Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .260 Picra with .264 | 139gr | Norma VULKAN bullet and 28 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>> | 64% | 46,195 psi | 82% | 1388 fps | 96.2% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,225 psi | 85% | 1201 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,865 psi | 90% | 1240 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 46,615 psi | 82% | 1296 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 72% | 48,820 psi | 86% | 1171 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 72% | 49,240 psi | 87% | 1184 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,501 psi | 88% | 1201 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,284 psi | 87% | 1217 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 68% | 46,963 psi | 83% | 1237 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,052 psi | 87% | 1204 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,894 psi | 90% | 1217 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 76% | 48,486 psi | 86% | 1188 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays | <<locked>> | 80% | 48,979 psi | 87% | 1181 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,534 psi | 61% | 1017 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 46,470 psi | 82% | 1394 fps | 94.5% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 64% | 47,848 psi | 85% | 1211 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,516 psi | 88% | 1217 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,082 psi | 89% | 1217 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,400 psi | 87% | 1194 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,751 psi | 61% | 1037 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30² | <<locked>> | 72% | 47,268 psi | 84% | 1401 fps | 99.6% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,662 psi | 90% | 1263 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 68% | 50,357 psi | 89% | 1198 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2² | <<locked>> | 76% | 46,717 psi | 83% | 1355 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,966 psi | 90% | 1306 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265² | <<locked>> | 72% | 50,256 psi | 89% | 1427 fps | 98.7% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 68% | 46,572 psi | 82% | 1371 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 92% | 48,240 psi | 85% | 1155 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% | 40,306 psi | 71% | 1309 fps | 94% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,193 psi | 78% | 1158 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,586 psi | 82% | 1198 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,800 psi | 74% | 1243 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,812 psi | 69% | 1063 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,711 psi | 68% | 1073 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,018 psi | 74% | 1119 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,208 psi | 80% | 1175 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,957 psi | 69% | 1152 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,032 psi | 74% | 1129 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,702 psi | 83% | 1175 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 34,113 psi | 60% | 1033 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,794 psi | 60% | 1007 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 6.5 gr | 60% | 17,854 psi | 32% | 771 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 31,618 psi | 56% | 1178 fps | 87.1% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,918 psi | 78% | 1171 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,469 psi | 80% | 1178 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,411 psi | 80% | 1168 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,310 psi | 80% | 1152 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14² | 6.6 gr | 60% | 17,840 psi | 32% | 784 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,242 psi | 57% | 1191 fps | 95.2% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,122 psi | 82% | 1217 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,279 psi | 75% | 1112 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 29,602 psi | 52% | 1125 fps | 98.8% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,108 psi | 82% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 35,085 psi | 62% | 1227 fps | 94.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 60% | 36,289 psi | 64% | 1240 fps | 99.1% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 8.8 gr | 60% | 27,282 psi | 48% | 912 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 28 powders for .260 Picra loaded with the .264 | 139gr | Norma VULKAN. Somchem S265 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,427 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,017 fps to 1,427 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 4 of the 28 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (390 MPa), the top charges use 61–90 %, leaving at least 10 % headroom. The 139.0 gr projectile in 0.264" 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 .264 | 139gr | Norma VULKAN they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, IMR 4227 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. ADI APS 350, ADI APS 450, ADI AS 30 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.