I've heard that this is a pretty good deer bullet so I thought I'd work something up. I've always been told that RL15 is just a hair slower than Varget in this cartridge so I took Hodgdon's Varget numbers.

Mistake.

For the first time in my 15 yr reloading career, I blew primers. DOE!

So I'm here asking... what charges are y'all running? I don't need anything that'll blow the doors off, just want something accurate.

Thanks all,

efw

I'm running 24.5 of R15 in my Mini-14. It was shooting 3/4" at 50 yards with a 2.5x scope. Shoots a lot better than other loads I've tried in my Mini.

TAC

Rather than believing what you have been "told", check out the accuracy yourself next time by referencing a reputable Powder Burning Rate Chart and comparing that to a reputable loading manual/or three.

You didn't note what powder quantity of Reloader 15 YOU are "running", but was it within the manual's minimum/maximum for an AR 15 action with that weight bullet?

Also, the Speer 70 grain SP requires a 1X10 twist or faster per the Speer website...is that consistent with your RL-15 barrel?

efw:

Speer Manual #11 lists a maximum of 24.5 grains Of IMR 4895 (at 2702 FPS) with its 70 gr. SP in a Ruger Mini-14 action w/ 1x10 twist barrel.

No loads are listed in Speer #11 for Reloader 15 and the 70 gr. SP.

You may want to spend $25 to pick up a newer Speer manual, or borrow one, to confirm what I have written, and to see if a newer manual has loads for Reloader 15.

Thanks Daddy, will you not only cut but also chew my steak for me too?

I'd have appreciated the help had you provided any, but the empty condescension I can do without. I realize my error. It was the lack of reloading info on RL15 & said projectile that caused me to mistakenly extrapolate.

And by the way, I don't have, nor did I claim to have, an RL-15 barrel; it's an AR-15.

Just one more reason that if I cared I'd be a Wolverine.

Scottfromdallas: I appreciate the information. That is just what I was looking for.

RL- I'll be grabbin' up some TAC next... nearest supplier is 45 min in a direction I rarely go. Thanks!

Mr. EFW:

My typing error: I meant to reference your "R-15" (Remington AR-style semi-auto) barrel rather than [mis]typing "RL-15" as that is the powder(Reloader15) you were asking about.

I stand by the rest of my comments/style: too many folks on these boards believe what others say rather than checking it out.

Its not "empty condescension"; its pointing out that you could have referenced the powder burn rate/loading manuals yourself, and saved a lot of problems. So do that the next time and save yourself from having a damaged firearm!

These internet Boards are a poor substitute for gaining knowledge the old fashioned way - reading a loading manual/related printed materials.

I don't know if anyone cares or not, but here is the reply I got from Ben Amonette (ballistician at Alliant) to the email I sent back on 10/06 re: info on RL15 pushing the bullet that i(wa)s the subject of conversation here:

I suggest starting with 23 grs and the max should be approx 24.5 to 25
grs. Thanks for your note and have a nice day.

You shouldn't use "powder burn rate" to decide if you can use more or less of a different powder.

Yes sir, that is the take-away lesson for this excursion.

efw,

We've all [bleep] up at the bench at one time or another. You'll like TAC. I burn a lot of it.


Travis

I've loaded the Speer 70gr Semi-Spitzer up with BLC2 and Varget per Speer & Hodgdon's published data. Varget achieved 125fps faster velocity, both with good groups (< 1.5" at 100 yards). I didn't like the recommended 2.140", so I loaded up at 2.255" without any problems.

Varget gave very impressive velocities out of a 16" AR-15 with slightly flatten primers at Max charge. I backed off of max by 1gr and got a nice shooting round @ 2775fps for 1198 ft-lbs.

Thought about trying TAC, but I was pretty happy with the Varget load, although TAC would meter better.

Good luck, work your loads up carefully.