I sighted in my new 260 rem.ok then I start shooting my loads an theyre all hitting a foot high or more.four different loads powder an bullets.

How did you sight it in.

started at fifty yards an made adjustments an went to hundred an made a few more adjustments.they were factory loads an my loads I started at the low end on powder.

lower powder charge means lower velocity, means more time in barrel so barrel is at higher angle in recoil when bullet leaves muzzle?

it seems from what im reading on the 260 rem. that most guys are shooting them pretty hot.none of my loads were compressed

I think it's time to take the scope and bases off and remount it. Using a little lock tite as you go. Or try another scope.

Before you start changing things I suggest you try factory ammo & reloads at the same range session and confirm the difference in impact.

If the factory ammo is zeroing correctly then you should be able to get the reloads to do the same.

I would suggest using a chronograph to be sure of the velocities.

Another point to remember is that bullets react variably to each barrel & I have found them to show the biggest variance. If you are getting 12 inch high from 4 different bullets, then your velocity might be the culprit.

What is your bullet seating depth. I always use 0.030 inch for hunting ammo. I use 0.050inch for Barnes TSX

What is rifle? Is the barrel free floated or bedded or has any resistance under the barrel?

Check the bases and rings on the scope, Tighten all the screws holding the action and barrel to the stock.

Do you have access to a good bore sight?

Try moving down to 25 yards and then 50 and see what difference there is at those ranges.

There are several possibilities that could be causing your results.

Keep us updated on your progress, Please.

aephilly nailed it

God Bless, Louis

You see some strange stuff from time to time. Got a .243 WBY UL for the kid. Shot 75 and 100 gr handloads to near same POI. Adjusted to 2" high @ 100 and gtg.

When he went out to kill his first whitetail I fed it Fed Prem 100gr NPs. First day he killed a nice 5 pt out back. We had talked lower third hold, but impact was upper third (high lung, aorta). But dead is dead, and he was 12.

After that season he used a .300 Roy exclusively....and well.

Was only last year I shot the .243 again. Seemed odd those factory 100s were now shooting 5.5" higher than we had set. Hmmmm. Proceeded to shoot two five shot groups - factory load, handload, factory, etc sequence. 10 shots later had two sub 1" groups 5.5" apart at 100 yds.

Learned something that day.

Had something similar happen with a .458 Ruger Model 77 and my handloads.

The bullet I had the rifle sighted in with were 350 grain Hornady Round Nose.

I had been looking at other brands and found that Speer offered a 400 grain spire point. The powder charge was similar to that using the 350 grain bullets.

Took it out to the range to see if the spire point bullets would work better or as well as the round noses and even though both shot reasonable groups for me, the spire points hit 5 to 6 inches low and to the right of the round noses at 100 yards.

I even tried shooting a round nose and then a spire point using the exact same point of aim and it produced the same results.

The fellow that I used to hunt with took a couple of the bullets of each style to the machine shop he ran and took some measurements and the conclusion was that even though the spire points were 50 grains heavier in, they had a shorter bearing surface on the rifling.

So with the difference in prices and the fact that the rifle preferred the round nosed bullets, I stuck with those.

Any time you change anything, particularly powder the POI is likely to change from one degree to another..Check all the screws etc and be sure the scope is tight. From your description it sounds like shooter error not scope failure.

Pick "one load" that shoots good and sight in your rifle at at 100 yards, then test its POI at 200 and 300 so you know where it hits..I personally sight in 3"s high at a 100 yards, that's 4"s high at 200, dead on at 275 to 300 with a .260 and 10 inches low at 400, then I test it at all those ranges...

Then you can play with other loads if you must, hopefully they will hit the same POI, but this may or may not be the case, at which point if you come up with a better load, just resight in the rifle with that load..Keep is simple.

Were you able to zero your loads at 100 ?
Did you run out of adjustment in the scope ?