Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .260 Picra with .264 | 125gr | Nosler Partition bullet and 31 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 FS² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,763 psi | 88% | 1506 fps | 95.7% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,051 psi | 85% | 1266 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,777 psi | 88% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,763 psi | 88% | 1404 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 72% | 48,414 psi | 86% | 1234 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 72% | 48,776 psi | 86% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 68% | 48,863 psi | 86% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,966 psi | 90% | 1302 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,008 psi | 87% | 1457 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,486 psi | 86% | 1276 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 72% | 50,459 psi | 89% | 1345 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 68% | 48,414 psi | 86% | 1263 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,009 psi | 88% | 1276 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 76% | 47,601 psi | 84% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,501 psi | 86% | 1240 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 33,939 psi | 60% | 1070 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 64% | 46,833 psi | 83% | 1270 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,617 psi | 86% | 1280 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,298 psi | 87% | 1276 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,805 psi | 86% | 1253 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,055 psi | 60% | 1089 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30² | <<locked>> | 76% | 49,327 psi | 87% | 1503 fps | 99.2% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,371 psi | 87% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,879 psi | 88% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2 | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,168 psi | 87% | 1463 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,327 psi | 87% | 1362 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265² | <<locked>> | 72% | 47,834 psi | 85% | 1470 fps | 97% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38² | <<locked>> | 64% | 51,068 psi | 90% | 1447 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 72% | 49,255 psi | 87% | 1480 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 96% | 50,705 psi | 90% | 1243 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,241 psi | 89% | 1312 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% | 1335 fps | 90.8% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,497 psi | 77% | 1214 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,556 psi | 81% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 40,669 psi | 72% | 1302 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,450 psi | 68% | 1115 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,290 psi | 68% | 1125 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,452 psi | 73% | 1178 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BE-86² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,122 psi | 82% | 1250 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,366 psi | 77% | 1391 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,469 psi | 79% | 1230 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 60% | 37,869 psi | 67% | 1204 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,452 psi | 73% | 1184 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,861 psi | 81% | 1234 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,402 psi | 59% | 1083 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,402 psi | 59% | 1060 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 6.5 gr | 60% | 17,463 psi | 31% | 810 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,946 psi | 76% | 1227 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,614 psi | 79% | 1234 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,223 psi | 80% | 1234 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,744 psi | 79% | 1207 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14² | 6.6 gr | 60% | 17,419 psi | 31% | 823 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 29,791 psi | 53% | 1214 fps | 91.7% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,904 psi | 79% | 1276 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,351 psi | 75% | 1175 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 28,065 psi | 50% | 1161 fps | 97% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,556 psi | 79% | 1312 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,011 psi | 58% | 1253 fps | 91.3% |
| Vihtavuori 3N38² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,005 psi | 80% | 1378 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 60% | 34,345 psi | 61% | 1273 fps | 97.3% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 8.8 gr | 60% | 26,832 psi | 47% | 958 fps | 100% |
| Winchester AutoComp ² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,600 psi | 81% | 1263 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 31 powders for .260 Picra loaded with the .264 | 125gr | Nosler Partition. Accurate No. 11 FS delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,506 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,070 fps to 1,506 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 5 of the 31 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 125.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:10.5 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 | 125gr | Nosler Partition they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. ADI APS 350, Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol, Hodgdon Clays 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.