IMR4350 in 260 rem

[jg30]

Anyone have good results with IMR 4350 in their 260 rem? I've just started reloading for this rifle and have plenty of this powder . I've been using factory corbon 139 gr scenar loads and have had good results . I'm shooting a Savage 10 with a Shilen 26" 1-8.5 in a shooters supply bedded stock .
Thanks,
JG30

[Stumpkiller]

Welcome!

I am working all around you in my .260 Rem with H4350 and IMR4451 powders (H4891 is good as well).

Hodgdon gives 43.0 gr of IMR4350 with 140 gr bullets. http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle

I can tell you I'm all kinds of happy with the 143 gr Hornady ELD-X as an all-purpose for varmints and targets to whitetail (I have a 1:8" twist). I am hoping to come up with a single load solution for all my .260 Rem shooting. Short to long, little to big (well, 300 lbs big, anyway). It's a beautiful cartridge and worth playing with.

[SageRat Shooter]

I run 43.0 grains of H4350 out of my 260 rem using the 143 ELD-X also. It's a Max load in my rifle, so start lower and work up to it. cold bore I'm around 2750 FPS... after 8 shots or so I'm up to 2800 FPS. I'm using Lapua brass and WLR primers.

[jg30]

You are using H4350 , is there much difference between it and IMR4350? I plan on loading 140 gr ELD Hornady and 120 gr Nosler ballistic tips .

[SageRat Shooter]

https://www.hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/burn-rate-color.pdf

IMR 4350 is a little faster than H4350 but only 2 spots on the burn rate sheet. That's why I suggested starting lower around the 41-42 grain area and work up from there. H4350 is more temp stable but performance should be very similar...

[jg30]

I've got some loaded up with the IMR 4350 starting at 39 gr , 40 gr, 41 gr and 41.5 gr with the 140 ELD Hornady and some 120gr Nosler ballistic tip spitzer starting at 43gr up to 45 gr to start with . 5 of each to start with. All are at 2.78 coal .

[jg30]

I'll be using Remington brass and Winchester large rifle standard primers

[SageRat Shooter]

Start with the 39 grain and move up... keep an eye on your pressure signs as you do. Remington brass does not handle the pressures as well as Lapua.

[jg30]

Will do , Thanks for the info.

[Whynot]

I have had better results with H4350 than I have with IMR 4350. I have never ran into any problems with either- but my groups are better and my MV and ES are better with H4350 (and it is finally getting to the point that you can find it again). When I had IMR4350 I didn't hesitate to use it- but I always replaced it with H4350 and completely switched over.

[psharon97]

Right now I'm shooting the 130gr Sierra TMK bullets. I decided to really try IMR 4451 since H4350 has been too hard to come by. I still have around 6.5 pounds of H4350, but I do not like having to possibly drive 100+ miles to different gun shows to scrounge for powder.

My load is 43.5gr of IMR 4451. The velocity I'm getting is ~2850FPS.

[jg30]

I made it to the range on Sunday afternoon and it looks like the 140 eld with 40.5 gr imr 4350 is grouping the best had a 5 round group that measured 0.515 outside to outside. The 120 nosler spitzer ballistic tips liked 45gr imr 4350 the best , it grouped 0.502 . All where at 100 yds . COAL is 2.785 on all loads . I'm still going to try some new loads with different powders. I had no pressure signs on the loads that where at max published in the Lyman reloading book that I've got .
Thanks for the info.

[Ranger3]

I tried IMR 4350 in my 260 Great accuracy great velocity good s d and e s numbers however my primers didn't last too long with the hot loads so I went to h4350 but if you can find an niche I would definitely try it

[98dyna]

43.0 grains IMR4350 or 46.0 H4831SC, R-P 308 brass, WLR primers, 140 Interlock Hornady, .272 3 shot at 100 yards Ruger American Predator rifle. Today new Savage 11 .260 Remington going to the range for break in with the same loads. Savage showed pressure signs at 43.0 grains of IMR4350, new rifle with a shallow throat and tight bore. Backed off to 41.0 grains and shot a .289 3 shot 100 yard group. Will do more testing but 4350 will be this rifles powder.

[jerry shaw]

In case you have trouble obtaining 4350, consider VV 150. I have shot a bunch of it behind Lapua 139 and 136 bullets as well as Hornady 140 Amaxes. Varget works too.
The 260 is pretty amazing. I have tried a bunch of different recipes in several rifles. The 260 shoots tight groups with most all of them so long as I do what I'm supposed to do.
Good luck.

[SCdawg]

I have had fair results with it in one barrel, a 26 inch Criterion mounted on a Savage 12 action and set up for F class . It started out great with lots of sub .5 five shot groups. Then as the throat deteriorated so did the groups. When the barrel passed 1200 rounds and tweaking the seating length would not bring it back I switched to Varget and 4831 SC. I get tighter groupings and better SD's with with both 140 and 120 grain SMK's. I have a new tactical build with a fresh 24 inch Criterion that I need to do a workup on. I have close to 5 pounds of 4350 sitting there.

[cowboybart]

IMR 4350 is generally a real good powder for anything on the 308 case - and the 260 is on the 308 case.
That being said I have tried many combinations of bullets with that powder in my DPMS LR 260 and the best it will due is 1.75". My other 260 (Encore) shoots very well (.6") with IMR 4831 and 140gr bullets. After giving up in frustration with the LR260, I was told that the LR prefers H4350, which I did not try (I tried 414, 4320, 380, IMR 4350, RL15 and AA2700). When the sky is blue the birds are chirping and everything is heavenly - I will break out the LR260 and try H4350. If it fails after that, the barrel comes off and it becomes a 6.5 Creedmoor.

[SageRat Shooter]

IMR 4350 is generally a real good powder for anything on the 308 case - and the 260 is on the 308 case.
That being said I have tried many combinations of bullets with that powder in my DPMS LR 260 and the best it will due is 1.75". My other 260 (Encore) shoots very well (.6") with IMR 4831 and 140gr bullets. After giving up in frustration with the LR260, I was told that the LR prefers H4350, which I did not try (I tried 414, 4320, 380, IMR 4350, RL15 and AA2700). When the sky is blue the birds are chirping and everything is heavenly - I will break out the LR260 and try H4350. If it fails after that, the barrel comes off and it becomes a 6.5 Creedmoor.

If your .260 won't shoot with H4350, H4831SC, or H4831 then there's something else going on with that rifle. You should get bug holes with 140's... H4350 in my 260 is the best of both worlds... Accuracy and FPS.

[Stumpkiller]

I would agree that if a .260 Rem isn't doing it for you a 6.5 Creedmoor won't solve it. No more than a different .260 Rem barrel might. The latter is a tiny bit more efficient, but the former can squeak out a little more velocity as it has more capacity . . . provided you have the magazine length to set the longer bullets out to 2.885" or 2.900"

[cowboybart]

I'm not expecting the cartridge to help, but a barrel change should. Other than the Encore, I have the parts to make a 260 AI on a Mexican Mauser and the parts assembled for a 260 on a Stevens action. The problem with the Stevens is I have 1/8" gap on one side of the barrel channel and contact on the other side. Until I can figure out if it is the stock or action (it is not the barrel) - the project is on hold. When I screw the barrel on to a Marlin XS7 it is centered. I figured if the LR260 won't shoot, I'll change calibers as well as barrels.