260 Savage Model 10 predator load results/questions

Hello all, I am new to this site. I have been doing load testing for my model 10 chambered in 260 rem. So far I have found a sub moa load using 140 grain nosler accubonds and 40 grains IMR4350 but it's only shooting approx. 2590 according to nosler load data. I have also tested 140 grain berger hunting vlds with up to 43 grains IMR4350 and I can't get this bullet to group. Is it common for this rifle to like the slower loads?

The IMR powder is all I can find on the shelves in my area.

I am looking for a hunting load mostly for my Wyoming trips although I would like to shoot out to 800 on steel with the same load if possible.

Just curious what has worked for others and if I should be concerned about the relatively slow load if it is accurate.

Thanks in advance..... a lot of good info on here.

The vld are hard to get to shoot well. You'll have to play with the seating depth to get them. Imr4350 is just fine. I use it with 42 grain and 140 class bullets in a 243 win winchester case sized to 260. Most 260 like from 42 to 43.5 grains. Depending on your barrel length you should be from 2700 to 2850 ftps with those loads.

So should i seat deeper or shallower you think? I loaded then to 2.8 coal

Experiment. Start on the lands and find your load at 2-300 yds. Then start working your way back.

I think if you go to the berger site it has an article on how to shoot the vld type bullets.

Thanks Jon...that was a little helpful. Has anybody found the coal that works with their model 10 and the vld? Being new to reloading I am a little hesitant to start messing with the coal.

I am having sort of the same issue with mine. I have a predator hunter model 10 with a 24" barrel. I am trying to shoot the 140 amax. I got a great accuracy node around 2550. I want it a little faster, at least 2700. I still havnt come up with anything as accurate. I am going to try the 120's as that is what the 260 is tested with at Savage. Look on the last oage of your manual. It says it right there. May e I can get them to group alot better.
I have been a little dissapointed with how hard it has been to reload and get this 260 right. I have never had this much problem with my 6.5 CM. It shoots the 140's like a dream. I will figure it out though!

Book coal for 260 is going to be short for most pills. I do not shoot the vlds but I remember a friend saying he was out around 2.95 with them. You guys need to measure your chambers so you can figure out what seating depth to run ea h different bullet.

Well... I'm about done with the vlds. Tried them out to 2.85 with some improvement but still 2.5 inch groups. The accubonds on the other hand are well under moa at 100 and i got them bumped up to about 2720 fps which will work. Hope to try them out to 400 yards this weekend to see how they do.

try some RL-17..that will give you the higher velocities you guys are looking for....also ive had my best results with slower powders...7828,4831,RL-22... personally ive never had any like with the berger bullets...if the ABs are shooting well try a box of sierras and i bet they shoot better.

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An easy way to measure where your throat is for a specific bullet and to determine where to start adjusting COAL.

Take a fired case and neck size it. Make sure that it chambers. Take a Dremel tool with a thin cut off wheel and split the case neck (a single cut, only one one side of the case) down to the top of the shoulder. Switch the cut off wheel for a small stone and de-burr the edges of the cut - both inside and outside of the case.

Seat a bullet long and chamber. Carefully remove it from the gun resisting the side load on the case with your finger as you draw the bolt back (don't let the case drag along the inside of the chamber). Measure the COAL. Do not assume that it is safe to load ammo to this COAL!!! Pull the bullet and repeat until you get a consistent measurement. That is where that bullet hits the lands. Note that occasionally a bullet will stick in the barrel and require a tap from a cleaning rod to dislodge. Provide more neck tension by squeezing the neck if needed.

Each bullet type will be different, resulting in a different measurement. Keep records or you will loose track of this data.

Seat the bullet .010 inch deeper as a starting point for the COAL in your reloads.

Note that jambing the bullet into the lands can cause a pressure spike. Bake off of your loads if you choose to jamb bullets into the lands.

Not recommended to jamb hunting ammo into the lands. That is a good way to cut a hunting trip short if you stick a bullet in the lands, try to unload without firing the round, and dump a case full of powder into the action. Also you might not have a cleaning rod handy to dislodge the bullet.

Check your COAL length to determine if they will fit your magazine. You may not be able to get near the throat with a round that will fit the magazine.

As a general rule, you want at least one caliber diameter of the bullet seated into the case. For a .223 you want at least .22 inch of the straight portion of the bullet seated into the case. Some of the short varmint bullets can not get near the throat and be seated into the case so that they are held tight enough to handle the recoil of the round on top of it.

Again, use caution anytime you are seating a bullet close to the lands! Reduce loads and work up.

Don't assume that a long jump to the lands can't be accurate. Some rifles like ammo loaded .100 inch short of the lands.

Keith