Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 260 Remington loads

Lucked into a NIB Remington VLS in 260. What do these like to shot? Lighter weight bullets or will it handle the 140's? 1in 9 twist I believe. Have a large selection of 6.5 bullets and suitable powders. Mostly 120 and up however. Any good loads to start with?

130 grain accubond.

That is one I will try, my go to load in both 6.5X55 and 6.5X57. Accurate and deadly on deer. 260 is a new one to me.

129 hornady psp
47.8grs h4831


Awesome from my Mountain Rifle

130gr Sierra Gamechangers & H4350 are about perfect in my 260

Top of page sticky'ville .

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/5418682/260-rem-loads#Post5418682

140's yes and then some .

ol mike, Yep none so blind as those with two good eyes that still can't see.

I know that all too well .

Varget, And 130 AB. Also Killed Several With 100Gr TTSX..

I posted in the rifle section on your post there...

if you already shoot both a 6.5 x 55 and my favorite cartridge.. the 6.5 x 57...
then the 260 is like the third brother in a set of triplets...

When I first got mine back in 98 and there wasn't any real load data around for it,
I just used 6.5 x 55 load data and worked up if I desired a little more Ooomph out of it..

Those of us that shoot a 260, 6.5 x 55 and 6.5 x 57 are a pretty rare bunch....

and when I got mine back in 98, the short version is I got it for $300.00 essentially..
and the same thing for the pair of Ruger Stainlesses I have in 260 also.. $300 each...
and a spare barrel off a 260 VLS, by someone who bought it to rebarrel it to 6 PPC..
that barrel brand new ran me $50.00...

I have a 1-10 and was told it won't stabilize 140 Gamekings - but I have not seen any issue with it. Don't let people tell you you need faster than 9 for the 140's. The talk bothered me enough to try some 120 Prohunters which have worked fine but not like the the 140 Gameking driven modestly. The 264 Gameking from my 260 has been by far the best bullet I ever used in any chambering. Enough consistently fast drops on animals that it has defied logical expectations. Complete pass through on hogs too.

I recently bought some Speer Gold dots in 120 grain in an effort to get down to a single powder for all my rifles. Wanted something harder than the 120 Prohunter and they were cheap so.... Trying a seating depth ladder test.

why did I ever switch from the 140 GK- not a single good reason other than trying to limit powders - and believing internet over my lying eyes. BTW- my load for the 140 was 44.5 grain H4831sc.

42.6 gr H4350 under a 139gr Scenar

In reading the entire post in the stickies, it looks like I have a lot of work to do. I have bullets from 100g to 165g. I will start with the lighter ones. I have at least a dozen suitable powders, but not some of the favorites. I have IMR4350 not H4350. I have some powdersnot really listed as well N550 and H100V. I am playing with RL26 in a Creedmoor right now, up to 47g without pressure signs but accuracy is not there yet. Will start with some "book" loads and go from there

I’ve owned my 700 VLS in .260 since around 2000, mostly shooting 100-120 grain bullets. Mine at least didn’t group well with the faster powders like Varget, but shoots very very well with the slower W760 and H380.



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My daughter's 260 loves the Sierra 120gr Pro Hunter with H4350 and it has proven to be pure deer poison around here.

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42.5-42.6 gr of H4350 is a known good node with a 140 gr bullet. Work up to this load.

Strange thing I was just thinking about. All handloaders are chashing one hole groups in their hunting rifle's, shoot count me in to! I am unable to accept good hunting loads! Talking between 1" and 1 1/2" at 100yds. My worst shooting gun is in fact a 1 1/4" shooter but the barrel is shot so I really don't worry much about it. 30-06 was my elk rifle and did it's job well! Never win a shooting match with it though! Have a 6.5x06 and 6.5x55 and really think either would be fine with a 130gr bullet but somehow I got it in my head that the 140gr would be better. But I get a box of 129gr Hornady's now and then to fool with! I think it because I think the bullet that made the 6.5 was a 156gr bullet at slower velocity than a modern 6.5x55 and it simply killed thing's! Have a hard time even thinking about anything under 130gr bullet's and bull headed enough to know the 140gr bullet is better!

I think if I had a 260 Rem, I'd still go with the 140gr bullet. BTW, my 6.5x06 has a 9" twist and I ws told by Hornady it wouldn't handle their 140gr bullet. Well not only does it but does a great job. In fact it handles the 140gr Sierra MK very well also but Sierra told me it wouldn't handle the 142 gr MK, go figure! I think if we spent a bit more time trying thing's and a bit less taking to much advice we might find out some of the thing's we think simply don't apply to the rifle we have!

Though it's hard to go wrong with any good 120-140 grain bullet in the .260, I think the 129 and 130 grain bullets are perfect for deer, a good combination of velocity and strong ballistic coefficients. I have settled on the 129 interbond for hunting, and use the 129 interlock for practice....but wouldn't be scared to shoot a deer with it either. Years ago I read an article by Mule Deer on using a cheaper alternative to your hunting bullet for practice, and these two make a good pair. I may try the Nosler Accubond as I've heard good things about it. These bullets seem to like slower powders; I use H4350 but am interested in trying IMR 4451 as it seems to be more available and according to Mule Deer, very similar in performance. I also load 95 grain VMaxes, and though I had good luck with H4350, it also likes Big Game a lot.
I used to use a lot of H414, and though groups and velocity were fine, it sure fouled the bore more than the Hodgdon Extremes or the Big Game. It is definitely more temperature sensitive in the .260 than H4350 or Big Game in my experience.