Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .26 Nosler with .264 | 140gr | Barnes X S bullet and 14 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori 20N29, Accurate 8700 and SNPE Vectan SP 13.
Important Notice: DO NOT go below Minimum Charge or above Maximum Charge. Since we have no control over the equipment and components used, any responsibility and liability for the results achieved is rejected.
Only powders/loads that match the current filter criteria are displayed: max pressure of a load ≤ 90% of max. standardized pressure, fill rate ≥ 80% and propellant combustion ≥ 95%. Use the sliders above the tables to adjust these thresholds.
Charge: Powder weight in grains. Start with the minimum load and work up carefully.
FR (Fill Rate): Case fill as a percentage. Values above 100% mean compressed loads.
MaxP / %: Maximum chamber pressure in bar and as a percentage of the standardized maximum for this caliber.
V(0): Muzzle velocity in feet per second (fps) at the standardized barrel length.
z (Powder Burn): Estimated propellant combustion percentage at bullet exit.
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Max Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 8700 | <<locked>> | 92% | 57,392 psi | 88% | 3005 fps | 98.7% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 84% | 58,146 psi | 89% | 3005 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2218 | <<locked>> | 86% | 55,811 psi | 86% | 3094 fps | 99.2% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 84% | 56,405 psi | 87% | 3002 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | <<locked>> | 82% | 56,115 psi | 86% | 3031 fps | 98.9% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | <<locked>> | 84% | 56,521 psi | 87% | 3025 fps | 98.6% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 39,160 psi | 60% | 1949 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 82% | 56,811 psi | 87% | 2900 fps | 96.4% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 86% | 57,319 psi | 88% | 3015 fps | 100% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 84% | 56,507 psi | 87% | 2995 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 40,335 psi | 62% | 1995 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | <<locked>> | 90% | 56,637 psi | 87% | 2966 fps | 98.3% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29 | <<locked>> | 94% | 57,914 psi | 89% | 3009 fps | 97.2% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 82% | 58,436 psi | 90% | 3094 fps | 99% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 24"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate 8700 | 70.6 gr | 80% | 42,047 psi | 65% | 2700 fps | 95.3% |
| ADI AR 2217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 52,040 psi | 80% | 2904 fps | 100% |
| ADI AR 2218 | <<locked>> | 80% | 47,384 psi | 73% | 2920 fps | 97.5% |
| ADI AR 2225 | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,792 psi | 78% | 2907 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Reloder-33 | <<locked>> | 80% | 53,229 psi | 82% | 2979 fps | 98.5% |
| Alliant Reloder-50 | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,184 psi | 79% | 2923 fps | 97.7% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss | <<locked>> | 80% | 29,762 psi | 46% | 1745 fps | 100% |
| IMR 7977 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 53,925 psi | 83% | 2848 fps | 95.8% |
| IMR 8133 Enduron | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,574 psi | 76% | 2874 fps | 99.8% |
| Norma 217 | <<locked>> | 80% | 51,242 psi | 79% | 2904 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14 | <<locked>> | 80% | 30,734 psi | 47% | 1785 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 13 | 69.1 gr | 80% | 44,367 psi | 68% | 2723 fps | 95.6% |
| Vihtavuori 20N29 | 77.6 gr | 88% | 49,763 psi | 77% | 2858 fps | 95.3% |
| Vihtavuori N570 | <<locked>> | 80% | 55,347 psi | 85% | 3038 fps | 98.5% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 14 powders for .26 Nosler loaded with the .264 | 140gr | Barnes X S. ADI AR 2218 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 3,094 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,949 fps to 3,094 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 14 of the 14 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (448 MPa), the top charges use 60–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 140.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:9.0 twist; slower twists will usually not stabilise this weight. Hodgdon TrailBoss, ReloadSwiss RS 14 reach 100 % fill or more at maximum charge, so these are compressed loads: they need a long drop tube to seat cleanly and react sensitively to the case capacity of your own brass lot. Vihtavuori 20N29, Accurate 8700, SNPE Vectan SP 13 rank at the top here: for .26 Nosler with the .264 | 140gr | Barnes X S they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.