New to 260

[buccaneerfan]

I just bought my first 260 and I would like to reload for it. I have reloaded for my 7mm-08 but this will be my first precision rifle, so I have two main questions. 1) What should I be looking to get for dies since this will be a strictly precision rig? Brand, type, etc. (I have mostly rcbs stuff right now) 2) What should I be aware of, read more about, take more seriously with a 260 as opposed to another caliber or strictly because I want the most accuracy out of this?

If you have a thought about something that I didn't ask about please let me know! Thanks in advance!
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[ShtrRdy]

I use a set of Redding dies. I think they call it their "Competition" set? Basically, it has a neck sizing die that uses the bushings and does not alter the outside of the case. Then there is the Body die which you use to reshape the outside of the case. And finally there is the chamber type Bullet Seating die that has a micrometer on top for precise adjustments to COAL.

here's an example : http://www.midwayusa.com/product/35...sizer-set-308-winchester?cm_vc=ProductFinding

For precision reloading, you could buy Lapua brass which is high quality, or buy Remington brass, (if you can find some), and then do preparation steps to it like Uniform the Flashole, Deburr the Primer Pocket, Trim to length, and then sort for similar weights.

You could also trim neck thickness - on either brand of brass.

For reloading the fired cartridges, you may want to consider annealing the case necks every few firings

Use good bullets. Most people, myself included, use Berger VLD for precision long range work.

 

[Slim Chance]

Rcbs makes top notch equipment, but lately I have been buying Redding dies. I love them. I have also started using the carbide expander balls to avoid lubing inside the necks. I use Varget behind Nosler 120 or 140 grain Ballistic Tips and get great accuracy.

 

[buccaneerfan]

I use a set of Redding dies. I think they call it their "Competition" set? Basically, it has a neck sizing die that uses the bushings and does not alter the outside of the case. Then there is the Body die which you use to reshape the outside of the case. And finally there is the chamber type Bullet Seating die that has a micrometer on top for precise adjustments to COAL.

here's an example : http://www.midwayusa.com/product/35...sizer-set-308-winchester?cm_vc=ProductFinding

For precision reloading, you could buy Lapua brass which is high quality, or buy Remington brass, (if you can find some), and then do preparation steps to it like Uniform the Flashole, Deburr the Primer Pocket, Trim to length, and then sort for similar weights.

You could also trim neck thickness - on either brand of brass.

For reloading the fired cartridges, you may want to consider annealing the case necks every few firings

Use good bullets. Most people, myself included, use Berger VLD for precision long range work.

How much investment is there for trimming? Also, I have tried to figure out, but never understood, what neck turning is. Can you idiot that down for me a bit?

 

[Rhyno]

How much investment is there for trimming? Also, I have tried to figure out, but never understood, what neck turning is. Can you idiot that down for me a bit?

Trimming is a necessity.

 

[lead ƒarmer]

Honestly I wouldn't go too crazy at first. I use a basic set of Hornady dies and RP brass with my 260 and am completely happy with it. It is very accurate, and I don't do any special brass prep or spend $200 on dies. I also have a 308 with basic RCBS dies and cheap Federal brass, same story. Both are accurate beyond my abilities.

 

[Rhyno]

Same here, I used Lee dies with my 308 and couldn't out shoot my hand loads. I'm using Hornady with my 260 and same story. (You can also get a micrometer for the seating die for hornady, and a vld seating stem.)

 

[buccaneerfan]

Trimming is a necessity.

It sounds like it is a necessity, but is there a special tool a guy needs? I have NEVER trimmed anything on my 7mm-08 and never had any noticeable problems. How do you decide how long/short to trim to?

 

[buccaneerfan]

Honestly I wouldn't go too crazy at first. I use a basic set of Hornady dies and RP brass with my 260 and am completely happy with it. It is very accurate, and I don't do any special brass prep or spend $200 on dies. I also have a 308 with basic RCBS dies and cheap Federal brass, same story. Both are accurate beyond my abilities.

I have always gotten decent groups with my 7mm-08 without going to too many drastic lengths as well. I am just super excited as this is my first real precision rifle and want to push the limits a little. I'm guessing that the rifle will be far better than I can be at first, but practice makes perfect right? Do hornady dies work in an rcbs press? Never thought about that.

 

[jugi16]

Buy a Forster 3/1 case trimmer. Might be a little bit more but trim to length and perfect chamfer all in one step. I use lee collet dies for all my stuff and a rcbs case bump die. Don't underestimate lee dies.

 

[Rhyno]

Buy a lyman case length gauge. If the cartridge doesn't slip under the cartridge designation trim it.

If it's to long at best it won't feed and chamber right, at worst it will crimp down on the bullet and cause over pressure.

As far as trim tool, I don't know I use the Lee trim tools, but I feel like the "lathe" style would be better. But I've never used one.

 

[lead ƒarmer]

Do hornady dies work in an rcbs press? Never thought about that.

Yes. I like the hornady dies because of the sliding sleeve that helps keep the bullet in place. They also have tool-less adjustments unlike the RCBS dies.

 

[HodgdonExtreme]

I've found Hornady dies generally size cases a bunch more than is needed. Redding makes great stuff, but so do RCBS, Forster and Whidden. I wouldn't hesitate to use the $35 set of plain Jane RCBS dies, but the higher end stuff with a sliding sleeve/chamber and micrometer are nice little luxuries. Frankly, I'd skip the bushing die. It adds complexity you don't know how to use now and will never "need" - though it is a nice touch when you're experienced.

The Sinclair chamber length gage for $7 is a great tool for determining your chambers "trim to" length for brass. You want your brass to be .005" shorter than your chamber AT THE LONGEST. Meanwhile, I try not to be shorter than .010" less than chamber.

If you've got $450 to spend, a Giraud trimmer is the only way to go.

For components, these days your choices are limited. I'd just buy readily available Lapua brass and Lapua scenar bullets; either 123s if you'll be shooting "mainly" inside ~700 yards, or the 139s if you'll commonly be shooting to 1000. There are lots of good bullets out there, but the scenars are generally in stock, and usually shoot amazing without lots of testing/tuning/tweaking. H4350 is extremely difficult to beat in 260. Try hard to get it.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I also use Hornady .260 New Dimension Dies in my Dillon RL550B. I am very pleased with the elliptical expander (It makes resizing .243 to .260 brass easier/smoother), but the collet adjustment feature for the expander stem can be a little trickysome. The seater employs an internal sleeve and I like the work it does.

If the Hornady F/L die is resizing too much, I honestly never noticed it. I try to set up the F/L die's H/S adjustment to establish a minor degree of bolt handle drag on bolt closure. This may not be ideal, but it has allowed up to eight or ten reloads on my Winchester cases. I shoot .260 very little these days, and haven't bought dedicated brass for it in years now. My shooting venue is limited to 250yd now, and the .260 is overkill for such shorter distances (these days, the bulk of my shooting is done with .223/5.56).

A Rube Goldberg method for trimming case necks can be to use a case length/headspace gauge. Any excess length can be trimmed with a fine file while the case is in the gauge, then lightly inside chamfered. Be careful not to use excess force, or you can end up ruining your gauge

I use a .308 gauge, and I suppose a 7-08 gauge might be used if a .260 gauge can't be found.

After trying a fair number of component variations, I have found that the Hornady 140 A-Max with the AMP jacket, 43-44gr of H-4350, CCI BR-2 primers, and necked down Win 7-08 brass to be pretty much in the ballpark. I try to seat for a jump of around .010" to .020".

My barrel is an L-W 28", 1:8" twist Savage threaded barrel. If you shoot Savage, L-W makes this barrel as a finished production barrel.

Greg

 

[Rhyno]

308 trims the 260 about .010 under recommended trim length iirc.

 

[HodgdonExtreme]

If the Hornady F/L die is resizing too much, I honestly never noticed it.

My only experience with the Hornady dies was a friend whom I was mentoring to get up and running with reloading his 308 a yearish ago. He bought the 308 "custom grade" (I think) set.

What was strange was when set for ~.0015-.0020" shoulder setback, the die would remove the sharp corner at the juncture between body and shoulder - leaving instead a Weatherby-esque radius.

Fired brass measured .455" *just* below the shoulder, and after sizing (again for .0015" shoulder setback), the cases were measuring ~.452". Even a .001" reduction in this diameter is quite a bit in my experience.

Again, this was only a sample size of ONE, so maybe he just got a lousy set. Many people seem to like the Hornady die sets, so they're probably pretty good most of the time.

 

[Das Capitolin]

What is your definition of precision shooting?

I use a Lee full-length sizing die, a simple $5 Lee .260 trimmer and my drill, then the other Lee seating die. This is with Remington brass, Tula primers, and 42.0 grains H4350 behind 140 gn Hornady BTHP Match bullets. All of this is close to as 'cheap' as you can get for components and equipment, and yet I still shoot a 1.4" group of five shots at 330 yards with 7 MPH wind. No sorting, no flash hole sizing, nothing done to the necks... just anneal, resize, trim, charge, seat, and shoot.

 

[buccaneerfan]

What is your definition of precision shooting?

I use a Lee full-length sizing die, a simple $5 Lee .260 trimmer and my drill, then the other Lee seating die. This is with Remington brass, Tula primers, and 42.0 grains H4350 behind 140 gn Hornady BTHP Match bullets. All of this is close to as 'cheap' as you can get for components and equipment, and yet I still shoot a 1.4" group of five shots at 330 yards with 7 MPH wind. No sorting, no flash hole sizing, nothing done to the necks... just anneal, resize, trim, charge, seat, and shoot.

I would like to reach out to 1000 and beyond, getting the smallest groups possible.

 

[buccaneerfan]

What does everyone do as far as sizing? Do you use FL dies or just neck size? I am under the impression that just neck sizing is going to be more consistent because the brass is already fire formed to your chamber. True. . . .or nah?
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[Das Capitolin]

I would like to reach out to 1000 and beyond, getting the smallest groups possible.

Prepare to spend a lot of money.

Shoot with a custom barrel that's been lapped, polished, and fully stress releaved. Measure and weigh everything. Measure and weight it all again. Dry fire when you're not sleeping. Decide if you actually want to shoot the rifle, or secure it into a rig for bench rest style shooting.

Oh- and this is after you buy the best of everything that can be purchased for the task. Getting world-record sized groups require a significant investment in equipment and time.

 

[ShtrRdy]

What does everyone do as far as sizing? Do you use FL dies or just neck size? I am under the impression that just neck sizing is going to be more consistent because the brass is already fire formed to your chamber. True. . . .or nah?
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That is what I do. It all depends on what sort of accuracy you would like to get out of your shooting system - and what the system is capable of. If you're getting a rifle with a good barrel chambered and threaded by a good smith you'll potentially be able to put bullets through essentially the same hole if you do your part. For me it's more like 0.25 moa if I do my part.

You mentioned that you got good accuracy out of your 7mm-08. You seemed to be satisfied with it. What sort of accuracy are you getting?

To reach out to 1000 yds, you're accuracy and precision dictate what size target you'll be able to hit at 1000 yards. If it's a 10" plate, you need slightly better than 1 moa.

 

[buccaneerfan]

That is what I do. It all depends on what sort of accuracy you would like to get out of your shooting system - and what the system is capable of. If you're getting a rifle with a good barrel chambered and threaded by a good smith you'll potentially be able to put bullets through essentially the same hole if you do your part. For me it's more like 0.25 moa if I do my part.

You mentioned that you got good accuracy out of your 7mm-08. You seemed to be satisfied with it. What sort of accuracy are you getting?

To reach out to 1000 yds, you're accuracy and precision dictate what size target you'll be able to hit at 1000 yards. If it's a 10" plate, you need slightly better than 1 moa.

My 7mm-08 is my hunting rifle and I have been happy with .75 moa. I can get .4 ish moa (usually high .3's) out of my AR platform. The rifle I just bought is a savage lrp action with a cbi 1/8 twist 24" barrel on a mcree chassis. It also has a Ross break. This is the first rifle I have owned that SHOULD be capable of a 10" plate at 1000. With this is mind, do you think FL or just neck size? Also open to other tips?

 

[Greg Langelius *]

308 trims the 260 about .010 under recommended trim length IIRC.

Yes, I believe this is right. I have yet to encounter any observable difficulties from this fact, and have always used dimensions common with the .308 for my essential purposes, and have even used a .308 die as a .260 bump die.

My Lee Case Length/Headspace gauge comes with instructions that say moderately short necks can be used without issues.

COAL is adjusted to match my barrel.

With this is mind, do you think FL or just neck size? Also open to other tips

I've tried both and now simply FL size.

With neck sizing, you will periodically encounter chambering issues; with FL, you shouldn't.

When shooting minute of venison, that should not be a problem. When shooting LR for score, it may/might be; but I'm also not so good a windcaller/marksman that such should have obvious consequence.

Greg