Nothing major but I figured someone might be interested.

Went out this morning and shot R17 through two 300 WSM's.

Looks like a solid 50fps gain in velocity compared to H4350.

Both rifles topped out at 3000fps shooting 180 PT's and AB's.
64.5 grains for the A7.
65 grains for the 85.
W/W brass/CCI250.

Shooting in a brisk wind at 400 yards, accuracy averaged about 1.5MOA for the Sako A7 but was simply phenomenal in the Sako 85. Very low ES and the rifle went .5MOA for one group and 1MOA for the other. Vertical spread for 7 shots was about 1.5-2".
I couldn't believe it as I've been trying to get AB's to shoot in that rifle off and on for over a year.

Look out yotes!

Man here I thought you were talking .17 WSM

Now that is an idea!

Thanks for the update - I've used R-17 in my 7wsm but will be trying it in a 300 wsm after Christmas.

Alliants load data is too warm for my rifles(they list a max of 66grs for 180's).

It looks like a guy can safely sub H4350 data without any worries(R17 appears to run about a grain 'slower').
Good luck and let us know it goes.

Would be quite the overbore wouldnt it?

Yeah, maybe a little.

You should do a 17WSSM.

I have thought of that already..

TFF

Question for the gurus.


I wonder if any noticable decrease in barrel life will occur using this powder?
A 50-100fps gain can't be that harmful(or can it?).

Sam,

Why the worry about barrel life with rl 17? Is it harder on barrels than other powders?

I'm not really worried just wondering given it is a set-up speed wise. I guess there is a different pressure curve so who knows....This crap and the Beam boggle my mind....(grin)

Somebody claimed that certain 'quick' VV powders were hard on throats.

No doubt R17 will be just fine.

I doubt that speed will make much difference in barrel life. I had the exact same experience as you. My 7.82 patriot picked up 50-75 fps over H4350 and was more accurate as well. I shot one animal with a 150 TTSX at 3350 out of mine and it was a DRT Muley buck. Pics in the deer forum.

I've been reading the various post on the powder and finally tried some as my H4350 stash(for Bob) is down to a few pounds and it's hard to find locally.

It didn't do much in the one rifle accuracy wise but flat amazed me in the other.

Me too, I was thinking now there is a Yote killing machine...grin

Thought that Sammers had been holding out on us by not telling us.

Dober

That is one helluva buck!

My 300 Saum picked up over 150 fps over any of the 4350 powders, hunter and H414 with no visible pressure signs. But the best accuracy was at 1.5 grains under Alliants listed max with a gain of 85 fps over the other powders.

150 fps is a major gain.

I think Brad and some other guys have got about 100fps more.

50fps is about it for me but accuracy appears to be there.

I plan on trying some 200 grain AB's with R17 and the A7. That combo shot like crap in the 85 but who knows.



And Dober, 'nice' day at the range. Had the place to myself, imagine that....(grin)

My 7MM Saum did not get not get the velocity increase that the 300 did but with the 160 grain nosler pt I was able to use 10 grains less powder than my previous load of 66 grains oh H1000 to get the same velocity with less muzzle blast and accuracy was about the same.

Thanks man! I was pretty happy with him.
Lee

Sammer, I can get around 100 fps faster with what I believe is accpetable pressures, but have settled for a little less to make things breath easy.

Nosler NP's with 64.5 go 3,073, and Ballistic Tips go 3,076 with the same, but I backed off to 64.0 gr's.

I've settled on 64.0 RL17 with 180's and Fed 215 Primers.

180 Ballistic Tips go 3,027.

180 Accubonds go 3,033.

Like you Sam, I run RL17 so that it's approx 50 fps faster than H4350 or H4831.

Pressure seems in line, and it's showing good accuracy.

Seems to me when you break 3K with a 180 that's what a 300 Mag is all about. RL17, at least in the couple 300 WSM rifles I've worked with, does that easily. There's NO WAY I'd run Alliant's top load of 66.0 gr's. That would be serious redlining.

RL17 truly seems to be the real deal for the 300 WSM and likely gets as much out of the case that can be safely had.

OTOH, 2,945 - 2,985 with a 180 works to perfection as well, which is the region most 180's have flown at in the various 300 WSM's I've loaded for.

Hey I like the idea!

Brad do the BT's and AB's share the same POI?

FWIW, I just did some load development with RL17 for an '06. Accuracy from the starting load to where I decided to stop was, at its worst, 1.5 inches. My go to powder for the Aut6 is IMR4350 but since I can't find any and I seem to be able to find RL17 pretty easy ... anyone from Hodgdon's out there reading this?

Me too

Sam, they do.

Sweet.

I might go do a temp test in the AM. Should be cool enough!

It probably wouldn't work, so overbore that diminishing returns are hard core in effect. The .22 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer proved that theory long ago.