Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RL 17 / 300 WSM Load Results...

Could it be because it burns less powder than the 300 Win mag?

Thanks for the info Brad. If I didn't have almost 8lbs. of H-4350 on the shelf I'd like to try RL 17. It appears it'd have potential in 243/100gr, 30-06/165gr, and 280/139gr. Maybe once my powder supply gets low I'll try it.

Went out and tried to see how accurate the Rl 17 load that I worked up using the Barnes 168 gr xlc would shoot, brought along some rounds loaded with 70 gr IMR 4831 with the same bullet, that load averages 3115 fps. I used 68 gr of RL 17, five shot average was 3126 fps, extreme spread was 29 and Standard deviation was 13. My origional load was 68.5 gr but I backed it off a half a grain cause I kind of skeptical about what the pressures are, primers look ok, easy bolt lift but I would like to see some numbers as far as pressure goes with similiar loads.It was too windy to compare the two loads for accuracy, as far as velocity goes I am a little bit dissapointed. My 284 is another story, got a big increase in velocity but still have some work to do on those loads, I will share those results when i am finished.

Freddy--you are probably sick of my prediction with ql but I'm glad you found a "like" load with the 4831 in comparison with re17. QL thinks that you might be operating close to 66k pressure with either powder...although it can't take into effect freebore or temp when you were shooting. At this point without pressure testing equip about the only way to find out if re17 has magic would be to slightly elevate both charges till you experience that "heavy factory bolt lift" that was talked about in earlier posts. If you find it with the I4831 (which I'm guessing would be the next 1-1.5 of powder) but the re17 keeps going beyond that I would have to believe it is delaying the pressure build with it's formula. Don't know if you want to be a guinna pig here or not....but if you did it could be interesting.

After reading through this whole thread I'm wondering if RL 17 would be a good powder to try in my 358 WSSM with 225 Accubonds.
Just thinking out load.

Hey Tom - 358 WSSM or WSM?

A 35 WSSM would be one stout looking bastid...............

You read it right .358 WSSM
Yep its pretty cool looking.

Kraky, I am not tired of your predictions, in fact they are helpfull, thats why I decided to back off a little on my origional load. which ever load shoots best is the one I will go with, a deer or an elk is not going to notice a difference of a few feet per second.

I have had exceptional results in the WSM case with a lot# of Norma MRP I have plenty of. It yields similar velocities [3085] to that shown for the RL17 here with long case life and no pressure issues. However, That same powder breaks 3140 in my 308 Norma Mag easily with similar pressure indications. I have some cases on their 8th firing with no primer pocket looseness at all.
I don't swallow the "short fat" theories that have been thrown around at all. Given capacities yield given results, period. The Short mags are an interesting development, but don't do anything that hasn't been done already. I like them, but I also like a host of other chamberings. Regards, Eagleye.

Freddy--you are absolutely correct about a few fps don't mean much for hunting. I had just picked up in several of your posts that you were wanting a bit more vel and I think you have a bit of room to go with the re17.
I have a tikka in 300 win mag that shoots 180's at 300 yds into groups that would make the average guy happy at 100 but it does so at about 2975 fps. The gun has freebore and I think it could easily do another 100 fps if pushed but there isn't really any point.
I have read there are some newer high energy slow powders coming down the pike for calibers like the rum and 30-378. So, all this pushing with re17 is just the begining. It will be interesting when someone gets a pressure gauge hooked up to some of the calibers we all shoot and compare the high energy stuff to our good old powders that have been around for a while.

Obligatory WSM bashing: "Only three rounds in the mag! Expensive factory ammo! Real men shoot full-size, belted, time-honored magnums! The lower recoil is a myth! The increased accuracy is a myth!"

I thought the AI type characteristics of the WSM would lead to long case life. Glad to see that borne out! Also looks like there's quite a bit to like about short-fat case design, the BR community already knew the accuracy was there.

Sounds like an 8-lb. can of RL17 needs to find its way to my bench.

Kraky, I am going to send you a PM.

I just opened up a can. Will be trying it under some 150g etips in my T3.

Good luck, my RL 17 results are dissapointing as far as speed goes, got only a small gain over IMR 4831. Accuracy was horrible, 3 inch groups at 100 yards, however it was windy and I had a hard time holding the crosshairs steady, will wait for calm weather and see what happens.

I was just reading the allient powder manual. The RL17 is specifically designed for short mag cases. I've been reloading my 300 WSM with RL19 and 180 gr accubond and it shoots them very well. They recommend RL22 for the 300 win.

RL 17 is a great powder, after having bad luck due to windy conditions I went back on a calm day and shot groups under an inch. My favorite load is 66.5 gr of RL 17 behind the 165 gr ttsx, runs 3166, shot a group that measured .569.

Freddy...this was an old thread and now revived. You wound up exactly where I did with a buddies 300 wsm browning and the 168ttsx. We wound up doing 3140fps and great groups.....same load of re17.
We had clocked fed factory 165s and they had extractor marks and were going 3140. So we figured 3140 was about Max but with re17 we have no extractor marks, or primer loosening.
My buddy got a big moose on a guided "hunt of a lifetime" with the load and the recovered bullet looked like a Barnes ad! Mission accomplished!

Not a .300 WSM, but a 6.5-284. Shooting 140 gr. Bergers, my accuracy load with Vv N-165 pushed the bullet at 2,950 fps. Over that, it started showed pressure signs and accuracy loss.

With RL-17, I can push it to 3,100 fps, with best accuracy around 3,000 fps. Early pressure signs at 3,100+ with RL-17 were not unlike early pressure signs with Vv 165 at 3,000 fps. That's a pretty good spread.

DF

I have been using RL17 for 3 or 4 years now in my 300 wsm and 270 WSM.

In my Winchester mod 70 using 168 tsx's and 65 grains of RE17, win brass, Fed lg rifle mag match primers I am getting right at 3100 fps chrony'd in the 50 degree range.

I've had real good luck with it in terms of accuracy and consistency.

I went on my first elk hunt here in Nevada at the end of November. I dropped a 6x6 bull with one shot at 270 yards with that RL17/165 ttsx load, bullet was recovered and weighed 146 gr because one of the petals broke off.