Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .260 Picra with .263 | 120gr | Rhino Solid Shank bullet and 32 powders. The key underlying parameters are shown in the table above. The recommended powders for this cartridge and bullet combination are Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star, ReloadSwiss RS 14 and Hodgdon TrailBoss.
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 ≥ 60% and propellant combustion ≥ 80%. 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: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,414 psi | 87% | 1519 fps | 94.8% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 64% | 47,964 psi | 85% | 1289 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,067 psi | 89% | 1332 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,530 psi | 88% | 1427 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 72% | 48,399 psi | 86% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 72% | 48,602 psi | 86% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 68% | 48,791 psi | 86% | 1283 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,415 psi | 89% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,501 psi | 86% | 1473 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,385 psi | 86% | 1302 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 72% | 49,850 psi | 88% | 1365 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 68% | 48,385 psi | 86% | 1289 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,328 psi | 89% | 1309 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 76% | 47,587 psi | 84% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,834 psi | 86% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,895 psi | 60% | 1089 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 48,805 psi | 86% | 1522 fps | 92.7% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 68% | 51,082 psi | 90% | 1339 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,428 psi | 86% | 1302 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,124 psi | 87% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,747 psi | 86% | 1280 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,982 psi | 60% | 1109 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30² | <<locked>> | 76% | 49,124 psi | 87% | 1526 fps | 98.8% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,530 psi | 88% | 1352 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,676 psi | 88% | 1280 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,023 psi | 87% | 1483 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,139 psi | 87% | 1391 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265² | <<locked>> | 72% | 47,253 psi | 84% | 1483 fps | 96.2% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,633 psi | 90% | 1470 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 72% | 49,284 psi | 87% | 1506 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 96% | 50,763 psi | 90% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,198 psi | 89% | 1335 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
Start Load - Barrel Length: 5"
| Powder | Charge | FR | MaxP | % | V(0) | z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accurate No. 11 FS*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 37,594 psi | 66% | 1348 fps | 89.7% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,497 psi | 77% | 1240 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,382 psi | 80% | 1280 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 40,234 psi | 71% | 1319 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,159 psi | 67% | 1135 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,392 psi | 68% | 1148 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,568 psi | 73% | 1201 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,730 psi | 81% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,540 psi | 77% | 1414 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,440 psi | 79% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,116 psi | 67% | 1234 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,046 psi | 73% | 1204 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,701 psi | 81% | 1260 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,315 psi | 59% | 1106 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,141 psi | 59% | 1079 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 6.6 gr | 60% | 17,187 psi | 30% | 820 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 38,087 psi | 67% | 1365 fps | 87.8% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,786 psi | 76% | 1250 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,527 psi | 79% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,643 psi | 79% | 1253 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,802 psi | 79% | 1234 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14² | 6.8 gr | 60% | 17,448 psi | 31% | 840 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 29,704 psi | 53% | 1224 fps | 90.4% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,599 psi | 79% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,858 psi | 74% | 1194 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 27,804 psi | 49% | 1175 fps | 96.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,527 psi | 79% | 1335 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,909 psi | 58% | 1270 fps | 90.3% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,773 psi | 79% | 1404 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,968 psi | 60% | 1283 fps | 96.5% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 9 gr | 60% | 26,643 psi | 47% | 974 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,643 psi | 81% | 1289 fps | 100% |
Recommended = one of the top powders for this cartridge and bullet combination.
* not dangerous but load has suboptimal powder burnt with possible characteristics such as extensive muzzle flash or inaccurate loads.
² fill rate low - you might want to consider using a filler to ensure proper ignition.
ᴾ possible press load - work up slowly to this load while watching for signs of excessive pressure.
This overview compares 32 powders for .260 Picra loaded with the .263 | 120gr | Rhino Solid Shank. ReloadSwiss RS 30 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,526 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,089 fps to 1,526 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 5 of the 32 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (390 MPa), the top charges use 60–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 120.0 gr projectile in 0.263" calls for a 1:11.0 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 N32C Tin Star, ReloadSwiss RS 14, Hodgdon TrailBoss rank at the top here: for .260 Picra with the .263 | 120gr | Rhino Solid Shank they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, Accurate No. 11 FS, IMR 4227 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol, Hodgdon Clays, Hodgdon TrailBoss stay subsonic at start load. Always begin at the start load and work up in small increments while checking case and primer for pressure signs.