UncleNorby

260 Rem has always interested me. Looks about ideal for deer hunting. Good luck with it.

Tee Vee

Thanks UncleNorby. I really like the Savage 11 Lightweight rifle and from all of my reading the 260 fits my wishes for shooting but mostly hunting white tail deer. The ballistics gives me the opportunity to shoot longer distances to help my farmer friend to reduce coyoute population. My 223 Savage Axis is great fun and less expensive for components and makes a very nice target and plinking rifle.

Ridge Runner

look man do yourself a favor and load mid level loads, do not start below min. loads. ya want less recoil use 95 gr bullets, you load below min. loads you are dancing with angels.
RR

bronko22000

I agree. Minimum loads are placed in the manuals for a reason.

Tee Vee

Gootcha guys. For recreational target shooting I have loaded a series of 40 cartridges using 100 gr. spritzers for testing at the range. Data taken from the Nosler site chart and test covers from minimum to maximum loading. I find my Hornady manual is very conservative and since all components aren't to manual recommendations I'm testing for pressure as well as accuracy.

Purchased factory Nosler ammunition 125 gr. partitions which I will zero for and use for hunting. Will work up loads for hunting at a later date. Hopefully Wednesday will be rain free to get a few hours at the range.

Ridge Runner

your most consistant loads will be near top level loads using a powder that fills the case to around 90% or greater, consistency means accuracy!
RR

Tee Vee

Goodness guys I forgot to tell of my 100 gr. testing. Went out late afternoon and I wasn't finished until dusk. I started off with 125 gr. Nosler Partitions five rounds for 1 1/2 inch group. Switched to the test ammo and fired through the test and was pleased with the results. The groupings got smaller with each four round batch until at one grain under maximum it was right on the money. The next batch provided a miniature triangle and maximum opened up a bit. Took the target home and measured with dial callipers to find these measurements.

42 gr. Varget: 0.350 inches in a straight line.

42.5 gr. Varget: 0.350 inches triangle

Maximum: 0.590 inches

Next is to chronograph the loads for 100 gr. and Nosler 125 gr. cartridges to learn what I'm getting from my short 20 inch barrel. I'll inform when I have the data.