Reloader 22 powder for 300 win mag

[601handryan]

Does anyone here have experience with RL22 with a 300 win mag? I did some load work-up last weekend and had some good results with this powder. Initially when i got my 300 I was convinced that H1000 was the go-to powder of choice so I bought several pounds of it. Shooting the 190 grain Berger VLD Match Hunter I am getting better muzzle velocities and smaller groups with the RL22. I am going to try the H1000 with the 210 grain Bergers later (not giving up on the H1000 just yet). There is so much on RL22 being temp sensitive. What temperatures are we calling temp sensitive. I live in south MS and lately the temps have been all over the pace. 85 degrees one day and 30 the next. I am getting .318" groups using the RL22 and haven't even started playing with seating depths yet. Also seeing minimal variencies in muzzle velocity. Bottom line is I like this Powder/ Bullet combo and was wondering if anyone else was using this and what kind of results were you getting.
Thanks,
Ryan

 

[brentc]

You're no different than most that try RL22 in the 300 Win. It is a fantastic powder for many. As for temp stability, you'll have to test it to see if it's something you can live with. It's no different than other double base powders in that it is going to be more temp sensitive than it's single base brothers. There are times that you'll swear it's the best propellant made and there may be times that you wish you had never tried it.

It sounds to me like you have the right conditions to test for stability, take it out it in the coldest part of the day and record the velocity, then take it out during the hottest time and compare the results to see if you can live with it.

 

[alaska]

The RL22 is the correct powder for the 180 to 190gr bullets in the 300 Win

H1000 works great for the heavier 220 Sierra MK and Berger 230 OTM in the 300 Win

 

[mountainman56]

I use RL22 in many rifles with very good results. Also use MRP (supposedly the same as RL22) in a custom 300 Win with 200 gr lrx. Load development was done for my friend in West Texas at 3000 feet. Marco Polo sheep was harvested in Tajikistan at 14000 feet and 582 yards, Ibex @ 460 yards, Afghan Urial @ 300 yards...... all one shot kills.

 

[marioq]

What's your starting charge for the 22 and 180 bergers??? What you end with????

 

[601handryan]

i dont have my info in front of me. all that is written in a log book that i take shooting with me. i do know that i ended at 74 grains of RL22. that is max published load in Berger manual. Showing know signs of over pressure. Getting MV of around 3085fps shooting the 190 grain VLD hunter. i cant remember what my starting load was but i remember it being the best and coming in at a MV of around 2850fps. there were about three loads that shot decent grpoups and ill tweak those again when i get home and can shoot more. i also have 2-3 different loads that are above max published loads.

 

[Engineering101]

601handryan

Yep RL-22 sucks for temp stability as does it's big brother RL-25. Other than that they are great powders. I quit using both of them in favor of temp stable powders like H1000 and Ramshot Magnum which are two of the most stable.

Of course Alliant noticed the knock on their powders and produced RL-23 which is made for them by Bofors in Sweden. This powder uses the new "TZ tech" and anti copper treatment. (AR Comp was the first to use this technology.) It is supposed to be very good for temp stability and has a burn rate similar to RL-22. Logic indicates that it could be used as a replacement for RL-22. The same is not necessarily true of RL-26 versus RL-25. The former has a burn rate between RL-25 and RL-33 and has a temp drift of 0.5 fps per degree F. It falls into the RL-50/RL-33/RL-17 family and is made for Alliant by Nitrochemie in Switzerland. These powders use a tech called "EI" (the granuales are impregnated with burn rate controller) and they also have anticopper capabilities - except for RL-17. Personally I find the performance RL-33 provides to be so outstanding that I will live with the moderate temp drift which is not nearly as bad as RL-22/RL-25.

 

[alaska]

You are absolutely dead on
I think the military and afagastan got them to change

 

[601handryan]

No offense bro but you had me completely confused with all that. That's a lot of information for an ole redneck to take in. That's good stuff though. Are you shooting the RL33 from a 300 win mag?

 

[alaska]

No using H1000 in the 300 Win and my Lapua

I can get H1000 easier up here, but I have a pound of RL 33 that is unopened.

Trying to keep it simple......

 

[601handryan]

i am going to try the H1000 again when i get home with the 210 Hunting VLD and some 215 hybrids if i can get them.

 

[roninflag]

re-22 and 210 berger are awesome out of the three senderos i load for

 

[tbrice23]

75.0 to 76.0 gr seems to be a sweet spot with 180gr bullets 3050 to 3075 fps in 24"barrels.

Also 75° seems to be the point where I'm getting pressure spikes with 2 different 300 WM with RL 22.

 

[alaska]

Yes 76.0 with RL 22 with 180gr AB in the 300 WM

Is my load with 180gr in my 26" 5r