RL17 and the 338-06, 308 and 243 Chrono

[tammons]

RL17 is impressive in the 308 with 208 gr amax bullets.
I think RL19 would probably do better in the 338-06 with 250 gr bullets but I still got good results.
In 338-06 I have a feeling RL17 will really shine with a 225 gr TTSX.

Chrono was about 10 yards away.

338-06*
24" A+B barrel, new WB brass, CCI primers, 56gr RL17, 3.35 col, 250 gr GK
2505 FPS
You could probably push it with fire formed neck sized brass and get 2550.
A 338-06AI and you could probably get very close to 338 win mag speeds out of it.

No pressure signs in the WB brass.
Reformed new win brass with the same load showed pretty flattened primers, but no brass
flow and no hard bolt lift. It was close to max though.
The new WB brass holds slightly more powder.

This load at 2500 fps is supersonic out to 1000 yards and carries 2000 fpe out to 400 yards.
Recoil is stout, but I would not consider it abusive.

My feeling is with neck sized brass and hang the bullet way out you could easily run 250 gr Scenars at 2550
with a 24" barrel and they have a BC of around .675. The GK bc is around .585, but is pretty cheap.

.308*
22" 10 twist factory savage sporter barrel.
New win brass, CCI primers, test loads of 44-49.5 gr of RL17, 2.95 col, 208 gr amax.
44-2318, 45-2376, 46-2415, 46.5-2435, 47-2478, 47.5-2505, 48-2540, 48.5-2560, 49-2575, 49.5-2590

Win brass holds slightly more powder.

No pressure signs up to 48.5 gr.
48.5 gr showed pretty normal primers, no brass flow. This will be my max at this col with new win brass.
49 gr showed more flattened primers and slight brass flow.
49.5 gr showed more flattened primers and more brass flow with a slightly stiff bolt lift so I stopped there.

This load at 2560 is supersonic out to about 1300 yards and carries 1200 fpe out to 800 yards.
Recoil is not that bad, especially after shooting the 338-06 with 250 grain pills.

With a 26" barrel you could definitely hit 2650 safely with this load, new brass at 2.95 col.
Fire formed neck sized brass and hang the bullet way out and you should be able to hit around 2700 fps with a 26" barrel.

.243*
Also clocked another new RL17 load, 243 with 80 gr TTSX over 45 gr of RL17 at 3300.
That was in a Browning BLR. It has a pretty short barrel like 20".
I could probably push it a bit more as I saw no pressure signs.
The max load in the barnes manual is 45.5 gr, 24" barrel, 3467 fps.
Should be a smokin Hog round.

[hcpyro13]

Anybody else out there playing with this stuff. I've been playing with it in the 260 rem and getting good results. How's everybody else doing with it?

HcP

[Elkbane]

HCPyro,
What's your load data in the 260? I'm just starting to play with it in a 260. From what I can see looking at trends, it has decent "large for caliber" bullet performance in an number of cases with capacity about like a 308 case, but reloading data is pretty sketchy.

Elkbane

[sage flats shooter]

I am getting bullet speed that are equal to current loads or faster.....3100 out of the wife's 270 win with a 140 gr accubond. I found and read another thread on another page which basically said the same thing.....but the powder would not shoot in a dirty barrel. I don't know about the dirty barrel / flyer thing. I have not shot it for 50 to 100 rounds like the other thread was doing. I do know I got 2850 fps with my 338 win mag and 225 gr accubonds. The potential is there, just have to go roll some more and try them.

Just my .02 cents,

Steve D. the HP
Sage Flats Shooter

[LG]

Interesting info. I just picked up some 208gr Amax bullets for my 30-06. I might try them in the 308 as well.

[tammons]

I have read of some people shooting that 208/30-06 combo and getting more FPS successfully.
2560 in the 308 is enough for me for now for what I want to do.

These are hunting combos for me for now and I am not trying to shoot bug holes.
I was just looking for a max this round.

Have also read of people loading the 338 win mag with heavy/long bullets in the 250 gr area over RL17 and getting more FPS.
Seems like it was on the Alaska forum.

RL17 seems to work best with longer heavy bullets up to a certain point.
Just from reading around on the net that it boosts long barnes bullets pretty well too.

Quickload has my max safe 308 load at 48.5 gr running at 72k which is obviously not correct while quickload shows the 338-06 250 gr GK load at 62 k which looks about right just judging by the brass and primers. I had a chrono glitch yesterday, so I need to shoot the 338-06 load again over the chrono today. Probably not as efficient in larger calibers.

I ran the Alliant RL17 listed 260 rem load through QL with a 140 gr speer SP and it matches it almost exactly.
According to QL 42 gr would be a little over max at 2.75 col, 2834 fps, but I suspect you could push it more since fill is only 92%. On the alliant site they are getting more out of RL19 with that bullet.

On snipers hide there is a guy that chronoed the 260 rem, 139 scenars over 44.5gr of RL17 at 2990 or something like that. Sounds like a bench gun from the read. No pressure signs.

Dont know the barrel length or col, but QL returns about 3000fps with a 26" barrel loaded at 2.9" col running at 72k which is about what my 308/208 gr loadsreturns in QL.

[wbm]

Anybody else out there playing with this stuff?

I have used Reloader 17 in 300WSM, 30-06, .243, 6.5x55, and 7mm Magnum. It seems to shoot well in a broad range of calibers. Apparently, according to the guys at http://demigodllc.com it does very well in the .260.

The only CAUTION I would mention is the load data for the 6.5x55. Alliant shows a maximum of 38.5g with the 140g Sierra. Several of us who shoot the 6.5x55 are convinced that this is a misprint and should be a starting load rather than a maximum load. Alliant was contacted by email and phone by at least three of us concerning their data but they maintain it is correct. Check out the site below for more information.

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthre...-updated-11-17

[Elkbane]

Thanks guys, and sorry for the highjack. I'm shooting an 28" LW barrel in my 260 and I load them longer, so I have a little more case capacity to work with. I'll give RL17 a go and see how it does.

Elkbane

[tammons]

No need to apologize. I am interested to see what else it works well with.

I think its also supposed to be a good one for the 7mm-08 with long bullets.

[hcpyro13]

Elkbane,
I've been doing some load workup with 130gr bergers loaded a bit long. Got them up a hair over 2900 fps with a low es and sd, I'm not showing pressure signs yet so I still have room to go. I stopped at the node I'm at till I get a chance to run the chrono with them on a hot day so I can see how temperature sensitive the powder is. I'm shooting a vlp action with a 26" mcgowan 8 twist.

COAL 2.915"
Norma Brass
Berger 130 VLD
RL-17 43.5gr
Fed. 215M

As always, what is safe in mine may not be in yours. Start low, be smart, and be safe. Let me know how you make out with your 260, I'm loving mine... got the ammo all loaded to go back and play at 200 again... just no time unfortunately.

HcP

[wbm]

I'm shooting a vlp action with a 26" Mcgowen 8 twist.

Me too. I hit a node with the 140g Sierra at 44.0g R-17. Loading the 130 Bergers with 45g R-17, Lapua Brass, Wolf Primer. No pressure signs so far.

[hcpyro13]

wbm, You have and chrono data for those loads? Since it's hot out again I'm gonna run some of mine over the chrono to make sure my loads are temp stable, then I'll probably be working my 130 loads up close to yours. I just hit 2917fps but had an es in the teens and a single digit sd... still want to go warmer, was hoping for 3000 maybe a tad over... something about that 3000 mark that I love a little too much. Maybe it's the magnumitis making me feel bad for shooting something with so little recoil!

HcP

[358Hammer]

Personally I am using Rel 17 in 7WSM,300WSM,30 CE,338CE,338WSM, 338 Stretch,338 WIN Mag,460X510. Except in the 460 I am getting same velocitywith less powder with a similar load os IMR 4350.

I know and speak with a gentleman on a regular bases that is using 17 with 208 amax in a 24" 06 and getting 2800fps! Yes he has a treated barrel but he is getting little bitty groups and many reloads from the same cases.

I have grown to like this powder as much as Varget and that I thought that could not happen.

Neal

[hcpyro13]

I'm having good luck with this powder, the next step I'll have to take after I've finalized my 260 loads will be to play with it in the 300 mags behind some light varmint bullets. I know it's kind of wrong to wring out so much speed from a 110 v-max, but it's so much fun I just can't help myself!

[Elkbane]

358Hammer,
Now you did it. I'm going to have to try RL17 in my 300WSM's. By "similar to IMR4350", did you mean in about the same powder charge? I'd be interested in the difference in charge between IMR4350 and RL17.

And are you lighting them with standard or magnum primers? I'm shooting H4831sc in my WSM's right now - accurate, but slower than 4350.
Elkbane

[358Hammer]

Speaking with the powder tech I did exactly as he said. Use the load data for IMR 4350. I have been for everything. It meters better/does not shear cylinders like 4350. I do not hit pressure indicators as soon as with imr4350. (Not all barrels are the same)
I like it a lot because it doesn't use as much case capacity as 4350 and thus far I do not have anything but good to say about it!

Shortly I will have the new 338 stretch wildcat barrel and the idea came with the intent to shoot Rel 17. Improved WSM case (all) now holds the same powder capacity as the 338 Win Mag.

Neal

[358Hammer]

I just checked my data book of records. I normally do not post loads so this is a notice that just because it shoots safely in my setup please start low as I did and work up.
Savage Striker small shank, 19" factory barrel. NITRITE TREATED BARREL!
150gr Barnes MRX 71grs Rel 17 (max) 3250- three shot groups bughole

130gr Barnes with 72grs Rel 17 3367 Ave- 3 shots bughole.

165 Sierra and 168 Sierra 68grs Rel 17 Average 3100+ Throat in barrel is too short causing me to seat bullet into powder area. VERY HOT!!! WORKED great with 65grains of powder at 2900fps and change. I m sticking with 150s as I won't destroy a reamer or ask anyone else to extend the lead to accept the longer bullets.

338WSM 68grs of Rel 17 180gr Accubond 19" barrel, 2900fps+
338WSM 65grs Rel 17 200gr Accubond 19" barrel, 2780fps
Neal

[DannoBoone]

I've been able to get subMOA and better with the following calibers using RL17:

.22-250
.243
.25-06
7mm WSM

Some groups have been around 1/2" and I will be concentrating on tweaking
those more. The goal is to be able to use one powder as much as possible
(a bit tired of having a dozen different powders around).