Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RL17 and 26 in the 284 case

Of the guys shooting the 284 based cartridges...which of these powders give the most velocity? powdr

I like RL-17 for the 6.5x284.

Tried it in the 300 short mag and just had to try it in others.

So far it has worked well in several,with most bullet weights.

I use RL 17, don't think you use RL 26, it's to slow for the 284, if there is data out there for the 284 with RL 26 I would like to see it.

I've heard of RL-26 being used in the 6.5 Creedmoor with heavy bullets. Have not done so myself. 284 is a bigger case, so who knows.

DF

Re-26 is an appropriate quickness for the 6.5-284 Norma in a general way, though I don't recall that there is published pressure data available at present for that combo.

I've loaded a single load work-up with Re-26 and Nosler 140-grain Custom Comps in my Ruger No.1. My chrono data, corrected back to muzzle speed via the JBM Ballistics website, showed MVs from ~2750 - 2860 across the charge range of 52 - 54 grains of powder. I did NOT have my Pressure Trace for that work, but muzzle speeds imply that I should have been within CIP pressure limits.

I don't have a 284 Winchester, so I can't comment on that.

Mine is a 6mm-284. 17 is too fast with 95 gr bullets and heavier. Though it would probably excel with 55 gr.

Rl 26 is appropriate wtth heavy bullets in the 6mm-284.

RL-17 works well in my 6.5-284, 3K with 140's, accurate.

I'd like to see RL-26 data with 140's.

DF

How full was the case, was it compressed?

2,750-2,800 with 140's tells me that powder was underperforming. It may be too slow. Or you didn't push it hard enough. We need lab data to know what we're doing. It may be hard to exceed SAAMI pressure with a slow powder if can't get enough in a case to cause trouble.

DF

I'm sorry, I don't recall the fill beyond saying the powder was not compressed. I _probably_ had room left, if QuickLOAD is telling me anything near the truth. As far as not pushing it, that is correct. I was trying to get a good but light to moderate pressure level load. One of the reasons I wanted a 6.5-284 Norma was to get great performance _under_ 60kpsi.

It's purely a guess until or unless either I PressureTrace something I have Re-26 in, or Alliant or Rheinmetall publishes data, but Re-26 appears to me to have lots of promise in many ways, much like Re-17 did. They're both good Rheinmetall powders.

I plan to try RL-26 in my 7RM with heavier bullets.

DF

I've only tried H4350 and R17. The latter though contributed to .5 MOA at 400 yds while starting at 3200 fps with the 140-gr TTSX so I stopped right there.

That's with a 3" box, 2.95" OAL, and a 23" tube.

Thank guys. I'm going to pick up a can of RL17 and see what it will do w/the 180's. powdr

I use R17 in my 284 Win for 140 and 160 grain bullets.
Accuracy load for both was with 55 grains and running around 2900.
I use R15 for 120s.

POI similar for all three.
Cool

BTW, I should note that I was not comfortable with the above stated velocity. There were no indications of the traditional high pressure signs such as flattened primers, cracked cases, sticky ejections or hard bolt lifts, or even ejector groove marks.

But I backed off to 3100 fps with that load and while it lost a smidge of that accuracy it wasn't significant for my hunting purposes.

Yeah, I've heard it and believe it; when you do see pressure signs with RL-17 you're WAY over SAAMI limits. Reportedly it's that flat pressure curve that's so forgiving regarding pressure signs. Maybe too forgiving...

DF

Does anyone have a QL printout, 140's in the 6.5-284?

DF