Load Specifications
Load data in caliber .260 Picra with .264 | 159gr | RWS TMR bullet and 25 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% | 50,314 psi | 89% | 1348 fps | 98.7% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,182 psi | 87% | 1125 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 64% | 48,892 psi | 86% | 1227 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 72% | 49,371 psi | 87% | 1099 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 72% | 49,879 psi | 88% | 1115 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 68% | 50,299 psi | 89% | 1125 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,285 psi | 89% | 1142 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 68% | 48,544 psi | 86% | 1168 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 68% | 49,922 psi | 88% | 1129 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 76% | 49,081 psi | 87% | 1115 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays | <<locked>> | 80% | 49,647 psi | 88% | 1109 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBossᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 34,853 psi | 62% | 951 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227² | <<locked>> | 72% | 50,111 psi | 89% | 1352 fps | 97.5% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 64% | 49,153 psi | 87% | 1138 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,618 psi | 89% | 1145 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,488 psi | 89% | 1142 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 64% | 50,169 psi | 89% | 1122 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14ᴾ | <<locked>> | 100% | 35,636 psi | 63% | 978 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30² | <<locked>> | 68% | 45,556 psi | 81% | 1289 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 68% | 50,430 psi | 89% | 1119 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2² | <<locked>> | 76% | 50,386 psi | 89% | 1299 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3* | <<locked>> | 80% | 50,154 psi | 89% | 1368 fps | 90.6% |
| Somchem S265² | <<locked>> | 68% | 48,080 psi | 85% | 1309 fps | 99.4% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 68% | 50,444 psi | 89% | 1322 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star | <<locked>> | 92% | 49,066 psi | 87% | 1086 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 FS² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,990 psi | 78% | 1273 fps | 97.3% |
| Accurate Solo 1000² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,107 psi | 80% | 1089 fps | 100% |
| ADI AP 100² | <<locked>> | 60% | 43,918 psi | 78% | 1175 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 350² | <<locked>> | 60% | 38,769 psi | 69% | 991 fps | 100% |
| ADI APS 450² | <<locked>> | 60% | 39,262 psi | 69% | 1007 fps | 100% |
| ADI AS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,772 psi | 76% | 1053 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Green Dot² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,180 psi | 82% | 1102 fps | 100% |
| Alliant Herco² | <<locked>> | 60% | 40,350 psi | 71% | 1086 fps | 100% |
| Alliant RED DOT² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,235 psi | 75% | 1053 fps | 100% |
| Baschieri & Pellagri 102 Pistol² | <<locked>> | 60% | 34,577 psi | 61% | 968 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon Clays² | <<locked>> | 60% | 33,852 psi | 60% | 942 fps | 100% |
| Hodgdon TrailBoss² | 6.4 gr | 60% | 17,985 psi | 32% | 719 fps | 100% |
| IMR 4227*² | <<locked>> | 60% | 34,185 psi | 60% | 1145 fps | 91.5% |
| Maxam CSB 1² | <<locked>> | 60% | 44,585 psi | 79% | 1096 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 3² | <<locked>> | 60% | 45,963 psi | 81% | 1102 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 4² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,369 psi | 82% | 1099 fps | 100% |
| Maxam CSB 5² | <<locked>> | 60% | 46,064 psi | 81% | 1079 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 14² | 6.6 gr | 60% | 18,391 psi | 33% | 738 fps | 100% |
| ReloadSwiss RS 30² | <<locked>> | 60% | 35,085 psi | 62% | 1158 fps | 98.3% |
| SNPE Vectan BA10² | <<locked>> | 60% | 42,873 psi | 76% | 1043 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan BA6 1/2² | <<locked>> | 60% | 32,068 psi | 57% | 1086 fps | 100% |
| SNPE Vectan SP 3*² | <<locked>> | 76% | 44,295 psi | 78% | 1296 fps | 87.9% |
| Somchem S265² | <<locked>> | 60% | 37,855 psi | 67% | 1188 fps | 97.2% |
| Vihtavuori N110² | <<locked>> | 60% | 39,407 psi | 70% | 1194 fps | 100% |
| Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star² | 8.7 gr | 60% | 27,456 psi | 49% | 853 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 25 powders for .260 Picra loaded with the .264 | 159gr | RWS TMR. SNPE Vectan SP 3 delivers the highest muzzle velocity at 1,368 fps; across all powders the maximum-charge window runs from 951 fps to 1,368 fps. Hodgdon TrailBoss gives the best case fill at 100 %, and 5 of the 25 powders fall inside the usable 80–100 % fill window.
Relative to the caliber's maximum pressure (390 MPa), the top charges use 62–89 %, leaving at least 11 % headroom. The 159.0 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 | 159gr | RWS TMR they combine a high case fill with complete burn and sit in the upper velocity band. As outliers, SNPE Vectan SP 3 burn incompletely and react more sensitively to barrel length and temperature. Accurate Solo 1000, ADI APS 350, ADI APS 450 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.