Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Reloader 7 failure to ignite

RL 7 is a very popular powder for 45/70 and I have used it with no ignition problems in a Dago Sharps and my #1. But I did go to IMR 4895 and got better accuracy in the 1500-1700 FPS range pushing 405 gr jacketed FPs. Air space never appeared to be any problem but the 4895 does fill the case better. jm2c

I just had the same thing happen to me, searched and it lead me here. 47 grains of freshly purchased RL-7, Winchester cases (fired once and cleaned), CC-200 primers, and Hornady 300 grain hollow points. No lube as they are jacketed bullets. There was zero contamination of the powder or anything like that. I took a teaspoon of the powder and lit it with a bbq lighter. It took a second or so for it to ignite while open flame touched the powder. I was shooting a BFR revolver. After knocking the squib out of the bore, I tried a second cartridge with the same result. After clearing the bore a second time, I loaded factory ammo in the revolver and it fired just fine. The rounds were properly loaded, powder measured to exact weight, OAL and crimp the same on all. I think two things are happening here; slow hard to ignite powder with air space and weak primers. Still, that shouldn't happen and I don't know weather I should be mad at CCI or Alliant powder.

I switched powders on light bullets, and only use R7 on heavier 430 gr slugs. Delayed ignition is nothing to play with. The only way I would try it again is with cotton filler under the slug. Life is too short and I have too many powders for those games. Varget works pretty good on 300gr for me.