Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 270 Win, Re 26, 150 NPT - who needs a 7 mag?

bwinters,

Yeah, I'm going to test 26 for cold sensitivity ASAP in my own rifle this fall. So far it's performed as consistently in temps from around to the high 80's as the Extremes--which do gain some velocity above 70, though not as much as "conventional" powders.

I'm also a little puzzled by the skepticism of some other people about the velocity/pressure 26 produces with 150's in the .270, when so many handloaders have been posting they're getting basically the same velocities as Alliant lists.

This wasn't the case when RL-17 suddenly became the Wonder Powder a few years ago, because handloaders started working up loads BEFORE the publication of pressure-tested data. Any powder will show higher velocities when loads are "worked up" with old-time pressure signs, because such signs don't usually appear until around 70,000 PSI.

But that didn't happen with RL-26, because the data appeared before the powder became available. In fact, I deliberately loaded a few rounds with over a grain more RL-26 than Alliant lists, getting a muzzle velocity of right at 3100 fps from a 22" barrel without the slightest "tradiational" pressure sign. In fact I could lift the bolt handle using my little finger.

Also, Alliant's data often seem to be quite cautious. As an example, the maximum charge they list for RL-22 and 150's in the .270 is 54.0 grains for 2769 fps, both consiberably less than any other major source except Speer's 14th manual (which lists Alliant's 22 data because, at the time, they were both part of the same company). Nosler lists 56.5 of RL-22 for 2913 fps, Hornady 58.7 for 2900, and Barnes 60.0 grains for 3000. Alliant's data for RL-26 may be similarly cautious.

In my own rifle, a new Model 70 with a 22" barrel, I settled on 60.5 grains of 26 with 150-grain Partitions, using the same primer as Alliant, Federal 210's. The only difference is the case: I'm using Winchesters, while Alliant used Federals--which are usually heavier than Winchester .270 cases so produce a little MORE pressure and velocity. The powder charge is .3 grains under Alliant's maximum and gets slightly over 3000 fps in the M70.

It doesn't appear that the load results in any more pressure than those of several other handloaders who've reported similar results with 26. Why would it? We're all using the same information, from a company that appears to be conservative in its published data.