.264 data

[RUMLUVER]

I have my first custom rifle in the process of building right now and thought it would be a good time to start rounding up some data. I would be most greatfull if anyone out there has any .264 Win Mag reloading info to share. The bullet that I'm looking to use in this rifle is a 130gr swift Scirocco with a B.C. .571. It will be fired from 27in barrel also. Thanks for the help!

[VirginiaHunter]

I have a 246 WinMag as well and would be interested in any load data some my have. I worked on one set with not much success, and have been itch'n to get something nice worked up for this rifle. Need to get my reloading room completed <sigh>

[Jack]

There aren't a whole lot of powders that are good matches for the 264 Win Mag.
Hodgdon 870 (now discontinued) works really well in the 264, and is the first powder I'd reach for with a bullet of 130 grains or more. Accurate Arms 8700, which is similar (if not identical) works equally well.

[RUMLUVER]

I talked with my brother who also shoots a .264 and he said he has had great success with 58.0grs of RL22 and a 130gr Barnes TSX and also a 129gr Hornady INTLK. Found that out and thought I would share.

[Downwindtracker2]

An interesting choice and a good one.My 264 has "standard" length throat,so my loads might be too hot for your chambering.But after much testing these powders are worth trying:IMR7828 ,nice and lineral;AA MagPro ,it works;and my favourite Ramshot Magnum. Retumbo was inaccurate for me.Avoid: H-1000 ,too spikey ;and R-25 ,much too temperature sensistive.John Barness wrote about the 264 in Handloader.

[RUMLUVER]

Downwindtracker2,

I wasn't really intrested in a .264 or any 6.5mm at all untill 3 years ago when my brother bought his .264. I was star struck over my most recent purchase a .300 Ultra Mag. But that .264 was so damned accurate and didn't kick at all. I actually out shot by brother with it for about 2 years I had a target that with 3 shots at 100yards I could cover with a tylonal tablet. My dad at this time was a 6.5x55 nut and his rifle was as accurate as my brothers and so I thought there was something to these 6.5's. Then I became a big fan myself and decided to build my own .264. Now I'm just trying round up some reloading data so thanks for the tips. But what powder and charge wieghts are you using and how far out do you have your chamber throated? I'm looking to have mine done to between .150 and .225 and my barrel has a 1in8 twist. Also which bullets are you shooting?

[Downwindtracker2]

Bill Leeper did mine.It was his opinion that Winchester screwed up in having such a short throat on pressure sensistive cartridge,so throated it "standard".I have no idea what that is,I leave things like that up to Bill.I am loading 140 SSTs .030" off the lands,it's also max for my FN box.This is second barrel,a Douglas,the orginal (unfired )FN was high friction,slow and a walker.It was also very short throated.

I am very hesitant to say how much powder because John Barness used 3 grains less in his bit worn Winchester Westerner,a new one would use even less.But with that caution,72.0 grains of Magnum for a bit under 3200f/s.I certainly couldn't use that much powder with the first barrel.And in load development this time there was no excitement.

I didn't get to use my 264 yet on deer ,when I checked my scope,it had come loose.It was a new Leupold VX-3 3.5x10x40.And on rifle that kicks less than my 30.06s.Maybe next year on those big clearcuts.

I picked the 140 SST ,my thinking was anything that long and skinny would hold the core,but I was worried about expansion.John used the plain Speer 140 with excellent results on a couple of deer.

[Downwindtracker2]

Oh I forgot,I think the 24" barrel is a standard 1 in 9.It shoots under MOA.My buddy is also looking at building a clearcut rifle,certainly after shooting mine,not much recoil.

[RUMLUVER]

I will be using a model 700 action that once was a 300 Win Mag and will do load work up carefully always checking case conditions for pressure signs. I'm looking to get 3300+ out of this 130gr Swift Scirocco and shouldn't be difficult using 27" barrel and a good strong bolt action. So 140's at 3200 shouldn't be a problem either at least I don't think so. But thanks again for the data

[Downwindtracker2]

I'm not so sure about using Swifts,they have pure copper jackets and as such are higher in friction.Barrel friction in most calibers is a minor annoyance,in a 264 it can very easily be a primer popping headache.The 142gr 6.5mm match bullet is why Winchester built the 264,the 140 holds it velocity longer.You certainly won't have any problems with COL with a 700.To have 264 to last,keep it cool and clean.As slow as WC-872 and H-870 are,they are not clean burning.

[RUMLUVER]

In the past I have used Scirocco's in my .338 and .300 RUM and havn't had any pressure problems and both loads are a little warmer than average but no problems at all. I will keep that in mind though while working up loads for my .264. As for powders my personal favorites right now are RL22 and IMR 7828 and I am leaning towards RL22 that's what has worked best in the only 2 other .264's I know of in use. I also have plenty of RL 25, H4350 and H4831sc on hand because I use these the most in my RUM's.

[Downwindtracker2]

I have hunted where the rifle caliber of choice was the 340Weatherby.It was the north west corner of the province,towards the Alaska border.Shots of 400 yards in the willow brush,that far north the tree line is pretty low, were not uncommon.Big moose,250# a quarter and grizzly bears.I have always thought a 338RUM would be a more better. I remember one hunter saying," I do OK with my little 300Win."

I ran IMR7828 out to the end with the first barrel,it was very lineal.My experence with RL-25 was not so posistive,each shot the velocity increased a fair bit,likely from barrel heat.Others who also do load developement over a Chrony ,have noted the same effect.

["yote"]

Lapua has a 139 gr with a BC of .666. Check it out.

[RUMLUVER]

I think I will thanks Yote