260 Rem bullet selection???

[Trigger puller UK]

Hello all 260 Rem shooters

what in your opinion would be the best bullet and why to use for both distances 100 - 600 yards and 300 - 1200 yards.

The rifle I'm using is an AI AX 26" Border barrel 1 in 8.5 twist.

I'm new to this caliber.

Many thanks Ady

 

[Topstrap]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

Welcome, you picked a great round to start with. We've found that pretty much all of them work good in the 139-142 range. I've used the 139 Scenars and 140 Hornady BTHP Match bullet and I can interchange them if I had to at a 1000 yard match.

Presently using the Hornady 140 Match bullet in the rifle and pistols and am pleased with it in all of them with a 1:8 twist. I'd think the 8.5 twist should still work well for you.

Topstrap

 

[jagged77]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

The 8.5 twist will stabalise all the 6.5's up to and including the 142's. You really can't go wrong with the Lapua, Sierra, Hornady and Berger offerings, they'll all get there.

Personally I'd look at the 123 or 139 Scenars purely on the basis that you can buy them in a bulk box of 1000 making them substantially cheaper than the others over here! 139's / 140's are my choice for LR.

 

[Blackhawk 1]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

Do you think if a person were going to use only the heavy bullets they should use a 1 in 8 twist barrel?

 

[223ai]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

8 or 8.5, won't matter, they'll all shoot well.

Doug -

Shot your new targets at RO this weekend. They're awesome!

Best,
Josh

 

[Trigger puller UK]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

Ive loaded up some Bergers 140gn VLDs using Lapua 260 brass, CCIBR2 primers & found that 42gn's of H4350 is the hotest I can load before hitting pressure signs. Im getting 2700 fps with that load, is this a good/acceptable result for this bullet? The average group size's im getting at distances of 100 yards out to 600 yards is half MOA to three quarter MOA.

On my OCW test I found 41.7 42 42.3 all had the same POI. 42.3gn's does start to show some signs of pressure in the way of primers blowing back almost like a nipple protruding in stead of a crator made my the firing pin. Im developing this load in temps of 10 degrees C, would this load be consistent and stable in 25 - 30 degrees C of heat ie summer?

Ady

 

[Topstrap]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

I've shot 42 to 44gr of H4350 and temp never bothered it. My long range pistols liked 44 but the rifle likes 42.5 the best. You'll be good to go to 1000+ with your load and that bullet.

I'm surprised you're getting pressure signs at 42.3 though. Each gun is different and ya gotta go with what it's telling ya.

Topstrap

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

Boltripper do 144's to great aplomb........

 

[Bryan W M]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

Out of the 140 class bullets what ones dont mind a jump to the lands??

thanks

 

[223ai]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

140 amax, 142 smk, the new berger hybrids. I shoot amaxes because they are cheap and work well.

 

[ncboiler]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

How about the 130 JLK's? Hoping to get them to shoot out of my new build but if not, I'll go back to the 140 Amax.

 

[Heman]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

My 260 is a AR-10 built by Scott Medesha but I love the 123 for 200-600 and I use the 142's from 600-1000. Depends on the wind conditions if I use the 142's or 123's at the 600yd line.

I have a friend who shot the 130 JLK's in his .260 Bolt gun at 1000yds when he was getting into NRA LR and they shot very well in his bolt gun.

I personally shoot the SMKs becasue I know I can always get them easily from just about anywhere and they always shoot good.

 

[ToKeepAndBear]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

I shoot the 142 SMKs over 43.0 gr H4350, Lapua brass, BR2, and Lee collet neck size for 2750 fps out of a 26 inch Sako TRG. Shoots around .2-.4 moa in my gun at 100 yards, has grouped under 2 inches at 670, and has shot 4 inches at 1000 yards (I wish I could avg that at that distance). Try some in your gun and see what it likes.

 

[Wildboarem]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

I've had good luck with 140 amax, had some QC issues with the Hor 140 bthp. I am pleasantly surprised with the 140 Barnes Match Burners.

 

[TravisB]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

I shoot the 140gr A-Max over 42.0gr of H4350. They shoot very well and cheaper then the Lapua's and Berger's. I use Remington brass and it does great as long as you do all the brass prep. Neck turning does wonders on the Remington brass.

 

[supersniper]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

130 JLK's - nearly 200 shots fired and so far no luck yet finding a mag length load that wants to shoot.

Just tried the 140 Bergers and sub 1/2 MOA right off the bat at +.010 off the lands - a little too long for mag length but another is showing promise and will have to research it further

 

[FCS]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

130 JLK is going to need to be 2.900" OAL if you have a short freebore chamber, SAAMI spec chamber you'll be over 3.000" OAL.
130 JLK in a KMW chamber or Tac Match would be about ideal. If you have over 0.080" of freebore, then the Berger will be a better match.

130 JLK is more of a hybrid for ogive to bearing surface transistion, Berger VLD is a tangent so quite a bit more pronounced. About 0.080" difference in OAL between the JLK and the Berger for OAL to touch lands.

OP, there are a fair number of different 260 reamers out there, really need to know how much freebore is in your chamber to be able to recommend a bullet.

 

[Trigger puller UK]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

Thanks for all your in-put.

McCourt Munitions ive messured the OAL of the Bergers 140gn VLDs using the Horady lock N load straight OAL gauge tool and the messurment of the bullet touching the lands is 3.271" (measuring off the ogive of the bullet)

The same for the Berger 120gn Target BT messures 3.293" (measuring off the ogive of the bullet)

Is that what you mean by freebore?

Ady

 

[FCS]

Re: 260 Rem bullet selection???

Correct, freebore is the straight cylinder section between the case mouth the lead angle. Typically the freebore will be 0.0005 to 0.001" larger in diameter then the bullet diameter, depending on who grinds the reamer.

Length of that straight cylinder along with lead angle will determine when bullet hits the lands.