.264 winchester magnum

Mr. Outdoors

Mr. Outdoors

Member
Im getting a .264 win mag. How many people out there have one? Can I get some opinions of what you like or dislike. Opinions on components(powder, bullet weight) that have worked well. Any and all opinions are welcome.
 
Dang, I can't help you with any suggestions, as I don't have one YET.
Sure hope to have one someday.
What rifle are you planning on getting ?
Rem. Sendero is one nice looking rifle, kinda costly and heavy, but dang nice.
Let us know how it "Prints" at the range.
 
That is what im getting. The Rem. sendero. I ve been looking through my reloading books and been researching online. I have read that the info in the books is on the low side. but like anything else will have to work up to the sweet spot.
 
i've been wanting a 264 sendero forever. finally broke down and ordered it. after 3 months wait time it never came, so i cancelled the order. have they started production up again, or is this old stock?

sorry to be of no help to you here... i'm wanting one of my own!
 
I wanted the 264 so bad, picked up a 257W. Vanguard to do the build.. (NEVER SHOOT THE DONOR)...
Had an extra standard action, so I went with the 6.5-06.. Not a lot of trigger time yet, but have punched Mulies at 400, just to easy.. 129gr SSTs....
 
Bought a 26" M70 264 Mag, called the "Westerner", in 1963. Didn't shoot it much so sold it less than two years later. It killed more jacks than anything else. It was accurate, forgiving and all-in-all a great rifle.

However, I'm a recoil wuss. The only place I have "belts" anymore is on my trousers and under the hood of my truck.

The 25-06 and 280 Rem do more than I need. Oh, I don't want to forget the baby, a "264", if you would, an AR in 6.5 Grendel.

Good luck, I think you'll like it.
 
I built one on a Mauser action back in the 70's.. Shot it for several years then sold it.. IMO the bullet selection was too limited adn hard to find back then... It would shoot a fly off a dogs back at 500 meters though..
 
I always lusted after one of those old Westerners but never could make it happen, and now, they're rediculously expensive.

My latest reloading project has been a .264 Win mag. It's a Remington 700 CDL with the fluted barrel. It's one of their special run guns.

To be honest, it's been pretty "finicky" to find THE load for. MOA was easy but sub MOA, or even better, consistant sub MOA has been a little tougher.

My suggestion would be to start with IMR 7828 with either a 130g boolit or the 140g boolit.

I've got two more "refined" batches to run through it with 130g Accubombs loaded in front of both IMR 7828 and the new Winchester Supreme 780.

If I don't see what I want to see, I'll be trying a different bullet. My next choice will be the new 140g Accubomb and the 140g Berger VLD.

I'm going to tell you what everyone told me, "You should probably just buy a .270 or a 7mmRem Mag!" And they're probably right, but when you want something...something else ain't gonna cut it!

Besides, neither one of them have such a cool slogan....
"It makes a helluva noise...and packs a helluva wallop!"

Good luck!
 
I have one and use 140 gr Hornady, Win. Brass, CCI primers.

Mine is not a tack driver but shoot well enough for deer out to 400 Yds or so. Mine is a Pre. 64 Model 70 Winchester. I traded a couple of cheap shotguns for it and I aint got a clue to how many rounds have been down the tube.

My 300 Win.Mag. is a safe queen now.

DAB
 
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Yeah im pretty pumped about this caliber. A little out of the norm. and i like the slogan that is listed above. I have my modified case, bullets and brass on the way but wont have the gun on the way for another week or two. Im going to put a nightforce on top and mulling over the prospect of trigger work or replacement if the trigger is questionable. Looked at rifle basix and jewell triggers a little today in my spare time. Cannot wait to have it all together!

dakotasin- try getting one from reedssports.com. I think they will have one on the shelf. Im hoping that they have one in a week or two.
 
Mr. Outdoors...congradulations on a great rifle / caliber combo.

I bought a Sako Finbear in .264 Mag back in the early 70's. It is one of the finest and most enjoyable hunting rifles I own, and one of the few that I don't ever expect to sell off.

Ive used it mostly for long range mule deer and coyotes before the advent of range finders and drop compensation scopes and its flat trajectory has served me well.

My load development was really simple, IMR 4831 and Speer 140 grain lead core bullets. I started near the bottom of the charges listed in the old Speer Manual #8. The more powder I added the tighter it wanted to shoot. Interestingly my hunting load chronographs a tad faster than the manual lists and printed right at 1/2 inch groups. That was good enough for me and has accounted for a long string of one shot kills.
Ive since added better glass and with a good rest 3/8 inch groups are not uncommon if I do my part.

Only thing I'd do differently now, if starting over with load development would be to try some of the premium bullets available. I think I'd want that added penetration / wt. retention if moving up to larger sized game such as elk.

Pro's...
Very flat shooting, much better bullet selection options than I had in the 70"s, accurate, lightning bolt terminal results in my experience, recoil is not an issue, and its a "Classic"

Con's...
Probably a tad hard on barrels if you are into target punching or cleaning out p-dog towns, but for a hunting rifle...who cares!

Just remember you owe us a range report when your bad-boy arrives.

Silvertp
 
oh yeah there will be pictures and range reports when i get it all together. just as if it were a new born. Ive never shot p-dogs and have other rifles for that if it ever comes up. mine will be a long range yote/ medium game tool. I figured on the 4831 and 4350 powders. Time will tell. Thanks for your background!
 
You will love the .264, mine is a model 70,factory tube held up to over 3000 rounds.When I rebarreled I put on a 28" pipe,I wish I had put on a 30" instead,the longer the better! Load up a 140 gr. Berger VLD,an long shot get alot easier.
 
my gun will be here friday. warne picatinny base, warne tac. rings and scope will be here on monday. Then all next week will be anxious to get to the range.
 
i have a winc 70 with the boss system on it, hs stock and timney trigger. I really like the 264 it is a round i will have prob. til im dead. Im running 129sst and 7828 right now and it shoots sub moa. They are flat shooting guns and the .264 bullets are among the best for long range poking. I dont really care for the boss on my 70 now as the 264 really dont have stiff recoil Ron
 
i have an old westerner that i dont shoot and a custom barrel for my encore. 26 inch heavy. it's an absolute tackdriver with hornady 140 sp and sst as well. dont have my load data handy but it was 4831 that i was using. i've taken chucks at 500 plus with it on several occasions. i would venture to say its my favorite caliber and i dont even use my 25-06 since i got it
 
The 264 is a fantastic cartridge. I have owned one, and still load for two(for friends). I am in the market for another one right now.

I have been kicking around a few 6.5 caliber cartridges. And I thought the 264WM would be nice in case I wanted to "stoke it up" a little-from time to time.

So I have been doing some research on the loads for this cartridge.

First of all my bullet of choice will be a 140 grain pill. So I am basically talking about 140 grain loads.

The problem I have ran into is that "listed loads" are all over the map. For example H4831 seems to be the go to powder. But the loads are all over the map. My 1979 Hornady manual shows max loads for H4831 at 66.0 grains of powder. But when I go to the Hodgdon sight they list the max load of H4831 as 55.0 grains(55.2 for IMR4831). Now that is a monstrous difference for the same powder and the same bullet. Most that I have talked to said 62.0 to 63.0 grains is their max. load before pressure problems occur. However they tell me they afre getting right at or just under 3200fps with these 62.0 to 63.0 grain loads. I can not imagine the velocity Hornady got woth 66.0 grains, but their load book says 3200 fos with 66.0 grains. So take that for what it is worth, just be careful. There are some crazy listed loads out there.

I would like to get 3200 fps from a 140 grain pill. Most shooters say they can get there with safe prssures. However most of the powder mfrs. tend to list top loads for the 140 at 2900 to 3000fps. So take that for what it is worth. I personally believe I can get to 3200 so I am going to buy one. But if you are a guy who only loads to top factory recommendations then the 264 is slightly more than a 6.5X55 Swede or 6.5 Credmore.

I just can not understand why the mfrs. are all over the map with their listed max. loads. Tom.
 
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