Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .260 Picra with .264 | 120gr | Speer Spitzer Soft Point 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% | 49,516 psi | 88% | 1519 fps | 94.8% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 64% | 47,659 psi | 84% | 1283 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,792 psi | 88% | 1325 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,763 psi | 88% | 1430 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 72% | 48,675 psi | 86% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 72% | 48,834 psi | 86% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,081 psi | 87% | 1286 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,604 psi | 89% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,718 psi | 86% | 1476 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,660 psi | 86% | 1302 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 72% | 50,053 psi | 88% | 1368 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 68% | 48,689 psi | 86% | 1293 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,038 psi | 88% | 1302 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 76% | 47,268 psi | 84% | 1266 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,530 psi | 86% | 1266 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,707 psi | 60% | 1086 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 48,979 psi | 87% | 1522 fps | 92.8% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 64% | 46,847 psi | 83% | 1296 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,704 psi | 86% | 1306 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,849 psi | 86% | 1296 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,023 psi | 87% | 1280 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,794 psi | 60% | 1106 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30² | <<locked>> | 76% | 49,269 psi | 87% | 1522 fps | 98.7% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,777 psi | 88% | 1352 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,908 psi | 88% | 1283 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,153 psi | 87% | 1483 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,356 psi | 87% | 1388 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265² | <<locked>> | 72% | 47,369 psi | 84% | 1486 fps | 96.3% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,836 psi | 90% | 1470 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 72% | 49,458 psi | 87% | 1503 fps | 99.9% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 96% | 50,937 psi | 90% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,415 psi | 89% | 1339 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% | 37,739 psi | 67% | 1355 fps | 89.8% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,787 psi | 77% | 1243 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,107 psi | 80% | 1276 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 40,466 psi | 72% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,464 psi | 68% | 1138 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,174 psi | 67% | 1145 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,321 psi | 73% | 1198 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,948 psi | 81% | 1273 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,279 psi | 77% | 1407 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,730 psi | 79% | 1260 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 60% | 37,884 psi | 67% | 1227 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,379 psi | 73% | 1204 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,426 psi | 80% | 1253 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,127 psi | 59% | 1102 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,417 psi | 59% | 1083 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 6.7 gr | 60% | 17,419 psi | 31% | 823 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227*² | <<locked>> | 68% | 38,232 psi | 68% | 1365 fps | 87.8% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,554 psi | 75% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,280 psi | 78% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,933 psi | 79% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,092 psi | 80% | 1237 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14² | 6.8 gr | 60% | 17,361 psi | 31% | 840 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 29,544 psi | 52% | 1217 fps | 90.2% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,889 psi | 79% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,105 psi | 74% | 1194 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 27,949 psi | 49% | 1175 fps | 96.2% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,222 psi | 78% | 1332 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,040 psi | 58% | 1273 fps | 90.4% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,005 psi | 80% | 1407 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 60% | 34,127 psi | 60% | 1286 fps | 96.6% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 9 gr | 60% | 26,498 psi | 47% | 971 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,876 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 .264 | 120gr | Speer Spitzer Soft Point. IMR 4227 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,522 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,086 fps to 1,522 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 0.264" calls for a 1:11.5 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 .264 | 120gr | Speer Spitzer Soft Point 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.