Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RL16 in the 7mm-08

I was looking at the Alliant load data site and it looks like RL16 might be outstanding in the 7-08 with 140 and 150 grain loads. Anybody out there using it?

Better than Big Game?

Have not tried in the 7-08 but it is turning out to be useful in a number of cartridges for me from 243 to 300 WM and at some point I will try it in the 375. It seems to have similar applications to the 4350s so is very versatile. Charge weights and velocity is similar to R17. Speer shows it as fourth fastest with 145s but only about 50 fps behind R19. https://www.speer-ammo.com/en/reloading/rifle

Berger shows R17 as a top performer with 175s so R16 might work too. http://www.bergerbullets.com/reloading-data/

It wasn't better for me. It was ok, but my RL16 loads were more compressed than I cared for.

Why do producers list powders they can't supply? No RL16 around here that I see, and don't see Big Game either, but I don't travel far.

I’d like to try some big game in my 7mm-08, but haven’t seen any in stock around here for a coons age. I can get reloader and hogdon, not much ramshot though. RL 17 and hunter so far seem the best with 150’s, but in the 1” + range so meh. I loaded some varget and 140’s to try as plan B

I've got 2 lbs if RL 16 and tried some different charge weights with 140 and 150 gr Nosler BT's over the Summer in my 7-08. Didn't have a chrono but accuracy was very good. Averaged around an inch with the 140's, some were a little better. The 150's were pretty good as well.. But truth be known I didn't "work" with it much tho.

For mid size up to the mags, a man could do pretty well with B.G. and RL-26...

DF

What primer are you using with RL17 loads?

I have found RL17 to be universally excellent in 3 different rifles in 7mm-08 with bullet weights ranging from 120 -162grns. Accuracy equal to or better anything I tried.

David

R17 is good but R16 will beat it as far as temperature sensitivity. It may not equal or exceed R17 for velocity although it can but the stability is a pretty good trade off. I am purging my powder stash of the variable powders except for old stand byes like H870.

That’s what I hear.



P

That's interesting because my testing indicates that RL17 is one of the most temperature stable powders available providing temperatures aren't sub 0F and charge capacity is 95+%.

Tested numerous loads from numerous chamberings down to low teen Deg F temps and never saw velocity bobble - not even a little!

David

I worked up 7-08 loads with RL-16 for 150 ELDX and 150 LRAB and both had decent accuracy, but velocity was poor. Book max loads were 2675ish for me and book shows 2850fps. I went up 1 grain with the ELDX to see what happened and the accuracy went to crap, so I quit trying. May get back to working on that at some point, but I moved on to something else now.

This was exactly my experience with both a standard 7-08 and a 7-08ai using 140 gr bullets. Just fair accuracy, nothing special at all, and much less velocity than their website advertises. About 200 fps less. I posted a thread on this back a couple years ago. It does seem to do better in my 243 though, but not as well as RL-23 or RL-26.

Here's the earlier thread I mentioned
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...633/rl-16-slow-in-my-7mm-08#Post11996633

I use 47gns RL17 with 140gn Accubonds in my 7mm/08 with 23" bbl for 2855fps. That's good enough for me.

RL-16 seems a bit more bulky than RL-17. I see compressed RL-16 loads, equivalent RL-17 loads, not compressed.

It's reported that temp sensitivity can vary, depending on application. RL-16, overall is said to be more temp stable than RL-17.

I use RL-17 in my 6.5-284, pushing 140s at 3K fps. Clean and accurate. It doesn't seem to show specific accuracy nodes like Vv 165 and others with sharper pressure curves. RL-17 seems to show pretty consistent accuracy as the charge is increased, I've seen groups open up as the load is increased, so I drop back to the most accruate with the best velocity. They say when you do see pressue signs with RL-17, you're WAY over. It's wider, smoother pressure curve doesn't seem to show pressure signs as quickly as other more conventional powders.

DF