Range Report 260 Rem, 30-30 Superlight and 357Max

[quickdtoo]

Had a good range day shooting the 30-30 SL and 357Max, the 30-30 doesn't particularly care for the 150gr Rem factory loads, velocity is very low also, I got 2330fps and excellent accuracy with the same box of ammo in my 30-30 Handi barrel that I sold to Mac, this barrel shoots it into about 2" at 2096fps.  Fortunately the 125gr Nosler BT and H4895 works very well in it, velocity isn't quite what I expected, but accuracy is excellent, a max load of 36gr from the Nosler 6th runs 2445fps.




Also shot the 357Max using the 180gr Speer FP on AA1680, velocity was disappointing with the heavier loads and it may be because of the shallow seating depth with ~.200" of the bullet seated, best accuracy was with 26.5gr at 1918fps, I loaded up to 28gr, but velocity still averaged less that 2000fps. Guess I'll seat them deeper and try again, these loads were seated .010" off the lands.



I also tried some more handloads in the 260 Rem Superlight, all using Fed 210M primers, 120gr TTSX w/Varget and 130gr Berger VLD Hunting w/IMR4320, most of 130gr Berger loads didn't fire, but I did get enough to fire to get an idea of velocity those powders will provide, 40.5gr IMR4320 yielded one shot at 2802fps, 41gr went 2835fps, but was sticky on extraction and the primer was pretty flat. The Varget loads with the same primers from a different batch with the TTSX all fired the first time except one which I had to drop the hammer on twice, loads started at 38.5gr got an average 2726fps and 39gr 2817fps but again, sticky extraction and flat primers, 2½"-3" groups. More to work on there, I think I'll work with RL17 now that I have some, Accurate Shooter has high praises for it.

http://accurateshooter.wordpress.com/2008/02/12/alliant-releases-new-reloder-17-powder/

Tim

[Rustygun]

  That 30-30 is looking pretty good. The 260 is a great round. I bet you will find a good load for yours.

[quickdtoo]

I already have a good shooting load for the 260, I just need a powder that provides better velocity in the 20" barrel. 

thx

Tim

[parson48]

Just curious; how many yards were you shooting Tim?

[quickdtoo]

100yds, I never shoot any closer except to get on paper after bore sighting. 

Tim

[parson48]

Looking at that 357 max target, that's pretty good accuracy. I've only bene able to shoot mine at 50 yards, and with lighter bullets.  If I can achieve accuracy similar to your at 100 yards, I can live with 1900 of so fps.

Gonna track down some 1680 and some heavier bullets, find a longer shooting range and see what she'll do.

[44 Man]

Tim, if I get a .357 max at some point I think I would try the Rem core loc 180 rn that work so well in my 35 rem Marlin.  The Marlin has a short barrel and only gets them up to 1900 fps but they just hammer anything they hit!  Since they are a bullet designed to work well at low velocities, it would definately be one I would want to try.  Just an alternate thought.  Nothing like throwing another variable into the mix!  44 Man

[quickdtoo]

The 180gr Speer is a pretty tough bullet, it works well in the 35 Rem at 2350fps, I think I just need more powder, or seat it deeper, the 25-26.5gr loads were well smoked on the outside which indicates to me relatively low pressure loads, even the 28gr loads were smoked some.  I think CW gets 2200fps with it and 1680 in his Maxi, I don't really need it to hunt with, I just like to get the best performance I can with any Handi I'm shooting. The more I think about it, since it's accurate at that seating depth, I think I'll just keep working up in ½gr increments and see how it goes.

thx,

Tim

[LaOtto222]

Looking good Tim. For some reason, the highest velocity does not always get you the best accuracy. That maybe the best you can do with the 260. More experimentation will tell you. The 357 Max may do better at higher velocities, but not bad the way it is. For deer or coyotes your load in the 30-30 will work with plenty of accuracy. That light weight 30-30 would make and excellent walk around gun or a truck/trunk gun for opportunistic shots. Thanks for the report. Good Shooting and Good Luck.

[quickdtoo]

I'd just like to take advantage of the VLD bullets in the 260 if I ever get one of those long shots, and in the area I hunt it's very likely, 2yrs ago my huntin partner watched a BIG buck following a doe from about 500yds away, as they neared about 300yds coming towards Jack, he  was getting ready to take the buck with his 270 if it presented him a shot, unfortunately the doe led him out of the ravine they were coming up and into the timber at the edge of the clear cut. So if presented with an opportunity like that, I'd like to be able to take it. The 300fps difference between the two different powders when sighted in 1½" high at 100yds makes over 4" difference in trajectory at 300yds and 300lbs less energy. Got plenty of time between now and the middle of October to make it work, I now know I can exceed 2800fps from the 20" barrel with the right powder. 

The 30-30 will work fine just like it is with the 125gr NBTs and I'll use it when I hunt the wet side where most shots will be much closer, the 260 on the east side where it's more open. I'm also going to try BL-C2, Hodgdon shows it producing close to 2500fps at 3kpsi less pressure than H4895, a more friendly pressure for the M158 soldered underlug.

I'm pretty sure the Max can be improved upon also, while I won't be hunting with it, I'd like to get the most I can out of it, if not for me, at least for the next owner if I ever sell it. 

thx,

Tim

[Big Blue]

Tim,
Were you crimping the max loads?
Don

[clearwater]

For my 30-30 handi, I got best accuracy and performance with 150 gr Nolser BT's with Reloder 7.

[quickdtoo]

Tim,
Were you crimping the max loads?
Don

As best I could with the Lee FCD that came with the deluxe 357Mag die set, it's not the same as a rifle FCD, but it will put a light crimp on the Max. I also checked the loaded rounds for runout before and after I crimped them(new Hornady tool  ), the FCD reduced runout on all rounds by .001"-.002", all were less than .003" after crimping.

Tim

[barm]

Tim,

What powders have you tried in your 30-30 with Nosler 125 NBT?  What do you consider it's maximum range with that bullet?  I just got my 30-30 back from H&R and they gave me a new barrel to correct the excessive headspace.  I'm not sure when I'll get to shoot it but I can see a difference when I place a catridge in the chamber.

Brian

[quickdtoo]

Just H4895 so far in this one, I've shot 150gr moly Partitions over BL-C2 with limited success at 1¼" in the last 30-30 barrel I had, and 125gr Sierra Prohunter SPT over H322 in my 30-30 Ackley Handi with excellent results. If 2500fps is achievable, it's good to 250-300yds, the NBT has a reliable expansion velocity range of 1600-3000fps. http://www.noslerreloading.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1347

Tim

Trajectory for Nosler .308 dia. 125 gr. Ballistic Tip at 2500 Feet per Second
At an Elevation Angle of: 0 degrees
Ballistic Coefficients of: 0.366   0.366   0.366   0.366   0.366
Velocity Boundaries (Feet per Second) of: 2500 2500 2500 2500
Wind Direction is: 0.0 o'clock and a Wind Velocity of: 0.0 Miles per hour
Wind Components are (Miles per Hour): DownRange: 0.0   Cross Range: 0.0   Vertical: 0.0
Altitude: 0 Feet with a Standard Atmospheric Model.
Temperature: 59 F
Data Printed in English Units
Range   Velocity   Energy   Momentum   Drop   Bullet Path   Wind Drift   Time of Flight
(Yards)   (Ft/Sec)   (Ft/Lbs)   (Lb-Sec)   (inches)   (inches)   (inches)   (Seconds)
0   2500.0   1734.4   1.39   0.0   -1.7   0.0   0.000000000
25   2441.0   1653.6   1.35   -0.18   -0.08   0.0   0.030360170
50   2382.9   1575.7   1.32   -0.72   1.18   0.0   0.061457506
75   2325.5   1500.8   1.29   -1.64   2.06   0.0   0.093317783
100   2269.0   1428.7   1.26   -2.97   2.54   0.0   0.125968136
125   2213.1   1359.2   1.23   -4.71   2.59   0.0   0.159437381
150   2158.1   1292.4   1.20   -6.9   2.2   0.0   0.193755857
175   2103.8   1228.2   1.17   -9.56   1.35   0.0   0.228955161
200   2050.3   1166.5   1.14   -12.71   0.0   0.0   0.265068031
225   1997.6   1107.4   1.11   -16.37   -1.86   0.0   0.302128406
250   1945.7   1050.6   1.08   -20.58   -4.27   0.0   0.340171552
275   1894.7   996.2   1.05   -25.37   -7.25   0.0   0.379234097
300   1844.5   944.2   1.02   -30.76   -10.84   0.0   0.419353884

[barm]

Thank you, Tim.