Still contemplating a Kimber in .260. I was wondering about two issues:
1.) How do 140gr reloads compare to factory loads? In other words are factory loads hot or is there significant room for improvement?

2.) How about wind drift at longer ranges? Is the .260 less susceptable to a .284 or .270 with the same grain bullet (all partitions)?

About your question number 2. If speeds are about the same the 264 will be better than the other two for sure.

Mark D

Westernmassman

I'm not familiar with over counter ammo. So what I'm going to suggest to you is to do a little exploring. Look at the Hodgdon site and get some hand load data to run against the factory stuff.

Hodgdon

Now go to this ballistic calculator and run the numbers for yourself. It will let you adjust the wind, angle of wind and use an assortment of bullet data. It will give you all the answers. Oh you’ll need to look up the ballistic coefficient for the bullets.

Run the numbers.

The speed of a bullet and the rate at which it loses that speed are the only factors affecting wind drift.

Two bullets with the same BC and same velocity will drift the same ammount in a given crosswind.

But I agree with Jay Johnson, look it up yourself.


AllanD

I have shot factory and primarily reloaded 260 and 260AI with 140 and 142's for Precision Rifle and F Class to 1000yrd.Also for a walking "Allroundrifle" Hunter
As factory ammo goes forget it.Weak velocities and
unacceptable accuracy.
This cartridge comes into it's own with reloading and can do GREAT things !
The 6.5 's generally have a high BC for Caliber/weight vs similair other caliber.
Ont0001.

Westernmassman,

Factory Rem 140gr Sierra GK loads sucked in my .260 Kimber 84M. I haven't handloaded for it yet, but I'm gonna try 129gr Hornady SPs and 125gr Nosler Partitions. Kimber .260s have a 1/9 twist which may or may not handle some long 140 grainers depending on ogive & total length. Some 140s are longer than others.

6.5s typically have relatively high BCs for a given weight, therefore should handle wind fairly well.

6.5 bullets will drift in the wind less than a lot of other bullets....

Factory 260 ammo runs about 2600 to 2650 fps on averge.. a handloader can easily do that, and maybe wind it up another 100 fps or so....

But in the real world... 2600 fps in more than fine with a 140....

120s, and 125 grain Partition, and 129 grain SP from Hornady can be pushed between 2800 and 2950 fps... If you feel you have to have more velocity....

For cheaper shooting, the 129 Hornady does a good job on accuracy, plus is a deep penetrating bullet...

With a 1 in 9 twist unless it is a 264 mag, the 129 will definitely stabilize.. the 140s maybe or maybe not.... Barnes's TSXs are suppose to be pretty good also... but I don't feel ya need a premium bullet in a 260....

Their high BC also will have them shooting flatter than you really would expect....

I hunt with the 100 grain Bullets a lot myself...

The 260 has a lot of good choices... I was just at the range today with mine, and had excellent results for accuracy.. it never ceases to amaze me... I have 2 Ruger 260s, with a one in 8 twist.. and one Rem VLS with a one in 9 twist...

Cheers
seafire

Westernmassman,

The 260 is a good cartridge in terms of a few pieces of metal stuck together that go bang but on the other hand there are dozens of similar rounds. The thing about the 260 is that it got off to a recent start with no real sales. One could say that it just didn't catch on.

So if your a handloader the cartridge is a very interesting one. If you don't you will have a hard time finding ammo. Now some people just buy a gun and one box of ammo and it lasts ten years. If this is the case it won't matter.

But if you shoot a lot popular rounds like the 243, 6.5-55, 7mm-08 and 308 will prove to do about the same thing with a lot less effort.

The numbers say the other guys are right about question one. I use 125 gr partitions in mine over H4350 powder. It's great on deer, I love mine.

http://www.federalcartridge.com/ballistics/Ammo_Search....hoose&firearm=1&s1=1
Here is a link to the Federal ammo site. You can play w/ drop & windrift using factory ammo. As the other guys have said, the 260 shines when handloaded. You can squeeze maybe another 50-75fps over the factory rounds but the 260 is loaded near the top of the pressure curve. Accuracy can be just amazing, recoil is just not an issue. The more I shoot my .260ai the more I think I need to make a light wt. walking around rifle.

Of late, the 6.5s have come to be one of the dominating calibers in the long range matches. A number of factors are involved in their just popularity: Recoil, or the lack there of; less wind drift compared to other calibers; the flat trajectory of 6.5 bullets, and the excellent BCs these bullets have are all factors in the 6.5s long range popularity.

Wind drift: At 600 yds, Lapua's 139 Gr. match bullet will drift 39.18 inches in a 20 mph cross wind. For comparison, a 165 Gr. match .308 will drift 66.50 inches in the same wind, for a wopping 69.7 percent difference in wind drift between the two calibers.

Trajectary: Sighted in at 600 yds, the 6.5 139 Gr Lapua bullet will be 9 inches flatter at the apex of the trajectary at 325 yards than a .308 165 Gr match bullet.

Ballistic Coeficients: Comparing the 708 to the 260, Hornaday's 7 mm 162 Gr match bullet has a BC of .534. Lapua's 139 Gr match bullet has a BC of .661. 30 caliber bullets have poorer BCs than 7 mm bullets do.

Granted these are not hunting bullets, but 6.5 hunting bullets, especially in the 140 Gr weight, will still show the wind drift, trajectory and ballistic coeficient advantages that the match 6.5 bullets show. The advantages will just be a little less pronounced...Rusty.

162 grain 7mm A-max has a BC of .625