atl5029
Well-Known Member
Hi everyone!
My 260 AI rifle is very near completion, and I have some questions about hand loading for this round and fire-forming brass.
1. My first question is, can I use my 260 AI dies to hand load standard 260 Rem loads for fire-forming? Will the FL resize die properly size the necks and will the seater die properly seat the bullets in standard 260 Rem cases? Or do I need to buy standard 260 dies as well?
2. For my first batch of brass, I intend on just shooting bullets to fire-form instead of using a cream of wheat method or something similar so I can get my rifle near-zeroed and get some practice in. I've read that to keep the cartridge head against the bolt face and avoid stretching of critical parts of the case during fire-forming, that you should seat the bullets to touch the lands of the rifling so that the case can not move forward. My chamber has a longer throat, but I'll be using 140 gr Amax bullets, which should have plenty of length to touch the lands. Anyone see anything wrong with this?
3. When loading fire-forming loads for AI rounds, I've also read you can start near or at the max load of the standard round for a good starting point for the AI round. When loading standard 260 to fire-form, can I start at the max load or should I still work up from a minimum load?
4. If anyone would like to share good loads for the 260 AI I'm all ears. My hunting load will be running the 140 grain CEB MTH. I also have 140 grain AMAX bullets and have some 140 grain ELD-match bullets on backorder. Right now I have IMR 4831, 4064, Varget, and some surplus powder similar to 4895 on hand. I've read Reloader 17,19, and 22 work well for this round, as well as Superformance. What about fire-forming loads? Would a recipe with a slower velocity at max load be better for barrel life?
Thanks!
My 260 AI rifle is very near completion, and I have some questions about hand loading for this round and fire-forming brass.
1. My first question is, can I use my 260 AI dies to hand load standard 260 Rem loads for fire-forming? Will the FL resize die properly size the necks and will the seater die properly seat the bullets in standard 260 Rem cases? Or do I need to buy standard 260 dies as well?
2. For my first batch of brass, I intend on just shooting bullets to fire-form instead of using a cream of wheat method or something similar so I can get my rifle near-zeroed and get some practice in. I've read that to keep the cartridge head against the bolt face and avoid stretching of critical parts of the case during fire-forming, that you should seat the bullets to touch the lands of the rifling so that the case can not move forward. My chamber has a longer throat, but I'll be using 140 gr Amax bullets, which should have plenty of length to touch the lands. Anyone see anything wrong with this?
3. When loading fire-forming loads for AI rounds, I've also read you can start near or at the max load of the standard round for a good starting point for the AI round. When loading standard 260 to fire-form, can I start at the max load or should I still work up from a minimum load?
4. If anyone would like to share good loads for the 260 AI I'm all ears. My hunting load will be running the 140 grain CEB MTH. I also have 140 grain AMAX bullets and have some 140 grain ELD-match bullets on backorder. Right now I have IMR 4831, 4064, Varget, and some surplus powder similar to 4895 on hand. I've read Reloader 17,19, and 22 work well for this round, as well as Superformance. What about fire-forming loads? Would a recipe with a slower velocity at max load be better for barrel life?
Thanks!
