Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Reloader 26 loads and experience?

Just picked up an 8Lb. jug of this. The Accurate site has limited data but it looks encouraging for the medium to medium magnum sized cases. The cartridges I am interested in are: 243w, 260R, 6.5x55 SM, 270WSM, 280AI, 7RM, and 300 WM. I think it will excel in at least a couple of these and could substitute for my previous R25 and R22 loads. The burning rate of this powder seems to vary more by case size than most. It also seems at least anecdotally to have wider pressure variances with starting loads then a flat area up to a sharp spike in maximum loads. Hitting this window will be difficult with the shortage of data.

Any help appreciated to reduce the amount of trial and mostly error.

I am shooting it in my 243 under 105 gr Amax. I am loading 47.2 gr and shooting 1" groups. Do not have a chrony but research suggests I am around 3100 fps +\-. Smokin!

No primer cratering, no ejector swipe, no other pressure signs. Brass has good life. I am seating at 2.77 COL.

Thanks. It definitely works for 90-108 grain bullets in the .243 from the data and reports I have seen.

I hope it will in the 6.5x55 as it is almost in the same family of cartridges as the 308s but no listed loads that I can find.

Looks like the charge weights are very similar to RL25 in the 300 Win Mag. I would have tried it, but I have about 3 pounds of RL25 to use, that isn't practical in my other cartridges.

Looks like it will be good to go for the 7RM and 300 Win. with medium to heavy bullets. And it is less temp. sensitive than R25 but how much remains to be seen. Some reports say 0.1 fps loss per degree and others are close to 1.0 fps varying by case size and application. But I think it is less variable than R17 in that regard.

Most of my hunting is in mild temps from about 15F degrees to around 80F degrees. So 65 fps is no big deal if point of impact doesn't change much.

I've just started to work with RE26 but I am liking what I see so far. Accuracy looks pretty good and the copper fouling reducer is the real deal. Pretty impressive reduction in the copper left in the bore. Temp resistance claims are encouraging but need to be verified yet. I am finding pressure signs much earlier than expected across the board. Starting with low end loads I am showing pressure within one or two grains. I haven't shot across the screens yet so I don't know if the velocity is as advertised but unless there is a significant loss of velocity I think this one is a winner. I'm loading for 7RM/150,160 NPT, 300WM/180 NPT, 270 WSM/140 NAB, and starting on a 243/85,100 NPTs. I would like to give it a try in a 300 WSM but can't find any data yet.
Cheers

Tried it in 2 different 25-06's and a 264 WM with no luck. Didn't try it in the 243 since I found a great load for that one. Wonder how it would do in a 308?

I have only tried it in my 7 WSM but have had good luck with it using 162gr A-Max bullets at 3100 fps. 71gr RL26, CCI 250.