The .260Rem Again

[antsa]

Haven't been using my .260 very much lately but a 400m comp in Feb and a 500m in March at the club made me get it out. Had earlier developed a load with the Berger VLD Hunting 140gr over AR2209. This load shot sub 0.5MOA at 100m and at the extended ranges above I was on paper and even put a few in the bull but I've never really felt comfortable with it.

Watching SA Feral Shooter's video of 500yd rabbit sniping in a gale got me fired up. I've never used lighter projectiles than 123gr before and I thought I'd give his load a try. As it happened, my LGS did not have the projectiles or the powder that he had used in stock so they're on order.

Meanwhile, looking through my notes from the time I lived overseas I found some old load development targets. At that time I was using 38.3gr of Vihtavuori N550 in Lapua brass with Lapua Scenar 139gr projectiles. They were consistently achieving better that 0.25MOA at 100m.

Rummaging around I found a box of 139gr Scenars that I had forgotten about. Checked VV's website for load data and they recommended between 37 and 39.5gr of VV550. As I only had AR2209 (AFAIK, VV is no longer available in Oz) I substituted it for the 550. Using Hornady's measuring gear I determined a length to the ogive of 2.378" when touching the lands. I decided on a jump of 0.005" giving me a cartridge OAL (to ogive) of 2.373" and a COAL of 2.960". Mag length on my Sako 85 is 2.965".

The brass is neck sized to Ø=0.292" and only 5.10mm of the total neck length of 5.70mm.

Using my arbitrary charge weight selection method I loaded 3 rounds each with 37.7, 38.0, 38.3, 38.5, 38.8 and 39.1gr. First two rounds of the first load grouped 10mm apart, pulled the third. Bugger! The following loads grouped (in MOA) 0.76, 0.80, 0.36, 0.76, 0.69 and finally 0.12 for the 39.1gr load. Will load this charge again as well as 39.0 and 39.2 and see if it's consistent. If so, I need to then measure velocity and verify drops out to 600m (our next club comp distance in April)

The Lapua Scenar is primarily a target round but I wouldn't think any varmint would complain about a head shot from a 139gr Open Tip pill.

Cheers

[kickinback]

Good work on your load development. FWIW, I stopped at 43gr of 2209 and velocity was 2650fps with a 140hr Amax.

Good luck and enjoy your shooting.


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[trevort]

Nobody sledges 260 owners


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[mick_762]

Nobody sledges 260 owners


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Unless you own a 6.5mm 08 A Square. . .

[antsa]

Nobody sledges 260 owners


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A calibre for discerning shooters

Cheers

[stinkitup]

Nobody sledges 260 owners


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Unless you own a 6.5mm 08 A Square. . .

Or a true 6.5 classic euro cal

[stinkitup]

Nobody sledges 260 owners


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A calibre for discerning shooters

Cheers

If you want to try some pills I should be able to shoot some 100 Noslers BT's over and 95 vmax's if you want some?

[antsa]

If you want to try some pills I should be able to shoot some 100 Noslers BT's over and 95 vmax's if you want some?

Thanks for the offer, mate. I have ordered the BT's from my LGS. They'll turn up soon


Cheers

[lee_enfield223]

What was the guys load who was shooting rabbits at 500m please ????

[Glenn]

I shoot 130 Bergers out of my 260.
It has 22 in barrel.

With dial up at Yass I shot it too 1240 yards with Seddo.

I did load development recently with 2217, speed was around the 2770 mark!

Glenn

[stinkitup]

I shoot 130 Bergers out of my 260.
It has 22 in barrel.

With dial up at Yass I shot it too 1240 yards with Seddo.

I did load development recently with 2217, speed was around the 2770 mark!

Glenn

Glenn did you compare 2209 with 2217? I think it was a little too slow in the ackley swede and she liked 2213 a little better. I had no chrony to compare.

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[The Raven]

I see Cleavers has a special on 260 brass, for those interested.


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[curan]

I see Cleavers has a special on 260 brass, for those interested.

also suitable for reloading 6.5mm 08 A Square ..........

[Tony Z]

Guys something to think about. Reloder 23 is gathering momentum in the US and here of late. Cartridges that use 2209 can get substantial velocity gains with less pressure. I recently tested it in both 7/08 and 284 where both had gains of over 100 fps with excellent accuracy. The 200 fps gains some yanks claim in a 284 are somewhat optimistic though. Nonetheless i can see a real gain with heavier pills in the 260.

This is the powder Jacko used in his 284 to win at the Queens and from what i could gather his yardage adjustments were similar to SAUMs.


I also think the 260 or improved cartridges based on it are a great choice. But as Seddo has often said, the longest bullets limit what can be done if you run a magazine.

[dan_351]

Good work on your load development. FWIW, I stopped at 43gr of 2209 and velocity was 2650fps with a 140hr Amax.

Good luck and enjoy your shooting.


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What length barrel is that running through? My current load is 44gn which QL told me was around 2670 or there about from a 22in barrel. I thought it was a little slow temped to keep going