Nosler CC or Lapua brass and bullets for .260 Rem?

[Sundo]

I'm getting ready to start loading .260 Rem cartridges, possibly starting with virgin brass.

The premium combo seems to be Lapua brass with Lapua Scenar bullets. This combo is pricey, and unavailable in my local stores.

On MidwayUSA, I see Nosler Custom Competition bullets and Nosler Custom Reloading brass at a much lower price. The reviews of Nosler Custom Reloading brass suggest it's much better than Remington brass, but not in the same league as Lapua brass. The description says it's sized and "ready to load". Can I really skip the full length sizing process, or should I ignore the marketing and run it through the sizing die just to be sure?

The reviews of the Nosler Custom Competition .264 inch 140 grain bullets suggest it is comparable in performance to Sierra Match Kings, but the ballistic coefficient is not nearly as a good as Lapua Scenars.

Has anybody loaded .260 Rem with Nosler Custom and/or Lapua brass and bullets? Any thoughts on whether I should try one or the other (or something else entirely)?

FYI, I'll be shooting a 16 FCSS .260 Rem. I have Federal 210 and Winchester WLR primers -- I'm hoping the WLR primers will work as well or better than the Federal 210s (because the WLR packaging is much more compact). I'll try Hodgdon H4350 powder. If I can get my hands on some Ramshot Hunter powder, I'm interested in trying that, too.

[82boy]

Well I dont have experince with the 260 stuff, but on other stuff I can say that Nosler brass is every bit as good as Lapua, somethimes it is better. Any brass you buy, regardless of name needs to be sized before use. Lapua brass is good, but they still have there problems as well, a buddy of mine has had some sever problems with Lapua 223 brass, and prefers Nosler brass over it. I would say that Nosler brass is leaps and bounds better than Remington brass.

On Lapua bullets I dont see the big hype with them, and can honestly say they are no better than anything else. In most cases I found the Sierra bullets shot better, and half the price. The Nosler Comp bullets are not bad, but I dont think they shoot better than anything else, again I found that Sierra's shot better. I Have found that in just about every case the best shooting bullets I have found have been Berger, then followed by Sierra. (I would put Hornady, Nosler and Lapua all in the same catigory.) All I can say is dont get hung up on BC, companys measure BC in different ways, and at diferent velositys, and some even inflate there numbers. On Berger Bullets, All I can say is this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=E_rod25bG_s
In that video was his 1000 yard groups shot in MT. "Scott Nix shot this group with Berger 6mm 105 Grain Match Grade VLD Hunting bullets. Watch and see Nix shoot a 10 shot group 4.5" 100 score, he then shot a 4.6" 98 10 shot group the next relay." (Taken From the Berger facebook page.)

On powders H4350 seems to be a good working powder, and I find that I like the IMR 4350 a bit better.

[helotaxi]

All I can say is dont get hung up on BC, companys measure BC in different ways, and at diferent velositys, and some even inflate there numbers.
You can pretty well take Berger BC's at face value. Their chief ballistician is generally regarded as one of the foremost experts in measuring BC. If you want a pretty definitive reference on BC and its effects on long range shooting (as well as every other facet of long range work) buy his book. http://www.appliedballisticsllc.com/index_files/Book.htm. There is an appendix in the back that shows all his test data and gives measured BCs (both G1 and the more descriptive G7) for 230+ long range bullets. It also comes with excellent ballistics software included in the $50 price. I have the first edition and I'm about to order the 2nd edition just for the updated data and software. He knows his stuff and, perhaps more importantly, he is able to explain it in a manner that doesn't require a PhD to understand.

[BoilerUP]

Bryan Litz knows his stuff...

I've used both Nosler and Lapua 260 brass...depending where you buy from Nosler is actually a fuzz more expensive per 100. Both have performed well; there are some reports of weak primer pockets on Nosler 260 brass but I haven't experienced that with 5+ loads on some pieces.

[FW Conch]

Sundo ; I built a 260 Rem on a Stevens 200 action, a ER Shaw, 26", HV barrel, SSS trigger, B & C Medalist stock that I modified to fit me. Before I even started this project, I fully intended to use Berger VLD, Hunting bullets, in 140grns. I got some Rem 140gr Core Lokt to use for break in & load developement. It turns out, this Rem bullet is a "bore rider", meaning it will fall into the .264 bore all the way back to the first of 2 cannalures, then becomes normal .264 bullet diameter. I went with Rem brass, knowing it's not the best, but it still ends up cheaper, & the thinner brass has more case capacity. The complaints you hear about the Rem brass are true ! The worst I have seen, in a box of 50, I had 15 cases that could be labeled "unuseable", & half the primer holes were off center. Mr. "Big Green" Remington, are you listening to this ? ???. But, I went with Rem cases anyway, for the above mentioned reasons. So, I started loading & break in & was very soon happy with the results I was getting. I started loading the Bergers, thinking, now I'll really seen some results.
But I never did as well as the last groups I shot with the Rem CL's ! I haven't given up on the Bergers, but I went back to the Remingtons & started fine tune load developement. I ended up with less than 1/2 MOA groups, out to 300yds, the longest range I can currently shoot. The load I ended up with - 140grRemCL, Rem Case, CCI BR pi, worked up to 43gr IMR 4350, bullet touching lands, C.O.L. is 2.904"(fired single shot). O yes, barrel twist is 1 in 8. I have yet to get the Bergers to shoot as well as this load, but I'm still trying. All I can figure is, this barrel just likes the Remington bullet. "GO FIGURE" ! So, I guess we can decide what we think is best, but in the end, it is the rifle that makes the final decesion ! Good Luck-Good Shooting- & Let us know !.....Jim 8)

[Senderofan]

I use Nosler Custom brass in my .260 Improved and my .308. I've found the cases to be an excellent option. I don't often have the time to sort new brass and prep the cases. Out of the two rounds that I use this brass for...I have yet to find a reject. I've been using Nosler Custom Competition bullets in my 6mm Dasher. I've found these bullets to be pretty darn good in terms of consistency. I use Lapua brass for the Dasher.....and usually buy when I can find a deal on them. I use Lapua Scenar's and Berger VLD's in my .260 I and .308. I think there might be a slight edge in accuracy with the Scenar's....but I have to shoot them both a few dozen times to make sure...for me and my rigs anyway...YMMV.

Wayne

[SMK Shoe]

I use the Nosler custom Comp 140's in all my 6.5mm calibers. 6.5 grendel ( Encore Barrel), 6.5 BR ( both Pistol and Rifle) and 6.5X47 Lapua rifle. I have found them to be VERY Consistant measuring from base to ogive. I have used nosler brass in a couple of calibers and it is very good brass. Only reason I use lapua brass in the 6.5's is their are about the only game in town for 6mm BR and 6.5x47 lapua brass. I have 1000 pieces of 223 remington nosler brass and it looked really good coming out of the box. Havn't had time to play with it yet but I don't see any problems. Just wish Nosler would come out with a 107-120 grain Custom Comp bullet for the 6.5's. :'( :'(

[barrel-nut]

Sundo ; I built a 260 Rem on a Stevens 200 action, a ER Shaw, 26", HV barrel, SSS trigger, B & C Medalist stock that I modified to fit me. Before I even started this project, I fully intended to use Berger VLD, Hunting bullets, in 140grns. I got some Rem 140gr Core Lokt to use for break in & load developement. It turns out, this Rem bullet is a "bore rider", meaning it will fall into the .264 bore all the way back to the first of 2 cannalures, then becomes normal .264 bullet diameter. I went with Rem brass, knowing it's not the best, but it still ends up cheaper, & the thinner brass has more case capacity. The complaints you hear about the Rem brass are true ! The worst I have seen, in a box of 50, I had 15 cases that could be labeled "unuseable", & half the primer holes were off center. Mr. "Big Green" Remington, are you listening to this ? ???. But, I went with Rem cases anyway, for the above mentioned reasons. So, I started loading & break in & was very soon happy with the results I was getting. I started loading the Bergers, thinking, now I'll really seen some results.
But I never did as well as the last groups I shot with the Rem CL's ! I haven't given up on the Bergers, but I went back to the Remingtons & started fine tune load developement. I ended up with less than 1/2 MOA groups, out to 300yds, the longest range I can currently shoot. The load I ended up with - 140grRemCL, Rem Case, CCI BR pi, worked up to 43gr IMR 4350, bullet touching lands, C.O.L. is 2.904"(fired single shot). O yes, barrel twist is 1 in 8. I have yet to get the Bergers to shoot as well as this load, but I'm still trying. All I can figure is, this barrel just likes the Remington bullet. "GO FIGURE" ! So, I guess we can decide what we think is best, but in the end, it is the rifle that makes the final decesion ! Good Luck-Good Shooting- & Let us know !.....Jim 8)


Those Core-Lokts are somewhat of an enigma.. For such a bottom-of-the-barrel bullet, with such poor quality control, they often shoot as well as or better than anything else in a hunting rifle.?!!??

Sundo, I've never used a .260, but in my .308's I love Lapua brass, I consider it to be worth every penny; and for .308, it's actually not that expensive. I've never tried Nosler brass.

I use the Nosler Custom Comps in .30 cal 168's; I agree as mentioned earlier, they are about on par with Hornady A-Max's accuracy-wise, IMO, although they are more consistent dimensionally and weight-wise. I got a box of 1000 on sale; at regular price, I'd probably buy SMK's or A-Max's.