264 Win Mag 156 Berger EOL

[MI.264]

Mine shoots tiny one hole groups in the .1-.2 range and I've only shot one animal so far and it ended up being a spine shot so I can't say how it would have performed otherwise. This is at 3350fps from my 264 Win Mag Improved.

That's a good report

 

[CONatureBoy]

264 WM Improved. Sounds like a real screamer. Have you shot it enough to know (or care) about the rate of throat wear?

 

[Mike D Texas]

264 WM Improved. Sounds like a real screamer. Have you shot it enough to know (or care) about the rate of throat wear?

It has advanced about .015 in 450'ish shots being fed a steady diet of N570, RL33 and LRT.

Once accuracy goes I'll set it back and punch it out to 26 Nosler with a custom throat. I already have the reamer.

Then I'll spin up another 264 WMI barrel with a faster twist to shoot light monos at screaming fast speeds.

 

[CONatureBoy]

Judging by other posts in this forum, your Improved sounds faster than the Nosler. I guess if the Nosler is longer, it's a way to extend the useful life of the barrel? Thanks for the technicalities!

 

[MI.264]

264 WM Improved. Sounds like a real screamer. Have you shot it enough to know (or care) about the rate of throat wear?

I hear a lot of people talk about .264's burning out a barrel.
But really how much more and or faster than other calibers.
For the average guy who uses their .264 for hunting, maybe now again plinks a box of rounds with a buddy, that .264 will last a life time.
I've researched this.264 for years, being 64 and have talked to some of the top Smith's and Writers in their fields, and they say the same thing, seems the younger guys are after the Grendel's, but it's not the same, I hunt Deer and Elk with my .264, I wouldn't try to hunt elk with a Grendel.
I'm stating this for everyone, just not you. If you go to the reloading page you'll find a lot of guy's are shooting .264. It's by far the flattest shooting magnum with the most knockdown power period.
So it gets old to hear everyone talk about barrel, or throat burnout, and if mine ever sees that day, I'll just put another .264 barrel on my 700 Action and shoot it till I die.

 

[Mike D Texas]

Judging by other posts in this forum, your Improved sounds faster than the Nosler. I guess if the Nosler is longer, it's a way to extend the useful life of the barrel? Thanks for the technicalities!

The Nosler case still holds about 10 grains more water than my modified case. It won't be much faster but it will be some faster.

But really I just love experimenting and if I can get a little more life out of a barrel I already have then why not?

 

[CONatureBoy]

I hear you about the barrel life. I'm not worried about it, just curious. My 264 barrel has maybe 20 rounds through it (and I own several hunting rigs). But I've been thinking of using the gun to practice long-range shooting, and practice can burn through a barrel pretty fast. If there's a way to extend the barrel's useful life (say by re-chambering it for the Nosler 26, or setting it back), that might be worth some money. And these days a Krieger barrel made to order takes about a year. (I know; I have one on order right now, and I've already waited most of a year.)

I hunt primarily with a 300 RUM shooting Berger 210s and 230s at 3,000 fps. I guarantee you those sorts of loads knock things down better than anything short of a 338. Nothing against the 264. I love it.

 

[CONatureBoy]

By the way, I've switched to RL-33 or Ramshot LRT for the 156 EOL in the 264 Win Mag. MV around 3100 fps for either.

 

[264WM]

This is what the 160gr Woodleigh PPSN is able to do in the 264WM but it is at the danger zone and needs to be reduced.

 

[CONatureBoy]

This is what the 160gr Woodleigh PPSN is able to do in the 264WM but it is at the danger zone and needs to be reduced.View attachment 468479

My notes tell me I measured my 156-grain load at 3,150 fps with no pressure signs. So 3,261 sounds a little hot, but by no means totally implausible. This caliber deserves a revival.

 

[K.E.C.]

This is what the 160gr Woodleigh PPSN is able to do in the 264WM but it is at the danger zone and needs to be reduced.View attachment 468479

Did I miss what powder you are using, was that Rl33 and LRT.

 

[CONatureBoy]

Reloder 33 is the fastest (in my experience) with the 156 EOL in the 264 WM, and LRT is a close second.

 

[Mike D Texas]

N570; RL33; LRT are top velocity performers in my gun and in that order.

 

[CONatureBoy]

Yeah, QuickLoad estimates for a 264 Win Mag with a 26" barrel and a COAL of 3.400":

N570 73.5 grains, 98.0% fill, 3,098 fps
RL33 73.9 grains, 99.9% fill, 3,087 fps
LRT 74.6 grains, 101.9% fill, 3,075 fps