243 powder ? Which one from my inventory?

grouse said:
It's all I have right now. Inventory is scarce out there. I'll buy what I can find.
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Keep looking and scoop up that Hybrid V when you see it. Great for lots of calibers. Staball 6.5 by Winchester is awesome as is Hod superformance. The last two are essentially the same with better SDs with the win powder.

I have had good results with that 4831 with cci 450 mag pri and alpha brass in the 6CM 90gr bgr projectile
 
BFD Guns said:
Did you need mag primers?
Click to expand...
No sir. I run 210's. Mag primer is really only effective in long magnum cartridges where you have large powder column and need that extra push to get things really going. Mag primers do work with slow powders but the net effect is a dice roll whether it is better or not for performance.

Also, I run RL26 in 2 6.5 creeds, a 6 creed pistol, 6.5-284, PRC. I have retumbo, h1000, rl16, H4350, H100v, Varget, n560, n565, and several others. RL26 is my go to and I've never had issue with it that sway from me using it. I've shot -10 to 100 and my dope doesn't change. Example, I am shooting steel all summer and will predator hunt all winter. I killed a pile of yotes this past winter from 500-1125 yards. I didn't miss any due to drop data being bad, if I missed it was a bad wind call. Coyote kill zones is small so having good data is legit. I don't subscribe to the bs that RL26 is a volatile powder.
 
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okie man said:
So it was early in my reloading years. I had done the start low, work up thing on several calibers. Each time I ended up with a near max load with great accuracy and no pressure signs. So along come a nice model 7 in 243. I'm going through the Hornady manual and I see a load for 95 grain sst and h1000. i had both on the shelf so I think, every time I work a load up, i safely reach max charge no problem with good accuracy. So I proceeded stuffing a max charge in 10 cases and seat bullets.
I took the gun and several others with me to the range. Break out the 243 and let one go. Recoil was pretty good for a 243 but it's a light rifle with a 18" barrel. Hit right in the center of target. went too open the bolt and it was pretty hard. Finally pop it open and the primer falls out. I was like screw that, I'm not shooting anymore. My buddy grabs it and says it must be a fluke, sends one down range. Almost hit the same hole but had too tap the bolt open with a chunk of 2x4. Case was ruined, gun survived. I pulled the rest of the bullets and started over with IMR4831 and followed the basic rules of reloading.
Wish I had a chronograph because I bet the 2 shots were fast. Too this day I do not take short cuts or random loads found on the internet . My foolish friend was not so wise. He later exploded 2 -270 rifles, blew his truck window out, lost a thumb and ripped a Leupold scope in two with the same batch of reloads.
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Thank you for taking the time to share the story. Very instructional and a good couple of examples to follow the basic rules of loading. Every gun is different and in it's own unique way.
 
BrentM said:
No sir. I run 210's. Mag primer is really only effective in long magnum cartridges where you have large powder column and need that extra push to get things really going. Mag primers do work with slow powders but the net effect is a dice roll whether it is better or not for performance.

Also, I run RL26 in 2 6.5 creeds, a 6 creed pistol, 6.5-284, PRC. I have retumbo, h1000, rl16, H4350, H100v, Varget, n560, n565, and several others. RL26 is my go to and I've never had issue with it that sway from me using it. I've shot -10 to 100 and my dope doesn't change. Example, I am shooting steel all summer and will predator hunt all winter. I killed a pile of yotes this past winter from 500-1125 yards. I didn't miss any due to drop data being bad, if I missed it was a bad wind call. Coyote kill zones is small so having good data is legit. I don't subscribe to the bs that RL26 is a volatile powder.
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Well, I have experienced the large temp swing pressure spike and I know others that have. It may have something to do with load development as I stated in my earlier post. I developed my load in 50-60 degree weather in my 6.5 Creed and in my 65 PRC and settled at about .3-.5 grains under where I experienced max pressure. Shot 150-200 rounds with no issues in the creed last fall and spring and this past summer shot it around 90 degree temps and had very bad ejector marks and hard bolt lift from the same batch of loads I had shot in 50-60 degrees. I unloaded 10 of them out of the 50 I had left and backed down a full grain and no more pressure at 90 degree temps. I went back out last week and shot the original full load early in the morning when in the mid-high 60's and no more pressure, shot early afternoon in the 90s and pressure again. I tend to run my loads right on the edge of max pressure but I won't with RL26 anymore. No "BS" here just the facts of my experiences. Same thing experienced with my 65 PRC. If I run RL26 I will run it 1-2 grains under my max pressure signs or develop the load when it's hot out already. I really like the powder but I have had some issues with it in large temp swings. Glad you are having such good luck with it.
 
jgs8163 said:
Well, I have experienced the large temp swing pressure spike and I know others that have. It may have something to do with load development as I stated in my earlier post. I developed my load in 50-60 degree weather in my 6.5 Creed and in my 65 PRC and settled at about .3-.5 grains under where I experienced max pressure. Shot 150-200 rounds with no issues in the creed last fall and spring and this past summer shot it around 90 degree temps and had very bad ejector marks and hard bolt lift from the same batch of loads I had shot in 50-60 degrees. I unloaded 10 of them out of the 50 I had left and backed down a full grain and no more pressure at 90 degree temps. I went back out last week and shot the original full load early in the morning when in the mid-high 60's and no more pressure, shot early afternoon in the 90s and pressure again. I tend to run my loads right on the edge of max pressure but I won't with RL26 anymore. No "BS" here just the facts of my experiences. Same thing experienced with my 65 PRC. If I run RL26 I will run it 1-2 grains under my max pressure signs or develop the load when it's hot out already. I really like the powder but I have had some issues with it in large temp swings. Glad you are having such good luck with it.
Click to expand...
Couple weeks ago my buddy had to beat his bolt open on a 6.5 creed. H4350 is all he uses and been running the same load for several years. His ranch is at 5500 feet and rarely seen 90 plus temps. That day it was 95. Wednesday we were shooting, it was 80. Same load, no problems but his primers looked a bit rough. It cycles and speed is a little high. I have the exact same issue with h1000 and retumbo in a 6.5-284. I learned a while ago that winter loads running on the hot side are a gamble. There is no powder that is not affected but some are more affected than others. I have added it up and have shot 750000 grains of rl26 with an average of 50 grains per case (all cases i use it in averaged) which is 107 lbs. I had a pile of 8 lb jugs all over the shop I was hoarding for some reason. Wife said I needed therapy. Did I have an issue with RL26, yep, did I back off a hot as heck charge, yep. I ran my 22" PRC with a 156 at 2910, a 135 at 3100, and a 143 at 3040. Those seem to be solid numbers for the cartridge from what I can tell, meaning not overly hot or but not a light load. I check data during the winter and summer since I shoot and hunt all year for predators. I get very little fps and sd differences and enjoy the upper level fps for the cartridges it seems.
 
Interesting-
BrentM said:
Couple weeks ago my buddy had to beat his bolt open on a 6.5 creed. H4350 is all he uses and been running the same load for several years. His ranch is at 5500 feet and rarely seen 90 plus temps. That day it was 95. Wednesday we were shooting, it was 80. Same load, no problems but his primers looked a bit rough. It cycles and speed is a little high. I have the exact same issue with h1000 and retumbo in a 6.5-284. I learned a while ago that winter loads running on the hot side are a gamble. There is no powder that is not affected but some are more affected than others. I have added it up and have shot 750000 grains of rl26 with an average of 50 grains per case (all cases i use it in averaged) which is 107 lbs. I had a pile of 8 lb jugs all over the shop I was hoarding for some reason. Wife said I needed therapy. Did I have an issue with RL26, yep, did I back off a hot as heck charge, yep. I ran my 22" PRC with a 156 at 2910, a 135 at 3100, and a 143 at 3040. Those seem to be solid numbers for the cartridge from what I can tell, meaning not overly hot or but not a light load. I check data during the winter and summer since I shoot and hunt all year for predators. I get very little fps and sd differences and enjoy the upper level fps for the cartridges it seems.
Click to expand...

Interesting- When thouse of you who have backed off of your marginally max charges which presumably are at an accuracy node, do you back off in small increments to find the next node down? Or are you still in the same node?
Oldtime Shooter13 said:
Agree, H4350 is a great powder. I use it in almost everything I load for from 6CM to 30-06. That's why you can't buy it?
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Yeah, once the 6.5CM got accepted in the reloading world H4350 became a chimera at shops. It was interesting to see. But Hogdon saw the demand and must have increased their output because it became widely available again at some point. Before that I think Varget was kind of the "it" powder in that speed range, and after people experimented enough with 4350 and wanted to squeeze more speed out of the 6.5, RL26 became the darling of many reloaders. Funny how we obsess over 100 - 150 fps.
 
BrentM said:
Couple weeks ago my buddy had to beat his bolt open on a 6.5 creed. H4350 is all he uses and been running the same load for several years. His ranch is at 5500 feet and rarely seen 90 plus temps. That day it was 95. Wednesday we were shooting, it was 80. Same load, no problems but his primers looked a bit rough. It cycles and speed is a little high. I have the exact same issue with h1000 and retumbo in a 6.5-284. I learned a while ago that winter loads running on the hot side are a gamble. There is no powder that is not affected but some are more affected than others. I have added it up and have shot 750000 grains of rl26 with an average of 50 grains per case (all cases i use it in averaged) which is 107 lbs. I had a pile of 8 lb jugs all over the shop I was hoarding for some reason. Wife said I needed therapy. Did I have an issue with RL26, yep, did I back off a hot as heck charge, yep. I ran my 22" PRC with a 156 at 2910, a 135 at 3100, and a 143 at 3040. Those seem to be solid numbers for the cartridge from what I can tell, meaning not overly hot or but not a light load. I check data during the winter and summer since I shoot and hunt all year for predators. I get very little fps and sd differences and enjoy the upper level fps for the cartridges it seems.
Click to expand...
I get a very similar velocity out of my 22" 65PRC running the 144 Berger with H4831SC. Just under 3k fps. Runs super clean also.
What "tharapy" was to your linking? Range time therapy?
 
BrentM said:
No sir. I run 210's. Mag primer is really only effective in long magnum cartridges where you have large powder column and need that extra push to get things really going. Mag primers do work with slow powders but the net effect is a dice roll whether it is better or not for performance.

Also, I run RL26 in 2 6.5 creeds, a 6 creed pistol, 6.5-284, PRC. I have retumbo, h1000, rl16, H4350, H100v, Varget, n560, n565, and several others. RL26 is my go to and I've never had issue with it that sway from me using it. I've shot -10 to 100 and my dope doesn't change. Example, I am shooting steel all summer and will predator hunt all winter. I killed a pile of yotes this past winter from 500-1125 yards. I didn't miss any due to drop data being bad, if I missed it was a bad wind call. Coyote kill zones is small so having good data is legit. I don't subscribe to the bs that RL26 is a volatile powder.
Click to expand...
I respect your opinion but have to respectfully disagree on magnum primmer as a dice roll. I see you own (I'm assuming) two 6.5CM so, you might be surprised to know FOR THAT CARTRIDGE; CCI 450 is the most widely used primer, by a huge margin too. Look at the attached graph..in the nat/international [USA) competitors circuit.
Doesn't seem like snake eyes to me.
 

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Starlite said:
I respect your opinion but have to respectfully disagree on magnum primmer as a dice roll. I see you own (I'm assuming) two 6.5CM so, you might be surprised to know FOR THAT CARTRIDGE; CCI 450 is the most widely used primer, by a huge margin too. Look at the attached graph..in the nat/international [USA) competitors circuit.
Doesn't seem like snake eyes to me.
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Do you understand that those are lapau cases running the small primer and small primer hole? I don't run a small primer and hole and don't know many hunters who do. So, you have a valid point but in this example the range for the use is very narrow but also quite valid.
 
jgs8163 said:
I get a very similar velocity out of my 22" 65PRC running the 144 Berger with H4831SC. Just under 3k fps. Runs super clean also.
What "tharapy" was to your linking? Range time therapy?
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"Tharapy"? The wife thinks I need a mental evaluation. Shooting is a form of therapy for me and when you burn through that much ammo its kind of expensive. It winds up being around 13-13500 rounds and at 1.00 per round, minus replacing barrels, match entry fees, fuel, time... I don't have any cheap hobbies it appears. Maybe she's right.
 
BrentM said:
"Tharapy"? The wife thinks I need a mental evaluation. Shooting is a form of therapy for me and when you burn through that much ammo its kind of expensive. It winds up being around 13-13500 rounds and at 1.00 per round, minus replacing barrels, match entry fees, fuel, time... I don't have any cheap hobbies it appears. Maybe she's right.
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Sounds like your bank account is as active as your trigger finger!
 

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