260 Remington Load???

[cowtownup]

I've got a load that I think shoots pretty good in my 260 Remington, but its on the slow side @ 2775 FPS. (QL has me about 5k below max pressure) I'm planning on shooting some 1000 yard F-Open local matches next year for fun and wonder if I'm giving up some performance by not finding a little faster node?

Here is the load:

41.7 of H4350
Berger 140 Hybrid
.005 jump
FGMM primers
26" heavy contour 8 twist barrel...

I've shot it out to 700 yards and so far and it seems to do well... However, most of my shooting with this load has been at 300 yards. I've not had it in the wind at 1000 yards yet...

[Robinhood]

You did not mention your brass maker but there is another H4350 node above 42 with Nosler brass. H4831 SC is a good powder to try as well. You can't expect 6.5-284 speeds out of that case.

[LongRange]

my load with lapua brass and the same powder,bullet and primer is 42.9g but im .035 off the lands and not compressed...2830 to 2842 consistently...id start at 42g and work up from there.

[Oxn316]

I am running imr4350 at 43 grains with the 140 hybrid. I am around 2838ftps so there maybe a faster node for your barrel.

[cowtownup]

I'm using Lapua Brass... Chrono data from previous ladder test show 42.9 grains of H4350 running 2842 FPS just like LongRange had mentioned his load runs.. I never saw anything close vertically during the ladder test at or near that charge so I never chased it.. 43.2 and 43.5 were really close vertically during the ladder and running 2890 FPS but were about 4k psi overpressure so I didn't mess with them.. Maybe I'm being over cautious here...

[LongRange]

No its better to be safe than sorry...i think your fine at 43g...ive been WAY higher than that...i also think you should back the hybrids off the lands...they arent like the VLDs they shoot best at .015 off or more...if it were me id start with 43.5g as your max and run an ocw test with the bullets .025 off the lands and i bet right around 43g youll find a load.

When your working with quick load does your loads match your velocities?

[cowtownup]

Yes.. As I adjust the charge weight my velocities in the field match the software pretty close. I had to make just over a 5% change to the burn rate (up to .5435) but it matches closely now from min up to max charge. I only ran one jump test once I settled on the 41.7 charge I've been using and I jumped from .005 to .045 in 10 thou increments and the more jump the worse it got.. I'm going to heed that advice however and run another OCW test at .025 off and try to squeeze a touch more out of this thing.. THanks for the help...

[LongRange]

Good you know how QL works...i played with it for awhile and like it but just went back old school.

[LongRange]

And just an FYI...H4831sc is another great powder in the 260..45.8g with a 142g smk gives me 2815 to 2830...very accurate and easy on the brass.

[psharon97]

I use H4831sc at 45.2g with 140g Berger Hybrid. I can measure the oal if you want. This is a very accurate load.

[cowtownup]

Got out and shot a ladder test today... 42.6 grains to 44.0 grains in 0.2 tenth increments seated .025 off the lands as suggested by LongRange.. Shot at 200 yards from lowest to highest charge weight over about 15 minute time span...

This is what frustrates me... At first glance of the the target, #6, #7, #8 seem to be vertically fairly close, however when you look at the speeds of those loads there is 53 FPS difference between shots #6 and #8. I would have expected #5 and #6 to be close since there is only 1 FPS difference..

What do you guys/gals think about these results. What would you do next?

**Disclaimer.. I used my Caldwell chrono which reads about 45 FPS higher than the magnetospeed...***

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/TEST%208_zpsj4rf5dlw.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/TEST%208_zpsj4rf5dlw.jpg.html)

[LongRange]

First your to close at 200yds to do a ladder test and get the results your looking for...you need to be at least 400yds and 500 is better to actually see that 53fps spread...i think you should set your max charge at 43.5g use the same seating depth and shoot an OCW test because i doubt your going to find anything with that ladder test and will just be chasing your tail...ive found at about 43.5g the gains arent worth it.

[eddiesindian]

Got out and shot a ladder test today... 42.6 grains to 44.0 grains in 0.2 tenth increments seated .025 off the lands as suggested by LongRange.. Shot at 200 yards from lowest to highest charge weight over about 15 minute time span...

This is what frustrates me... At first glance of the the target, #6, #7, #8 seem to be vertically fairly close, however when you look at the speeds of those loads there is 53 FPS difference between shots #6 and #8. I would have expected #5 and #6 to be close since there is only 1 FPS difference..

What do you guys/gals think about these results. What would you do next?

**Disclaimer.. I used my Caldwell chrono which reads about 45 FPS higher than the magnetospeed...***

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/TEST%208_zpsj4rf5dlw.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/TEST%208_zpsj4rf5dlw.jpg.html)

Id lower the speeds. drop the charge weight. For me.......Ive found sweet spots at 2600ish fps and 2750ish fps on my 260

[cowtownup]

Are you guys having to run the H4831sc compressed? It requires a bit more powder as compared to H4350 to get similar speed/pressure/barrel time....

[LongRange]

yes...unless throated long your gonna crush powders.

[cowtownup]

Well, H4350 is the unicorn powder right now... I still have a couple pounds but its not looking good as far as getting some more...

[cowtownup]

I took my current load of 41.7 grains of H4350 under the 140 Hybrid out to 1000 yards today and had a little fun.. First shot hit high, over corrected for the 2nd shot and got a couple center hits at 31 MOA of drop.. I think it was 1017 yards to be exact...


http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/B54FFB90-1E4E-4124-9764-B42F69B8255A_zpsaajuftwj.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/B54FFB90-1E4E-4124-9764-B42F69B8255A_zpsaajuftwj.jpg.html)




Backed it up to 1200 and missed low first two shots and finally got on at 42 MOA of drop and went 8 out of 9 to finish the day.. It measured around 2 moa but thats all on me since it was a near perfect day to shoot...


http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/E0F572F0-A423-4E09-982B-D3BABDDDAC52_zpsyovu6qfw.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/E0F572F0-A423-4E09-982B-D3BABDDDAC52_zpsyovu6qfw.jpg.html)

[LongRange]

Outstanding!!!

[eddiesindian]

perfect!

[eddiesindian]

I took my current load of 41.7 grains of H4350 under the 140 Hybrid out to 1000 yards today and had a little fun.. First shot hit high, over corrected for the 2nd shot and got a couple center hits at 31 MOA of drop.. I think it was 1017 yards to be exact...


http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/B54FFB90-1E4E-4124-9764-B42F69B8255A_zpsaajuftwj.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/B54FFB90-1E4E-4124-9764-B42F69B8255A_zpsaajuftwj.jpg.html)




Backed it up to 1200 and missed low first two shots and finally got on at 42 MOA of drop and went 8 out of 9 to finish the day.. It measured around 2 moa but thats all on me since it was a near perfect day to shoot...


http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/E0F572F0-A423-4E09-982B-D3BABDDDAC52_zpsyovu6qfw.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/E0F572F0-A423-4E09-982B-D3BABDDDAC52_zpsyovu6qfw.jpg.html)

Its nice to have those perfect days. No wind Gods derailing to cause grief