264 WIN MAG

At the time I bought the rifle I also got 2 bags of red/white Winchester brass (new). I figured I would at least be able to control that and not have to look for brass later. I think they are 50 to a bag. Will be annealing also after every firing. Someday I wouldn't mine trying to take an elk with the rifle but that will probably be a little ways down the line. One thing that is loads of fun is just opening the gun case up and seeing 2 identical Remington Sendero's. The 264 and the 300RUM. Honestly the last couple of years I been on a shot action love affair. I got so tired trying to find brass for my Rum that I somewhat gave up. I've been shooting a 7-08 and a 308. Much cheaper to load for. Taken 2 deer with the 7 at close range nothing stressing it out. I will probably take this year off due to some low budgets funds but 2025 I want to be ready to smoke something with the closest queen(264win).

What altitude do you hunt at? The 140 Berger worked like magic out of my 9 twist 264, but at 7000+ asl.

freefloater59 said:

I've hunted with my pre-64 Win 70, 264 Mag, 26" bbl, since 1975 using 60 gr IMR4831 under 140 gr Sierra SPBTs. Every hit was a pass-thru, no matter what range, on muleys, white-tails, antelope, coyotes, and all were DRT. I'm moving to Nosler 140 Accubonds but am still working up the load.

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I've used that almost same combo. The only difference is the loaf wad 61.3 of imr4831 and Sierra 140spbt with my dad's pre64 mod70 ('61 model) since '84. Always a great combo for me.

Been through several 264Win over the years. It's my favorite hammer in the safe. It isn't as difficult as some make it out to be. With your 9 twist barrel and with the listed choices of bullets I'd go straight to the 135 Berger and not waste anytime fiddling around with the others you've listed which may or may not work. Ask me how I know.
Ideally, If you can get your hands on some 130g Berger AR tactical hybrids go that route. It's proven to be the easiest load development I've ever experienced, and it plain drops critters. I have one 9 twist 264WIN rifle in the mix currently. I have been feeding it winchester Staballl HD and that 130g berger AR tactical hybrid bullet and just dropping everything I send it towards. I usually seat it 0.015" to 0.020" off the lands so it reliably feeds and extracts live rounds. Just hit it with a stout charge of H1000, Retumbo or similar and start stacking critters. You should be able to safely reach 3150-3200 fps and maintain good brass life. If you want some specifics hit me up.

Vintage FN supreme action Mauser with custom barrel built in the 1970's. Lots of throat wear but still shoots 1/2 moa with right handloads. 130 AB's with Magpro.

I bought LRT as the hew Nosler book listed for the 142ablr and (nowhere to be found) 7977 (only have 1 #), but haven't tested any of either due to not finishing the build. For the highest velocity I have some barrel toast 570 for that. In/for heavy per cartridge I have magpro (looks promising), magnum, h4831sc, imr4831, h1k, retumbo, rl25, rl33 (limited supply), and 7828ssc. I have a purpose built 264wm for 140 and heavier bullets (mainly 150smk's) 7.5twist 32" tube. The longer barrel is so to not use 26nos or 6.5-300wby. Barrel and action have been headspaced, but waiting to bed action (once decided on stock/chassis).

I too have fallen for a .264wm. Mine is a M70, 1981 vintage. I believe it was nearly unfired, or maybe occasionally when I bought it early this year. It is a 9 twist, and my load, believe it or not, is a 110HH, using H4350. It shoots into a dot, literally, at approximately 3550-3600. I'm using resized Peterson 7mag long brass. One pass, no fuss, virgin brass is insanely accurate. Barnes 100ttsx also shot great with 7828ssc. But the HH are the bomb. Love this thing.

For all those wondering I will most likely hunt from I think about 5000 to 9000 ft at the top of some of the peaks. I shoot a lot though at 2200 to 3000.

I.make all my 264 win mag brass from 7 mm rem mag brass because I have tons of it .I do need to aneal it because of it splitting but I have so much i just toss it .I have hardly bought any real 264 ammo or brass. I use to also make 338 win mag brass out if it too but it split also. I know if o annealed it that it would be awesome brass .

Looking back at some notes I had I actually loaded 63 grains of Retumbo. My Berger manual shows 68 grains for a maximum charge weight for the 140VLD's. So I think I'm still ok with the 63 grains on the 142's but may be about 3/4 or a little more on the way to a maximum charge weight. I did some measuring and using the hornady gauge and one of those cartridge that bullets slip through I measured 3.307 with the 135 Berger's and 3.354 with the 142ablr's. I looked at a twist calculator and the 142 might not work (leaning more to won't work in a 1/9.) The 135's are a definite for working. I may just shoot what I've loaded up and not fool around with the others. I can run them in my creed or put them up for later once I need to rebarrel. Then I'll do a 1/7 or 1/7.5. That way I can shoot the 156's or the 153's. Which is something I would really like to run. The 142s would also work with that twist. Digging through my full 6.5 stash I found a box of 127LRX, 140 Berger's, 142 Sierra, MK's and a box of 140 hornadys BTHP. I was hopeful to find some 129ABLR's but nope. That would be another one that would work. Over all I'll just stick probably with the 135's and play with everything else in my 6.5 creed. A lot cheaper to load for and keeps me in practice. Then just tune up with the different in recoil or the difference in guns a little before hunting season.

Of the components you have u would use the 135s and Retumbo.

I deal Love you if you could find some 129 ABLRs and H1000 it would be magic.

Finally got out with the 264. Cleaned it out and then shot 3 and cleaned and shot 3 and cleaned and repeated this for 12 shots while sighing it in. So now it has 12 shots down the pipe. Most of the velocity's for the 142's were around the 2920ish and the 135 were about 2935ish for 63grains of retumbo. No pressure in any of the firings. Good news is the barrel is cleaning up pretty easy. It's only 3 shots and cleaning but it's not like my 308. The powder I'm using on my 308 seem to be a little sutty. That is accurate 4064 but it prints nice small groups. Hopefully break 3000 with it next time out. Will be upping the charge but really just would like to find a good group. Still early though as for the speed. Gun should speed up some as it gets broken in. I may go to 74 and then also to 65grains and see where it's at for velocity/accuracy.

Been shooting 264 win mag for years, taking mule deer, whitetail, coues and antelope. Antelope last year was 620 yards and straight down. I dont reload but have been shooting custom ammunition from HSM using 140 Berger VLD and never had an animal walk away. MV at 5600' above sea level here is 3067.