Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RL 25 in a .280 Rem?

Anyone tried it? Alliant's website doesn't list a recipe.

Probably with good reason. IMO it's too slow for the .280.

You would be better off with RL22.

ANd even better with RL19.

Hodgdon's burn rate chart puts it right next to 7828. There's plenty of 7828 data for the .280 around. 7828 has been a decent 280 powder for me, I'm not sure why 25 wouldn't work as well.

Haven't tried it but there's not reason it shouldn't work OK, especially with heavier bullets. I'd start with RL-22 maximum loads and load to listed 7828 velocities, unless of course running into traditional high-pressure signs.

I have not tried it in the 280. But know it works in the 270....and with 130 gr bullets. See no reason it should not work with the 280.

I would use Fed 215 primers.

RL-25 sure works well in the 7RM with 168's.

DF

RL25 worked fine for me. Tried it in both a 280 and 280 Hawk. The Hawk was throated for longer bullets.

You don't have to worry about excess case capacity...start at your RL22 load and work up...until you can't...:)

Without a doubt.......+1

RL-15 with 120's
RL-19 with 140's
RL-22 with everything else

MM

Didn't ask what other powders you would recommend. Just asked about 25 specifically.

So goes the campfire though. Half of the replies to any given topic don't actually address the question.

This place is not a think tank of free info...

People share experiences and no one has done everything. So sometimes you have to do a roundabout to get the info you want

TomK said it will work. he knows his stuff. Guys who say RL22 and 19 are "right". They offered advice for "optimum" powders.


RL25 is on the "slow side" of powders useful in the 280. It works in a 270...it works in a 7 Rem Mag. It SHOULD work in a 280 even if capacity may be limited. Barnes told me it worked in the 270. It did even if loads were compressed.

What's left is for you to try it and report back.

Ok dipschitt..............let me spell it out for you so that even you can understand: RL-25 is too phuggin slow to be optimum in the 280, but because it's too slow even you won't blow up the rifle with it.

Anyone that does any amount of shooting & reloading shouldn't be in a position of having to come on an internet forum & ask if a given powder will work in a given cartridge much less be critical of the answers he gets when he has 144 posts.

I suggest that you take your 280, your RL-25 & go phugg off.

GFY too, by the way.

MM

MontanaGirl,

Apparently you're the one that needs a spelling lesson.

Did I ask what was the "optimum" powder for a .280? No.

Did I ask if it would work? Nope. Didn't ask that either.

Like I said above, I was wondering if anyone had tried it. Its pretty close to 7828, which doesn't make my question as wildly off base as you apparently believe. Anyone that does any amount of shooting and reloading should know that 7828 can make for a good powder in the .270 and .280.

In the meantime, I'll try and boost my measly 144 post count by offering up answers to questions that haven't been asked. That's obviously how you got to 10K+

I'm sure it would work fine with 160gn & 175gn pills but bullets would need to be seated a looong way out.

I have not looked at a burn rate chart comparing 7828 and RL25....but based on using both in the 7 Rem Mag, my impression is that it's 2-4 grains slower than 7828.

I actually have found 7828 closer in burn rate to RL22,H4831,etc.. RL25 seems a slot up (slower).

Thanks Bob. I'll load some up and see what happens.

Good luck! Let us know how it works. I'd be interested.

I see the same as Bob, 25 seems a bit slower than 7828 in most of the cartridges I have used it in. Most of the time, 7828 and RL22 have worked out just about the same for me in regards to speed and accuracy.

Looking forward to your results.

You really need Rel 19 or 22 for the 280 and the best powder in the 280 that I have used is Hod 4831

in the 7 mags that I have shot, R#25 prefers the Win mag primer over the Fed 215. 154g Hornady's at 3250 with extreme accuracy and low SD!

ON the 280 Rem, check the Nosler manual's accuracy load with IMR 7828 and the 160g, 58.5g of IMR 7828 with the 160g is 2940fps out of my rifle, accurate and fast! Load density is 95%+ with the load above. Now, if you were to throw in R#25 with the same bullet, you would have to really compress the powder to get to the same speed(accuracy). R#25 may be on the hairy ragged edge of being too slow with the 160g which would hamper your accuracy. You will not know till you actually try it, and if you have a 10" drop tube to use, you might just get what you are looking for.

I have not thought of lumping the R#22 and 7828 approximate powder charges together, but is seems like they are very close in the big 7's. I have had a couple of lots of R#22 that varied in speed greatly in the 7 Mag with the 120g Nosler Ballistic tips and Tipped triple shocks. I had one lot# of the 22 that clocked 3250 with the 120g and another that was 3450, both were 73g with a CCI250 primer. I keep track of the lot# on my R#22 loads, never had this issue with IMR 7828. Keeping track of Lot# used on your loads is always a great idea, just in case.