6mm-284 & RL-26 LOADS

[tbeasley]

Hey 6-284 guys, any of you using RL26 in your loadings.
I'd like to see what some are getting either with 105's, 107's, or 115's?

I currently run RL26 in my .243 Win using 115dtac and 45.5gr getting 3110fps. Accuracy is really good too.

Curious what ya'lls findings are

 

[the jigger]

I use RL26 in my 243Ackley. With Hornady 105 Match I'm getting 3365fps and sub-MOA consistently. With Sierra 95 match Kings I'm getting 3435fps with Sub-MOA.
The rifle is a Jim Borden.
GOOD LUCK and GOOD SHOOTING!!!

 

[travisblossom72]

I'm amazed that any of the 6-284 crowd hasn't tried RL-26. The biggest problem i'm having is finding a starting point. I have a couple pounds and will be trying it out at some point. I want to shoot the 105 amax's around 3400. I have found good loads in retumbo and RL33, but at lower speeds. 31-3300 with best accuracy closer to the 3100. Shoots consistant 1/2" with good ES at the lesser loads. Opens up a bit when i push them to 33-3400. I'm reading guys are getting straight up 243 velocities up there with that bullet. Seems like the 284 should be able to do it with less effort. No data for the 6-284 and RL26 though. Love shooting this fast 6!! I have some 87 burgers that shoot pretty good also but don't blow up quite like i want. May try some amax's. The amax will be awesome if i can get a real solid 3400 load.

 

[travisblossom72]

I don't know if this will reach anyone, but no-one responded to my request so I made my best educated guess as to a starting point and went for it today. RL 26 works very well in my gun. I have a savage 116 that started as a 6.5-284. I rebarreled it to a 6-284 as i'm in the process of making a 26 nobler and didn't see the point of having two 6.5 guns. All of my loads are shot over a oehler 35P. I started off at 54 and worked my way up in .5 grain increments. Listed are the loads I shot. This is with a 105 Amax bullet, RL26, Lapua brass, 210M primer, turned necks. I'm listing grains, average velocity, velocity ES, SD, ES three shot group.
Weather: 63--tail wind--3-5 mph
54.0--3262--42--22--.709 Fouler group
54.5--3327--37--18--1.104 Two in the same hole and one 1" low. Suspect flyer.
55.0--3371--25--17--0.640
55.5--3411--44--22--0.669
56.0--3442--27--13--0.743
56.5--3476--40--21--0.439
57.0--3501--28--14--0.730
57.5--3542--10--05--0.759
58.0--3581--Hard extraction and bolt lift.

I think on a better day the groups could tighten up. The range was super busy today, so we went to another place we shoot and setup shooting out of the back of my truck and it wasn't ideal as we set up pretty good shooting with the wind at our back but it was moving the truck a bit. 56.5 and 57.5 are going to get a closer look. I don't love pushing up against max like that but man the data looks to promising. That 105 amax with a 5 BC and moving 3550 has the potential to be a coyote killing combo. Now i'll have to shoot some 105 bergers for a deer load. Maybe even some 115's. Hope this helps someone.

 

[AZShooter]

Any load that gets close to 3500 fps with a 105 from a 6mm-284 with a 28-30" barrel is outstanding. You didn't mention the length of your barrel. If you are getting iver 3500 fps with shorter barrel report back when you have fired a case three times with your primer pocket tightness report.

When I had a 6mm-284 I used RL-33 with a 28" barrel and got just under 3500 fps. I would appear that RL-26 is just a bit better for this cartridge.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

What was your load with RL33? I just started playing with my new 6-284. So far I've only shot RL25 and it shoots well. Haven't run it over the chrono so I don't have a speed for it yet.

Here are a couple of the first 3 shot groups with it. The three on the bottom left were from zeroing the scope.

Aaron

 

[travisblossom72]

Any load that gets close to 3500 fps with a 105 from a 6mm-284 with a 28-30" barrel is outstanding. You didn't mention the length of your barrel. If you are getting iver 3500 fps with shorter barrel report back when you have fired a case three times with your primer pocket tightness report.

When I had a 6mm-284 I used RL-33 with a 28" barrel and got just under 3500 fps. I would appear that RL-26 is just a bit better for this cartridge.

The barrel is a 26" shilen heavy varmint 1:8 with a 4 ratchet twist. I fired the lapua brass 4x's as 6.5x284 before i knecked it down. It will be interesting to compare the brass I have for this setup. I have a 100 of the lapua that will be on its 6th load soon and a 100 nosler going on its 2nd. The lapua I annealed before knecking down and the nosler i didn't need to as it was new and still nice and soft. I can shoot about 9 down the tube comfortably. Thats on a 60 degree day. It gets warm but not even close to hot. Thanks for jumping in AZ. I think i've read every thread there is on this site about the 6-284. Your info was great on RL33. I didn't see the increase in velocity from Retumbo to RL 33. But got good loads in both. RL23 and RL26 were intriguing because they are supposed to be not temp stable but predictable is how they say it on alliant's site. I also like the idea of the decoppering agent they have. I have both but started with the RL 26 because I thought the slower powder might do a little better with the 105+ bullets. I will also try some 87's probably the vmax at some point and probably start with the RL23. I shot some bergers and they shot lights out but I'm going for destruction on impact and I think they will have a tendency to pinhole lighter skinned animals. I should just order my 2nd barrel now R & D is too much fun. I'm close to the next step which will be confirming a couple of the loads and shooting some 10 strings so i can start stretching this baby out.

 

[travisblossom72]

What was your load with RL33? I just started playing with my new 6-284. So far I've only shot RL25 and it shoots well. Haven't run it over the chrono so I don't have a speed for it yet.

Here are a couple of the first 3 shot groups with it. The three on the bottom left were from zeroing the scope.

Aaron

Those are nice looking groups. I haven't shot any RL25 but here is some info on Retumbo and RL 33. grains--av velocity--SD--ES 3 shot group.
46-55 degree partly cloudy 1-3 tail wind

RL33
57.3--3083--26--0.522
58.1--3123--08--0.413
58.7--3151--11--0.488
59.3--3224--11--0.199**I wish they were all this good!!!
59.9--3244--13--0.752
60.5--3276--13--0.927**2 same hole and one 0.927 jump up. Suspect flyer.
61.1--3311--15--0.575**Slight extractor marks.
61.7--3369--05--0.763**Extractor marks. I stopped here because as I was loading these the case was getting pretty full. This seemed to be slightly compressed or getting close. I don't have a drop tube so that may have helped settle this down a bit better. May be able to push past this but probably getting close.

Retumbo
57.0--3293--09--0.651
57.5--3310--12--1.484**2 about 1/2" with 1 about 1" low and 1" left. Suspect flyer.
58.1--3345--12--0.918
58.7--3373--10--0.563**Slight bolt lift stiffness in the last quarter of lift.
59.3--Chronograph error.**Bolt lift and extraction is stiff.

58.7--3355--08--0.805 5 shot group
58.7--3377--15--0.870 5 shot group**Slight bolt lift stiffness in the last quarter of lift.

 

[AZShooter]

By the time I got to try RL-33 with the 105 Berger hybrids the barrel had many rounds through it so the throat was a quite worn. Also want to add that seating depth is set so loaded ammo would fit and feed from a Wyatt's mag box in a SA Remington. Jump to lands .065"

I ended up with 64 gr of RL-33 as my fastest yet accurate load for velocity of 3485 fps. Requires a drop tube to get the powder to fit. There was one poster that tried to work up that far and his rifle showed signs of pressure so anyone reading this please work up carefully.


I made up a different load for a 24" Rem 243 takeoff that I rechambered for the 6mm-284. Used 95 gr classic hunter bullet and 54 gr of RL-17 for a velocity of 3435 fps @ 45 degrees. My friend shot his largest coues wt (made book) ever with that load.

-----------------------------------

AND for anyone interested shot some 55 gr ballistic tips from that same 24" barrel and a second 243 takeoff I rechambered for one on my rifles.

55 gr nosler bt fed 210 primer Lapua brass
53 gr of Varget
Velocity 4178 fps

This load was amazingly accurate and super flat shooting. I shot several rock rats and jackrabbits with it with very explosive results.
trajectory:

100 0.7
125 0.9
150 1.0
175 0.9
200 0.6
225 0.1
250 -0.5
275 -1.3
300 -2.4
325 -3.6
350 -5.1


If I were to try a different bullet I would certainly give RL-26 a try.....

 

[tbeasley]

Thanks to you guys for all the imput. I hope to add some to this thread as well. I need to get a reamer coming.

 

[nvreloader]

FWIW

I am running RL-26 out of a short barreled 21", Rem 700,
standard 284 with Nosler 140gr Part and getting 3155 fps,
shot over 2 different chrono's, with a 3-5 fps difference.

Also run this powder in my 7 RM case with 150 Nosler Part, for Deer/Elk etc.

Next test will be a 280 AI and 6 SLR case.

RL-26 is a outstanding powder.

Tia,
Don

 

[74bronco]

Don, did you try the r26 in your slr yet? I did with some 115 vldh slugs, aol 2.890, new first forming ww brass, br2 primers,
45g 5 shot ave 3065
45.5 ave 3110
46 ave 3145
46.5 ave 3160
47 ave 3185
stopped at 47, could of gone higher but didnt load test rds any higher, primers still looked good,bolt lift ez, no sign of extractor marks at 47, im going to do a seating test with the 46.5 load then call it good for my deer load .gun is rem 700 trued action,ptg stealth bottom medal, bobby hart laminate stock, krieger sendero 7.5 twist @ 27"
rl26 seems to be great in the slr with the 105-115 slugs.

 

[RockZ]

Best powder I have used for the 6-284 is Ramshot Magnum.

 

[BEEMAN]

I have a 22-284 shooting 80 gr Bergers. N570 and R25 both work great. Those are great speeds with a 105 GR bullet. I only run a 80 gr Berger at 3550-3600 fps out of a 27" Brux.