260 Remington Powders Test Results

[MasterPredatorHunting]

I am always using the great information everyone provides here. Time I contributed something in case it might be helpful to someone else. Pay it forward...

Tested multiple powders using ladder tests then COAL adjustments. I'll list below the powders that turned out to be the most accurate to the least accurate in my Savage Model 12 LRP using Lapua brass, 140 Grain Hornady Amax, and CCI BR2 primers:

Most Accurate: Varget
Second Place: IMR 4831
Third Place: H4350
Fourth Place: H100V

Came close to loading some rounds with Reloader 17 but I decided not to since it is not listed in the manuals (although I have read loads others have used with this powder).

 

[ShtrRdy]

Can you tell us what the accuracy was?

I've just used H4350 in my 260 Rem and never tried anything else since the results were so good. (~ 1//3")

 

[BoilerUP]

Charge weights, OAL and velocity for your best observed accuracy?

 

[MasterPredatorHunting]

.113 accuracy
2.82 COAL
Will chrno next range trip

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Very interesting, and I would seriously like the know the charge weight and other particulars used with your success. Congratulations.

When I first started out with load development for the .260 I used Ramshot Big Game and Magnum, along with H-4831SC. The H4831SC gave best accuracy, but the velocity was off, and my goal was to find a load specifically tailored for LR performance. Later, I had good results with Ramshot Hunter, but switched to H-4350 because Ramshot was becoming unavailable locally, and the latest buzz at that time was that H-4350 performed most closely to Hunter.

It worked very well; and then my shooting emphasis changed to shorter distances that are closer to home (my Wife and I developed health issues that made shorter travel distances pretty mandatory) and my .260 load development has languished somewhat.

Early on, I had gathered some data that suggested Varget loads in the 36-38gr region, which seemed to suggest that Varget could be an economically preferable propellant.

My current .260 is a 10 Predator Hunter, which I believe should respond favorably to the results of your experience, even if some minor tweaks become necessary.

Greg

 

[MasterPredatorHunting]

Hey Greg,

I don't like to give load info. cause everybody shoots different guns and you just don't know with some people. However, here is what I have found in "my" gun:

Varget shot between 35.1 and 35.5 but 35.4 was the best. This will be a slow load but the next most accurate load was IMR 4831 and was .441 for three shot groups at 100. Varget also shoots best in my .243 and being temperature insensitive and more economical with less powder, I'm going to stick with this load, although I am giving up 200 fps or so I surmise. I stopped at going up to 36 because that is what the Hodgdon manual said was the max. load from what I interpreted.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I appreciate your making the exception on my behalf. The older data I had given came from the Senior shooters at the First Spirit of America Match in 2002, back before the SRA 142SMK was introduced. They recommended that range for either the 120SMK; or the 140SMK. Pretty much anything over 2600fps with the 142SMK should make it to 1Kyd supersonic, depending on air density; we were shooting at Whittington, 6600ft ASL.

I may have come full circle on the .260; from beginner, to dilettante, to experienced, to moved on, and now back to starting out fresh all over again. I can also afford to give up a few hundred FPS, since I'm rarely likely to shoot at extreme distances anymore.

If that changes, I have a L-W 28" Stainless match barrel tucked away with about 1000rd through it, just nicely shot in. It likes the 142SMK/140A-Max with 43.8-43.9gr of H-4350, and that load also shot very well in my original 10FP 24" factory barrel.

Greg

 

[MasterPredatorHunting]

Greg:

Got to chrono my load at the range today: 2,556 fps