Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only 375 AI, 270 gn. TSX and RL-17...WOOOHOOOO!

All loads safe in my rifle..Work up please

Rifle Winchester classic M-70 375 Ackley
Bullet Barnes .375 cal. 270 gn. TSX
Powder Alliant RL-17 95 gns. MAX
Primer Fed. 215GM Magnum
COL 3.590
Vel. 3110 fps

Chrono results w/ RL-17 and 270 TSX

83 2728
85 2782
87 2820
89 2855....started using little Sagebrush drop tube
91 2940
92 2992....now were gettin' somewhere
93 3046....Damn! still no high pressure signs
94 3078....unreal
95 3110....I quit, how dead does it need to be

All loads fell from chamber in my rifle, absolutely no signs of excessive pressure.

Loaded three rounds @95 gns. and a COL of 3.590, shot from bags in a variable to nine mph wind out of the SSW, POA was dew North, group went 1.31, unreal accuracy and speed, it will be a sub" load in calm conditions

I believe this powder will be absolute dynamite w/ 300 gn bullets as well as the new .375 cal. 250 gn. TTSX's, The 250 gn. TTSX'x @3250...... how bout that for an elk/moose/big bear load?

Be safe all, and hang on!!

Gunner

Edit" spelling

Impressive velocities! What is your barrel length?

hmmmm. i don't take QL as the gospel, but...

prairie goat, sorry to start something then run off, but had to get some tubing and oxy/acet bottles refilled.
Barrel length is 24", its a factory Winchester.

toad, you can see I started at H&H speeds and carefully worked on up to 375 Wby vels and beyond, the RL-17 powder has done this in a few other calibers as well, and at like pressure levels.
I do not have a gauge, but in no way experienced any excessive pressure signs.
Case expansion is the same as loads I've been shooting for years in this rifle.
These speeds are certainly not necessary, but I had a feeling the 17 may be as good as the discontinued N-205 for the 375 AI.

And with it, I have safely and with long brass life ran the 300 gn NP's and SAF's to 2900 fps in this rifle.

Gunner

Well, I do have a Rifle article from awhile back where the author reported 3000 fps with the 270 gr NPT and N205 from the 375AI....that in a rechambered M70 and a Rem 700.....

Not saying those loads are safe, but looks like we'll see how gunners brass does after 4-5 firings.

That's a lot of vel for a 270 gr bullet....

We chronographed a fair number of loads in the standard H&H this afternoon......270 gr buulets (Northfork and TSX) were topping out at about 2750-2800....gunners loads are a substantial increase.

I found R-17 got me to some reaally impresive numbers in a 358WIN as well. Impressive numbers, there. Have you measured the web area ahead of the belt or the primer pockets before and after? Agreed that a 270 TTSX is going to be a MAJOR LEAGUE big game killer.

i get leanin' on a cartridge and do it myself at times. when it works it can work great.

two points:

if a rifle may get pressed into DG service, i go back to milder pressures to preclude extraction issues.

and when speeds go way over the norm, that throws up a red flag.

Hello Bob, Yes just get a lb. of RL-17 and you can start at or below where I started today and work up at your own comfortable rate.
I was pleasantly surprised at the vels. and accuracy from my AI today, though stated earlier by myself, these speeds are certainly not required, but it is still a train load of fun to pump the old girl up and make her work alittle

I would fire thru the chronograph, then peek up to see those TSX's slappin' the red bank out at 800 yds up in the pasture, they were still hittin' with about as much attitude as they were when they left my barrel

Gunner

toad, I took that into account today, temp was 97 deg. at the conclusion of todays testing, not saying I will run these full throttle, but it goes to show what can happen, [thru careful load development] with the amazing new powders we have today

Gunner

yea, i've been runnin' RE 17 in my .375 RUM for about a year now. i had QL run the powders and RE 17 came in near the top. it wasn't the absolute tops for speed but in the top 3 IIRC. but it was the top powder that i can get locally, so it's what i ran with.

i run RE 15/ 270 TSX in my .375 AI.

gunner I have R17......but not an AI...

My 375 is having new mounts installed,but when it gets back,and after hunting season,I am going to work with R17 over the winter with it.

Like I stated previusly I have played with the AI version a bit,and am sticking to the standard H&H....but that does not mean I am not interested in what guys like you and toad are doing with the AI version,and the other blown out types like the Weatherby.

So please carry on!

safariman, yes, I measured case head expansion just above the belt, and it is consistent with all measurements thus far on many loads I have ran thru this rifle.

And if You wanna get the little 200 gn. TTSX's movin' to an accurate and safe [in my rifle]get You some RL-7 and work up to an even 2700 fps, thats what I'm runnin' in a little hawkeys S/S in 358W.

Gunner

edit: spelling

10-roger Bob, the old H&H is my fav. 375 cal.

If you want, I would look real hard at the new 250 TTSX's and some RL-17, that may prove to be a long killer

Gunner

Good Lord !!!

Some VERY impressive numbers !!! Almost makes me wanna ditch work tomorrow to go buy a can of R-17 and hit the loading bench/range.

I have little bits of drool running from the corners of my 'stache wondering what the 26" tube on my .375 Bee might do with similar loads, should they work up to appear pressure-safe.

Just go on ahead and call in yoder I'm bettin' you'll have as much fun as I did today.
I'm gonna shoot groups again in the morning to make sure it was fluke free
And with that 26" tube i have no doubt you'll be there on the vels.

Gunner

I too enjoy reading about my favourite bullet, but I have only played with the standard cartridge at standard velocity.

It sounds like I might have to add a new powder or two to my collection.

Gunner I have a pile of 250gr and 275 gr Bitterroots and they will be the focus of the RL17 work.I have mostly been using the 250 BBC for the last 25 years or so at 2900+.....but the 250TTSX sounds like a great bullet and based on a pals results with the 235TSX, I suspect the 250 will be a winner as well..I am going to try some of those,too.

Your suggestion is a good one....

RE 19 looks suitable too...

Gosh dang, I spect You know those old BBC's are like gold ...good hunting

Gunner

toad, i used to run RL-15 with the old original Barnes X bullets in the 250 gn. weight for a tad over 2900 in an old Browning Safari Medallion H&H rifle.
damn i miss that rifle

Gunner