.260 loads and powder choice

[CharlieNC]

Sorry I missed your questions earlier. I use 41.5 PP200MR, CCI, with 123 Scenars for 3050fps. Since no data was available I worked up to 43.0gr without any signs of high pressure, and the node was at 41.5 in my 26" barrel. With ideal conditions (no mirage, gentle wind) 3-shot groups were approx 3" at 1000 & 1100 yards; I was pleased but shocked as well! Banged the steel easily at 1200 yards. Next target was at a mile, and I would have tried that but ran out of turret and reticle to even try. Hope I will be able to repeat that performance again, but not holding my breath. Sometimes it all just comes together and that was one of those days.

Working up a hunting load with 140 Berger Hunting VLD. The great thing about the 6.5 x 47 is the OAL is a bit shorter than the 308 so there is no problem running close to the lands if you want, and keep the mag.

[sixonetonoffun]

A little off topic. But am getting a 260 barrel from a forum member and am wondering if a long action would be best? Seems like having it reamed AI and using a long action would put this barrel in a whole new league.

[FW Conch]

Nothing wrong with going that route if you want to. But I have a load that is 2.945" COAL and it still feeds through a short, center feed, action magazine. Never the less, I prefer to have the single shot ramp installed and shoot my 260Rem one at a time. "One shot, one hit" :-))

Good Luck, which ever way you go, and we would like to here how it turns out.......Jim

[Wildboarem]

A little off topic. But am getting a 260 barrel from a forum member and am wondering if a long action would be best? Seems like having it reamed AI and using a long action would put this barrel in a whole new league.

The nice thing about a LA is you can run almost any cartridge and can always reach the lands on the SA cartridges. I have a .260 and my wife has a lefty .243 both on LA. The .243 gets pulled from the Choate stock and set back into its factory 116 stock with its 7rm barrel and is ready for Elk season. Switch takes under an hour. ;)
If your going to ream I would seriously look at the .260 SLR. all the advantages of AI with none of the drawbacks IMO. Good luck.

[grendelguy]

Well I finally got around to shooting a group with my Apache Arms barrel and I am more than pleased. I managed to put 4 under .75"@200yds and blew it with the 5th round( ended up 1.25"). This was mild load of 38.0 gr of Varget under a 142 smk. I will be pleased if RL 17 can produce comparable accuracy. I will beore than happy to email the pic to someone if they would post on this thread for me.

[Lightflight]

1:8 twist Mcgowan 26"
140 amax bullet
0.010" off lands
44gr IMR4350 barrely compressed load
Lapua brass
CCI br2 primer
2780fps when its in the 80's and 26.14 inHG
No signs of pressure at all.
seems like most people settle around 44.5g
I worked up to 44gr obviously and so should you...obviously

I only have 60 rds down the tube, but so far 3/4" @ 100 and 1/2 MOA at 450yrds

[grendelguy]

.5 moa at 450 is pretty slick! I have a pound of imr4350 and a couple of RL 17 so I hope to find a faster load. I started w/ Varget mainly because it has made tight groups in everything I have ever put it in. I am sure this is a pretty mild load but these were shots 16-20 on this barrel. I have a couple hundred 140 amax to play with.:)

[teebirdhyzer]

I have tried H4350, Varget, and RL17, and RL19. I ended up settling on two loads...H4350 with 120 grain TTSX for a hunting load, and RL19 with 120 gr Nosler BTs for range and targets. I don't have anywhere yet to shoot past about 400yds, so the 120s work fine for me.

[Steelhead]

H4350 is about the same as mainstream pistol powders here, nonexistent!
I've been messing with Varget, R17 and H100V.
So far R17 has been the ticket.
41.5 R17 with hornandy 140 bthp gets me 2800 and very good SD/ES numbers and easy sub MOA 10 shot groups in a 26" barrel.
Varget obviously works well and H100V seems to show great promise.

[Onewolf]

I just stumbled across this post.

With my 260 Rem McGowen 24" 1:8 barrel I am shooting 42.8gr RL-17, Lapua Brass, CCI BR-2 primers, and A-Max 140s at 2875-2885 FPS at 1/2 MOA. So far I have qualified out to 1200 yds at this point (that's the limit of our range).

Previously my load was 43.0gr of H4350 @2825 FPS, but I went almost a year without seeing any H4350 so I switched to RL-17.

44.0gr RL-17 seems REAL HOT in a Rem 260.