I tried RL-26 in several cartridges and found not much difference from other slow burning powders except in the 270 Win and 300 Win mag. This powder really came to life in these rounds. Mind you I was never able to achieve some of the #'s posted here but prior to using RL-26 the highest velocity I was able to get in my 270 ( Browning BBR 22" barrel) with 150 gr bullets was 2790 Ft/sec. With RL-26 I could safely up that to 2900 ft/sec. A respectable gain of a little over 100 ft/sec. In my 300 WM with other slow burners and 180 gr bullets 3100 ft/sec was my normal max with my 24" barrel . RL-26 upped this to 3225 ft/sec, a gain of 125 ft/sec along with great accuracy and safe pressure. JME
.270 Win + RL26 = Holy Cow
- Thread starter Muddyboots
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Calvin45
Well-Known Member
If the stuff ever becomes readily and reliably available I'm trying it, all the more in light of your report. 270 win and .300 win mag are my 2 primary hunting cartridges I use for everything.
MT Southpaw
Member
I started down this rabbit hole with my Rem 700 270 and a 22" barrel about 4 years ago. I had always shot 130gr in the 270 win and was given a ton of older 150gr bullets, so I decided to find the max velocity I could push them for coyote hunting. The max i could find in any book was from a older manual that showed 2900 as max with RL19. Fast forward a year and I get a .243 so I started looking up max heavy target loads and kept seeing RL26 as the best for heavy bullets in .243 as well as 270. Alliant showed over 3000fps, but Every forum had people saying 3200 easy so I get some and I had over 3200 fps with no pressure signs with 62gr RL26 but 3-4" pattern so I knew I needed a 1:8 twist per the twist rate formula. Long story short I now have a 26" 1:8 twist Proof Carbon fiber chambered in 270 A.I. (purely for decreased case stretch, not velocity increase) that shoots 150gr Accubond Long Range bullets at a little over 3200fps with magnum primers and a .325" four shot group at 100 yards. Now I will say I did have a primer pop out with 63 grains of RL26 And a magnum primer in the A.I. but that was just trying to see what max could be.
Saskquatch6
Well-Known Member
Perfect timing for this post Muddyboots. This fall I found a deal on a stainless Rem 700 270Win 24" and planned to rebarrel to one of the fast 6.5's possibly 6.5x55AI as I already have brass, dies etc. Since it was going to be a winter project I added a TriggerTech and thought I'd shoot it a bit first - 140 ABs and some R22 - 3030 FPS - and surprising .7 moa accuracy with little fuss. I have to admit I'm now hooked on the 270! After reading about R26/270W on here a while back I started looking for some and just found a few pounds of pixie last week. Hoping to build some good loads with 150 ABLR (suggestions welcome). Son took a beautiful mule deer buck with it this fall - and with the 150's think it'll be a great rig for anything we want to hunt up here. No doubt this rifle will be staying as a 270 Win - at least as long as this barrel lasts. Permanent member of 270 Win fan club.
D
Deleted member 115360
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I've got a new 1-8.5 twist 270 Weatherby barrel and action at the Smith right now. I can't wait to see what those 170's are going to do. I'm hoping to hit 3,300 or so. Should be just nasty. I expect it to perform at close to 28 nosler capabilities. I'm sure it's been done by people in this forum, but I think it will be nasty.
That chair popper and the antelope eating popcorn that Fenix posts are classics. They make me smile on a crappy day.
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
Capecove: fyi- 150 ablr with rl26 in my 24" brl hit 3075 where I hit first sign of pressure with ejector mark, primer still not flattened, bolt lift normal. This is with Hornady brass at 3.42 coal which does help pressure. So now working to see if the 170eol will be stable enough down range. Right on razor edge.
Also trying HH117. They should be screamers.
Also trying HH117. They should be screamers.
Patriot007
Well-Known Member
With all the Hype about the .270, and a plus, my little brother just bought a used one from the pawn shop. He wants me to take a good look at it when time permits. I'm impressed with the numbers you and a couple of others have posted on this Cartridge. I've always viewed this cartridge as Stickley a hunting round. It would be fun to tweak the pee out of it. I just fire formed some brand new 6.5CM Lapua LRP brass with the 142gn Sierra MatchKing HPBT with 47.6gn of RL-26, CBTO 2.2700, Federal LRP Mag Match primers. Five shot group AVG 3010, Ed 31.3, SD 12.7, The group was slightly under 1" @ 100yds. This is the first firing on these cases with just a little flattening of the primers. This is also out of a 26" BBL Howa 1500 1:8 twist and chrono on my LabRadar.
I wonder if you prefer 26"! I was actually thinking 25-26" just to reach 3100 for the 170EOL just to have nice "round" number to work with.
I did not see any real visible signs of pressure on primers, no ejector sign except for very slight mark on top load for the 170. No bolt lift at all. Will post up pocket tightness once I cycle this brass.
The LRH capability gets interesting and proves to me why I prefer the .270 over the T-Rex 6.5CM.
Pass the popcorn please
To keep this on topic, you just can't beat a heavy bullets and RL-26. The slow burn rate of the powder, "RL-26" and a heavy bullet equals high velocity and lower pressure when tweaked right. I will move my seating out, in two groups to 2.2730 and 2.2750 and that should bring the group in to at least a half inch or better. Provided that I do my part behind the trigger. Good luck Sir, Keep me posted.
texagvet23
Well-Known Member
Might look at the Weatherby 6.5 RPM. Fits on a standard bolt face and holds 82 grains of powder. We are thinking 156 EOL at 3100 will be well within the capabilities of this round.
And there it is .......... you can't have a thread without a Flat Bill hat wearing Man Bun cartridge comparison
Muddyboots
Well-Known Member
Ok, just processed brass. The last 3 of each load had primer pockets too loose to use which I thought may happen with Hornady brass. Load going forward will still likely be 3000. Will report on next load.
get some Peterson brass. I use it side by side with Hornady in a couple calibers the Peterson has less capacity but holds pressure better. nothing wrong with Hornady brass as long as it is loaded within its limits.
Here is an interesting read on recent improvements in the performance of the 270 Win. The author attributes said improvements to the post 9-11 War on Terror and the attention to improving all ammunition. The author also mentioned improved projectiles available starting in the '90's.
