Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting The new 26 Nosler

I got over 3300 with the 140 VLD at the top end in my .264 Winchester Magnum with RL-33.

I'm betting still that RL-33 and WC-872 will be better for velocity in the 26 Nosler than US-869

How temperature sensitive are these slow burning powders like Magnum, RL-33, etc...?
I'm not so worried about high temps, but I'm typically hunting in temps 60-70 degrees cooler than when I do load development in the summer. Anyone have experience on velocity lost from say 80F-20F in a big case like this?
I don't have anything to base it on, but intuition tells me that the condition would be worse in a smaller bore.

In my reloading experience, often an all out, max velocity won't be anywhere near optimal accuracy.

Are you getting 3,300 fps and decent accuracy (or precision to be technically accurate) at those top speeds?

DF

I am certain that he is getting excellent accuracy after all he is a competitor and a long range hunter, that means accuracy is priority 1.

If one wants max velocity and his rifle wants lower velocity for best accuracy one can install either an adjustable brake or barrel weight. When I wanted a very light rifle I ordered a light 22" barrel tapper and asked it be 26" long. It was a guaranteed 2 minute rifle every time I took it to the range.

After installing an adjustable brake it was a bad day when that rifle shot 2" at 300 yards with the very same load. The best it did was 1/2" at 300.

I did the same with a 10/22, but with no holes. The barrel weights just work.

I believe you. With the Damara, Ed Brown puts a brake on his light weight magnum rifles, stating they shoot better. My .300 WM is a tack driver and is in the 6# range even with steel bottom metal.

With the Damara, I'll change present tense to past tense, Ed did put brakes on his Magnum Damara rifles. He no longer makes them, shutting down that line to concentrate on 1911 pistols.

DF

Got two 7RM BDL's soon headed to the smith for #3 contour SS Shilen Match barrels at 26". Mostly repeated from the other thread, but will probably chamber for 140 VLD at 3.5" COAL. This COAL is with only the boattail protruding into the case body, full neck/bullet contact. Or, where the boattail starts even with where the case shoulder starts.

This will allow the use of the full 3.6" M-700 box mag and will be better for eventual heavier bullets, like the 160 Matrix. 3.34" COAL seems an arbitrary number to assure this rounds fits into a std. 3.4" box. Some bullets, like the 130 SSII and 139 Scenar will extend into the case body, lighter bullets will have to jump.

If the VLD's and NAB's are too explosive at closer range, I'll try SSII's, 139 Scenars and maybe monometals. I have a box of Norma factory 120 E-Tips headed this way. They were blems at $55 a box. WOW... Can't believe I'm paying this much for ammo and almost as much for brass... I saw one list at $85, non blem 25 Nosler ammo.

DF

Mule Deer

While on the subject of 6.5's have you published anything on the Creedmoor yet and I missed it?

Mike

I checked my 26 Nosler brass with an RCBS #35 shell holder, which is recommended and with an RCBS #4. I load for .38-40 so, I have #35 shell holders. The .38-40 has a thicker rim than magnum rifle brass. The shell holder bevel caught the extractor groove and didn't allow the 26 cases to sit down flat.

The brass was hard to fit in a #4 due to the case extractor groove not being deep enough. I took some off the #4 shell holder lip with a Dremel, which allowed an easy fit. I'm going to leave that modified #4 shell holder with the 26 set up. That's the way to go rather than the #35, IMO.

DF

DF
I thought it was a #38 recommend. Either way if the #4 fits then good to go.
Very interested in the results.

Handloader June 2011

Maybe it was a #38. I'll have to check on that.

#35 definitly not a good match.

Anyway, I fixed a #4 to work, so I don't need a #38.

Thanks for the correction.

DF

Thanks Kodiak! I thought he recently bought Eileen a newer rifle in that chambering so might haVe a new piece working.

Mike

Rick,

Have you shot any critters with the 140 VLD at 3,300 fps? Lot of guys use the VLD for LR work, but sometimes a close shot presents, like 100 yds. I was wondering how explosive a 140 VLD may be under those conditions.

My feeling is to chamber the 26 Nosler with the 140 VLD at optimal seating in the big case, with only the boattail hanging down in the case body. As posted earlier, that results in an approx. 3.5" COAL vs. the std. 3.34" COAL.

I have 136 gr. Scenar-L, 130 NAB, 130 SSII and monometal bullets to try. Any of these could be used if the VLD proves too friable at close, high vel. impact on WT's etc.

DF

I recently started load work for a 26 Nosler that I had built.
140 Berger 3.44 OAL 88grs of US 869 3337ft/sec avg
136 Scenar L 3.43 OAL 88 grs US 869 3280ft/sec avg
120 TTSX 3.38 OAL 78grs Retumbo 3474ft/sec avg.

All three loads were well under .75in groups. What surprised me was the speed of the 136gr Sceanar at only 3280avg with 88grs of US 869. I am going to bump this load up a bit but I am satisfied with the140gr Berger and the 120gr TTSX load.

Good info.

I wonder if the Scenar has less friction with less pressure build up. Or more friction, making it harder to drive down the barrel with the same charge of powder. That's a good bit of difference, the lighter bullet moving slower than the heavier one.

Interesting.

DF

My QL doesnt have the 136gr but the 139gr it has 90grs of US 869 as max at just a little over 3200ft/sec. I will bump the load up a little bit and see what I have. I know in the 260 45 grs of RL 17 drives the 123gr Scenar at 3050 and the 120 Nosler Ballistic Tip at 3120 with 45grs of RL 17. I have learned that QL is a guide to start and thats it. I personally never find it right on.

Yeah, that last few hundred fps costs a bunch in powder and blast.

My 6.5-284 will push a 140 VLD at around 3K with 48.8 gr. RL-17. Now, with the 26 Nosler, it takes 88 gr. US 869 to push a 140 gr. NAB at 3,300 fps, according to Nosler data. Their accuracy load is down at 3,175 fps with 84 gr. US 869.

The Berger VLD probably has less bearing surface/friction than the NAB, so that may make some difference. I see you're getting 3,337 fps with the 140 VLD, same 88 gr. load and good accuracy.

This is going to be an interesting project, no doubt.

DF

88 gr. US 869 shows 103% load density (Nosler data). I feel sure that's at their 3.34" COAL, may not be over 100% with a 3.5" COAL, the bullet not seated quite as deep.

90+ gr. is probably getting into compressed load territory, for sure.

DF

With 869 I dont think you will be close to compressing the load at 90grs. I have found good accuracy so far with it not being fussy with the OAL. I think it is one gun that you will want to find a suitable load for it and put it away and just use it for hunting, The gun weights 9lbs with scope and recoil isn't bad at all. I would compare it to a little less than a 270 Weatherby.