Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Favorite long range load for the 260 Rem?

I'm looking at the ballistic tables, and the 260 seems to run with the 300 win in trajectory out to 1,000 yards.

What's your favorite long range accuracy load?

I can push my 260 pretty hard, but what's the point?

Either 123 Lapua's at 2960 or 142 SMK's at 2815, both with H-4350.

The guys I know running a 260 have been reporting really good results with Reloder 17 and 139 Scenars or 142 SMK bullets. They have been reporting anywhere from 100-150 fps gains over their previous load. I haven't ran it in my 6.5X55 yet, but I've seriously thought about after seeing the results.

I will also be interested to see how the RL17 works out. As far as I know it hasn't landed here in Australia yet.

It would be difficult to best the above although I do like 760 for the 120's. You can get a full 3k with it.

I just bought some 123's and 139's to test out.

I get 2920fps from the following load out of my 26" barreled .260:

42.6gr RE17
WW 7-08 necked down
CCI200
140gr Berger VLD

Hi Greentimber,

That is a pretty sweet load re the velocity. How does it stack up accuracy wise compared to other powders? Have you noticed an increase in velocity using RL17 too?

I suspect that using a 130grain scirroco II you would be close at 3,000fps which is pretty darn flat.

Thanks

LowBC

Sierra and Bergers techs both told me that the best accuracy is achieved with an MV in the 2800 to 2900 fps range, regardless of bullet weight or cartridge pushing it..in the 6.5 bore..

at least to 600 and 800 yds my testing seemed to confirm that..

if some one is going to shoot at 1000 yds with one, seems to me that they would have a scope mount that had the standard 20MOA incline in the rear..

Mid range powders like 4064, RL 15, Varget etc, will give one that 2800 to 2900 fps MV...if you need to bounce up to the 4350/RL 17-19 powders to achieve that with a 140 or so match bullet, so be it..

but why use more velocity to try and overcome what could be handled by proper scope mounts and a scope with enough elevation potential..

a 6.5 bore at 2800 fps, is a pretty flat shooting projectile, compared to a lot of heavier bullets in bigger bores..

140g JLKs, highest bc for the 6.5 caliber bullets.

120gr Cauturucio going just shy of 3200fps. Takes 20 moa to 1000 at 4000ft asl. It is a screamer. That's in a 30" barrel. I got a 32" i am pushing the 123gr sierra's a little over 3300fps. Gonna give Bob's 120's a try in it.

I started with H4350 but RE17 gave me an extra 70-80fps without even pushing it.

I just switched to the JLK and had to bump up to 43.0 due to different seating depth.

Accuracy with the Berger/RE17 was in the 0.3" to 0.6" range. Haven't gotten far enough to repeat accuracy testing/tweaking with the JLKs yet.

WOE!

49.5/H4831sc with a moly Nosler 120 BT has

always been a good FF'ing load in my 260 AI

I use 50 grains of H4813sc in my standard 260 for just a bit more than 3,000fps with the 120NBT. Seems to do the trick.

For me, it's the 108 Scenar at 3200 fps. Sub .5 MOA at 500 yds from a Mountain rifle contour. I have a 9 twist.

You can push the 130-140s faster than 2900 if you use a 8.5 or 9 twist without giving up accuracy. An 8 twist for some reason, likes the 2850-2900 range. It takes a LONG barrel to do it too!

I can stabilize the 130s in my 9 twist at 5500' (my old range) but here in the desert it is only marginally stable.

I wonder what the effect of altitude is on stabilizing bullets?

Thinner air, easier or ?

Thinner air, easier.

btt

well since it BTT,

I am also fond of 100 grain Ballistic tip or Sierra 100 grain HP.. 43.5 grains of IMR 4064, in a 22 inch barrel Ruger it gives 3350 fps MV...

pull out the 26 inch barreled Rem VLS and same load adds a 100 fps to that MV...

has dropped two deer in excess of 300 yds, and recoil was low enough each time, that I could see the animal fall in the scope sight... never lost visual during recoil..

both done with a good solid rest..with a scope set on 4 power..Leupold 3 x 9 with Target dot..

Seafire,

Did you ever give the 100 grain partition a run? I suspect that it would also be very good on your deer at those ranges. I have never tried it mine always sticking to the 120BT's. A mate runs the hornady 100 grain and is pretty happy with that. Light for calibre but a solid little bullet.

LowBC