Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 140 grain eldm moving slow

I was doing some load testing in my 260 remington with a 20 inch barrel using 140 grain eld-m. one of the loads I tried was 45 grains of imr 7977 and it shot great 3 holes touching and velocity deviation of 7 but the muzzle velocity was only 2345 fps I don't need it to be blistering fast but this seems like it might be to slow for this set up. What are your opinions?

Use IMR 4350, or H 4350 or AA 4350..

Out of a 22 inch barrel on a Ruger 77 Mk2, with a charge of 44 grains of any of the 4350s above, my MV is 2750 fps.

With 7977 your pressure is pretty low, hence while you're giving up velocity potential with that bullet.

H 380 exceeds 2800 fps MV with a 140 grain bullet...but its temp sensitive...

any of the 4350s are your best bet, you can use 6.5 Needmoor load data in the 260, and yet still work up a little from there.
there is 6.5 Needmoor data all over the place available.

Look at the new Winchester 6.5 Stabile or what ever they are naming it...it is temp insensitive also.

out of a 24 inch barrel 260 I put on a Model 70 Short Action, with the above 4350 load I recommended, that is exceeding 2800 fps in that rifle.

Yep, that’s a little slow. I’d try to find a load/node around 2550-2600 fps.

Methinks 7977 is too slow of a powder.

H-4831 / RL-19 is about as slow as you want to go.

44.5 gr RL-19 + 140 A-Max gave me 2,575 fps

45.5 gr H-4831sc + 140 A-Max gave me 2,600 fps

This is a Tikka with 23.5" bbl

I've crammed 49.0 gr H-1000 (C++) with a 140 bullet. Shot great - never chrono'ed. You could probably stuff as much 7977 as possible and be ok on pressure.

Why I shoot 130s out my 6.5. Good velocity for its weight. I also use big game

I run 147's and 140's, but also use 24" barrels. The OP's rifle is a shortie, but I'd still expect more velocity out of it than that. Like others have said, change powders as the one he's using is not cutting it. IMHO. If it's just a super slow barrel, I'd also be inclined to run 130's.

I hear ya, I just don’t see what a slower 140-147 offer over fast 130 in normal ranges . Let’s say under 500 yards.
And with short slow barrel like that , I’d be looking at the lighter pills.

If it’s windy, like places I always shoot, you’ll see quite a difference. Even when comparing the 147 to the 140. Even at a measly 400 yards, you’ll see a noticeable difference.

I'd run the numbers on a good ballistics program like JBM that includes a bullet library. In my 6.5-06 I saw no advantage with the 140 AMax over the 130s until at least 600 yards wind wise and the 130s shoot flatter. Of course you may want the extra weight for other reasons.

I’d be looking at 4350 or h4831 n the slow end. My 260 is a 22” barrel but it’s quite a bit faster.

Exactly what I was getting at.
Maybe in strong cross winds or long range I can see the heavies. For my purposes, 130 TGK covers it all.
Not sure about long range out of a short and slow barrel.
To each his own.

You AMAZINGLY Stupid Fhuqks never disappoint,by simply doing your best. Hint.

The 147 wind advantage starts well inside the 100yd line and simply continues forever. Hint………..

Do 130gr 6.5mm TGK's even exist anymore? Shot them a few years back and was impressed. But, I have not seen a box of 130's in 6.5mm bullets in 3 years now.

Midway has some coming next month

I did try other powders that got the 140's moving faster imr 4064 was running around 2670 with decent results I think I could build off some of them. But the slow moving 7977 load was just so accurate I put 5 rounds all touching each other and then 3 more that where nearly as good. But I think if like the speed up a little faster. I'm quit certain with some small seating tweaks I can get there with the faster powder as well

Ordered some direct from Sierra last year. They're ok - the .30 cal / 165 TGK is more impressive IMO

I love accuracy/precision as much as the next guy does, maybe even more, but those speeds are very anemic. I'd be trying H4350. You shouldn't have to dick around too much with the seating depth either to find an exceptional load. How far off the lands are you running that load now? Also, when I mentioned the heavier bullets doing better in the wind, I'm talking tit for tat comparisons in same/same conditions. The heavier bullets will generally outgroup/outshoot the lighter lower bc ones when you do a side by side comparison. The 140gr bullet has been a mainstay for a lot of 6.5 shooters that I know, but I would not be happy with a 260 flinging them at 2,300 fps when I know it should be running them closer to 2,650, considering the short barrel length you are running.