Just bought one! A Win Model 70 in 264 Win Mag , Classic Super Grade new in box.

I am interested in 125 - 140 gr bullet loadings. Can you help? Please list accuracy/velocity. Thanx

Bullet:140 Grain Sierra Hollow Point Boat Tail
Powder:73.0 grains of Hodgdon H-870
Primer:Winchester WLR
Case:Winchester
Firearm:Winchester Model 70
Velocity:3,132 FPS @ 15' from muzzle
Accuracy:5-shot groups, at 200-yards, between 0.5" and 0.75"

As luck would have it, my dies arrived today so off to the cellar I went and took down the Sierra manual from the bench. I tied their accurac load with 120 grain SP's and got .5 at 100 yards! Not bad for a starting load! Used new Win 7mag cases run through the FL die first. The load was 59 grs of IMR 4350 120 Sp and Mag primer @ 3.340 COL. This is happening in an old Herter's U9, also known as a BSA "Monarch?" More to come, and what a super caliber! Enjoy

[ 09-04-2003, 00:09: Message edited by: 308Sako ]

Ricci's recipe is a good one for 140 grain bullets (the most useful weight in this caliber). 73 grains might be just a little stiff in some rifles, so work up to it. Also, unless you just happen to have a hoard on hand, H-870 is now discontinued and may not be available. Accurate 8700 is very similar, but again, work up carefully.

After years of using H-570 (almost identical to H-870 in a stick -- make that log -- powder), I have come to rely on surplus WC 872 as an excellent and very economical alternative. It is somewhat slower than H-870 (at least in the lots I've used) and it usually takes a full case or compressed load. Its velocity, consistency, and accuracy are outstanding, and it costs all of $4 per pound.

In the IMR series, 4350, 4831, and even 7828 are too fast for optimum velocities with the .264. except with the lighter bullets of 120 grains or under. 4831 and 4350 are really too fast for even the 120.

I haven't tried them (and won't so long as my supply of WC 872 holds out), but Hodgdon Retumbo and RL 25 might be okay. H 1000 is again, on the fast side for optimum performance.

The .264 is an overlooked but very capable long range cartridge. With its long, high S.D. 140 grain bullet, it not only does the job at extended ranges, but is a potent penetrator on larger game as well.

Pop, RL25 worked great for me in a Remington Classic w/120`s super fast and accurate. I think H1000 might be the ticket for the 140`s, it shoots real good with the Sierra 140 Gameking.

Thanx Steve:

Hopefully when I substitute that target bullet you're using with a true hunting bullet I might have a load!

BTW ... Seriously .....Have you found AA8700 similar to H870 since H870 is gone now?

My H-870 isn't all gone now...grin...

I still have 10 1-pounders (all the same lot and unopened) in storage. And since I can get almost 100 loads out of a pound with the .264, I have no worries, since it is no longer my "primary hunting rifle". Plus, I have around 500 already loaded.

As for my bullet choice...well, we won't get into that, but there are many, many dead deer and antelope in Montana, and antelope in Wyoming, which never complained about my choice of bullet...

Anybody have any experience with the 140 gr Gameking on game? What was performance like?

Pop,
I've used the 140 Sierra Boat tail on several deer in several 6.5 cartridges from the 264 WM to the 6.5x55. They have always performed well giving complete penetration on broadside shots (including going through off side shoulder bones). Bruising around the entry hole usually extends about 8" in diameter, so violent expansion must be occurring although penetration was thorough. I have switched mostly to Nosler Partitions in the faster cartridges just as an insurance policy, but complain at all about the Sierra's performance.
John

THANX

POP, you got a great caliber there. I said in the other thread I had killed 3 deer with the 140SBT. I remembered another so it is 4. One was broadside at about 300 yds. The bullet blew about a 2" hole through the shoulder blade on entry and turned everything inside the chest to soup. Small exit hole on the off side. Very dead deer! Other good kill was through the ribs at 300 yds. or better. The deer did the lung shot 50 yd. dash and piled up.

Now the ugly ones. I walked over a rise and came upon a buck about 40 yds. below me in a draw. The bullet blew apart on a rib. The bigger part went back through the paunch and exited. The smaller part went through the chest and made a small exit hole. It would have killed the deer but I put one in his neck to end the struggle. Now the real ugly one. I shot at a deer across a canyon. He was angled away and heading down hill. I tried to put the bullet in behind the ribs to angle into the chest. Instead I hit his back leg, broke it and blew his belly open. He fell end over end down the hill and took off. I tracked him a half mile or more. He was easy to track because there were pieces of gut every so often on the trail. Turned out he apparently broke his other back leg on the fall and he was walking on two broken legs on his dragging guts. He was still alive when I found him a good hour later and again I put one in his neck to finish the debacle. Didn't need to gut him, just had to clean the dirt and leaves out. Now of course the first bullet would have killed him so I guess you can say the bullet worked. I just hate all that tracking and cleaning up the messes.

Since then I have killed 15 to 20 deer with the 120 X bullet and have zero complaints. That bullet does not care what it hits, it goes straight through bone or muscle and does not break up that I can tell. I believe it would have broken the above deers leg and continued into the chest and he would have fallen where he stood. I like a bullet that covers my behind when I screw up. Just my experience and my opinion.

It is not a speed deamon, but 60 grains of IMR4831 behind either a 125 Partition or 129 Hornady is scary accurate in my 264. The Partition accounted for my best buck to date at 302 yards. He was 245# field dressed and 13 points. One shot was all it took.

H-1000 might not be the ticket for the 264,if you look at the powder company's data for H-1000 it maxs out at lower pressure with plenty of room left.Read that as spike.My lot did just that to me,IMR7828 was more even.

Thanx guys

My 264 is named. Favorite bullets include 140 gr Hornady, 140 gr Sierra BT, 125 Nosler Partition and my all time favorite, the old 120 gr Nosler Solid Base. I've got about 5 boxes of those hoarded and I only use them for game. Taken numerous mule deer & elk and several oryx and aoudad with the rifle. Elk and oryx get the 140s. Mulies and aoudad get the Noslers, either one. Best powder is H870. Phoey on 4831 & 4350 in this case. Got to try that AA8700 since I'm down to only a few pounds of H870. Hope that Hodgen gets their tale in gear and brings that stuff back onto the market - maybe a new run?????

Pancho:

Amen on the H870 stuff!!