Don Fischer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2017
- Messages
- 3,025
Got my 260 about five weeks ago but weather to hot to go shooting so held off waiting for cool weather. Got a day where it got a little over 80* so went out and broke in the barrel according to instructions. Then back to hot and couple more weeks and it cooled off pretty good in the evening. Started working up loads. To get going I loaded to the Max OLL and wouldn't ya know it, just barely fits in the magazine using 129gr Hornady SP'S. Just stayed there, no where else to go! Using RL-19 I started about 46.0grs With Herter 120 primer's in 308 Win Winchester cases. Like to seat bullets to the base of the neck but couldn't do it. So RL-19 really fills the case at 47.5grs, max load. Tapped the cases with a pencil at 47.5 grs and powder seteled to just below the base of the neck. Well that load grouped three shot's right at 1" so today I loaded up a bunch more. Mostly because I can't find much in the way of powder around here! Got to thinking about it today while loading and matched up a bullet to the neck with the end of the neck hitting right at the top of the crimp gruve. Damn, looked awfully close so I stuck a pen in to the powder and taped around the mouth and checked it against a bullet. Showed to stay off the powder I could seat the bullet to the top of the crimp gruve. Got to wondering about it and checked a 140gr Hornady with the crimp grouve in the same place and boy does it encrouch on the powder! works out alright though as I was wanting to shoot 129/130 gr bullet's in the 260. I use 140gr bullet's in my 7x57 and 6.5x06. of course both of those have longer action's so works out good for me! Shot the 129gr load again last night and right at 1" at 100 yds. I can live with that! This cartridge was darn near made for me, just need to bullet seated out about, well less than a 1/8th inch more. probably get 15/16" groups then!
Really liking shooting this 260, recoil is very low and me and recoil simply don't get along well. Reason I won't ever own another magnum!