Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters H4831/RL22/Ram. Magnum

Gents

I am looking for one powder for my 300win. I will be shooting 180's and up so looking for a versitale powder. Have H4350 on hand as my do it all 06 (general all around powder). Will this work or would I be better served with one of the above mentioned powders? Read in Reloads that work about temp issues with RL22 and I really do not want to wait for global warming to send somemore 10 degree weather my way to check this out. Should I just stick with H4831/Magnum or am I making to much of the temp issue? Any and all would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rich

ps, had a bad crono experince with my 22-250 and H380 in 12 degrees hence the temp question

Gents

I am looking for one powder for my 300win. I will be shooting 180's and up so looking for a versitale powder. Have H4350 on hand as my do it all 06 (general all around powder). Will this work or would I be better served with one of the above mentioned powders? Read in Reloads that work about temp issues with RL22 and I really do not want to wait for global warming to send somemore 10 degree weather my way to check this out. Should I just stick with H4831/Magnum or am I making to much of the temp issue? Any and all would be appreciated.

Thanks
Rich

ps, had a bad crono experince with my 22-250 and H380 in 12 degrees hence the temp question

Sorry for the double post rookie mistake.

I've been using R22 in various cartridges for 18yrs and have never had a problem. It is my "go to" powder for the 300Win mag, nothing else has ever given me better accuracy or velocity when using 165gr-200gr bullets. I've used it when it's been 90* and when temps have been well below freezing, same load has worked every time with no pressure issues or POI shifts. H4831SC is very good as well, and in some barrels it might provide better results than another powder. My old 300mag likes R22 the best so that's what it gets.

4350 gave me better accuracy than RL 22 in my 300 Win mag. at slightly less velocity. My elk load was 71.5 grains of IMR4350 over a win primer and a nosler partition, this load would consistently shoot three shots under a inch at 3064 fps avg velocity .

RL-22 is my go-to powder in my magnums...it always seems to work better than the next best powder for me. One thing about it is that when you reach the edge of the envelope with respect to powder charge for a given caliber/bullet combo, don't push it. It will let you know when you reach the max charge for that situation and you better not push it (of course, that is common sense with any reloading situation right?). Also, lot to lot variations are common...slight variations, but variations nonetheless.
All that being said...it's the best....a great powder and the first one I stocked up on when it became apparent who our next president would be.

It all depends on what temperatures you will be hunting in--and, to a certain extent, your rifle.

I have tested a lot of powders down to around zero F--and not just by freezing the ammo but by having EVERYTHING at zero. RL-22 has not done so well, in some loads. Losing 150 fps from 70 to zero really doesn't matter all that much to the animal , but when the point of impact shifts 3" or so then that is a problem. And that is what I have seen with RL-22 in real cold.

Above 70 is another question. ALL powders gain some velocity above 70, but some more than others.

In general the Hodgdon Extreme powders are better in both cold and heat than most other powders. Ramshot Magnum is also pretty good, but it is somewhat slower than than H4831 so is at its best in the .300 Winchester with 200-grain bullets.

If looking for an all-around load for widely varying temperatures in the .300 Winchester with 180's I would look first at H4831SC.

Re22 is the wonder-powder in the .300 Winchester and .257 Roy, it seems. I've had a lot of luck getting rifles to shoot well right away with tried-and-true 22 loads. However, like JB and others, I have experienced POI shift with Re22 in various rifles and calibers. I normally develop loads in the spring and summer in SoCal ... usually pretty mild.

Come November, I can usually be found in Montana, and temperatures tend to be quite a bit more brisk than at my local range in July.

My more limited experience also indicates that H4831 and H4831 SS are the place to start for alternatives to Re22. Ramshot has worked well for me in one particular .300 Winchester as well.

rb

I have a lot of respect for Mule Deer,but I think RL22gets a bad rap for TEMP Sensitive. RL22 is very Lot# sensitive but no more temp sensitive than most extruded powder's.
RL22 is my go-to powder in medium weight bullet's and H1000 is my go-to powder in the heavy bullet's.
B
btw 4350 works ok with the lighter bullets but medium to heavy the 4350 is not the best choice in this cartridge IMO

Just as a side note several of my friends are RL22 hater's too, they have switched to VVN165 and I must admit that I am impressed it seems to be a GREAT powder for the 300WM
B

I second what Mule Deer said.

From target shooting matches, I am very impressed with the Hodgdon's extreme powders. In the old days, when shooting long range, we would have to take the round out of the action if we waited very long for the right wind condition, in the middle of a match, because the round would get hot and change its elevation. Now we don't do that.

That's why I use H4831 in the .300 Weatherby. I have never tried RL22. I have no reason to do so.

35 degress to 80 degrees, my limits for hunting anyway, Reloader 22 simply surpasses any others for velocity and accuracy in my magnums.

Were I to have to worry about 20 degrees, 0 degress, and that range, I would give up some accuracy and use H4831.

Gents,

Thanks for the replies, looks like its H4831 for me!

Mule Deer: From what I have read by you here and in print that you are a big fan of Ramshot. When my supply of H380 runs out (shortly) I plan on giving Big Game a hard look for my 22-250 powder of choice. Since you alot more exp. with this/these powders than I, any/all suggestions that would make this a more satisfying reloading experince would be greatly appreciated!

The reason for the change is that my load was-is 38grs. of H380 and F210M uder 55gr. NBTs. Shoots high 3500s and tiny groups in the summer. but in 12 degrees averaged <3300 and groups went 1.5-2 inches with different POI's for all 3 gruops.

Thanks.
Rich

P.S. Even if your not Mule Deer please fill free to chime in with your exp. with this powder/caliber combo.

I have found Big Game to be very cold-resistant. It also burns very cleanly (as do all the Ramshot rifle powders) another advantage over most older ball powders.

I would suggest trying magnum primers, even in the .22-250, if accuracy doesn't suit you with standard primers. Also, in my experience the Ramshot powders (like many modern rifle powders) tend to be more accurate when loaded near or at maximum.

Well, I'm not Mule Deer, and my experience with the .300 Win. ended before the advent of Ramshot powders. For What its worth I really had good success with H4831sc " extreme" and as JB said, a magnum primer.
Mule Deer did however turn me on to Ramshot Tac in a smaller cartridge, REALLY like the stuff, and its working well for me even with bottom of the chart loads...
I would be very much inclined to trust him on his advice in the .300 as well, he has never steered me wrong...
Ingwe

I've never tried Ramshot but with 10 lbs of RL22 I don't see the need. My 300 win hasn't shot better with anything else.

Another fan of R22 in spite of the other improved powders. I am about ready to restock and was wondering if Norma Magnum is more consistent than R22 lot to lot and temperature wise? Same question for VV165 & 560?

My experience is with old pre-extreme lots of H4831 so is likely to change once I use up all the old supplies.

I had good luck with the H4831 SC in my .300Win with 180s. Speed seemed stable over the chrony in a wide temp. range.
There is a reloading forum, big game down the forums page you might get more reponses on.

Why has this same thread been started again? We have been batting the other, exact-same post around already for several days.

Fixed it. Dupe thread merged with the original.

rb