I want a deer load for next year in my 700 Mountain Rifle in 260 Remington. All I have shot in it the year I have owned it are 140 rem and hornady, and 129 hornady. I want to try something light, as I have lots of rifles and loads for heavy bullets. Back when all I had was a 270 with 130's, I never had to track a deer. I think I can get that back with small and fast from a 260. I also want the lighter recoil for my wife and daughter to use.

Any preferred powders for 100's? Any favorite 100 grain deer bullets? The partition and Tipped Triple Shock look good, but I have always used conventional bullets, so if there is one appropriate for deer at high velocity, I would try it.

Thanks

I think you'll be very happy with 4064 for the 100 gr bullets. I get best accuracy with the Nosler b-tip in that weight also.

Nice rifle; nice cartridge... Good hunting to you!

Jason, Try 41.0-43.0 grains of VARGET and the 100 grain BT in your 260. I went that route for my daughter when she first got a 260 at 13 years old. Started her out with the 41.0 grain load and the rifle is a 700 ST/BDL/DM with 24" barrel. She has killed 3 good bucks, 2, 8's and a 12 pointer and has yet to see a deer take a step after the trigger is pulled!! ALL DRT!!! Her first one was a 17" 8 pointer at 271 yards! Mild recoil and very accurate in her rifle. I have upped the charge and tested it in a couple of my other 260's and it's very usable. GHD

I didn't realize Nosler considered the 100 grain Ballistic Tip a hunting bullet. Its cheaper than the partition by a large margin, sounds good. I use lots of Varget and 4064, also good.

Will this bullet hold up to close range impacts at top speed? Will I need to limit myself to neck or ribcage shots?

While I'm a fan of 120 grain bullets in my .260, I wouldn't hesitate to use the Nosler 100 grain partition or the 100 grain TTSX.

That said may I suggest you look to the 120s....

I was flipping through the Barnes book and I was notice they reccomend the 120 gr TSX for only the smallest deer size game and the 100 gr for target or varmit only.... Doesn't make too much sense to me but it goes to show Barnes doesn't consider the 100 grainer remotely a hunting bullet.

GHD, any idea on speed? Was telling someone recently 2600-2700 should be a good 'reduced' load for youth w/100gr/260 load.

quote:

Originally posted by 6.5BR:
GHD, any idea on speed? Was telling someone recently 2600-2700 should be a good 'reduced' load for youth w/100gr/260 load.

I have not tried any reduced loads in my 260, but 2850 - 2900 is easily acheiveable with 120gr BT's - I am using Reloder 17.

For the 100gr BT's, I have been using low 40's grains of Benchmark. Velocity is in excess of 3200 FPS, I have been a bit concerned about blow ups and have not used this load on deer.

Hey Brian, thanks for post, I was curious on GHD's 'reduced load' for lighter recoil youth loads, strictly for use by kids who might be more recoil sensitive.

I hear good things on the 100s, inc. the BTs, but not sure if it is more a 'varmint' or 'deer' designed bullet. If you don't run one square into heavy bone at close range you should be alright. No doubt high speeds 3k+ are tougher on bullets, and perhaps a bit more so in faster twist bbls, but they will settle down around 200 yds +.

I used the 100 gr. BT's on antelope this year out of a 264. Loads were in the 3500 fps range. Two shots taken at 250 yards and very good performace. One shot at 30 yards and the bullet still held together pretty well, but did not exit. I would think at 260 speeds it would be a great deer bullet.

+1 on the 120 grainers for the 260. The recoil difference would be marginal at best but the terminal performance would be worth it. If I had to choose it would be the partition. It offers better expansion characteristics allowing for a more consistent performance.

quote:

Originally posted by Captain Finlander:
+1 on the 120 grainers for the 260. The recoil difference would be marginal at best but the terminal performance would be worth it. If I had to choose it would be the partition. It offers better expansion characteristics allowing for a more consistent performance.

There is a 125 Partition, but tests seem to run very close to the old standby 129 SP.

The 130 Accubond is a sweet all around 260/6.5x55 bullet IMO.

I've used 120-grain Ballistic Tips and Partitions in my M-7/.260 on deer and caribou with great success. IME the 120 BTips work just as well as the Partitions did in this caliber, delivering a larger wound channel with ample penetration. The 100-grain BTips worked well too, and slowed down to 3000 fps with a reduced load of H4895 or Varget they should work great for younger or smaller shooters.



. .

I just got back from South Dakota where my 13 year old daughter just shot 4 deer with her 260 and 100 grain partitions in front of 48 grains of H414. All 4 were pass throughs at ranges from 80 to 326 yards. Last year my brother-in-law shot a 230Lb buck from less than 60yrds and while it was a bang-flop the bullet was recovered in the off-side hide(scapula and rib were hit) I got these bullets at a very good price and still have 200 left so they will be my deer bullets for a while, but the B-Tips seem to do ok as well. I have used B-tips from a 264 and had a great deal of rose wound and damaged shoulders - but instant death with never a step taken.

for light loads in a 260, with 100 grainers, down to 85 grains.... try 30 grains of RL 7 or IMR 4198.. or 25 grains of SR 4759....

I've taken deer with the 100 grain Ballistic tip at 3350 fps MV... there will be some bloodshot mean damage.. even out to 300 yds plus... on the far side of the animal..

surpising, the least performance I have had from the 260 with 100 grain bullets was with the 100 grain Partition..sad as I consider it a great bullet.. no problems with the 125 grainers..

not mentioned, but a good bullet for the 260 in 100 grains with 4064 at 3350 fps, is the Hornady 100 grain SP... an often overlooked bullet in today's desire for premium stuff all the time..

I'd use the 100 grain TTSX without hesitation.. at high or low velocity...

I'm running the 100g TTSX's out of my Model 7 .260 Rem and i'm loving it!

I'm stuffing them with 4064 per Seafire's suggestion. I had good luck with H414 as well but it wasn't as consistent in my 20" barrel.

I killed a doe with this load at 138 yards about two weeks ago. Doe was heading into some thick stuff on the edge of a field. I gave it the old shoulder shot and it rolled over like a sack of potatoes. Bullet entered just forward of the left shoulder at the base of the neck and exited through the right shoulder. Caliber sized entry and a dime sized exit. The best part about it- I watched the whole ordeal through my scope after the shot. Can't argue with a hard hitting, low recoiling load. No bloodshot meat to amount to anything but I did cut away a small amount due to bone fragments, etc. I'm guessing this load is running somewhere around 3100 fps but my chronograph has been acting up lately so I don't have exact velocity figures.

I think the TTSX's work better the faster you can run them. I'm going to try to kill another one this weekend with a boiler room shot and see how that goes.


Varget also shot very well but I can scrape a little more velocity from the 4064.

I have also had very good luck the 120g Ballistic tips and once my TTSX's run out, i'll probably run them exclusively. Can't argue with the price difference.

quote:

Originally posted by TJAY:
I used the 100 gr. BT's on antelope this year out of a 264. Loads were in the 3500 fps range. Two shots taken at 250 yards and very good performace. One shot at 30 yards and the bullet still held together pretty well, but did not exit. I would think at 260 speeds it would be a great deer bullet.

Worked so well you needed three shots huh???

Yup, three shots..



and 3 does in the freezer

It has been since December, but I'm finally getting moving with the 260 Mountain Rifle. I bedded the rifle this week, and floated the barrel.
Today I bought a box of 100 grain Ballistic Tips to start with. I'll get some partitions if I get it shooting well with the cheap bullets. I think I'll start with Varget and 4064, since I use those powders on so many other loads.

Thanks for the input.

im a fan of the 120 sierra sp. or the 120 nosler ballistic tip. 42 grs of RL-15 WLR primer. 2910 fps.. ruger M-77 S.S. this is max in my gun so start low. look at more loads for this round on the reloading page on this FORUM