RL22 Temp Sensitivity findings

[300winnie]

After a lot of deliberation on the rumors of RL22 being one of the most temperature sensitive powders out there, I still decided to try it in my .300 Winchester Magnum. I wish I would have tried it a long, long time ago. Anyway, I worked up a load this summer/fall and got a load that shoots sub m.o.a. consistently and averaged 3,184 fps for 6 shots fired through the chronograph on a nice sunny day of about 75 degrees.

Fast forward now to December. Saturday the high was 24 degrees here in town. I was up on the hill(another 1,000 vertical feet) at about 10:30 in the morning, so I am being conservative in saying the temp was around 20 degrees. Fired six more shots through the chronograph and came up with an average of 3,146 fps.

Conclusion: For a 50-55 degree spread my gun dropped 38 fps in average velocity. After this little test, I am glad I viewed the temp. sensitivity issue more as marketing hype than fact.

Hope this little bit of information is useful.

[MachV]

Thanks for the review,i never thought R22 to be any more temp sensitive than most powders.
The one and only problem I've had with R22 is the lot to lot differences.R22 is the powder that taught me to start low and work up [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] Solved that problem by buying a large quantity of it of the same lot,now I aint got a single problem with my favorite powder [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

[BountyHunter]

RL 22 really starts to show its temp sensitivity in the upper temp ranges for sure and lot to lot variation has been a killer. I had to drop 4 grains from my normal load to keep from blowing primers with one lot. Only took me three broken triggers due to the blowback to figure that one out.

If it works for you great. I went to MRP which is same as RL 22 and now Black Hills has it in stock again after a two year lull. They are now the importer for MRP and MRP2 (RL25)

Best powders I have ever used. I still have over 20 lbs of MRP for my WSMs.

BH

[remingtonman_25_06]

Yah it might not be temp insensitive, but it sure is lot to lot sensitive, as others have said. I had the same thing happen to me. First pound I bought was ok at 64g RL-22 and 168g VLD out of my 7mm. Cronoed right at 2940fps. Well had to go buy another pound, diff lot, and I loaded up the same 64g load. Well the velocity was now 3075fps, and the groups doubled. I like the RL-22 for its accuracy and thats about it.

[300winnie]

Yes,

I believe they do have some problems with lot to lot consistency. I'm glad I bought a 5 lb jug to start with.

[CatShooter]

[ QUOTE ]
... I am glad I viewed the temperature sensitivity issue more as marketing hype than fact.

Hope this little bit of information is useful.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not marketing hype, but it is an issue between ball powder and stick powders. If you did the same test with H335, 760 or others, you would see a much bigger difference.

.

[Buffalobob]

What Bounty Hunter said.

Temperature sensitivity goes through the roof at about 85-90 degrees.