Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles some more RL 17 chrono results

That's because this powder is available in Europe for some years under different name. It's the number one here for some factory ammunition.
I4350:Sorry to tell you that it is a hell to follow the so called "IMR" powder's changes because it was manufactured by a lot of different powder plants within the last ten years. Since DuPont is out of business you'll receive only apparent copies of the old IMR series. The only reason to keep "IMR" brand alive is the amount of old handloaders who are married with this brand, but in reality are living with substitutes.

Brad,


Please keep us posted on your results using RL-17.
I'm waiting for the snow to go below 3 feet so I can shoot.
I have a bunch of RL-17 loads ready to shoot in a 25-06.

Don

Dober, if I'm remembering right I couldn't get enough '22(2 rifles/2 different lots) in a case to get 180's much over 2900fps. They were compressed to the max. Everyone else gets top speed though.

H4831SC made 2980fps no problem.

My guns are weird...grin


Pretty interesting topic.
Curious to see what you guys get for speed.

Sam-you guys heading to logan in a bit?

Dober

Leaving right now..

I better hurry up and wolf down my breakfast...

And H4350 would differ than I4350.

I've been loading a grain less than RL 17 manufacture recommends and
and getting a bit over 3,000 with 185's out of the 300 WSM.
26" barrel.

QL treats I4350 as a lot hotter than H4350 although my personal results are not that way. Anyhow if I were to forecast based on your info.....a 185 berger vld loaded to 2.925 oal with 65 grains re17 my method would predict 3051 fps at 66k pressure. If colder than 70 degrees or longer seat depth it would get slightly milder.

H Broemel---Sounds like you are pretty familiar with RE17 as we call it. So.....what's the scoop on it? Sounds like it's been loaded in Europe for a while. Do you guys consider it some sort of high energy powder.....is the hype we are giving it real?? YOu know we love a free lunch over here!!

That's very interesting,
because that is the speed I am getting with a 2.980 oal shooting in 40 degree weather. Looks like I'm right there.

What is interesting is I'm using Ql with I4350 data and not RE17 data. I have the 3rd update and I just ordered the 5th update that has re17 data. I doubt it will forecast much better. I really like QL but it isn't perfect and sometimes you have to gather info from reports like we get here and see how close things are.
Anyhow you are another reporter that has given me alot of confidence in pushing my '06 a bit. Thanx for the feedback.
I may have to take down some scenario's before the update because the way I'm doing it now is scary close to what everyone is reporting. My thinking is that wonderful new RE17 is performing right on "par" with 10-15 yr old I4350!!

grain for grain , the velocity predictions may be close with 4350 in Quickload , but I think with the update you will see that the pressure calculations are considerably reduced . The pressure curve for RL 17 is supposed to be very different from IMR type powders .

I don't believe you can run a WSM cartridge over 65000 psi without seeing heavy bolt lift or sticky extraction . And Alliant would not be telling reloaders it is OK to load 66 gr. under a 180 gr Speer for 3080 fps(30 wsm), if such a load was kicking up 68000 psi .

If there is any magic to it you would be right. I did see one prediction from a program that had re17 and it didn't have milder pressure data.
And, I did see one report now of a 300 wsm having heavy bolt lift with the alliant max data at 66 grains.
Also, re the 65,000 psi pressure on a 300 wsm showing pressure I doubt you'll see it to at least 70k because it is such a tough case. (remember the case is and has been commercially loaded now for a long time to 65k right from the factory).
Here is a guy cranking 4000 fps from a 300 wsm....I can't begin to explain how the brass holds up for him.....
http://accurateshooter.wordpress.co...fps-30-cal-varminter-a-hit-with-hunters/

the brass is tough , but it is also fat which means a heavy bolt thrust.....much more so than 06 type or belted cases .

I've never shot one round of factory WSM , but in the early days of those cartridges , many shooters did run into sticky extraction and other pressure signs with factory loads .

In my rifle factory rounds did show some heavy bolt lift and flat primers, I got an average velocity of 2987 fps from factory winchester 180 gr powerpoints, they are advertised at 2970 fps.I am going to build up some loads with RL 17 and 168 gr Barnes xlc bullets, hopefully will get to shoot them this afternoon and post my results, only thing tht might keep me from getting out is the weather, I am waiting for the temperature to get to at least 50 degrees, we have had some rain and snow, right now it is clear and the sun is out.

That is absolutely affirmative... I've had five 300 WSM's and one 270 WSM. All factory loads give tough bolt lift that I've used. I run my handloads so bolt lift is normal.

The Alliant RL17 load of 66 gr's would be over max in my 300 WSM... 64-65 gr's with a 180 and standard primers is just right from 3,000 - 3,060 fps.

Brad--Having had so many wsm's I have a question. Are most of them being built with freebore??
What kind of vel were you seeing in those factory loads with the sticky bolt?
FWIW I was at a range one day with my chrono and a guy showed up with a 24" 270 wsm and some factory win 140's. That sucker was cranking 3250 with no signs of pressure....it impressed me.

The two I've screwed with both did.

I tried 4 new loads in my A-Bolt SS in 7 WSM today. Two loads used Re17 (58 and 60 grains) behind 160 grain Accubonds. The others included 68 and 70 grains of Re25 behind the 160 grain AB. The top Re17 load clocked an average of 2925 fps and produced a group of .8". The Re25 loads were about 50 fps faster and grouped at about 1 1/4", but exhibited the tight bolt lift of the factory Win Supreme 160 loads.

I think I'll go with the 60 grains of Re17!!

I wasn't nearly as impressed with the performance of Re17 in my 25-06. I'll have to keep the IMR 4350 and 4831 around for it.

Finally got to try out the RL 17, for the most part the weather was on my side. I was using 168 Barnes xlc bullets, new winchester brass and Cci 250 primers. Before I started I fired one fouling shot consisting of 64 gr RL 17 and a Nosler 165 gr ballistic tip.Here are my results:

fouling shot 2956
64 2836
65 2913
65.5 2976
66 error
66.5 3016
67 3058

After the fouling shot I had to remove the deffusers on my chronograph because the sun disappeared, just as I pulled the trigger on the 66 gr load the sun came out for about five seconds, just enough to mess up the chronograph. I lost 120 fps between the fouling shot and first test shot, I think the difference was caused by the fact that one bullet is moly and the other is not, at least I hope that is the case. The 67 gr load caused the new case to expand .0006, primers looked ok and bolt lift was normal, factory loads cause a much harder bolt lift. I only have three new cases left, I am wondering if I should go up one grain from were I left off and then go back to half grain incremenents for the last two rounds or stay with one half grain increments, I am trying to reach 3200 fps safely.