven't shot it a terrible amount to be honest, somewhere aroumd 100 rounds so far is all

Gotcha. Well, the 156's are in your hand, so I'm sure that'll change. You're getting good velocity out of that Krieger with your HBN. I assume you'll use those with HBN too?

Too freak in hot in Az for me to shoot. I'm waiting on cooler weather to get back at it.

 

[SteveO]

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

Any results? I just got some of these and have H1000 and IMR7977 to work with in my 264.

 

[codyadams]

Any results? I just got some of these and have H1000 and IMR7977 to work with in my 264.

Yes I have, sorry I forgot to update this post!!

This is with Federal 7mm rem mag brass, Federal magnum match primers, Retumbo, and HBN coated 156's seated .020" off the lands. Once these Federal brass are toast, they will be replaced with some ADG brass.

This first pic is a quick max pressure work up. Faint ejector mark at 69 but no bolt lift increase, 70 had obvious ejector mark and slightly increased bolt lift.

And here is how the 7 pressure test rounds printed.

And here is the final load work up, I tested in .5 grain increments from 66.5 to 68.5 with 5 shot groups. All the 5 shot groups were 3/4" or less, but 67.5 was the winner!! Not sure if that one to the left was me or just the group, either way its half MOA, but I think I had a little something to do with it. Should be cookin along at 3100-3115 or so, and well below max pressure. Next I'm gonna load a bunch up and go do a 10 shot E.S. and see how the consistency is.

 

[SteveO]

Wow, looks great. I guess I should try some Retombo!

 

[codyadams]

I was tempted by some Reloder 33 yesterday, I bet I would get a little more velocity but not sure if it would be worth the possibility of temp stability....

 

[wildcat455]

My personal findings with RL33 in the 264 was it'll give real good velocity, but it's a pretty dirty powder, and it seemed especially so in the smaller bore of the 264.


Here was the load I was working on:

74 gr RL33
147 gr Hornady ELDM
Winchester Case
Federal 215M
CL 2.490"
BTS 2.113"
BTO 2.767" .010" J
COAL 3.365"
3214 FPS

 

[Tank308]

My personal findings with RL33 in the 264 was it'll give real good velocity, but it's a pretty dirty powder, and it seemed especially so in the smaller bore of the 264.


Here was the load I was working on:

74 gr RL33
147 gr Hornady ELDM
Winchester Case
Federal 215M
CL 2.490"
BTS 2.113"
BTO 2.767" .010" J
COAL 3.365"
3214 FPS

I've been running RL 33 in my 264 mag for about a year and half. The dirty didn't bother me. I was used to it. Because I've been running RL 17 in one of my 260's for few years. Love the velocity of both.