Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles My .260 and my experiences

Ruck,

I had some similar results of a first shot flyer with my Kimber Montana .260. I tried a lot of different things to the bullets (Nosler BT 120 gr. and 125 PT) I posted this last year on a post and no one really knew the answer. I sent it back to Kimber and they cleaned a few things up inside the action and re-crowned it. they tested it with 140 gr. Core-lokts @ 50 yds and called it good. I should have just taken it to a 'smith and had him try re-bedding it. I love the cartridge and now I own another Kimber Montana in .260 and one in a Sako 85 neither one has been fired yet, due to a 3 level lumbar fusion. I've owned a few .260's and all have been a little finiky.

Talk to Seafire and maybe he can help. I got a Tikka in 6.5x55 and loaded it to modern day specs and it is unreal. I hope my Montana or Sako will shoot as well as it does.

Thanks for your info,
Kevin

I have killed more deer with my 260 [11] than any other gun I own. I've killed all of them with the 129 grain Hornady SP. From 20 yds out to 200+ yds it has never failed me and I've never had to shoot a deer twice.





Remington Models 7 guns will shoot, but it takes a steady hand and lots of practice.

Your rifle is easily one of my favorites on here. Hard to find fault with a Faux Ti in 260.

What was your load with the 130's?

you guys may want to contact Shawn Carlock at defensive edge. He is a .260 nut and could most likely answer any questions and provide the right direction without having to do any workups or twist rate gambling.

I bought my first .260 two years ago it has become my goto gun.I shot 140 corelokts the first year shot two eight points an a seven point and several does with them no problems been shooting 129gr interbonds this year killed an eight point and 2 does so far no problems. I love that cartridge mild recoil accurate as heck and kills stuff DEAD

Lonny- Excellent pictures! I know you're proud. I appreciate all your experiences and insight.

My Kimber Classic REALLY likes the 120 Barnes TSX...



But our SC whitetails don't care for them at all...


This last buck was shot quartering away from me at 225 yrds. The wound in his neck is the exit.


One of the Barnes I managed to recover on a deer that was shot facing me. The bullet was lodged in the rear leg.



I tried some Federal 120 Ballistic tips on 2 deer last year, and was VERY disappointed with the performance.
One was a 100lb doe at 100 yrds that was shot just behind the shoulder. This deer ran over 100 yards. There was very little blood, and the bullet did not exit.
Deer number 2 was a doe at 150-160 yards standing broadside. Shot was just behind the shoulder. I found only 2 spots of blood about 30 yrds from where she was standing when I shot, and I never found her. Only deer I've ever lost in almost 40 years of hunting. The remaining Ballistic tips are sitting in my safe.

That figures - I just bought some ballistic tips after years of avoiding them. Heard all the recent raves and now......

Just proves again that you can't trust what you hear or read. Trust only what you know to be true. Your success rates will increase.

I wondered how long this would take. Everybody reported for years that BT bullets are too frangible for their liking. Then somebody who claims to be an expert posts here that the 7mm 120 BT is somehow "magic" and far out-performs all others. I wanted to believe it but the skeptic in me kept me from buying. Glad I didn't.

-

It is a 130gr Accubond over H4350. They hit lands at 2.817" and I run them at 2.800". I believe the charge is 45gr but I don't have my data in front of me. Brass is new R-P 7mm-08 that I neck down. I have a little room to bump that load up (2800fps), but I haven't gotten around to it.

I did find that that bullet/powder combo was very predictable during work-up with no large jumps in velocity when increasing charges. My work with the 260 is limited, but it seems to be easy to load for, just like most other stuff on the 308 case.

So then a .270 winchester at that point shooting a 130 grain bullet! We knew that as well! I was interested in the 260 but the lack of faster twist rates as are commonly found in the swede from the factory tubes limit you to the LW bullets and I am fairly sure there is no decided advantage in the .260 Rem over the roberts unless you want to pick nits they are about the "same".

Jpro - love that stock. Ever use the 120 BT's for deer ?

Santee,
You mention your Kimber Classic likes the 120 TSX but you don't like the Federal 120 BT. Are the TSXs factory Federal too or handloads? I'm considering your same set up but I don't handload.
Thanks

I'm shooting custom ammo from Superior ammo.
I know that Federal, and I think Corbon is loading the 120 grn Barnes in .260 now, but I haven't tried them yet.
I'm a "sight'em in and go hunt" kind of guy. I just don't shoot enough through out the year to justify the initial cost of handloading equipment. 2 boxes will last me the whole year.

Have not run any of those. I'll likely try a TTSX next. They supposedly have a 100gr version coming.

Talk about utter BS.

Dogzapper aka Steve Timm never claimed to be an expert, he didn't have to.
He never claimed it was magic.
He never said it far out-performs all others. He simply used it over the years with success and reported on it.

I don't recall anyone else here making those claims.

I've personally had good success with it out of a 7mm mag at screaming velocities on Cows deer in southern AZ.
It worked on 100 lb deer, no magic, it just plastered them dead.



In the beginning yes, but we all know cept maybe you that over the years Nosler has beefed the BT up.



Looks like that includes you.

I'm the flip side, forty rounds in one afternoon is about right for one of my 308s.

+1 and well said SU


[/quote]Just proves again that you can't trust what you hear or read. Trust only what you know to be true. Your success rates will increase.[/quote]

That sounds like good advice for a fellow wanting to remain mostly ignorant for a lifetime

Jimma, I don't know how the 270 got into this....

As far as picking a nit, I'll go to the Nosler Loading Guide
and see that of equal bullet weights the 260 is shooting
them 250 fps faster with a higher BC bullet than the 257R.

That may not be a decided advantage in Pothole, GA but it is out west here.

Also, as far as needing a fast twist and being limited to light weight bullets, man, you've been snickerdoodled! Who filled you mind with that crap? Not till you get into the 140 class of bullets do a you need a fast twist and the 1/9 still works great with most of them.

That's it!


Just went and kicked my Bob. Kicked the 270 twice for good measure.....(laughin')