Author Topic: Loading for my 260 (Read 1406 times)

wolfen1960 · « **on:** May 15, 2007, 05:10:33 PM »

Started loading for my MarkII Ruger 260, and what a pain! Up till now I've only tried two styles of bullets, Sierra 120gr and Hornady 129gr SST's. I would like to get the SST's to shoot as these are what I want for deer/antelope. I've used H414, H4350, W760, Re19 and Magpro up to max. loads by the book for each (except magpro, which is a story for another post). I've varied the O.A.L on both bullets from on the lands to just under the recommended length. I've free floated the barrel, after no success with it from the factory. And I've cleaned up the trigger to a nice fairly light pull with very little creep. I've shot off my bipod, and off bags.
My best groups so far are about 1 1/2" @ 100yds, with a round grouping, no stringing. I went through the barrel break in, shoot clean shoot clean....and the barrel cleans easily with very little copper fouling. I use CR10 as it works great for my 300wsm. I have a new Leuplod 3-9 x 40 and it mounted easily with the cross hairs almost perfectly centered between stops. My POI changes right where I click to, so I think the scope is OK. So far I've shot about 250 times, thinking it may break in...no luck!
HELP!! My Savage 300wsm will group under an inch with 5 different bullets, and was very easy to develop loads for.
Any ideas would be appreciated! Mark

hunt127588 · « **Reply #1 on:** May 16, 2007, 03:10:27 AM »

Here is what shoots excellent in my Sako 260:

Winchester brass
38.2 gr Varget
CCI BR2 primer
120 gr Nosler Ballistic Tip

Work up to this load.

wolfen1960 · « **Reply #2 on:** May 16, 2007, 03:40:23 AM »

Thanks Hunt. I will give that a try. I just might not be able to get these SST's to work. What barrel length do you have, and what OAL do you load to? Have you Chronied these? I've been able to get the SST's to 2800 out of my 22" barrel by using up to max. book loads with no pressure signs.
Looks like an order for some Nosler's is on my list. Mark
Also forgot to add on my first post...I tried Varget with these loads too.

Will_C · « **Reply #3 on:** May 17, 2007, 03:24:32 AM »

Are you shooting 3 or 5 shot groups? A 1.5" group may be all that rifle and barrel will give, especially with a 5 shot group. I have had my share of rifles that would group around that well, no matter what I tried.
Will

wolfen1960 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 17, 2007, 04:49:10 AM »

Will, these were all three shot groups. Also the groups are not consistent at 1 1/2", that's just the BEST I've been able to get. I have ordered some 120gr Ballistic Tips, and also picking up some H4831 to try as I see some others loading for the Swede that find this to be a good powder. I don't want to give up on the SST's, but will if 1 1/2" is the best I can do with it. I'm shooting slow to keep the barrel temp. down, and have enough time behind triggers to know when the poor grouping is my fault.
I'm sure I can get it to shoot, just got spoiled with the Savage being so easy to develop very accurate loads for. Sure wish there were more 260 loaders around to help with development though. I suppose that's what I get for trying to be different from the majority!
As one other option, and on a prayer, I'm going to try some Remington primers as that's what the manuals I have show being used. Don't know if they will make any difference, but it's cheap to try.
Thanks for your reply. Mark

beemanbeme · « **Reply #5 on:** May 17, 2007, 05:02:41 AM »

1.5 from a .260 doesn't sound right. I was getting MOA from the get go with mine. Without all the labour that you've put into yours. With a little tuning, when I got to .75-1.0", I called it happy. I've used nothing but 140's in mine and have only shot two deer with it. Both were DRT.
I would think the 129gr'er would be a good middle of the road bullet but I try to let the rifle tell me which bullet it likes rather than the other way around. I don't use HP's on anything except varmints.

The bullet that works best for me (without extensive testing) is the Rem Core Lokt.

Lone Star · « **Reply #6 on:** May 17, 2007, 04:16:45 PM »

This to me is a prime example of the unreasonable expectations that the shooting press and some less-than-candid posters foster among shooters. The reality is that not all rifles will shoot moa groups, average or best. Anyone who doubts that just needs to look at the plethora of reputable accuracy tests performed by the NRA. Very few rifles they test average moa. Ditto for many other shooting mags. This is not because the testers are poor shots. It is because not all rifles are tackdrivers. It is simply wishful thinking to expect moa from every rifle, or from every shooter for that matter. Shooting small groups consistently is a skill which few possess. That is demonstrated in competition on target ranges every weekend across the country.

The reality is, most who post that their rifle shoots .5 moa groups really mean that they once shot a group that small. I would challenge them to reproduce that grouping as an average of four, 5-shot groups on demand. Few can do that - in spite of the ease of doing it with a keyboard.

.

wolfen1960 · « **Reply #7 on:** May 18, 2007, 03:13:22 AM »

I picked up some 120gr Bal.Tips and some H4831sc. At 2.780" oal and mid range powder load I did manage to get 3 groups at about 1 1/4". I shoot 3 shot groups with this sporter barrel to keep heat down, but with two 3 shot groups on the same target it was still within about 1 1/2". I then switched to RE19 with the same bullet and length, and shot about the same group. This is with little work on these combo's, but I may get a little better with C.O.A.L adjustments.
I know this is not terrible, but I have developed and shot smaller group CONSISTENTLY with other rifles. I don't ever get 1/4"groups, (have done a FEW 1/2") and don't expect it. I was just surprised that I can't get near what others appear to get with the 260!
I plan to try 140gr bullets, as maybe with my 1-8 twist, the longer, heavier bullets will shrink these groups some. Not giving up yet. With now up to about 300 shots, I have yet to have two holes touch, unheard of with my 300!
I will keep the posts updated with results if things improve. I can live with these groups if I have to. They will drop a Deer at the ranges I shoot, up to 300 yds.

coyotejoe · « **Reply #8 on:** May 18, 2007, 03:56:48 AM »

I'm with Lone Star on this one, I think you may be chasing your tail. My 6.5x55 has seldom produced a one inch group of five shots and its' best loads average more like 1 1/2" and I'm quite happy with that for a hunting rifle. Shoot a few groups from simulated hunting positions, measure those groups and see how little difference it would make if you shaved off 1/2". I know we all like to see tiny little groups from benchrest but unless you hunt from a benchrest I doubt that the difference between 1" groups and 3" groups will ever decide the outcome of a hunt. Townsend Whelen is noted for the quote "only accurate rifles are interesting" but he considered 3" groups as "guilt edged accuracy". My 30/30 does about 2 1/2" on average and out to 200 yards it has never disappointed me on game.

huntswithdogs · « **Reply #9 on:** May 19, 2007, 07:44:05 AM »

Wolf,
Give the heavier bullets a shot(pun intended) before too wound up. I've had more than one rifle that wouldn't shoot some bullets worth a dang. One in particular, was a 300 WM, that absolutely adored round nose type bullets but didn't shoot BT bullets of any sort with any accuracy. Flat base bullets worked OK but it just liked them round noses. I put it off to it needing more bearing surface.

How'd this rifle shoot with factory stuff? Any better or worse?

I agree whole heartily with Lonestar about the "gunwriters". If they'd tell the truth about some of these rifles/cartridges,we'd all be a lot better off. Some of the "glowing" articles for some of the crap out there makes me wonder just what kinda payoff they're getting.

HWD

dw06 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 19, 2007, 09:06:39 AM »

Lone Star nailed it!!There are way more shooters shooting under an inch groups on their keyboards,not on the range.Don't think so,just visit the local range and observe.It took me many many years to learn to shoot as well as I can now,and everyonce in awhile I run into someone at the range that makes me stand up and take notice!But thats becoming few and far between.
wolfen1960,if you are getting nice round groups of inch and half with no stringing,I'd try a couple more bullets and even a heaver weight to see how they do.Some rifles can be picky.Keep at it and bet you will find a good load.

jhalcott · « **Reply #11 on:** May 19, 2007, 06:20:03 PM »

Wolfie, try some Hornady 140 ROUND NOSE BULLETS and AA 4350,WLR primers. 39 to 42 grains. I got sub half inch groups with my Browning A bolt using this combination. Sierra 120's SELDOM went below 1.25". If that does not work put a small piece of inner tube under the barrel near the end of the stock to give the barrel a bit of UP pressure. This will act like the barrel resonator Browning uses. It can be moved forward and back to get a better group SOME TIMES, not always. Rugers are funny about accuracy, it's there ,but YOU gotta find it!

Lone Star · « **Reply #12 on:** May 20, 2007, 05:26:06 AM »

That will be difficult to duplicate since Hornady doesn't make a 140-grain RN bullet in .264 caliber. I assume the poster meant the Hornady 160-grain RN. Such a bullet would not be my choice for antelope, which is what the OP asked about.

.

jhalcott · « **Reply #13 on:** May 20, 2007, 10:11:05 AM »

No lone star, I meant 140 round nosed HORNADY !! They may not make them now but they did at some time. The ones I have weigh from 139 to 140 grain.The price on the last box I have says $9.24 if that tells you any thing. The code on the bottom is (10 8270). Wolfen, I'm sorry I didn't check current catologues for them . I just looked in MY loading log for MY loads for the .260 Rem. I was in the habit of buying the remaining stocks from gunstores that went out of bussiness. There are quite a few bullets on MY shelves that are no longer made! These bullets are 1.190" long, they taper from about .5" from the base to about 1.1" where the Round nose starts. They have a 1/16" cannelure starting about .350" from the base. Since I only have less than 50 of them, I can see no sense in sending you any Sorry. BTW, I would NOT try those charges with a 160 grain bullet!

jhalcott · « **Reply #14 on:** May 20, 2007, 10:39:25 AM »

In my Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading Vol II, pages 426 to 428 there IS loading data for the 6.5 140 grain ROUND NOSE. This book was first printed in 1973, the 4th printing was in 1978! What is WRONG with a 160 grain RN for antelope? There is ONLY about ONE inch of trajectory difference between the 140(11.2") and a 160 RN (12.1") when the 140 is started at 2600 and the 160 starts at 2500 fps! Zeroed at 200 yards,the above drop is for 300 yards. Since Wolfen is using a .260Rem and NOT a 264 super something ,I assume he is NOT blasting away at 500 yards ,but is trying to get a LOT closer to the game. IF I am wrong AGAIN,sorry!
Wolf, have a great and successfull hunt!

beemanbeme · « **Reply #15 on:** May 20, 2007, 03:27:19 PM »

Since moving to Wild and Wonderful West Virginia, I have tried some of the Hornady 154gr RN bullets from my 7-08. They will hammer a deer down. I mean awsome. I don't see where the loadings for a spitzer and a RN bullet would be any different

davem270win · « **Reply #16 on:** May 22, 2007, 01:20:23 PM »

I have a Ruger Compact in 260. Here's what's worked for me so far:

120 Barnes X (not the new one) 43.5 - 44.0 H4350
or 38.0 I4064. Both of these loads have put 10 shots into 2" at 100 yards, and 5 shots into just over an inch. Not bad for a light little rifle with a short barrel. Did just fine on an antlerless deer last season.

PaulS · « **Reply #17 on:** May 25, 2007, 05:46:30 PM »

Check your fired cases out - without sizing or loading them see if they will fit in the chamber - rotate the case 180 degrees and see if it chambers. If that is not a problem look at your muzzle. Is the crown concentric? is it at ninety degrees to the bore? If the rifle has iron sights does it shoot better without the scope on it? Do you have a scope that you know is good that you can swap over to this gun?
If all else fails is there a gun store near you that sells a weight that will clamp to your barrel? If so then you can try that. You can move it forward and back to find a resonant point on the barrel that will give good accuracy.

wolfen1960 · « **Reply #18 on:** May 26, 2007, 03:22:43 AM »

Lots of good info. here, thanks. Paul, I never thought of a concentricity problem...but the fired cases do fit easily when re-chambered. I will try rotating to see if it is an issue.
Just got a box of 140gr SST's, but will have no time to work these loads for a couple of weeks.
I just added a can of H4831 to my powder inventory, and will try this as well as some of my others. I am going to give MagPro a shot with these bullets, as it seemed to be not bad in 129gr. I will post again when I have more to add.
Thanks for the ideas so far, and load data. Mark

wolfen1960 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 08, 2007, 05:15:41 PM »

It appears that a couple of weeks to develop a load has stretched to a few months. Just couldn't find time until now. I spoke with a Rep. from Swift Bullets for quite awhile on the phone and tried a few of his ideas. What it boils down to is I FINALLY got the 129gr SST's to shoot.
With a max. load of H4831sc (by the Hornady manual) and a col. of 2.785 for 2830fps out of my 22" barrel I've done two groups of three shots just under 1" and one 6 shot (two groups of three at the same target) of 0.75". The 6 shot group was a 7 shot, but I called the pull before checking the target and it was about 1 1/2" from the group. This is just preliminary data, as three groups is not enough data to state that this is constant, but it is a great start as far as I'm concerned. I am satisfied with this, and have confidence in this load for hunting.
I'm not sure about how others measure a group, but I measure from the center to center of the farthest holes, without subtracting bullet diameter. Is this how an actual measurement is done?
Now to develop my 130gr Sciroccos, when they arrive! I hope it goes better than my last attempts...or I will need a new barrel before I'm done!

Lone Star · « **Reply #20 on:** September 09, 2007, 07:06:24 AM »

The correct method to measure groups is from the same edge of the two farthest holes (the two left edges, top edges, etc.). That gives exact center-to-center measurements without having to guess where the center of a hole is. It sounds like you have found a very good load!

Quote

What is WRONG with a 160 grain RN for antelope? !

First off has the poster ever hunted antelope? They are not like hunting whitetail in heavy timber. The 160RN is not going to open very quickly in a tiny animal like an antelope. The 160 is traveling only 1743 fps at 300 yards compared to 2027 fps with a 140, so bullet expansion will be slower. That means a slow kill compared to an appropriate bullet like a 100 to 140. I have used 100 BTips on deer to great effect past 200 yards in my .260s. They kill quickly, something that is important to me, although I'd expect 120-129-grain tipped bullets to do about as well in that regard.

.

wolfen1960 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 28, 2007, 02:23:17 PM »

It's almost time to hunt! Finally got the 260 to REALLY shoot. I'm now putting 3-120 sierra's and 3 130gr Scirocco's into groups of near 3/4" or better, at 100 yds.
My wife picked me up some range finding binoculars...and I was sighting in at 130 yds all this time. I still managed to keep most groups under 1 1/4" at this range, but moved to 100 yds. to compare. My groups shrunk about 1/4" with a couple of three shot's going into one ragged hole 2" high and on center.
I then moved out to 350 yds. to check the drop, as 350 to 400 is about my max. 3 shot group of 2 3/4" with the 260 and 12" low.
My real surprise was my 300 wsm. I can keep groups at about the same..3 shot's into 3/4" at the true 100 yds, and 1 1/2" high. At 350 yds it was 16" low and on center. I never thought that the 260 with a 120gr bullet at 2860fps would keep up with the wsm and a 150gr Scirocco at 3200fps.
As I said I'm ready now. I may even have been ready a while ago if I had measured my range a bit better. But I did get alot of practice at a little longer distance.

flyboy · « **Reply #22 on:** October 29, 2007, 07:08:40 PM »

Wolf; Sounds as if you have a KEEPER!