Loading for a 264 Win Mag

[RyanG]

I am thinking about building a 264 Win Mag here in the near future. I have been looking at the reloading manuals that I have.... Sierra, Hornady, Nosler and the new Berger. The Sierra manual states that the throat on factory 264's is too short and that it makes it hard to handload for the 264 as the bullet has to be seated to deep. The other manuals dont say anything about this.

My question is: Is the 264 hard to handload for? What are some of your favorite loads using the 140 grain bullet.... Mostly shoot Burger bullets but I am open to any.

Any advise here would be great.

Thanks

Ryan

 

[jalinkly]

Ryan, I just posted a similiar question about seating depth.

"I have a Ruger Hawkeye 77 in .264 and am currently shooting 130 grain Nosler Accubonds over .5 grain below max of RL19; I believe its 58.0 grains. Don't know if anyone has a similair experience but my handloads wont chamber at the COAL of 3.340. I've had to shorten mine to 3.240 for them to chamber. It will chamber Remington factory 140's without a problem. Can't understand why. I really can't complain tho. This load shoots just a hair over a half inch and its not anywhere near a compressed load.
Anyone have a similiar issue or know why this may be?"

So, yes, I have had to shorten my COAL, but accuracy is excellent with the 130 AB. And no, to be honest, it was easy to work up a good load for mine. In fact, RL19 was the first powder I tried and results were so good I felt no need to go any further at this time. Hope this helps.

 

[RyanG]

That does help! Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I keep going back and forth between the 264 and the 6.5-06. A really close family friend shot one when I was a kid (the 264) and thats why I want one. There are some really good memories there. Plus I think it would be an amazing antelope round. So I guess I need to finish rebuilding my bolt and get the barrel ordered....

Again thanks

Ryan

 

[RT2506]

If you are having built a custom rifle you can have them put what length throat you want in it. I have a custom built 264 Win mag with a Shilen 27 3/4" long barrel. I did not have the rifle built so I did not have a say so in the throat length. I load 130 Nosler Accubonds 3.450 COAL and that is 20 thousands off the lands. I am loading 66.5 grs Retumbo in cases made from Winchester 7mm Rem mag run through the 264 Win FL sizer and lit by CCI 250s and I average 3350 fps and half MOA accuracy. Get your barrel on the 264 Win mag at least 26" longer is better. If you want a 24" barrel you might as well go with the 6.5-06 because you want gain much over it with the 264 Win mag and the barrel will last you a lot longer. If you want your rifle to use 140 VLDs loaded out long make you up a dummy round the length you want and send it to the gunsmith doing the barrel so he can throat it. Just make sure that the length will work through your magazine.