I just picked up a Model 7 in .260. I want to shoot 120 grain ballistic tips. What's your favorite load? I'm interested in accuracy with enough velocity to deer hunt with.
Nosler suggests RL-15, IMR 4064 and Varget. Is there a powder that does better for you than others? I think I already have Varget, but it's velocity's were kind of low.
Thanks,
Adrian
Reloder 15 and H414 are my choices for my Rem 700 MSS .260. I'm loading 45 gr of H414 with 120 TSX for 2928 fps and just under 1 MOA groups.
DN
This is a max load, so work up carefully, but for 120 grain bullets 47 grains of Reloder 19 is really good.
Muledeer and Mathman,
Do you guys trickle your powder charges with those powders? I use RL-19 for my .300WM and RL-22 for my dad's. I always trickle because they dont' seem to throw consistently from my Lyman or my Redding powder measures.
-Adrian
I like both RL 15 and RL 19 with 120 grain Bullets, Rl 15 seems to have a slight edge in accuarcy and rl 19 seems to give a few more fps. This is in my Rem 700 LSS mountain rifle with 22 " barrel. your rifle may have different preferances. I also like Rl 19 with 125 grain partitions and N-560 with 140 grain partitions.
100 grainers: 43.5 grains IMR 4064: 3350 fps
90 grain Speer TNT: 44.4 grains of IMR 4064 or IMR 4895 or Varget: 3450 fps
120 grainers: 40 grains of RL 15, W 748, IMR 4064, IMR 4895: around 2850 fps
140 grainers: 44 grains of IMR 4350: 2750 fps
These are a few of my favorite things...
R19 or H4350 with 120-129gr bullets.
H4350 was the best for velocity and accuracy with the 120bt (as well as the 125partition and 130 BergerVLD)
Varget showed pressure with much lower velocities, I do like it for the 95-100gr slugs.
I'm using 38.2gr of Varget with 120gr Nosler BTs out of my Sako 75. These turned out to be going much slower than originally anticipated (2500fps). However, they are grouping around 1/2" out of it. I plan to do more load testing this Spring.
To add to the above, this slow bullet put a nice 8-pointer down Thanksgiving night with no problems.
I use 39gr Varget with the 120 BT. Out of a 20 inch bbl it clocked right at 2700fps with extreme spread of 26fps. Accuracy right around 1/2-5/8 inch at 100.
Ozark
120s h4350
129 and 140s RL19
100s imr4064
I load the same 45g H414 as Muledeer but us the 120g NBT or Speer SP. I get sub MOA and just over 2900fps. H414 is a little dirty and temp sensitive but meters perfectly from the dump and this load shoots well in all 3 of my 260's.
Bb
46 grains of H4350 under the 120 grain Speer.
This load shoots better than I can hold in my Rem M7SS. I did manage a couple 1/2" groups with my Leupold Vari-X III 3.5-10x40 tryout scope on-board, but there is no way I'd leave that large of a scope on such a sweet little rifle.
The powders listed in the first post sound a bit too fast for this caliber. I use 4350 for 120 grain bullets and 4831 or slower for 140 grainers. I have been told that Rel22 is an excellent powder in this cartridge, but haven't tried it yet. Hodgdon has a captive audience in me right now due to the "Extreme" thing.
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Big Redhead, My 260 M-7SS was just the oposite. 4831 wouldn't move the 140's the way I wanted. But 45gr of IMR4350 put the 140's right at 2800fps. (Rem Ultra Bonded) I can live with that, and the 3/4" group is ok too..
MM