This is all my opinion and I'm no expert. 160gr in a .260 is a heavy projectile. I've never looked but know they can't be easy to get your hands on. Nosler doesn't have any reloading information past 143gr projectiles. It is more mass for sure but I think you're optimistic on the velocities especially with a 22" barrel. I say that because once I got a chronograph, I shoot everything thru it. I've seen a few factory loads get pretty close or reach the minimum listed velo's when conditions were perfect and it was above 70 outside.. It's like arrow speeds for bow manufactures. The test are geared to generate maximum speed, when you get to fall in the Rockies, with a different barometric pressure and all that jazz, you'll get different velo's. ANYWAY...
For comparison purposes only, here is my load data from a 6.5 Creedmoor I shoot. It shoots a .264" diameter bullet as well, just like the .260 Rem. This snippet is for 140gr Nosler Accubond and 41.2gr of H4350, shooting a .422" moa out of a 24" Tikka T3X. For reference that is about 92% of the case volume. 41.5gr is listed as Max load (according to Nosler data -, though I've shot up to 42.7gr with no pressure signs).
Looking at the snippet, the average velo on a 140gr projectile loaded near max charge in 69degree temps shot an avg velocity of 2608fps. You add 20grains to that bullet and shorten the barrel 2", you'd be a couple hundred feet a second slower in my opinion. The Kinetic Energy of the above load is 2126ft/lbs. A 160gr bullet at 2410fps would be 2063ft/lbs which is only about 60ft/lbs difference. However, trying to maintain velocity over 300 yards would be very hard with a 160gr bullet. I'd use the 140gr or very well might use the 143gr ELD-X projectiles if you'll be shooting over 400 yard shots.
For comparison purposes only, here is my load data from a 6.5 Creedmoor I shoot. It shoots a .264" diameter bullet as well, just like the .260 Rem. This snippet is for 140gr Nosler Accubond and 41.2gr of H4350, shooting a .422" moa out of a 24" Tikka T3X. For reference that is about 92% of the case volume. 41.5gr is listed as Max load (according to Nosler data -, though I've shot up to 42.7gr with no pressure signs).
Looking at the snippet, the average velo on a 140gr projectile loaded near max charge in 69degree temps shot an avg velocity of 2608fps. You add 20grains to that bullet and shorten the barrel 2", you'd be a couple hundred feet a second slower in my opinion. The Kinetic Energy of the above load is 2126ft/lbs. A 160gr bullet at 2410fps would be 2063ft/lbs which is only about 60ft/lbs difference. However, trying to maintain velocity over 300 yards would be very hard with a 160gr bullet. I'd use the 140gr or very well might use the 143gr ELD-X projectiles if you'll be shooting over 400 yard shots.
