Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RL26 data for 165s in 30-06

I’ve read with great interest the success folks are having with 130s in a 270. Anyone have experience with using RL26 with 165s? It should be a bit slow but if it’s working well with lighter bullets in a 270, it should work. Anyone?

I do not think you can get enough RL 26 in a 30-06 case to produce decent velocity with a 165.

I have shot 165 gr bullets over H4831SC up to 63 gr and gotten near 3000 fps. I laid the brass against the spindle on my running vibratory brass tumbler while I dribbled the powder in through a funnel, and then it filled the case completely to the very top.

Nosler #8 shows 63 gr of RL 22 with a 165 at 3000 fps. It also shows 115% load density.

If one really wants to experiment with a powder slower than H4831/RL 22 in this application, I would suggest Magnum or Mag-Pro. Both are very small grained and have a high bulk density. (you can get a lot of weight in a small volume)

Haven't used RL26. IMR 4350 has been the ticket with 165s in both of my .30-06 rifles.

RL26 works well for several cartridges with a somewhat large capacity and small neck with heavy bullets but 30-06 isn't one of them.
I searched Alliant for RL26 loads in 30-06 and there's none to be found.
The good news is , there's a bunch of middle speed powders that were tailor made for 30-06.
165s would be happy with 4451, 4350 and Superformance for the slowest powder listed by Hodgdon.
Good luck with your search.

62.0 gr of rl 26 is the ticket.. you will be hard pressed to get 63.0 into the case. Use R-P brass as well

65gr of RL26 will get you about 3008fps or a little more. case fill is 111.9% Quick load show this press
as 57,986PSI with overall length of 3.260 I,m using Nosler Ballistic tips with Winchester cases and 215M primers.
Happens to be most accurate load with that rifle. May be to hot for some rifles, but 57,986 is not high pressure.
I,m going back to 150gr Barnes TTSX because of the recoil with the light rifle I have in 30/06. The cases I have to be careful with
are Federal, I lower the loads 1.5gr in all cases. Also I don,t use Remington cases in any loads cause I don,t have any. I
use Winchester cases with 270 win and 30/06 and Hornady cases with my 7mm Mag.

Forgot to mention Norma MRP will also get you over 3000fps with 165gr bullets and Winchester cases. Pressure is
a little higher with MRP.

Driftboater, this particular Tikka has a slower barrel than other 06s I’ve owned over the years. 59.5g of IMR4350 shoots 1/2” groups but is at a lack luster 2830fps (I’ve had a couple 06s over the years shoot 180s that fast). For my purposes, 165g bullets are the ideal weight. Still, I feel like there’s got to be a better alternative. In other rifles, RL 26 has proven both fast and very accurate, even when it was theoretically too slow for mid weight bullets.

Using an ultra slow powder to fix a "slow barrel" is counter productive, as you run out of case volume before gaining velocity. I have had several such "slow barrels".

I'm a long time lurker around here but this is my first post.

With my model stock Rem 700 today I had the following results. With 180 grain Accubond, 63.8 grains RL26, Federal 210 primer and once fired Winchester brass this combination produced 2861 FPS and 3 shot group of 1 1/8 inch. The powder filled the Winchester case about half way up the neck.

For me RL26 works pretty good in the 06.

Regards, Keith

I run 57gr H4350 behind a 180 NP for 2720 in a 22" and 2770 in a 24" , sub MOA. it's defiantly on the upper end of pressure but it's safe in my rifles. 2861 fps is cooking for a 180gr.

Norm,
I came up with this RL26 load from another forum. It is a Quick Load recommendation. Quick Load also estimates that the pressure is around 58,000 psi.

I slowly and carefully worked up to this amount of powder using case head expansion and also very carefully checking cases for any kind of high pressure indications. There is absolutely no resistance to opening the bolt other than what is normal. RL26 just works.

If you want to try for something more surprising load a 270 and 150 grain Partitions and RL26. That will get your attention.

Regards

I have shot about 50 rounds of 65gr of RL26 with 165gr Accubonds and 165gr Federal Trophy Bonded Tipped.
I ran it through the Cronograph 3 different days. Got 3008fps, 3003fps and 3027fps. Plus it was the most accurate
with 165gr Bullets. Start at 63gr and work up with Winchester cases. My Weatherby has a 24" barrel. Keith is
right RL26 really works in a 270 with 150gr Partitions. Over all length was 3.280 not 3.260.

Shot some more 65gr RL26 loads with 165gr Trophy Bonded Tipped. I think my Max charge will be reduced to 64gr of
RL26. Using a starting load and working up.