Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting .260 rem deer hunting what bullets?

Ok just wondering what people been using. I have shot 15 deer with federal fusion 120's and they work awesome. All but 1 DRT. The one was 25 yard death run. But now I am going to start to reload. Some say Barnes is better for larger Bores because they aren't as dramatic as say Fusion or Nosler Ballistic Tips. So just wondering what people have tried and liked.... Shots from 10 to 300 yards.... Thanks for any advice you can give me. I am somewhat new to reloading but am setup pretty well.

I have had good luck with the 129 Hornady PSP Interlock and H4831. That said the next bullet on the bench for test runs are the 120 TTSX and 120 GMX.

If I had that kind of luck with Fusions I probably wouldn't switch, that's a good bullet.

Problem is you can't buy bullets in the fusion. I do have some barnes I loaded up now waiting for a day the range is open that it is not -10 out. I am sure I can get things to shoot. But just wondering what people experience has been with the bullets on deer.

I mean I wouldn't switch from the factory loads. I have a couple rifles I shoot factory in because they shoot it well and I have a bunch of it.

My 129 Hornady experience has been, easy to find a load for and they kill stuff dead, never had one go more than a few yards really.

What kind of speed you gettin from the 129's ?

Never checked them honestly. They shoot usually between .5 and .7 from my pencil thin Mountain Rifle with 47.8grs H4831.


I shoot the 120NBT over 43.5grs H414 for 2911fps but no deer with that bullet, just varmints. It's very accurate too.

100 ttsx, 120 BT, 130 AB,... Find the best for your rig and put them in the right spot.

I started out shooting the Remington factory 140gr load. When I started reloading, I used the 120 Sierra Prohunter, as that shot the best in my Ruger. I tried the 100gr partitions, 140gr partitions, 129gr Interlocks, 130gr ABs and 120gr BTs. The BTs shot almost as well as the Prohunters, so I used both. The Sierra seemed to destroy less meat, so I stuck with them. The last deer I shot with them was a large 4x4, and the bullet was found under the hide of the offside shoulder. That was the year Barnes introduced the TTSX, and I've been using them with good results. This year, I used the Lapua Scenar (139gr) in a new 260 I had built. Next up is the Berger VLD.

I've been shooting the 260 since the year the cartridge was introduced (I'm a big fan of the cartridge). I've only had one animal make it past the 50yd mark with this cartridge, that being a running doe I hit a little far back (140gr corelokt destroyed her liver, instead of her lungs). She piled up in a snowbank on the edge a cattail slough, when it became too deep to jump over. I hunt mainly open country, DRT's aren't as critical to finding mortally wounded animals here - they drop long before they'd have an opportunity to disappear into thick cover.

Of all the bullets I've tried, I'd use them all again (assuming accurate loads) if that was all I had available. Deer aren't that hard to kill, if you put the bullet in the correct location.

Kaiser Norton

Thanks guys.... I think I'll just load a few different loads up an start playing this winter and see what shoots best.

I am really looking forward in shooting the newer Barnes 127 gr LRX through my semi custom rem 700. Contacted Barnes and they said the 8.5 twist in my 22 3/4" Kreiger barrel won't stabilize..... I'll see about that. 9 will stabilize bullet up to 130. This is a 1/2 twist tighter and in 127. But they are the ones that make the bullets. And am sure they have tested extensively. But, did they ever try the 8.5 or just a 9 and 8? Hoping it works....

Hope it works for you too. It's the length that gets you, not the weight.


I'm sure the 127 LRX is a very long bullet, should be a dandy if it'll fly.

Mine really likes 120 TTSX and I've been impressed with the results on deer and hogs.

That was what the guy at Barnes said it was the length.... Glad to hear some have had luck with the ttx 120. Heard so many mixed things about them. I do know from seeing a that went from ass to shoulder in a 7 foot bear from a 7mm they perform as stated. Just a couple people said they don't appear to have the hydronic shock like NBT or Fusion would have... Maybe I'll have to experiment alittle.

What's hydronic shock?

I've been wondering about that too. I ran the numbers through berger's twist rate calculator and can't figure out why an 8.5 twist wouldn't stabilize the 127 LRX. It shows a higher stability factor than either the 168 gr. 7mm LRX in a 9 twist barrel or a 200 gr. 30 caliber LRX out of a 10 twist and Barnes says those will stabilize. If those will stabilize then I can't think of any reason an 8.5 twist wouldn't stabilize the 127 LRX.

I'd sure be tempted to try them. Just because Barnes says so it doesn't really convince me. Many times when you e-mail or call a company like that the person you're dealing with is just a secretary and not someone really in the know. They're just reading from the same chart you can view on the company website.

Sorry auto correct screwed me up. Definition os: Hydrostatic shock or hydraulic shock describes the observation that a penetrating projectile can produce remote wounding and incapacitating effects in living targets through a hydraulic effect in their liquid-filled tissues, in addition to local effects in tissue caused by direct impact.

I have a few and are loaded and will know soon. Looks like way below zero this weekend again. Soon as it warms up ill post some results.

I've used the Nosler 120 BT, 130 AB, and 129 Hornady IL. They all do just fine, but the Hornady's are less money and have been hell on deer without ruining a few pounds of meat on the way through. The BT and AB kill great, but leave a lot of destruction in their wake. I hunt first and foremost to fill the freezer and I butcher my own. I have 400 Hornady 129 gr. ILs on the bench.

Hydro-whatever shock in a deer's ass won't do anything to kill it. Put a good bullet through the vitals and just worry about getting it back to the truck.

I like bullets that do tend to produce a lot of shock value. Works great especially when put right behind the shoulder. Nice when they go bang flop. Like the last 14 of 15 did. 1 was 25 yard death run. No tracking, no chasing.... The fusions in the .260 just work well. Be nice if they made them for reloaders as stated years back on their website.
Thanks everyone for all the info. Gave me some ideas. And answer a few of my questions.

I use 120 gr TTSX