260 Remington and the RCBS 6.5-140-SIHL

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260 Remington and the RCBS 6.5-140-SIHL

Post by 260 Striker »

Got the RCBS 6.5 block yesterday and had to immediately cast some bullets out of linotype. This is a bore rider design for 6.5s so sized the noses to .257 and sized the bodies to .265. Shot ten rounds today using Fed 210 primers, 18.0 grains of SR4759 and seated the bullets .100 off the rifling so there would be no danger of leaving a bullet behind if I had to extract a loaded round. Distance was 50 meters with my 260 Striker and Leupold scope set to 8X as I do in matches. Six shots in a 3/4" ragged hole with the other four opening the group to 1 1/2". Shot creedmore position. Was fighting skeeters due to the wet weather here in OH so might have done better. Really mild load. Will give it a try this weekend at our match. Hope the bullets don't fall out of the sky at the turkeys!!!!! If anyone is looking for a good 6.5 mould I would highly recommend this RCBS block.
Lynn Shultz
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Re: 260 Remington and the RCBS 6.5-140-SIHL

Post by ole95 »

Can't wait to hear the results from this weekend
What do you think the MV is mid 1600?
What was the finish bullet weight
This compared to your normal load
jrs
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Re: 260 Remington and the RCBS 6.5-140-SIHL

Post by high standard 40 »

I'm with Richard. I's also like to hear some specifics on bullets from the new RCBS mold.

What is the nose diameter as cast?
With Linotype, how much does it weigh after being sized and lubed?
You mentioned sizing the nose. Did you size the nose all the way to the top drive band?
How much of the nose rides in the bore when chambering a loaded round?
And for certain we want to now how it shoots in a match.

Best of luck with the new bullets. :-bd
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Re: 260 Remington and the RCBS 6.5-140-SIHL

Post by 260 Striker »

As cast linotype bullets have a nose diameter of .2575 and as cast weigh 133.0 grains (plus or minus 1 grain). As cast driving bands are .266-.267 and as cast length is 1.072". After lubing with LBT Blue (soft) and adding Hornady gas check the bullets weigh 135.5 grains (plus or minus 1 grain). I do size the noses until I feel the front driving band hit the H&I die so there is part of the nose that is unsized due to the taper in the H&I die. I am seating these bullets about .100 off the rifling and may reduce that to about .050 later. My normal jacketed loads use 23.0 grains of AA5744 and a Hornady 129 grain bullet for C, P and T then have been using Norma 139 grain bullets for rams but I am just about out of the Normas so will switch to Nosler Custom Competition 140s for rams. I may try AA5744 later with the RCBS cast since it works so well with my jacketed loads and is a great powder for cast bullets. Using my same jacketed sight setting for chickens my 18.0 grain cast load will be about 1 1/2" lower on a chicken so I will be shooting one of my normal matches with a new load and no sight settings. I think I will be OK on C and P if I raise my scope about 8 clicks for the C and use my normal hold. Will be guessing beyond those targets and probably won't have a spotter (as usual) so won't be sure of settings even if I hit the targets since I will have to wait for target setters to reset any hit targets. As I've said many times I just shoot to have fun anyway. Will let you know the results of my match experiment. Will shoot as a UAS reentry so no pressure and just want to find out if load will work past pigs and get some idea of sight settings.
FYI - Just checked length of Hornday 129 bullet and they are 1.172 long so I'm hoping my cast bullets will be stable out to rams.
JR - Lyman book shows the 18.0 grain load pushing a 150 grain bullet to 1760 out of a 24" barrel so I think you are close when you say about mid 1600s for velocity. I have never chronographed a load and just shoot what is accurate.
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Re: 260 Remington and the RCBS 6.5-140-SIHL

Post by high standard 40 »

I have a suggestion that may give you a little better accuracy, if you would like to try it. This may also cure the cause of the four shots you had outside your excellent group. After sizing the nose of a bullet, try slipping it nose first into the muzzle. If it goes in with only slight resistance, then there is no need to seat the bullets .100" or even .0050" off the lands. The most critical area of bullet travel from the time the bullet leaves the case mouth until it leaves the muzzle is it's travel through the chamber throat (leade). Cast bullets, even those cast from hard alloys, are much more malleable that copper jacketed bullets and are thus much more susceptible to accuracy killing deformation during this critical transition into the rifling. The bullet should be mechanically aligned with the bore for best results. And this alignment includes both the front and rear ends of the bullet. By seating the bullet out and letting the nose slide into the rifling, you will be mechanically aligning the front of the bullet. To align the rear, the bullet drive bands should be of a size that is as close to chamber throat diameter as will safely chamber. I also only neck size my brass, and then only half of the neck at that . By leaving the lower half of the neck unsized, this also helps align the rear of the bullet. The expander button in your sizing die should also be no more than .0015" larger than your finished bullet drive band diameter. The reason for all this is that if your bullet is allowed to tip out of perfect alignment with the bore, if only by a tiny fraction, then it can be deformed enough to affect accuracy. I also slightly flare my case mouth to assure that the body of the bullet is not shaved which will also ruin accuracy. I leave the flare when loading because this also helps with aligning everything in the chamber. Everything I've mentioned above assure this alignment. If you seat the bullet out some more, there is a likelihood that some or even all of the grease groove may be exposed. This is the case with my XP100 7TCU that I mentioned earlier. This is not a problem and is easily manageable with proper cartridge handling.

I heard what you said about enjoying the shooting and I do as well. I love this game. Ammo that shoots 1 1/2" at 50 meters will most often shoot a 40X40 if you do your part, because this level of accuracy could equate to a 6" group a 200 meters which will put the bullet on the rams with a good center hold. But lets say you do get your 40 and have to go the a shoot-off. A group half the size of that 6" group would then be twice as good. It will also make your Striker "Half Scale accurate"
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Re: 260 Remington and the RCBS 6.5-140-SIHL

Post by 260 Striker »

I did seat the bullets out further for the match tomorrow but not into the rifling. I have my FL die lock ring set so gun will close with just a little resistance when full length sizing new brass. Sizing cases after the initial firing I place a .020 washer under the FL die lock ring which prevents me from sizing down to the shoulder but just touches the outside of the shoulders so cases just slide into the action with no resistance and small bump at neck shoulder junction helps center the case as you describe. I guess I just stumbled onto that trick and has worked well with the Striker. Did same thing for my cast bullets for tomorrow so that should help line up the bases as you mentioned. Hey, noting ventured, nothing gained. Now if I can just get TD to spot for me. Well, maybe not since he is in my class.
Lynn Shultz
IHMSA #15692 since 1980
Past Match Director Logan Handgun Association
Current VP Logan Handgun Association
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United States Air Force Veteran
Retired USAF Civil Servant (47 years)
937-407-4885
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