I just got a box, I think I may try Varget or RL15...hoping to get 3000 fps and good accuracy...

Anyone try this bullet out in a 260?

I shot a few out of a 260 with a 22" barrel. RL 15 was the powder. I just wonder what they are good for in a hunting rifle however? On the same day the 260 shot the 95 gr VMax even better.



I was going to shoot a 107 into some wet paper to see if it would expand at 200 yds but there is no point to it now.



That 107 is the best bullet in a troublesome 264 so I too bought more as that rifle needs work.



I just got the data out and 41.5 grs of RL 15 made 2979 fps and 42 3008 fps. The groups were 3/4" and .624" respectively at 200 yds.



My magazine is 2.8" so that must have been the LOA.

I use it in a 257 Weatherby improved,necked down to 6mm.The gun has a 1-8 twist and seems to work fine in this overbore gun.Most of the other bullets i have tried (A-max,Vmax, and Bergers) wouldn't hold together and turned to grey dust at this fast twist and speed! Only sierra 85 grain BTHP,70 grain Match kings and the 107 MK's held together for me.

muskrat
live to shoot-shoot to live!

Todd:

I use this bullet quite a bit. I can get velocity up to 3300 plus. However Sierra's tech line told me that the most accurate velocity for the bullet was at 2800 fps. They were NOT kidding!

Rl 15 works good for me, but have had the best luck with 40 grains of W 748 all powders. But 40 grains of it, RL 15, IMR 4895 or 4064 all will be good performers for accuracy.

As far as performance on deer, forget it, On a coyote it will just pass thru, so depends on what you are looking for. I target shoot this bullet out to 600 yds and it is accurate as you can wish for. In fact I use it against alot of guys shooting 140 grain matchkings in 6.5 bores and it keeps up all day long with a lot less recoil in the process.

Good hunting with it.

Ok, I loaded them with RL15, gonna go give em a whirl this week.

B17g,

I am looking for 3000 fps, no more. I do not need the surplus speed. And I would never use this 107 gr. MK on deer, unless that is all I had.

I will let you guys know how they shoot.

I got out this afternoon and tried the 107 gr. Sierra MK.

**Loaded the max length of my m700 magazine (2.83" or so), with Winchester WLR primers, virgin R-P cases, and RL15 powder.

40 grs. RL15 - .99" group @ 100 yards (3 shots)

41 grs. RL15 - .32"

42 grs. RL15 - .45"

No chrony readings yet, but I am guessing 2900 fps or so for the 41 grs. RL15 load...I will load up a bunch of that charge weight and chrony them next time out. Very impressive accuracy!

Tod,



I shot those 107 MK loads again and the velocities were the same as before. It seems that we can't leave well enough alone. The 95 gr VMax is just as accurate and the velocity is higher. If one runs numbers on the two the coeficient of .365 for the red tip looks pretty good compared to the 107 considering what they start out at and the fact that the VMax is an expanding bullet.



I really don't like coyotes at all however. If there was some critter to test bullets on that's the one. However I would rather shoot them dead. And then shoot them dead again when they are down!



The 107 is a really sexy looking bullet. I loaded up more 95's and there are six primed cases still empty in the block. I am trying to take my own advice.

It's a deal. I am interested enough that I will do some testing in water and wet paper.

My rifle may take more than 42 grs of RL 15 with the 107 MK. The next loads will be 42.5 and 43 grs.

I shot some more today. 41 grains of RL15 gives me 2860 fps avg...about 100 fps less than I was expecting. Oh well, I got them shooting well out to 340 yards, and they are now bursting milk jugs pretty good too, so tommorow I will head out for coyotes, see if I can get a chance at one.

I am thinking about ordering some 85 gr. Sierra's for a low noise close range predator load to be used in populated areas. Teamed up with some SR4759, for about 2100 fps, it should work inside 100 yards or so. I think I might get a box of 95 gr. V-Max's too...

I read at Predator Masters that the 107 did not blow up the jug at 200 yds. While this does not mean that it did not expand that may have been the case. That's why I line up more water cartons to catch the bullet.

I am positive that the 95 gr VMax starting at 3250 fps will blow a wet paper filled carton into small pieces and scatter it all over at 200 yds.

I called Sierra a while back when thinking of bullet selection for very long range coyote shooting. They advised that their softnose bullets should be going at least 2300 fps to ensure expansion on such a small animal. Keep in mind that a reduced load will spin the bullet at less rpm's and therefore expand even less.

Savage and Todd,

Why don't you boys try the 100 grains Sierra HP, or the 100 grain Hornady SP or the 100 grain Ballistic Tip, if you are looking for expansion and not satifsifed with the 95 grain V Max.

ANOTHER superior bullet that I really like for varmint shooting is the Speer 90 grain TNT. I have not had any of my rifles shoot the 95 grain Vmax worth a darn. However they all like the 90 grain Speer TNT and it is definitely more explosive in performance than Sierras 85 grain HP, even at low velocities.

Using Sierras latest manual for the 260 with the 85 grain Sierra, I instead load the 90 grain TNT and it will chronograph as high as 3500 fps out of a Remington 260 VLS 26 inch heavy barrel,

Price are reasonable for them, at least on this side of the border.

Seafire,

I have never done much with the 6.5's although I have owned them. This 260 is new to me and I am just playing with it at the range. For hunting I would use the Swift first or one of my magnums for long range coyotes.

Not that I was the first to find VMax's as Big Stick suggested the 120 for the 7mm's. That bullet, the 110 in the .270 and the 6.5mm VMax all shoot very well for me.

Sierra is my favorite all time bullet maker however the hollow points don't have the ballistic coefficients that plastic tipped bullets do.

So much to do.

Sav_99,

Yes, I have shot 8 or so jugs with the 107 gr. MK's, from 50-340 yards. All were popped pretty good except one at 225 yards. I did get a shot at a coyote on Friday, a 90 yard frontal shot. Knocked him down with the 107 gr., he spun around a bit, then got up and started to run away, I hit him again, he fell, got up and was gone before I could shoot again. I tracked him for 500 yards through the bush, until the blood trail began to get less and less, then he got into his den, where I assume he is now, dead as can be. He did seem to loose lots of blood. I think that MK just penciled through without much expansion. I am ordering a box of 95 gr. V-Max's, although the 90 gr. TnT's look good too! I want something that will expand fast and make a nice wound channel, I don't want to lose coyotes anymore. I also am getting some 110 gr. V-Max for my 30-06, and may use that as my reduced load rifle if I go that route, it will save me from having to sight-in the 260 differently all the time with the reduced load/V-Max load.

Seafire,

I did try the 100 gr. Ballistic Tip on a coyote last winter with spectacular results, but I am all out of them now. I was pushing them to 3000 fps. Being a handloader, I am always wanting to try something new or different, so I will go with something else this time. The 90 gr. TnT from Speer looks pretty explosive though!

That's quite an adventure Tod.

The 95 VMax out of the 260 R. shot best for me with only 43.5 grs of RL 15 at 3200. The rifle will take more than 44.5 grs but it's near max. I like to see the small groups and it's plenty of power for pests.

Every VMax that I have ever shot has done well. That's in the 6.5 and 7mm's along with the .270. I also have a box of 110's in .30 cal. So far there has been no time to try them.

I might load them in a 300 WM and see if the bullet richocets. If it does not bounce I may carry that cannon and try to cut a coyote into pieces with it.

If you want a coyote load for your 260 Rem. try the 90 gr. TNT on top of IMR 4064 with a 210M primer in Remington brass. Blows big holes in them. I am getting 3465 accurate fps (.5' or a little less)with the above combination in my 24" Krieger barreled 260. That load came straight out of the Sierra manual. I just subsituted the 90 gr. TNT for the 85 gr. Sierra Varminter backed of a couple of grains and worked up. It hit in my rifle at 41.4 gr. I haven't had a coyote take a step after being hit with that load. On one of coyotes when I hit him I could see a red halo come off the back side of him through the scope against the snow. Pretty impressive. I am sure 95 gr. VMax would work as well. But for right now I will stick with the 90 gr. TNT.



If you are going to try a 300 Win Mag. use the 125 Nosler B.T. at about 3500 fps. Like I have posted several times before, the devestation has to be seen to be believed. The 110 VMax is not the best bullet for a 300 Mag. I have seen the 125 Ballistic Tip used in a 300 WSM @ 3550 fps on coyotes. GEZZZZZZZZ you wouldn't believe it trust me on this one.



May I be half the man my grandson thinks I am...RiverRat