I have a .260 that I'm wanting to shoot 120 TSX's in... May try some 120 Ballistic Tips for practice or coyotes, etc..

What powders seem to bring out the "magic" in the .260 ?? This rifle has a 25" barrel..

Thanks !

A 260 is like a 223, it is harder to find a bad powder, than to find one it shoots the best.. it is just one accurate, but unfinicky round...

6.5 120 grain bullets seem to like 2800 to 2900 fps the best for max performance...

I prefer using the W 748, RL 15, IMR 4064, IMR 4895 or IMR 3031 powders with that bullet weight...

however, Both IMR and Hodgdon's 4350s work well, as does H 414, W 760, RL 19 and RL 22, or both 4831s...

For my target 260 with a 26 inch barrel ( Remington VLS).. the first powder listed for the 120 Grain Match King, was a charge of 40 grains of W 748 ( BLC 2 is the same powder)... it was a real tack driver.. although I have tried the others also,listed above.. I just stuck with the 748 load... MV is 2850 in my rifle..

good luck..
cheers
seafire

Every time I find H-414 applicable I use it as it's a fine powder....easy to meter and helps me keep the number of powders down.

I use 47.0 grains of RL 19 behind a 120 grain ballistic tip and get great accuracy and top velocity.

Great load

38.2 gr of Varget with a 120 gr Nosler BT gives me some tight groups out of my Sako 75 .260.

With the 120gr B-Tip I use 39gr H4895. I need a load for the Hornady 95gr V-max.

What model sako? Finnlight, sporter, or varmint? Love to hear the accuracy results you have, 3 or 5 shot groups.

Also, in MY experience when I had a 6.5-308 and 260's, IMR 4350 and H414 (accuracy/speed) did very well with 85-129's. I do have much regard for Seafire and his knowledge and would consider his and other's loads.

It seems in my limited use of IMR 4895, I had low density loads that showed some sensitivity to pressure as I believe I used some loads Jim Carmichael published in Outdoor Life or somewhere. Some of those 'higher loads' seemed to be pushing it, so start a few grains under what you might find under Carmichael's data.

He is that guy that supposedly CLAIMS responsibility for the invention of the NEW cartridge, when we all can see in PO ACKLEY's book, that the 6.5/308 was done LONG ago. Amazing how anyone can just pass themselves off as an 'inventor' HAVING to know full well they were YEARS after the development of an idea/product. That pet peeve lingers when I see 260 and Jim Carmichael's name mentioned. Other than that, he seems to be an alright guy that has written much good info. Funny how some authors write it 'as is' and others have inflated ego's or "agenda's" but that is everywhere I guess. I just appreciate the writers out there who are VERY candid and tell it JUST how it is. It saves all of us headaches and disappointment.

My hat is off to any writer out there reading this, who says it how it is, and does not try distorting the facts.

Sorry to ramble, had to vent that.....

I agree with 6.5BR. Around here many high power silhouette shooters were using the 6.5/308 for years. Someone imported 55 gallon drums of 6.5 caliber Norma bullets. They were cheap. Many people rebarrelled their 308s. They also hunted with the 6.5/308. When Carmichael "invented" the 260 Rem it made it even more popular in our area. But, many people lost faith in Carmichael for taking all the credit. It is still a desirable cartridge around here. Maybe Remington should get the message that the 260 is a very desirable cartridge.

quote:

Originally posted by 22win:
With the 120gr B-Tip I use 39gr H4895. I need a load for the Hornady 95gr V-max.

95 grain V Max...

43.5 grains of IMR 4064, MV should be right in the 3375 to 3400 fps range, with a 22 inch barrel.. that is what I get out of a pair of Rugers.. higher with a 26 inch barrel on the Rem VLS..

In my wife's .260, I use 46 gr of RL 19 pushing 120 gr Barnes XLCs (will be switching to TSXs next time I buy bullets). We also use the same amount of powder behind 120 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, but only shoot them at paper, not game.

Troy

Varget and IMR-4350 are best in mine. With 100gr NBTs I use 41.5gr Varget. With 120s I back it off to 40.5gr of Varget. Anything heavier than a 120 I use IMR-4350.

I find the .260 right at the edge of overbore & works well w/ med.-slow burners. I like RL19, H4831sc & H4350 under a 120gr. Great little cart.

As far as the 120 b tips, I hear even the 100's work well on deer, not be afraid of the being too frangible like some of the other calibers, or older bullets made prior to jackets beefed up. I hear the 7mm 120gr is a tough bullet, and would not fear at all a 120gr 6.5, though any 120-129 is plenty for much hunting.

The load Seafire gives for a 95 gr sounds like a varmints worst nightmare. I loaded some 115 in a 7mag years ago in college, DANG they were LOUD and Kicked, doing 3375. I backed them off to around 3k and did in a coyote.

I agree that in a 6.5 bore, a 260 and 6.5x55 has about all the capacity one needs for most shooting, and not burn a barrel up too fast, while giving up little in how fast a bullet exits the barrel, and how well it flys and hits getting there.

The one thing I kept thinking before Rem released the 260 when I had my 6.5/308 was how pleasant it was shooting it.

seafire, have you tried VV150 under that 95gr V-max? I get groups well under 1/2moa w/ vel. near 3500fps from my 27" 260ai. The SD is always in the single digits.

Seafire, Thanks for the 95gr load. I am going to try to load some this weekend. I bought 1000 95gr V-Max a few years ago from Lock, Stock and Barrel when they were able to get and sell Hornady blems.

Fred,

I don't have good availability of VV powder here in 'Hooterville' Oregon.... and when you find it, it is kinda spendy... but you have to hand it to the Finns, when it comes to something in firearms, their quality and quality control is second to none...


22 Win,

NO problem, and you're welcome...in my 26 inch barrel, the MV is about 3500 in that rifle.. I am using standard Large Rifle Primers, I don't use the Magnum Primers...

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
Fred,
I don't have good availability of VV powder here in 'Hooterville' Oregon.... and when you find it, it is kinda spendy

It's just as hard to find in Kalif. since there are so few gunshops that carry powder, but it is amazingly uniform & in my .260ai. It shades all others, w/ 85-100gr bullets, by just enough to get me to use it.

Fred,

I have had such good luck with IMR 4064, and it is available locally, I find it hard to believe that any other powder is worth the time to find it, much less try it...It and the 260s I own just seem to love each other... 100 grain bullets and less especially...

4064 and Varget are my two favorites in 708 from 100-140's, and should do fine in the 260, the 150-160 have done great with H380 and 414. I have had very good accuracy with 414 in 260 but perhaps more consistent accuracy with 'stick powders' overall in the 6.5 bore. I would think 414 is a worthwhile powder to try in the mid size 6.5 cases.

I will have to give 4064 a try in any future 260 I get. After seeing the results of the 'shock value' in bullets of 'lesser weight' on thin sized game, I am forming an opinion, perhaps many deer would drop quicker with faster lighter more frangible bullets assuming broadside chest shots are taken. It would be hard to imagine a deer survive long after an explosive bullet i.e. 85-87gr 243, 100gr 260, or 120gr 708 gets into the lungs. I would never try going thru a shoulder, but many hunters use fast 22's on deer lung shots with lightning deadly results. I think a small bore gets help when a faster expanding bullet is used, perhaps causing a wider shock wave and wound channel, albeit shorter, deer are normally not that thick. You just need to put it in the lungs when possible and there will be plenty penetration to destroy that organ(s)

Nosler #5 lists RL-19 as most accurate powder for the 120 gr BT. 47 gr is listed as the most accurate charge giving 2980 fps. That is also listed as max load BTW.

I'm using H4831SC and 129gr Hornady SP Interlocks in my Kimber with fine results both on target and on game .