At the present I'm shooting 140 's over IMR 4350 with a compressed load .
No pressure signs and no place to go
Could someone suggest powders for 140's and 130's that may give a little more umph ?

I was thinking IMR 4320, RE19, RE22 but I'm so new at this I thought it would be best to ask
Thanks
Steve Eggers

H 4895 and H Varget are two powders that you should look at. They tend to excell in the .308 case family. The varget is my first choice for my 7-08AI.

IMR 4064 hands down.

Honorable mention: IMR 4895, RL 15, W 748, H 380, H 414 W 760, IMR 3031.

I find more velocity potential and more accuracy with the mid burn rate powders instead of the traditional slow burning powders.

Cheers and good shooting
seafire

if it velocity/accuracy you want then look no farther than varget. 7-08AI,26" #6 Douglas,140xlc,44.5grains H-Varget,win wlr, r-p brass. 3185fps average and groups consistantly in the .3s. Dont get much better

280:

I can't argue with those results in a 7/08 AI, however, the question was about a 260, not a 7/08 AI.

I can tell you from my personal experience in 3 different 260s, I own, that Varget powder has not performed for me any where near as tight as the powders that I already mentioned.

Don't know if it is my firearms or what, but I am talking loads with bullets from 85 grains to 160 grains, and every thing in between.

Varget did not hack it in my 260s and neither did H 4895, but IMR 4895 ran circles around it. IMR 4320 also did not do well, but the other IMR mid range powders all did.

Even better than 4350, IMR and H, 4831 ( ditto), 7828, RL 19 and RL 22, and H1000.

From it reputation, the first load I tried in my first 260, was a load with Varget and a 120 grain Sierra HP match. Didn't impress me much. Then the first on the list on the Sierra recommended load ( faxed to me before they had Number 5 manual out) was a load with 40 grains of W 748. Started there and ended there, with that load for that bullet, in that rifle. Rem 700 VLS.

Cheers and good shooting
seafire

Hmmm. Have had good luck with the varget in the 7-08 and the 308. Had also heard good things about varget in the .243. Surprised to hear the only remaining flavor in the .308 case family didn't like it. Another option may also be RL-15. Gonna keep an eye on this one cause a 260AI will be built soon. And varget was gonna be the first powder I tried.

SteveE,

How much IMR 4350 are you loading and what 140 gr bullet are you using?

Here are some loads for you

http://www.reloadersnest.com/query_bw.asp?CaliberID=112&BulletWeight=140

If it's a target rifle I would not give up on IMR 4350. If it's a sporter I would consider a lighter bullet and if the game were larger than deer a premium lighter bullet.

I`ve found the same powders that work well in my 6.5x55 work best in my 260. I`d try R19 with the 120 - 129 gr bullets and R22 or H4831 with the 140 - 160`s. If I was limited to one powder choice for either cartridge with all wgts it would be R19 or H4350..............

Savage 99
I'm at 43.5 of IMR 4350 using 140 sierra gamekings. It shoots in the .5s and I'm not complaining . I just want some more options to try for better velocity in 140 and 130 bullets
Oh by the way --I havent chronod the 140s yet for I have just gotten a chronograph
I was just going by published velocities
I think that 130 s are where I'll end up But them 140's will sure knock a whitetail on his butt

I can't say that I've had a lot of experience loading the .260 -- the only one I tried was a Browning single shot that I could not get to shoot as accurately as I wanted, so I eventually gave up on it. But my best results were with H-380. Other powders I tried were IMR 4064, Varget, Benchmark, H-4895, and possibly some others I've forgotten.

SteveE,

Seems like it's a hunting/range rifle then. First of all you have to know when to be happy. That load is shooting really well and it's at max and then some in two books. Also IMR 4350 ends up being the accuracy powder in so many loads where it's appropiate.

The bullet should be selected for the game and range. I have found that long GameKings don't do all that well in deer sized animals.

Perhaps some with much 6.5 mm experiance will suggest good bullets for specific applications. If I were hunting deer and the black bear season were open at the same time it would be hard to ignore the 125 gr Partition.

RL 15 and IMR 4350 under either a 125 Part. or a 140 SST.

Anyone tried VV-N560 behind a 140g bullet? Just curious since it provides the best velocity in the Nosler manual.



I'm surprised so many have listed powders with a quickness between 4064 and 4350 with 140g bullets. Not surprised they are accurate but would have thought RL19, RL22, 4831, 7828, or N560 would give a little better velocity (can you get enough RL25 in the case to do any good?). The reason I mention this is I use 50.0g of H-4350 for the 100g Partition (3,340 fps) so I would try a slower powder first on a 140g bullet.



SteveE, sounds like you have an accurate load. You may get more velocity with a slower powder but I doubt you will get more accuracy.



Oh, anyone else hoping for a 120g Accubond for the 260?



HogWild

HogWild
Yes , I'm waiting on the 6.5 accubonds also
This rifle loves the 120 BTs if the accubond is the same shape and all it should be great

do you use them 100 partitions on deer?

Yes I have........well, on one deer. At 30 yds went through the rear of the onside shoulder, barely clipped the heart, and out the opposite side ribs. Left an exit the size of a quarter. The buck ran about 60 - 70 yds.



I'm happy to stick with the 100g Partition load for Whitetail. The 100g Partition has a small front end so I wouldn't mind a little more lead to expand on southern deer as long as I know there is a base to punch through. Makes me think a 120g Accubond may be a good compromise. The 129g Interbond might work but Hornady told me by e-mail that it will have the same profile as the SST which seats too far off the lands for my tastes (when seated to fit my short action).



I should have mentioned in my previous post, my rifle is chambered in 260 AI with a 24" barrel which was chambered with a min spec reamer. There isn't a lot of difference in the volume between the AI and non-AI versions but 50.0g of H-4350 would probably be a max load in most standard 260 Rems.



HogWild

I dispatched a deer this past season, that had been clipped by a car. It was taken with a nosler 100 grain partition in 6.5 mm /260-Rem.

It was taken at 300 yds, but went straight down at the shot, watched it go straight down in the scope, no falling to the side or forward, just down!

They work!

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

I've had good luck using H414 and the 120 grain Sierra.

Bob257

I've used the slower powders with 140's in my 260 Rem. h4831, WXR, H1000. also have tried 7828 and RL25 (used a mag primer with rl25). the 260 can use a wide range of powders, it is very versatile. I stick with varget/rl15 for the 107 gr. and lighter bullets, and slower powders for 120-140 gr. loads.



Most give 2600 fps or so in my 22" barrel with the book max loads.



I'd think h4350 or RL19 would be ideal, but I get good accuracy and enough speed with the slower powders. I am going to try h4350 with the 120's to see if I can get more speed than h4831 (still shoots .5")! 120 gr. nosler bt's...