RL 17 300 WSM 180 grain ladder results

[Duane Waterson]

Picked up some RL 17 for hopes of some more velocity and great accuracy. Loaded up some rounds to shot a ladder In my tikka t3 24 3/8" barrel. To my surprise velocity was far more than I was expecting. My ladder charges were 63 @2953, 63.5@2994, 64@3019, 64.5@3041, 65@ 3084, 65.5 @3079, 66@3113, 66.5@3134, 67@3177 and 67.5@3205. These charges of powder with nosler brass, 215 primers and nosler 180 ballistic tips was faster than I had expected from this barrel length. Anyone looking to load this powder should know that 66 grains is recommended max. And as always start low and work up. I'm my gun even at 67.5 only had light marking on case, primer was not flatted at all and no stickeyness in bolt trying to find max load for this particular gun. Not sure if the accuracy will turn out as good as I had hoped for, but did have a decent node between 64.5, 65 and 65.5 I will try to exploit in near future.

 

[Pa Grizz]

I used rl 17 in my 300 WSM with 180 gr accubonds.1/2 inch groups, Like you I was surprise at the speeds I was getting.I worked up the loads in the fall.The next spring I could not get the same results .A shooter next to had used the same loads in his and told me he stop using RL17 because it was to temp sensitive.After working with it some more I started to believe him..When the temps started to change that fall I started to get my groups back.Let me know if you run into that.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

I haven't had that issue. One theory I've heard is that RL-17 doesn't tend to show signs of pressure until you're quite a bit over max which makes the temp swings even more pronounced. I've been using RL-17 in a Lazz Patriot (short mag) for years under the 168TTSX @ ~3400fps. If you're seeing huge temp swings i'd recommend First a primer test to see if you can lower your ES then back the powder charge down a bit & see what happens. You may also try a standard primer instead of the magnum, John Lazzeroni actually recommended I switch from the 215M to the 210M in my Lazz'... I almost fell off my chair but i'm giving it a try with a 190vld & RL-17 Ladder test in the near future.

I'm starting to believe more & more that temp stability is a more of a scapegoat than it should be. I'm finding that an optimal charge weight, primer & OAL combo have far more to do with it than Powder brand (I could be wrong, god knows it wouldn't be the first time ). I actually just read a report where the vaunted H4350 was swinging somewhere betwene 50-80fps in a 6.5 'creed over a range of temps.... makes you think doesn't it?

With my minor experience with the short mags & RL-17 (in 30cal anyway) shows that it produces a LOT more velocity than standard powder making the the WSM a true equivelant to the 300win mag. It may not work for everyone but if you suffer from tinkeritis as bad as I do, a couple tests never hurt .


t

 

[Barrelnut]

RL 17 with the 180 NBT is an awesome combo in my 300 WSM too. Amazing accuracy. I have shot 1/2" groups at 300 yards with this combo. With 64 Gr, I get 3093 FPS with single digit ES and SD from a 26" barrel.

Just started testing it this year. Have heard all of the temp swing and pressure stories, but haven't seen anything yet. Looking for it though. Hope it is as Outlaw says, having more to do with tuning and finding the middle of a node than anything else.

Good luck with your load.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

RL 17 with the 180 NBT is an awesome combo in my 300 WSM too. Amazing accuracy. I have shot 1/2" groups at 300 yards with this combo. With 64 Gr, I get 3093 FPS with single digit ES and SD from a 26" barrel.

Just started testing it this year. Have heard all of the temp swing and pressure stories, but haven't seen anything yet. Looking for it though. Hope it is as Outlaw says, having more to do with tuning and finding the middle of a node than anything else.

Good luck with your load.

Don't take my word as Gospel I'm just sharing my experience from the perspective of a shooter who's use a LOT of Alliant powder over the last decade. I feel the extra steps to tune a load is worth the hassle & has shown it's merit. It may or it may not work for individual situations.

BTW- Barrelnut, what primer are you running?


t

 

[MontanaRifleman]

My max load for 180 E-Tips in a SAKO M85 was 67.5 gr of RL17 which produced 3200 fps out of a 24 3/8" barrel.

67 gr pushed 210 VLD to 2930

As has been mentioned, start low and work up. Every rifle is different.

 

[Barrelnut]

BTW- Barrelnut, what primer are you running?

Use Fed215M now. Did use Fed210M with H4350 for quite a while. Seems a lot of folks do. Then while working with the RL 17, I found that I was getting better SD with the 215M. Seems I could never get the SD in the single digits with the 210M, best was around 14 - 16. With 215M it was like 5 - 7. So I stayed with the 215M.

 

[Pa Grizz]

I haven't had that issue. One theory I've heard is that RL-17 doesn't tend to show signs of pressure until you're quite a bit over max which makes the temp swings even more pronounced. I've been using RL-17 in a Lazz Patriot (short mag) for years under the 168TTSX @ ~3400fps. If you're seeing huge temp swings i'd recommend First a primer test to see if you can lower your ES then back the powder charge down a bit & see what happens. You may also try a standard primer instead of the magnum, John Lazzeroni actually recommended I switch from the 215M to the 210M in my Lazz'... I almost fell off my chair but i'm giving it a try with a 190vld & RL-17 Ladder test in the near future.

I'm starting to believe more & more that temp stability is a more of a scapegoat than it should be. I'm finding that an optimal charge weight, primer & OAL combo have far more to do with it than Powder brand (I could be wrong, god knows it wouldn't be the first time ). I actually just read a report where the vaunted H4350 was swinging somewhere betwene 50-80fps in a 6.5 'creed over a range of temps.... makes you think doesn't it?

With my minor experience with the short mags & RL-17 (in 30cal anyway) shows that it produces a LOT more velocity than standard powder making the the WSM a true equivelant to the 300win mag. It may not work for everyone but if you suffer from tinkeritis as bad as I do, a couple tests never hurt .


t

I have tried the change you have listed,but did not see much change last summer.The one test I did try was putting some of the ammo in the frig over night and put them in a cooler to take to the range and I shot a 1/2 inch 5 shot group in 80 degree day.The next night I put them in the truck and went back the next morning and could not do better than a1 1/2 inch group.Was it the powder or my shooting was off the 2nd day .Who knows,