Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RE-15 in the .30-06

Has anybody worked with Reloder 15 in the .30-06 and what your experiences were? Interested in hearing if it gets finicky as pressure approaches max, better accuracy at intermediate or upper end loadings, that sort of thing.

I know there are more suitable powders for getting top velocity, but I�m looking for lower recoil, target level loads with 150 and 168 grain bullets, say around 2700-2850 fps tops. IMR-4895 and IMR-4064 used to be good standards for that and 4895 at least topped out at around 50 grains of powder, I figure RE-15 is in the same quickness range so should be good for the same application.

Mainly, I have RE-15 on hand for other chamberings and didn�t want to go get a pound of IMR-4895 if I don�t have to.

Jim,
I have used Rl-15 in 06 with 165 gr bullets. Had some very high
velocity,s in a 24" 06 thought they must have too much pressure so I went back to 4350. They were accurate though. Will PM you
my load data. Kurt

I've had really good luck with RE-15 in the .30-06 with 150's, I haven't tried it with other bullet weights. High velocity, great accuracy. Best load in 3 different rifles.

Jim, I ran 47.5 grains reloader 15 under 168 grain seirra match in my garand for one season and it shot real good. Tried 48 grains under 150 grain sierra hpbt and it was ok but not great. 48 grains imr 4895 under the 150 hpbt was the ticket in the garand. Of course in the bolt gun you can pump it up a little. If you want real light recoil for practice, 45 grains imr 4895 under any 150 grainer works real well. Have not tried reduced loads with re 15 so can't comment on that.

I like RL 15 with 125's and 150's out of the '06. You don't have to burn near as much powder compared to something slower like 4350 to get the same velocity and accuracy. I've never tried it with anything heavier than 150's.

Some notes with RL15 in my heavy 30-06,

30-06 Reload Data
22.4" bbl

---------------------------------------------------
Hornady 110gr V-Max, moly'd
Brass: Norma
OAL 3.20"
Reloader-15
CCI 200
63 gr - 3570 fps (22.5� bbl)
---------------------------------------------------
Barnes 130gr TTSX, moly'd
Brass: Norma
OAL: 3.26"
CCI 200
Reloader-15
59.0 gr - 3195 fps (24� bbl)
60.0 gr - 3255 fps
61.0 gr - 3315 fps
--------------------------------------

Lapua 155gr Scenar, moly'd
Brass: Norma
OAL: 3.30" (3.35" OAL kisses lands, 15Feb08)
Reloader-15
CCI 200
57 gr - 3030 fps (3120 fps via 24�, Win brass)
58 gr - 3110 fps


I've loaded up to 50gr under both the moly'd 190 SMK, and moly'd 210 Berger. Both were very accurate, and mild shooting.


(3750 fps was with 26.5" bbl, I later cut it to 22.5")

For one of the local Doctors, that is attached to one of the Mormon Boy Scout Troops, I dissected and loaded some Federal 30/06 ammo for him..

Checking the powder used by Federal, the charge weight and then chronographing it, then reloading the ammo with RL 15, I got the same MV and same POI on the target.

So at least with Federal's 150 grain 30/06 load, they are using RL 15... both are owned by ATK anyway, so it makes sense.

In my experience, R-15 performs well with the lighter bullets like 130 and 150 gr. Somewhere around 165 gr and up, R-15 starts losing velocity to R-19 and other slower powders. But R-15 is very accurate in my rifles.

We tried the 4350 route in my '06, but the accuracy was way better with RL-15 with both 165's and 180's, so I stocked-up.

I've since found it gives me the best accuracy in a .223, 7x57, and .35 Whelen.

I'll probably rue the day I ever run any of loads through a chrony, but for now the critters keep tippin' over.

FC

Thanks to all, this is exactly what I was looking for.

Figured it should work just as well as any other medium powder and your answers verified that.

I load 47/R15 over 170 grain Hornady flat point (30-30) bullets for a mild practice load. Never been chronographed but I est. it is in the 2400-2500 fps range. Shoots into just under to just over 1" groups.

I have also shot the same load over 165 grain Core Lokt bullets and gotten about the same results on the target.

If you wanted to use it for deer it would approximate a 300 Savage. (By the way, the Hornady reloading manual says the 170 grain bullet is good up to 2500 fps.)

Hope this helps.

Jim

Mostly just getting to be a recoil wimp. Not like a full power .30-06 hurts, but a day at the range firing 50 full power loads just isn�t fun anymore. So was looking for something in the moderate .308 Win range. Since I didn�t want to reduce IMR-4350 too much RE-15 seemed like a logical choice among the powders I have on hand. The fact that charge levels will be in the upper 40 to maybe 50 grain range will only help lessen recoil.

When I first started reloading all I had was a 30 WCF and an '06. I pored over the load manuals looking for one powder that would deliver top velocities in both cartridges. RL15 topped the list.

Back then Alliant listed a max load of 53.5 gr w/ a CNC 150 gr bullet for just <3k fps, but today they've downgraded it to what I figured out back then to be my max, or 52 gr. It has worked so nicely on paper, coyotes, deer, and woodchucks that I've never wanted to ruin it w/ a chrono. Alliant shows only about 2750 fps.

RL-15 is my #1 favorite "all around" powder for everything in my cabinet from 6mm-250 up to .325 WSM, and even though many will do better with one powder or another, they'll all perform "minute of game" with RL-15.

I loaded up some 110 V-Max with R-15 for a pard and he said it was the most accurate load yet for his 06.

Last night I loaded up a series for chronographing and initial accuracy testing - 4 rounds at each level.

150 Hornady Spire Point with 48, 49 and 50 grains of RL-15

165 Hornady spire point at 47, 48 and 49 grains.

I know these are well under the maxes some of you have listed and is under the Hornady manual max as well, but with faster powders like this (for the application) I like to be very cautious. Plus the goal is accurate ammo at moderate velocity, not top speed.

Thanks again for all the comments.

WICKED!!! Ok I haven't loaded RL15 for this bullet yet, but I do load it with Varget and get around the same MV. It is a Wicked round if you keep it at or under 300 yards.

HaYen

What is magical about 300 yards? Just curious as I killed a buck at 406 yards last October with Varget and the 130 TSX. I spined him so he hit the ground where he was standing. Not much of a bullet test. Should I not be shooting that far with the 130's?

I have RL-15 but haven't loaded any yet. I am going to give it a try before next season.

The load I have is pretty flat out to 300 yards. After that she drops pretty significant. She'll still kill, I just may not be able to split the eyebrows beyond that distance. So I guess its a me thing. Good shot at 406 though!!!!

Yes it does drop a bit at 400 yards. My load is 15" low at 400 by range test.

I've had good luck with it as well with 165gr bullets. Might do a search for AussieGunwriters posts. He's got quite a bit of load data for R15.

MM- A 155gr scenar at 3100 would be sweet!! Thinking it'd shoot pretty flat...