260 remington

[42769vette]

i know folks are understandably hesatiant to give specific reloading data, but ill take what i can get and start low and work up. im loading for a 260 rem with a 142 gr smk and n-150. i used to only data i could find and it said min was 33.9 and max was 33.9 and max was 39.9. i loaded up ammo and started at 34 and went in .5gr incrments us to 39.5 then 39.9. at 39.9 i noticed residue comming out from around the primer pocket. so granted 39.9 is to hot but on another form im being told 36.5 is the max. is there any truth to what they are saying? i was shooting in about 40 degree weather and know my max may be diffrent in 100 degree weather but my gun liked the hotter loads better and im wondering now if i can use them.

[BenKeith]

First off, you should never accept anyone's max load as a load your rifle will shoot, there are just tooooooo many variables that can make huge differences in pressures, bullet seating depth is one. I would say if your blowing by a primer, you had reached overload long before you got to the 39.9 gr's. I would have have thought you started cratering the primers before you even got to that point and would have stopped.

All this is based on a standard action. You may have a custom action that can take those huge pressure numbers but all my loading has been done with production actions and I ALWAYS back a load down if I see the slightest amount of metal extrude up from around the firing pin. I also mic the base of my cases, sometimes you can get base expansion after three or four loads, this is another sign you're over the pressure limit.

[42769vette]

it a trued mod 70 action. i did work up and didn't see signs until 39.9.

does anyone have it in a book

[model14]

Originally Posted by 42769vette

it a trued mod 70 action. i did work up and didn't see signs until 39.9.

does anyone have it in a book

I am a fairly experienced .260 shooter in a Rem 700 action. I recommend you abandon the N-150 for now and go straight to H4350. I shoot the exact numbers in the Hodgdon load manual for the 140 Gr. Nosler Partition only using the 142 SMK bullet. Start 10% lower and go from there. You will be pleased.

Richard

[model14]

Originally Posted by 42769vette

i know folks are understandably hesatiant to give specific reloading data, but ill take what i can get and start low and work up. im loading for a 260 rem with a 142 gr smk and n-150. i used to only data i could find and it said min was 33.9 and max was 33.9 and max was 39.9. i loaded up ammo and started at 34 and went in .5gr incrments us to 39.5 then 39.9. at 39.9 i noticed residue comming out from around the primer pocket. so granted 39.9 is to hot but on another form im being told 36.5 is the max. is there any truth to what they are saying? i was shooting in about 40 degree weather and know my max may be diffrent in 100 degree weather but my gun liked the hotter loads better and im wondering now if i can use them.

STOP!

The loads you are using are for N-160, not N150.

I just looked at the VV Loading Manual (it is available on the Lapua web site) and you should be using N-160 for a 140 grain bullet, not N-150.

I may piss you off, but here goes anyway. A mistake like that can cause you to lose an eye or a hand. If you got this info from a person and not the book you are asking for big trouble, as you can see the mistake that was made. If you got it from the loading manual and just made a mistake reading it, just try and be more careful in the future. We who do our own reloading have all made mistakes, hopefully we remain safe.

Richard

[JCummings]

My experience with the 260 has also shown H4350 to be my best powder.
Re19 and N160 worked OK but not nearly as well as the H4350.
Standard loads as listed in the Hodgdon manual with the Sierra 142 SMK shoot very well.

[42769vette]

Originally Posted by model14

STOP!

The loads you are using are for N-160, not N150.

I just looked at the VV Loading Manual (it is available on the Lapua web site) and you should be using N-160 for a 140 grain bullet, not N-150.

I may piss you off, but here goes anyway. A mistake like that can cause you to lose an eye or a hand. If you got this info from a person and not the book you are asking for big trouble, as you can see the mistake that was made. If you got it from the loading manual and just made a mistake reading it, just try and be more careful in the future. We who do our own reloading have all made mistakes, hopefully we remain safe.

Richard

this is where i got my load data. i never trust internet postings but i believe this one is a picture of a page in a reloading book. correct?

http://www.northfloridashooting.com/...0remington.pdf

the guy i bought it from said it likes 36.5 gr but thats the only load he tired and it was sub moa and thats all he was going for

[model14]

You are correct. That is a page from the Sierra Loading Manual. I would also have used that information. It is interesting that VV does not even list N-150 for the 140 grain bullet, but that doesn't mean it won't work safely. I trust what Sierra puts in their manual.

[42769vette]

i ended up calling sierra today and they said they recomend 34-40. that being said i wont go 40 again after what i saw even though it threw a great group 37.5-39 were almost as goot so im going to load between those numbers by .5 again and move to 500 yds. hopfully there i get a clearer answer and can narrow it down enough to move to .2 or.1 incrments

[Rick B]

I will join the others in recommending that you try H4350. You will not be chasing zeros as much as with the Vit. powder.