260Rem ammo for stalking.

fvans

Well-Known Member
I have recently completed the DSC1 training and am in the process of getting my equipment ready before registering for DSC2. I would like to hear your thoughts on bullet selection for deer stalking. Up to now I have only been using target bullets but the next time I buy, I want to get expanding ammo. I use a 260Rem and I home load. I quite like the things I have heard and read on Nosler partitions but am open to any advice and suggestions.
 
I haven't experience with 260 so can't give much advice on bullets but I'm sure but others on here will advise but what I would say is you would be wise to get some experience under your belt before registering for DSC2
 
Sierra Pro-hunter 120 grain and Viht N160 at around 2,700 fps mv. Used on everything from Muntjac to large woodland Red.
A very effective and consistent round.
Self imposed range limit of 200 mtrs, so don't know what it would be like at longer range.
 
Don't overthink it - assuming you are using factory ammo, most factory ammo will have an expanding bullet and state its suitability for deer. Fundamentally you will have go with what you can get in your local gunshops, rather than what you can research on the web.

Zero so it shoots 1" high at 100m. Find deer. Put cross hair in line with front leg just under half way up body. Squeeze trigger. Gralloch nicely and carry back to the larder. Write up stalk. Do twice more. Get DSC2.

Far more difficulty will be finding a DSC2 witness!!!
 
I haven't experience with 260 so can't give much advice on bullets but I'm sure but others on here will advise but what I would say is you would be wise to get some experience under your belt before registering for DSC2

Seems to me the difference in DSC1 +2 is that on the 1 you as a student are shown what to do and what you need to learn to pass, on the 2 you are not lead by a tutor but observed by a "witness" this to me means you probably need to be stalking/shooting and processing maybe 40-50 deer on your own without an instructor in order to gain enough experiance to be able to deal with any eventuality that presents itself during your witnessed stalks ?
 
Sierra Pro-hunter 120 grain and Viht N160 at around 2,700 fps mv. Used on everything from Muntjac to large woodland Red.
A very effective and consistent round.
Self imposed range limit of 200 mtrs, so don't know what it would be like at longer range.

What he said��.

Also worth looking at RS powders. I’ve found that the 120gr Pro hunters really start to drop/get blown beyond 200mtrs.
For longer shots try a 140 ish gr bullet for longer shooting (Amax/eld/Berger vld/Sierra gameking/Lapua Scenars*) Used them with H4350/N160 out to silly distances on range days.

One suggestion is to NOT used the nosler 120 gr BT (brown tip), I found the carcass damage excessive on anything that wasn’t a neck shot.

*Some of these are match bullets but they’re good to practice with, as they’re 1/2 the price of the hunting versions, especially Nosler.

I’ve also got a cracking copper load developed, but if you don’t have to spend the money elsewhere.

happy development.
 
What target bullet have you been using? Long range?

Look at the 143 grain Hornady ELD-X as it is a hunting bullet but also very high BC so you could use it for hunting and long range targets that way keeping things simple and just one round to load, one set of drops etc.
 
260 Rem is a fine choice for any UK deer. It's the only calibre i use for deer these days.
I don't use factory ammo as it's horrendously expensive here and the choices are poor.
I currently use RS62 with Hornady 140 gr SST's with great success. I am however going to give the 143 gr ELD-X a trial soon with the same powder.
 
I had a .260rem, now just 6.5x55 which does the same thing.
120gr prohunter or 140gr gameking will cover all UK species. N150 or N160 will be fine. Bit more of a case fill on the N160.

Nosler BT's (brown tip) are messy, partitions I think unnecessary (and expensive) for UK species but many love them, SST's I found completely inconsistent and frangible.

As others have said, the caliber is solid. Just find something you are confident in and get on with shooting.
 
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I use 120Grain Sierra Prohunter and 46 grains of N550 in my 6.5 x 55mm, found it to be a consistently effective load which will put down everything from roe to red's without too much carcase damage
 
Seems to me the difference in DSC1 +2 is that on the 1 you as a student are shown what to do and what you need to learn to pass, on the 2 you are not lead by a tutor but observed by a "witness" this to me means you probably need to be stalking/shooting and processing maybe 40-50 deer on your own without an instructor in order to gain enough experiance to be able to deal with any eventuality that presents itself during your witnessed stalks ?

+1
 
129 ABLR. Dodges the wind, carries it's velocity and energy very well, bonded, so holds itself together and penetrates well, yet expands very efficiently down below 2000 fps. Have been very impressed with them.
 
Just bought and loaded some .260rem 142gr Nosler AccuBond® Long Range bullets, know a couple of people using them on deer and told me there are fantastic on deer and not a lot of damage to the meat.
 
My 6.5 has an 8.5 twist barrel and will not stabilise the 142 ABLR although I would like to use it. 8 twist or tighter is needed. The 129 is a good compromise and at 2900 fps it's reasonably flat to boot.
 
Sierra Pro-hunter 120 grain and Viht N160 at around 2,700 fps mv. Used on everything from Muntjac to large woodland Red.
A very effective and consistent round.
Self imposed range limit of 200 mtrs, so don't know what it would be like at longer range.

+1 on bullet and powder. I reloaded for a guy's 260 having recommended the bullet/powder as that is what I use in my 6.5x55. very accurate bullet and works.
 
Thanks for all the advice, I have placed an order for 130GR Sierra HPBT Gamekings - will see how I get on with them in my rifle.
 
another vote for the 120gr pro hunters! Nosler ballistic tips are great too but can do a fair bit of meat damage
 
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