Alliant Reloder 16 powder

**Savage 94C** · 10-28-2019, 11:46 PM

Has anyone tried any of Alliants Reloder 16 powder yet for 250 Savage? It's a fairly new one in their line, slower than Re 15, but faster than Re 17 in burn rate. Alliant advises it handle's temperature extremes and changes well and has copper cleaning abilities. I've had great success with Re 15, Varget, and IMR 3031 both in a Savage 99 and Ruger 77, both in 250 Savage. Why change, because I'm curious and like most reloaders, always looking for what works best and is fun to do. Alliant isn't publishing any information on their reloading data for the 250 Savage, nor can I find anything else on the web or from various bullet manufactures. It's a shame when they discontinue and or ignore good old popular workhorses like the 250 Savage. Can understand its not as popular as it once was, but those guys in their white lab coats need to know also that old powder and bullet technicians get put out to pasture also when young bucks come knocking at the companies door looking for work.

**Stumpkiller** · 10-29-2019, 09:19 AM

That's the trouble with being on the "leading edge" with a newly introduced powder: no load data.

I am very happy with their RL-19 in my .260 Rem. I have a compressed load that is showing no signs of overpressure and, though I have no chronograph, shoots well. Based on what the manuals tell me it's good for better speed over my prior powders, H4831 & H4350, though the burn rate falls right between them. But that's a very different powder than the new RL-16, I believe.

If it were me I'd look at the H or IMR 4350 loads and drop them 5% for a conservative start. Alliant says that "The Reloder 16 burn rate is slightly faster than that of Reloder 17, well within the 4350 burn speed band. But burn rate and volume are not directly proportional. However, looking at the Nosler load data for a .257 Roberts (115 gr bullet & H4350) vs. the Alliant RL-16 load data for the same cartridge and bullet shows they are within 1.0 grain for similar MV. Your case is smaller, but the ratio should hold.

Good luck and be careful.

**stomp442** · 10-29-2019, 09:35 AM

You can use H4350 data for a start point. R16 works very well with heavier bullets. Im not sure of the exact charge weight my brother is using but he is getting well over 3000 fps with 100gr Sierra match kings.

**Balljoint** · 10-29-2019, 10:59 AM

I hope this may help try AmmoGuide.com it's a payer site you can register as a guest, 250 Savage is in their list of Cal.they list 287 loads for the 250 Savage you will have to search to see if they list the power you want and the bullet weight you are using.
Good luck and careful if you decide to register tell them i sent you there (balljoint)

**Savage 94C** · 10-29-2019, 10:28 PM

Thanks for the info and suggestions. Have to look into the suggestions. I think I'll give Alliant a call and see what they have to say. Might just tell me to keep my powder dry!

**Savage 94C** · 10-30-2019, 03:30 PM

Called Alliant today and talked with one of their ballistic reps. He advised Re16 a great powder for for the right cartridge, as all powder has that trait, but, the 250 Savage isn't one which Re 16 is good for 'in the short. The rep advised that the 250 doesn't have enough case capacity to make the round a good performer with the Re16. He said the 243 Win has for example, but not my 250 Savage. Alliant like a lot of powder/bullet companies either delete rounds like the 250 Savage or have little information on them due to as he advised, not as popular as once was. He advised even if they had the 250 on their site or listings, they wouldn't include any loadings using RE16. Advised if I want the no temperature sensitivity and copper cleaning features as found in Re16, their AR Comp has both and is in the burn rate and case/performance area of Re15. Advised him I had good results from Re15, Varget, and IMR3031. Have to shelf the idea as I don't want to wildcat it and his reasonings sound good to me.

**Stumpkiller** · 10-30-2019, 08:14 PM

Sensible response.

When IMR Enduron 4451 first came out (and H4350 was nowhere to be had) I tried a load by dropping back one grain from my H4350 load - which was kind of the information on the Hodgdon Reloading Data website. I loosened the primer cavity in the first two rounds - noticed in the second when the primer fell out and jammed the action! Like you the same qualities attracted me: copper cleaning and temperature stability.

I went back to shade and Barnes CR-10 Copper Solvent.

**J.Baker** · 10-30-2019, 11:34 PM

I have a pound of RL-16 here that I've been meaning to play with in my .250 Ackley Imp. but haven't gotten around to it yet - mainly because the brain for my chrono took a crap and I haven't ponied up the $$ to replace it yet.

Alliant telling you that it's a case capacity issue doesn't make much sense to me as the capacity difference between a .250 Savage and a .243 Win. isn't that much.My guess is that they just haven't done any testing with it in a .250 Savage so they're erring on the side of caution by not recommending you use it in that case. I've seen several posts on other sites where guys have been playing with it in the .250 Sav. and having good results.

As with anything though, you have to stick within your comfort zone. Some are more adventurous than others when it comes to experimenting with different powders in different cartridges.

**Robinhood** · 10-30-2019, 11:41 PM

I would think it would be fine for the heavy projectiles or ones with a longer bearing surface.
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**stomp442** · 10-31-2019, 09:44 AM

It does work great. Give it a try you may be pleasantly surprised. It also works great in the 6mmXC which is very similar in size to the .250. I'm running 40.0gr of R16 under a 110gr Sierra Match king in My XC and getting 3070fps and less than half MOA accuracy.

**Savage 94C** · 10-31-2019, 10:14 AM

J.Baker--I thought to I probably might be getting the standard company talking point that either they haven't done much testing and/or didn't want to give me any info for the legal 'cover our butts'. I asked about the Win .243 as case capacity isn't that much and .257 Roberts. He advised with so many of the more popular old line calibers and all of the new ones that shooters are going to, they just didn't have time for all. Unfortunate as the 250 Savage is still a performer (asked about 300 Savage also, same reason). See that with a lot of powder companies and bullet producers. Either eliminate or downsize information. I normally stick to tried and true loadings in load manuals, well known and respected mag writers, and will use online/forum recipe's if they don't look like they're straying too far off what is safe. My coronagraph consists of when I pull the trigger and the bullet hits its mark, velocity is good, but accuracy is supreme. One of the sins of my youth was trying to turn my handloads for revolvers into handheld howitzers and rifles into 16" battleship guns, gave up on that years ago. I've plenty of powders for the 250 Savage that have given my rifles good accuracy, I have some Hodg CFE223 that is similar to Alliant AR Comp if I want to go that route. The pound of Re16 I have is unopened and I can exchange it with the guy I bought it from with no problem. Haven't seen it in my home area, picked it up at gun show 2 hr drive south of me, but will see the seller in a couple of weeks at another show. Have known him for a bit.

Robinhood---The heavier bullet with longer bearing surface info you posted would possibly work, but I don't load or need anything more than the 75-87 grainers I currently use. Heavier bullet, slower burn rate powder. Not having or seeing any info for the Re16 I thought it might be a possibly when I first became aware of it a while back. Oh well, no need to sell my 250 Savage guns.

stomp442---The rep at Alliant did mention it worked for cartridges such as all the newer 6mm offshoots and other cartridges of the 'moment'. Possibly after Re16 is out a bit longer, loads will be developed for the 250 Savage, but as I mentioned before, the three powders I've been using are tack drivers.

**J.Baker** · 10-31-2019, 11:25 AM

I mainly use the chrony data to help me find those sweet spots with low E.S. and S.D.'s. Also nice to know what the speed is to do up a ballistic table.