Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .260 Picra with .264 | 140gr | H&N RN H bullet and 29 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% | 45,658 psi | 81% | 1365 fps | 95.5% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,544 psi | 86% | 1198 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,923 psi | 90% | 1237 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 46,760 psi | 83% | 1286 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 72% | 48,646 psi | 86% | 1165 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 72% | 49,429 psi | 87% | 1184 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,734 psi | 88% | 1198 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,894 psi | 90% | 1388 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,892 psi | 86% | 1207 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 68% | 47,050 psi | 83% | 1234 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 68% | 48,791 psi | 86% | 1198 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,966 psi | 90% | 1214 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 76% | 47,993 psi | 85% | 1181 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,110 psi | 87% | 1178 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,127 psi | 60% | 1010 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227*² | <<locked>> | 72% | 46,093 psi | 81% | 1371 fps | 93.9% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 64% | 47,892 psi | 85% | 1207 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,081 psi | 87% | 1211 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,705 psi | 88% | 1211 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,139 psi | 87% | 1188 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,200 psi | 60% | 1027 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30² | <<locked>> | 72% | 46,470 psi | 82% | 1375 fps | 99.3% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,589 psi | 89% | 1257 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,966 psi | 88% | 1191 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2² | <<locked>> | 76% | 46,412 psi | 82% | 1339 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,995 psi | 90% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265² | <<locked>> | 72% | 50,111 psi | 89% | 1407 fps | 98.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 68% | 45,774 psi | 81% | 1348 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 96% | 50,908 psi | 90% | 1178 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% | 39,842 psi | 70% | 1283 fps | 93.1% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,077 psi | 78% | 1152 fps | 100% |
| Accurate Solo 1250² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,166 psi | 82% | 1191 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,553 psi | 73% | 1234 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,464 psi | 68% | 1056 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,711 psi | 68% | 1070 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,945 psi | 74% | 1115 fps | 100% |
| Alliant BLUE DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,165 psi | 80% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,947 psi | 79% | 1165 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,769 psi | 69% | 1142 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 41,437 psi | 73% | 1115 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,296 psi | 82% | 1168 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,620 psi | 59% | 1024 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,460 psi | 59% | 1001 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 6.7 gr | 60% | 17,172 psi | 30% | 758 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 30,632 psi | 54% | 1145 fps | 85.5% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,511 psi | 77% | 1161 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,165 psi | 80% | 1168 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,745 psi | 81% | 1171 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,179 psi | 80% | 1145 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14² | 6.8 gr | 60% | 17,071 psi | 30% | 771 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 31,241 psi | 55% | 1155 fps | 93.6% |
| SNPE Vectan A0² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,166 psi | 82% | 1214 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,670 psi | 75% | 1112 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 28,703 psi | 51% | 1096 fps | 98% |
| SNPE Vectan BA7 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,716 psi | 81% | 1247 fps | 100% |
| Somchem S265*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 34,272 psi | 61% | 1198 fps | 93.1% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 60% | 35,607 psi | 63% | 1211 fps | 98.5% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 9.1 gr | 60% | 26,716 psi | 47% | 902 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 29 powders for .260 Picra loaded with the .264 | 140gr | H&N RN H. Somchem S265 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,407 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 1,010 fps to 1,407 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 4 of the 29 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 140.0 gr projectile in 0.264" calls for a 1:12.5 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 | 140gr | H&N RN H 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.