Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Liking this RL17

I picked up a bottle of RL17 a while back. Just to fiddle with. Over the Holiday vacation I loaded up some old stock 165g boat tail Hornadys for the 06. Pretty sweet. It's been a fussy build,but the RL17 is showing sign of being the go-to for this particular rig.

I just started playing with it in my 270. 130 btsp Speers have shot quite well without having to play with the load a lot.

Let us know what you think of the same RL17 loads in warmer weather. Reloader powders have been rumored to be temp sensitive. For that reason I've stuck to comparable offerings in the Hodgdon Extreme line - H4350, H4831, etch.

I've limited my Rl19 and RL22 usage for similar reasons. I too like the Hodgdon extreme line. RL17 is advertised as being stable. I will be testing it in the warmer months to bear that out. Although,I shot this group at 35 deg for temp. Generally my hunting is done in temps from zero to 50 deg. Should be just fine with the exception of first rifle elk season. It's been close to 70 deg mid day.

I initially was impressed with rl-17 and it does give some increased velocities, but on average, it lacks the accuracy across the board.

Again, I've worked up some very accurate loads in .308 family cases with it, but, generally speaking other powders provide better accuracy IME...

I hear that Greg. Other feedback has mirrored your findings. It was available,so I picked up a jug. I will say that this is the best 165gr group the rifle has turned in. A-Bonds do nearly as well with the same charge. H4831 is decent,but the velocity is terrible. H4350 delivers the goods for velocity,but group size opens up. IMR 4350 isn't much better for accuracy. My old standby load for the 180gr is 57gr of H4350. This is the first 06 I've had that wouldn't group it. It clocked an astounding 2,840 fps from this 25" barrel though. Seems the 5R Bartlein doesn't like to be pushed hard. I've got a couple hundred assorted offerings down it,and it keeps coming up that way. As soon as I put the pressure on her,she opens up. So far the RL17 has maybe given me a chance to build some speed with good accuracy. I'll have to clock a few and confirm that as well.

RL15 & RL17 have been working for me in the 708,.243 my 300wm RL19 & RL22.

I burned up thousands of 165's over 60 gr H4831 in two Win 670 30-06 rifles. Then I bought a Chrony and saw the velocity was well below that suggested by the loading manuals.

An additional three grains powder put the velocity where it was supposed to be. I had to dribble the powder from the scale pan into the funnel so that it swirled into the case, then the powder crunched a bit as the bullet was seated. But it sure shot tight groups.

Works very well in my 243 AI and 280 AI

Hope it stays that way,got 3 jugs of it.

I use it in m 270sm, 300wsm and 284 win, I gained 120 fps in my 284 over IMR 4350.

RL17 has worked well for me in '06, 284 and 57 Mauser based cases.
Not as well in smaller 308 based cases.
Did ok in 300wsm.
jmho
Tim

In my 6.5-284, RL-17 works very well, pushing the 140 gr. VLD Hunting at a solid 3K, my previous powder, N-165, maxing at around 2,900 fps.

'17 seems less "node" sensitive than '165. '165 was slightly more accurate at specific nodes, '17 seemed more forgiving over a range of powder charges not really node specific.

For hunting, I'm sticking with '17. This gun is half MOA out to 400 yds. I'd rather have the extra 100 fps than a tenth or so off the 100 yd. group.

DF

I have had good luck with R15 in my fast twist Swifts and am going to spend some time with R17...

Might get interesting with those heavy bullets.

DF

3175 fps 130 gr SSII in 6.5 Rem Mag
3050 fps 160 gr AB in 280AI
2725 fps 200 gr AB in 30-06
2850 fps 270 gr TSX in 375 Ruger

All with best accuracy of any powder I've tried

The only Reloder powders I've worked with are Re15 and Re17. Re15 has been a jewel in my .35 Whelen and the Barnes 225 gr. TSX. It's been an elk thumper supreme. Original loads where worked up in 90 to 100+ degree heather. Velocity runs a hair over 2700 FPS and the load is accurate. I've used it to take four elk since I bought the gun with that TSX bullet and checking sights at temps around +15*F at the Whittington Center in New Mexico showed no change in point of aim. Apparently Re15 isn't all that hameered in the cold. When I shot my elk just this last December, the bullet went right where it was supposed to and the elk died.
Re17 on the other hand has only been used in a 7x57 Winchester M70 push feed Featherweight. Bullet was the 150 gr. Nobler Partition. I got the load data from a fellow who said he got 2900 FPS from an M70 FWT with that bullet and Re17. He gave me the data when I asked about it and I did a very careful work up to his top load. Primer pockets stayed tight, where rounded and pressure ring and case head measurements were normal. Accuracy totally sucked. din't have time to work much farther as time was running short for my scheduled hunt. I took the Whelen and a custom 30-06. The Whelen did it's usual very good work.
I do plan on working some more with the 7x57 and Re17 as I looks promising. Think I'll stay away from that top load as it does concern me. Looks too good to be true. I do think that 2750 to 2800 FPS just might be feasible.
Paul B.

Paul B.
fwiw---From my deep throated R#1 in 7x57.
140 Solid Base Noslers with 48.0/R17 gets 2785 fps and is accurate.
150 SB Noslers with 47.0/R17 gets 2735 fps and is real accurate.
Ballistic tips should perform similar to these older SBs.

I have not shot the NPs in it yet. I will drop 0.5 gr when I do.
Some of the older NPs had some accuracy problems, but I have not had any issues with the more current production in other guns.
jmho
Tim

I had some lying around so I tried it in my new 300WM build. First load workup with 178 AMaxes, groups are in the .3's-.5's at around 3100 FPS. I was pretty impresssed.

I just picked a pound of '17 today for loading 105s in my fast twist 243. Hoping I can crack 3000+ out of my 22" barrel.

Getting good accuracy and MV with RL 17 in my 7mm-08 as well.