260 rem with hammer bullets

[Timberghost]

Hey guys, want to draw on your real world experiences.
260 rem, mountain LSS with 22 inch barrel.
This will be my bighorn sheep, antelope and deer rifle.
500 yrd max distance. More likely 400.
What kind of Load data and recommendations for the 124 or 110 hammers?
Thanks, rob

 

[brushape]

I’ve been playing with the 124s and they have worked great and would be only better in the 260.


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[Timberghost]

110 or 124? Have you killed anything? Results?? Thanks

 

[eaglemountainman]

Following

 

[finner]

Shooting the 124s in a 24" 6.5CM over 40.2 grains of Varget. 2920fps, 1/4MOA. Almost too much bullet for three antelope this year, shot at 450, 575 and 200 yards. Another 6.5 preferred H4350, but ran a little slower. I'd imagine that would be your best bet for the 260

 

[Timberghost]

How was the meat damage if any?

 

[Tullis94]

I seen 2 coues deer get shot at 250ish this year with 124s out of 6.5 creedmoores. One was shooting H4350 and the other was shooting RL16, both over 3000 fps. Bullets preformed very well.

 

[SArnold30]

I run the 110's out of my 260 Rem, a Tikka with 22" barrel. 43.0 gr Varget going 3212 fps. Only hunted one deer season with this rifle and load, stonewalled a mule deer at 357 yards, he never took a step. Deer was quartering away, hit him behind the right shoulder and it exited just forward and above the left shoulder blade.

 

[finner]

How was the meat damage if any?

Super minimal. Nothing compared to the ELDXs I was loading before

 

[Timberghost]

SA, what twist is your rifle?

 

[SArnold30]

It's a 1:8 twist. I think either bullet weight will fulfill all your needs, but my advice would be to give Hammer a call and pick their brains. Amazing customer service and input.

 

[Timberghost]

I did talk to them briefly. Said go with the 110 but my rifle is 1-9 twist so might not work very well.
Never shot fast and light bullets and most definitely don’t want to waste meat.

 

[SArnold30]

Another good thing about Hammer is their sample packs, you could pick one up and see how they shoot. I’d like to think your 1:9 might be ok, a quick glance at Barnes and Nosler load data shows them using that same twist on longer and heavier bullets (120 gr).

 

[Timberghost]

I run the 110's out of my 260 Rem, a Tikka with 22" barrel. 43.0 gr Varget going 3212 fps. Only hunted one deer season with this rifle and load, stonewalled a mule deer at 357 yards, he never took a step. Deer was quartering away, hit him behind the right shoulder and it exited just forward and above the left shoulder blade.

How was the meat damage boss?

 

[35WhelenAI]

Meet damage with any of the monos will be minimal relative to frangible bullets. Going on 30 years of monos for me. Not to sound cliché, but to use a cliché, "you can darn near eat right up to the bullet holes".

 

[SArnold30]

How was the meat damage boss?

Just a little jagged hole at the exit wound on the left front quarter, which is to be expected; but otherwise virtually nonexistent.

 

[Timberghost]

Meet damage with any of the monos will be minimal relative to frangible bullets. Going on 30 years of monos for me. Not to sound cliché, but to use a cliché, "you can darn near eat right up to the bullet holes".

So can I call on your expertise.
What calibers and bullet weights?
Can a guy go fast and light and still have the monos do what they are supposed to?
Thanks

 

[SArnold30]

Lighter and faster is the name of the game when using mono's. General rule of thumb is drop a bullet weight compared to what you would commonly use when loading lead. I load 45 gr in 22-250, 130 gr in 308 Win, 168 gr in 300 Win Mag, and of course 110's in 260 Rem.

 

[Timberghost]

Lighter and faster is the name of the game when using mono's. General rule of thumb is drop a bullet weight compared to what you would commonly use when loading lead. I load 45 gr in 22-250, 130 gr in 308 Win, 168 gr in 300 Win Mag, and of course 110's in 260 Rem.

So with my 1-9 twist do you see any issue going to a 99 grain? Can you fly them to fast ?

 

[doverpack12]

Can’t push hammers too fast out of a 260.
I loaded a box of 124s with Superformance. 5 shots inside a 1” square. Never shot anything with that load.
I’ve taken 143 7mm hammer hunters to nearly 3700 fps with no negative results.
As said already with monos you want to drop a weight class minimum and maybe 2 and then push them as fast as possible.
I switched to monos whenever the nosler etip came out because I process my own meat and got tired of the meat loss and nasty mess from any lead core bullet.