I need a good out to 500 yard whitetail load for a new to me pre 64 264 wm. Im leaning toward 130 gr accubonds. I knew going in that the 264 was a reloaders gun. thank and very best

IMR7828 has worked well for me with 125 partitions and 130 ABs.

Mine loves 7828 and 140 NPs

Thanks guys, do you have a preference on brass ? Im trying to find factory ammo to shoot and save brass on. I am thinking 130 gr ammo, would like to try the new long range accubond , BTs and SST's and gamekings have all worked great on whitetails for me 225 lb. ders are tops where I hunt, most fall in the 150-190 lb range.I will take accuracy over max speed any day ,this is my first 6.5 gun. very best and thanks for any help

W-W was the easiest for me to find before the chaos, Started w/ a box of power points==that my rifle loved---and then reloaded and found W-W brass to go w/ it

7828 may get me a little more speed, but 60 grains of IMR 4831 gets me half inch groups with 125 partitions in mine. My longest deer to date came with that load at 504 yards. I can't see farther than that.

My 1st considerations is always accuracy and bullet performance. For years, my go to was H870 w the Nos 125gr partition for deer and 140gr Hdy SP for elk. Speed is way down on my list of considerations as long as the speed was somewhere in the ballpark. After Hogdon abandoned me and quit the H870, I looked for a long time and have finally settled on WW 780 powder with the 130gr Acubond. Getting acceptable speed and accuracy is outstanding. Performance of the Acubond is exceptional. Try it - you might like it.

Out to 500 yards there won't be enough difference in bullet drop among the common big game hunting weights and styles to matter, unless you call 2 inches a lot. After 500 it's a different matter. I shoot surplus powders and 140 grain bullets in mine which won't help you much. Generally 130 and heavier, the slower powder the better. As far as surplus powders, WC 872 when you can find it, WC 860 and WC 867 work as well. The 264 and the 257 Weatherby (my 300 Weatherby too) all respond well to certain surplus 50 cal and 20MM powders with the heavier .264 bullets.

A 45 mi away gun shop has a few jugs of 7828 ssc, Is the short cut just as well as 7828. He also has 10 boxes of the 140 gr super X to get me started on saving brass, and getting sighted in ,tuned up a bit. very best

I have had good luck with 7828 as well. the 130 accubonds are dandys and if your twist will take em the 130 and 140 bergers are excellent.

The Cabelas here in KC has a few pounds of 7828SSC on the shelves. I think it is all becoming more available again. I bought two pounds of the AA4350 they had for $26 each and that was what the 7828 was as well. Not great, but at least acceptable.

Also, if you do not have a 7mmMag to mix up the brass with, you can just neck that down and use it.

quote:

Originally posted by tiggertate:
Out to 500 yards there won't be enough difference in bullet drop among the common big game hunting weights and styles to matter, unless you call 2 inches a lot. After 500 it's a different matter. I shoot surplus powders and 140 grain bullets in mine which won't help you much. Generally 130 and heavier, the slower powder the better. As far as surplus powders, WC 872 when you can find it, WC 860 and WC 867 work as well. The 264 and the 257 Weatherby (my 300 Weatherby too) all respond well to certain surplus 50 cal and 20MM powders with the heavier .264 bullets.

+1

These very slow powders are appropriate for the .264. Anything faster like 4831 or 7828 is going to provide less-than-optimum velocities.

Tiger: How does WC 867 compare with WC 872? I've used a considerable amount of WC 872 and am very comfortable with it. I have recently obtained some WC 867 but haven't loaded any of it yet.

The 130 gr. AB is a great choice (IMO). I have had great luck with that bullet out of my 264. 140 gr. Partitions have also worked well for me. My powder choice has been H870 for this weight of bullet. I think T870 is the same powder and it has worked just like the H. My old rifle has a little shorter barrel than your pre 64 but my best accuracy comes in at 3100 fps. I think this caliber is a little hard to load for but when you get it down, you'll love it. It's the only rifle I used for years and I've killed antelope past 500 yds, mule deer, and elk. ENJOY

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:

quote:

Originally posted by tiggertate:
Out to 500 yards there won't be enough difference in bullet drop among the common big game hunting weights and styles to matter, unless you call 2 inches a lot. After 500 it's a different matter. I shoot surplus powders and 140 grain bullets in mine which won't help you much. Generally 130 and heavier, the slower powder the better. As far as surplus powders, WC 872 when you can find it, WC 860 and WC 867 work as well. The 264 and the 257 Weatherby (my 300 Weatherby too) all respond well to certain surplus 50 cal and 20MM powders with the heavier .264 bullets.

+1

These very slow powders are appropriate for the .264. Anything faster like 4831 or 7828 is going to provide less-than-optimum velocities.

Tiger: How does WC 867 compare with WC 872? I've used a considerable amount of WC 872 and am very comfortable with it. I have recently obtained some WC 867 but haven't loaded any of it yet.

I just loaded it for the first time in my 300 Weatherby. I'm shooting 200 gr Lapua Mega bullets about 2870 fps, very low deviation and MOA with my suppressor installed. No complaints at all. I can't compare it to 872 because I ran out of that before I began shooting this 300. I used up my 872 in my 264 Win Mag, largely on your recommendation and still have enough loaded to not try a new powder yet. Maybe that would be a good winter exercise.

The 300 Wby rifle is a SAKO L-61R rebarreled with a Shilen 1:8 twist barrel which is a full 28 inches breech to crown. So I'm giving the 867 a pretty good set of circumstances to perform. Might not do so well in 26 inches and certainly not in 24.

74.5- H 870 and a 140 Sierra Gameking!!!
Aloha, Mark

quote:

Originally posted by Bohica:
74.5- H 870 and a 140 Sierra Gameking!!!
Aloha, Mark

How do the GameKings hold up on close shots at big game? thanks

Problem is availability of the sweet powders for the .264, H870 hasn't been available for years. I have messed with 50BMG, 5010 and several others that you just cant get, at least where I live. So here is the load and it has worked in three different rifles "63 grns of IMR 4831 with 140 grn you pick the bullet". It gives close to 3,200 fps with good accuracy with most bullets in my rifles and no excessive pressure signs in the rifles I have loaded it in for 35 years. I have used this load off and on when H 870 wasn't available and lately its the load since I can always get IMR 4831.

Here is a link to an article on the .264 Winchester Magnum. http://www.shootingtimes.com/2...4-winchester-magnum/

I had one of the original Winchester Westerners that was sitting in a department store rack waiting for me. They discounted it because I was the only one that asked about it. That was back about 1968-'70 because one of the forming dies I still have is marked 'RCBS 1970'. The original Winchester factory ammo was loaded with double diameter bullets, the portion just in front of the cannelure was made bore diameter to ride on top of the rifling while the portion behind the cannelure was groove diameter or .264". They did this, if I recall, to allow the long bullets to be seated out a bit without requiring a longer throat. I confirmed this again a few years ago when I came across some original Winchester bullets. It caused me some consternation because some brands of bullets wouldn't fit the short throat due to bullet shape. Which, if I recall was no biggie as Winchester sold its bullets for reloaders.

In my experience IMR 4350 and H-4831 were the go to powders with a 120 grain Sierra bullet. If I were to load for a .264 Win Magnum today I'd use the same powders and any Nosler bullet, especially the 130 grain AccuBond you mentioned, which doesn't need to be driven to maximum velocity to be accurate. Whitetails should fall easily with any well placed hit. I recall that .264 Winchester doing some nasty damage to deer with those old factory bullets. http://www.nosler.com/264-winchester-magnum

Winchester produced brass is a seasonal item, which means they produce it when there is enough demand. No worry, Nosler produces it and their brass is across the board worth the cost. I use it exclusively for accuracy loads in several cartridges. Nosler also makes custom loaded ammunition, but again that's pricy but easy. Any 7mm Remington brass can be necked down to .264 Winchester Magnum with a Trim die, then loaded normally, at least that's how I did it. Drawback is that the headstamp will indicate 7mm Remington Mag, and could lead to getting them in the wrong rifle.

I recall that primers did make a difference, the old Remington Dupont two legged 9-1/2 Magnums aren't made anymore, but I'd try a Federal 215 Gold Match today then compare with the others. The .264 Winchester Magnum is just a great cartridge that will not die.