Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RL17 Data Needed

Does anyone have any load data to share for 300wsm, Barnes 168gr TTSX using RL17 ?

What gun do you shoot? Mine is a Tikka and 168 ttsx and with 69.5 gr of rl-17 I get 3275 fps and a 1" groups at 200 yards and 1/2 moa out to 600 yards which is as far as I plan on shooting. 68 gr is max according to alliants site I know that so I don't need a lecture from anybody telling that is a hot load. That's with a fed 215 m primers win bras and COL 2.86".

This one is a Savage model 10 just handed down to me but couldnt find alot of data for rl-17 which in my opinion is the best short magnum powder.Thanks alot for your input.

By the way 243WIN, We both know the main thing that would determine if the load is too hot is the inspection of the fired cases.
Once again, Thanks for the input

No problem. Good luck

What is your COAL on that load 243WIN ?

Fwiw....I worked w/a buddies bolt in 300 wsm. He had a box of federal 165 partition factory ammo. It was clocking 3230 and leaving faint extractor marks. We worked up to that same speed w/168 ttsx and re17 and the extractor marks disappeared. I can't remembrt oal but we ran a few at Max magazine length and set back in. 030" till we got great groups.
My buddy went on a "hunt of a lifetime" in AK and got a nice moose and carribou...he was really happy w/the bullets performance. When you think about it the 168ttsx will outperform 180 lead bullets hands down and makes the 300 wsm perform like yesterdays 300 wby.

COL was 2.86"

H4350 gave excellent accuracy but was about 150 fps slower than the RL-17. I haven't been able to find any RL-17 anywhere in Canada but a local store got some 2 weeks ago and I managed to get 8 lbs of it. I was down to my last 1/4 lb.

Thanks, I see you had that on your first reply. Bass Pro has had RL-17 in stock here in Georgia.

An average of the 4350's are usually a good starting point for RL-17.

With your bullet, I would start at 63 gr RL17 with a CCI 250 primer and work up. I would not push the velocity past 3250 fps, but that is just me.

From the Alliant website

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reload...;type=1&powderid=25&cartridge=83



300 Winchester Short Magnum Speer 150 gr BTSP
Federal 2.81 24 Fed 215 Reloder 17 69.3 3,343 -

300 Winchester Short Magnum Speer 165 gr BTSP
Federal 2.81 24 Fed 215 Reloder 17 68 3,217 -

300 Winchester Short Magnum Speer 180 gr BTSP
Federal 2.8 24 Fed 215 Reloder 17 66 3,082 -

buy it if you find it! That stuff is scarce and is awesome.

You seem to have a thing with going 1.5 grains over published maximums on several things. Glad to see that you are a more accomplished loader than the nitwits at Hodgdons

Well, if the nitwits at Hodgdons had used 243 Win's rifle, who is to say that they might have gone 2.0 gr higher for their maximum load with those components? Just because a load is published doesn't mean it will be the max load for a different rifle, just as a medium published load won't necessarily be safe or prudent in a different rifle. I had a Sako A7 in .243 that blew primers with Varget and the Nosler published mid load with their 70 gr bullet. Reloading manuals are guidelines, and give good reliable starting points, where you end up is between you and your rifle. Sometimes I stop below the published maximums, sometimes I may slightly exceed them, depending on whose published maximums we choose. It depends on the rifle, the brass, and the chronograph. Wish I had a strain gauge and measure actual pressure, but I am stuck trying to infer it from the fired cases and the measured velocity.

And how many of us have pressure testing data?? If you have a tight rifle with a minimum chamber, you get way over what is considered safe pressures before any visible signs show up. I'm just saying that constantly going a grain and a half higher than the published (meticulously measured with accurate equipment by professional ballisticians) maximum just shows ones ignorance and arrogance.

Working with wildcats and such is a different matter, this is standard handloading 101 here.

I run 66.5 gr RL 17 with the 165 ttsx, gets me 3160 with groups under an inch. I went as far as 68 gr to get to 3220 but it caused a stiff bolt lift.

Mule Deer is an accomplished handloader, has spent time in pressure labs, and knows his stuff. I'd suggest you send him a PM or post a question in the gunwriter's forum and ask him what he thinks of this rationale.

66.5-66.6 in two 300WSM with that bullet and CCI250 primers. Shots great in both at 3100+fps.