Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Replacement powder for RL22

I have a hunting accurate load with RL 22 for a 7mm RM, but have been unable to restock. I can get an 8 pound jug of IMR7828, plain flavor, but have never tried it before.
I don't mind working up a load, but wondering if it will also work on a 243win with 90-100gr bullets, or should I attempt to locate other powders. By the burn rates seems like MRP and VV560 should be good too

I run three kinds in mine. RL22, Magpro, and H870/US869 (for the heavies). RL22 and Magpro give top velocities vs. other powders I've tested in all weights except the 175's. Where a compressed case full of H870/US869 has a slight edge. I really miss H450, that was a great powder no longer being made.

In my limited use, 7828 would be plenty good for my needs..

but I do admit, I'd love to come across an 8lb'er of H 1000.. at a cheap price since I am busy wishing here...might as well shoot the works...

plus I prefer RL 19 over RL 22...

had one of those bad recalled batches of RL 22, but I had used it all up before the recall... with some not so good results...

A lot of RL 22 is showing up lately but is usually gone quick. But to answer your question, MRP is your huckleberry. Same same as RL22

RL-22 can be found...it's my absolute favorite "magnum" rifle powder of all time. My 300RUM loves it as does my 300 Win Mag. Can you find Norma MRP? I have heard, and seen in print, that it's the same stuff...not anecdotal internet chatter, but respected outdoor writers, etc.

I'd shop around for some 22...you can find it.

It can be found easier than RL22. Gunbot.net is your friend. Norma MRP and RL22 are made in the same plant. Its really a very good powder.

I had great luck with 7828 in a 300Wby and it does work with the 243 with heavier bullets. I wouldn't shy away from it.

7828 was the powder used by the factories in the original 7 Rem Mag loadings. It was not offered as a cannister powder for hand loaders for a few years after the 7 Rem Mag was introduced.

It will work fine in the 7 Rem Mag.

Bob nailed it. 7828 is great for the Rem mag plus the STW 7-300 WBY Magnum ect.

Magpro.

Tough for me to agree with schitty52 since he is wrong 95% of the time but he is correct on this.....IMR7828 does not always work as a replacement for RL22 and VVN560 is a poor substitute. for me VVN165 has always come close to the burn rate

H4831 is closer. (Good luck finding that!)

I would say H4831 as well, but velocity will be slower.

Agazain- I know a few places that have it in stock. If interested send me a pm.

H4831 has been showing up in stores here more lately...you may find some.

7828 is a fantastic powder for the 7 Mag, use 215 primers.

+1

MRP seems easier to find right now than RL-22. I recently got 8#'s of MRP and 8#'s of Ramshot Magnum.

But, you gotta grab it when you find it.

DF

The name of the game nowadays is finding something close, that will work. Sometimes it's not quite ideal, but if it can be made to work sufficiently well, it may have to do until things loosen up a bit (if they ever do).

I have used Magpro in my 270 WSM, but more of that powder is impossible to find near where I live. I have a good supply of RL22, which also works well in the WSM, as well in my .257 and .300 Wbys.
I've had to substitute H414 for Big Game in my .375 Ruger, H100V for Big Game in my .257 Roberts, etc. etc. At least, the experimentation with different powders gives some flexibility if/when different powders come available.

Yeah, in this current market one needs a good powder burn rate chart to see what powders are in the ballpark. And, as I said before, when you do find powder, grab it. I even pay haz-mat on just one jug of powder. I never did that before, always getting enough powder to prorate that expense. Now, it's all about availability, haz-mat doesn't seem to be as big an issue...

DF

As mentioned, MRP if you want to replicate 22. That said, 7828 is a good powder in the 7RM for sure and usually produces a bit more speed. 7828 is a bit slower burn, so it takes a touch more. IE I usually end up at around 66g of 22 when pushing 150s, with 7828, I'll be around 67 to achieve the same.

H4831 is a good powder in the cart, but it yields slower MVs with 150+ pills as it is a bit faster. I prefer to use it with 120-140 pills.

Hodgdon seems to be running behind Norma at present, getting powder to dealers shelves. For a while, I couldn't find Norma powder anywhere. Go figure.

So, I use what I can find. Fortunately, I tend to stockpile .22LR ammo and powder. Not hoarding, just stockpiling. So, I generally have what I need. I buy before I need it, if possible.

DF

I use Rem 9 1/2 mags for the 7mag, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks for all the info.
I started reloading for the 7Mag with IMR4831 and 150gr bullets (good accuracy with 61grs), then I found RL22 and based on reading a lot about it as a good powder for the 7mmRM I tried it and got good speed, but having only chronoed loads twice it seemed like I had a fast lot or RL22, or a fast barrel.
With my current 1lb can, I get 3000fps with 64gr of RL22 and 160gr partitions, so it is fast for book, but no pressure. Everyone else that uses a similar combo seems to need 66gr or more to break 3k.
Chrono misbehaving is unlikely as it was different days and different chronos. Maybe I do have a fast barrel?

Without being able to find RL22 and if lot to lot variation is common with RL22 I was wondering if it was worth loading up what ever I have left with hunting bullets and exploring other options from what is available.
my concern was that if ordering online will require Hazmat, just get a jug and hopefully be done.
gunbot shows MRP at Widener's, but not available when you go to their website.

My 7RM does very will with RL-25 and 160/162 gr. bullets. So, if you find a bottle of RL-25, grab it. Accuracy was actually better with RL-25 than RL-22.

I've seen some Ramshot powers out and about. Get a can of Magnum if you see it. It does good, too.

DF

My 7mags love R22 as well, but I found some accurate 160g AB/Partition loads with Retumbo @ 3100.

I have been looking for RL-22 for about 2 years now and had only found 2# locally. But just last week one of the local stores had it in stock and I now own 13# of it. My 338Rum eats 94 gr per load and my 7Rm eats it as well. Finally happy, now if I could just find some power pistol

JG,

What was the 160 gr. NAB load you took to Africa?

DF

If you ever get up to Dallas, SW Shooters Supply in Mesquite had lots of MRP when I was there the other day. MRP=R22; same powder, same manufacturer.

Call first; inventory changes daily, even hourly.

I've used many of the powders mentioned for the 7RM, my two favorites are IMR7828 and R22 if using 150-160gr bullets. For lighter bullets H4831 is very good. With 66grs of IMR7828 and 160gr.NPT my 26" Hart barreled Mod.70 gets 3050fps or so and accuracy is outstanding.

This make me think someone needs to make a list of all "twin" powders. Maybe it's been done already.

I didn't know MRP=RL22. I know H414=w760 and I'm sure there's others.

Norma 204 = RL-19
Norma 203B = RL-15

Add MRP2/now 217 = RL25

I didn't really intend to hijack this discussion. I'm going to start a new one and then compile the list in Google Docs to share publicly with everyone. Here's the new thread:

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/9014740#Post9014740

Retumbo is also an excellent 7 Rem Mag powder with bullets in the 160gr range.

Wouldn't bother me not to use R22 in 7 Mag because it is reputed to be quite temperature sensitive.

H4831 is one item which is always on the shelves of our local gun shop.

I much prefer H4831 to RL22 in the cartridges where I might use either. I find RL22 to give less uniform results over varying conditions.

My 7mm Mag Likes RL22 also. Ordered Norma MRP as A replace-
ment, it works real well in the 7mm. Later I also found That
Retumbo gave as good or better accuracy so switched to it
for 160gr Accubonds. Magpro and H1000 worked well also. I use
a lot of MRP as it works in my 270 Winchester and my 257 Roberts.
Same as the RL22 did.

MRP

I've read that not only is MRP the same as RL-22, it's made to more stringent standards at the same plant with less lot to lot variation. Not sure if that's true; I like both.

DF

http://www.butchsreloading.com/shop...liant-rifle-powder-reloder-22-1lbs-.html



Just order it! The Walmarts in some towns here almost always carry it.

Our local Wally Worlds aren't a good source of powder.

Thanks for that link. If someone needs RL-22, they need to jump. It seems most of their other powders are "not available".

Powder Valley sometimes has a few cans of powder available. Most of their stuff is "not available".

DF


Edited to add, Powder Valley has 8# jugs of IMR 4064, 4227 and 7828. Everything else is "not available".

69 grains of IMR 7828ssc under a 139-grain Hornady Interlock clocked 3285fps from my 26-inch Criterion/Savage. .441 inches at 100 yards. 68.5 slowed to 3244 and .5 inches.

75 grains of Reloder 33 under 175 Hornady Interlocks clocked 3028 from my 26-inch sps.

75 grains of Reloder 33 under a 160 Partition clocked 3132 fps and .5 accuracy.

These were measured with a Pro Chrono.

Reloder 33 really wakes the 7 mag up.

Thanks, SB.

I have 160 NPT's and RL-33.

So, I'll check it out.

DF

Alliant 4000-MR seems real close to RL-22 in my 30-06/208 AMax loads.

Hmmm...

I just happen to have a can of 4000-MR...

DF

I picked up a pound of 4K when it was all there was on the shelf. Seems good in my limited testing. 60gr RL22 or 60gr 4K both give 2700 fps with the 208 AMax in a 22" bbl.

The RL22 is lightly compressed though, where the 4K still has enough room to shake.

Seems to be one of those powders with more energy per unit of mass. So, I assume it's double base.

Alliant sure didn't do that much marketing of their Power Pro series, not a lot of info available. So, no surprise with the lack of enthusiasm. I guess no one took 4000-MR and ran with it like with RL-17.

DF

Let me know how it works for you.

I just got an email from Alliant, saying there is no tested load for the 150 NPT in a 7RM using 4000-MR. Well, I'm going to try one this weekend based on data from Speer and others for 160's.

DF

You, sir, are a rockstar! Powder is still scarce around here and one popular gun and reloading shop I just visited claims not to have even received any RL-22 in over a year!

I haven't been able to find it in 18-24 months and it's my most commonly used powder. I'm down to about 1/3lb.

I just ordered 4 pounds (all the hit my pocket book could take right now) and I'm excited to have enough on hand to last a little while.

Thanks!

i used 7828 SSC in place of RL22 and liked it alot

I have an 8# jug of PP-4000, I have yet to use any of it. I bought it to try in my 300 Win.

No, it's not the same powder, in fact, it doesn't even look the same; RL-22 is lighter gray with more irregular & more flattened granules, MRP is darker & is very uniform in particle size & meters much better.

However, I have always been able to use the same charge weights in the same rifles interchangeably, so from that standpoint, they are the same.

MM

I substituted MRP for RL-22 grain for grain and achieved virtually the same results. The powders are visually identical and there were sources I trusted that made the same claim. I consider them the same.

MM, maybe your lot of MRP had a little more graphite on it to give it more blackness? I've seen tint variations with different lots of the same powder fairly often. And granule size can sure vary too. But it should be every reloader's mantra to use caution.....

From what I understand Norma MRP powder is made in Sweden.The lots of MRP that don't make the specs are packaged as Reloader-22 and the discontinued Winchester WXR from that same factory.I personally have never used MRP,but I have used Reloader-22,Winchester WXR and Winchester 780 Supreme(also discontinued).As far as I could tell,I could shoot the same charge weight in my 7mag,7STW,300WSM and 300 Win mag and get nearly equal velocities and still group the same with any of the three powders.7828 will work too.It is just a tad slower and you may have to add about one grain more to get the same velocity.

A batch of RL22 just landed at our local BassProShop.

If you have on near, I'd suggest checking it out.