Reloader 26 30-06 question

[Keith1]

What happened was that on another forum people were getting super speed and accuracy with RL26 and a 270 Winchester. Some were reporting using 63 grains of powder and 150 Partitions. I got up to 60.8 grains of RL26 and checked the velocity and it was 3140 FPS from a 24 inch barrel with zero high pressure signs. I was measuring case head expansion, opening bolt resistance, primer cratering, just everything and still got a big surprise.
I now use 59.8 grains of powder and that produces 3060 FPS and that's enough for me.
My 30/06 load with RL26 is a Quickload load. There is not even a hint of anything being to much. For me RL26 is a very good powder but just be cautious because that high speed for sure comes from high pressure. Regards

 

[wsq]

Reloader 23 worked well in a 280ai for me

 

[Mike 338]

I noticed that Alliant lists the 270 Win as a published load for 26. Can't imagine they didn't test for the '06. I know this powder is tops in the velocity department but how's it for accuracy, generally speaking?

 

[NEMTHunter]

I noticed that Alliant lists the 270 Win as a published load for 26. Can't imagine they didn't test for the '06. I know this powder is tops in the velocity department but how's it for accuracy, generally speaking?

So far I have found it to be good in the consistency end of things. Bullets touching @ 100 Yards is good IMHO for hunting like I do. As with all powders you need to find the sweet spot for your set up.

 

[Calvin45]

Man this rl 26 stuff really does sound almost magical (and mythical - many have claimed to have seen it but i don't know... ). It's burn rate seems to be "whatever you need it to be". I'm not being sarcastic or facetious it's really astounding that it's giving such crazy numbers in truly overbore magnums and in cartridges like the 30-06 and 6,5 creed. Based on how it seems to be the highest performer in such a broad range of case-to-bore ratio rifle cartridges I guess the rational thing to do is have someone try it as a pistol or shot gun powder, it's probably the best for those applications too! Just imagine, one powder that works perfectly in everything from a .45 colt to a .30-378. Now I am being sarcastic of course but all kidding aside I had swore based on availability that i wasn't even going to mess around with rl 26 if I did find it because it would be a one time discovery in all likelihood, but dang this is intriguing.

 

[wsq]

You think you have a good load and try reloader 26 and get an extra 100-120 FPS and stability right off the bat without much work that was the case with my 270 wsm over h1000 don't have enough to do anymore can't find any

 

[NEMTHunter]

I am going to try it in a .243 win with 95 Berger VLDs. Should work great from the load data I have seen. The data says 3200 in a 24" barrel. We shall see what I get. Will be shooting it out of a 22" barrel. Should get 3150 but time will tell.

 

[Mike 338]

Man this rl 26 stuff really does sound almost magical (and mythical - many have claimed to have seen it but i don't know... ). It's burn rate seems to be "whatever you need it to be".

Well said.

Personally, if I needed my '06 to run at magnum speeds, I'd just get a magnum and operate it at normal pressures. Mind blown!

 

[NEMTHunter]

Slower powder that creates more FPS does not have to do it by more pressure. To many time people see the speed and say you did it with higher pressure then the last powder even though the slower pressure shows less pressure or no pressure signs compared to the slower burning powder.

If you look at a reloaders manual you can pick out the slower powders. Almost every time they have more speed with the same pressure as the faster burning powders and some times they have less speed AND less pressure than the slow burning powder because they ran out of space in the case and that limited the amount powder in the case.
Bullets, as we know, can play a part in needing faster or slower powders.


In simple terms. Just because the slower burning powder has a higher FPS than the faster burning powder does not mean it's done with a higher pressure.

Slower burning powder burns slower as in it last longer and in almost every case the extra speed is not from more pressure. But maintaining the pressure longer in the barrel. And that, in turn, makes the bullet leave the power faster since it was pushed with the same pressure longer. It's as simple as that.

 

[Calvin45]

Slower powder that creates more FPS does not have to do it by more pressure. To many time people see the speed and say you did it with higher pressure then the last powder even though the slower pressure shows less pressure or no pressure signs compared to the slower burning powder.

If you look at a reloaders manual you can pick out the slower powders. Almost every time they have more speed with the same pressure as the faster burning powders and some times they have less speed AND less pressure than the slow burning powder because they ran out of space in the case and that limited the amount powder in the case.
Bullets, as we know, can play a part in needing faster or slower powders.


In simple terms. Just because the slower burning powder has a higher FPS than the faster burning powder does not mean it's done with a higher pressure.

Slower burning powder burns slower as in it last longer and in almost every case the extra speed is not from more pressure. But maintaining the pressure longer in the barrel. And that, in turn, makes the bullet leave the power faster since it was pushed with the same pressure longer. It's as simple as that.

True. That being said some of these new powders seem to have really fine tuned pressure curve (maintains given pressure for longer) so that they generate higher fps than would be possible with some of the older powders of equal burn rate.

 

[Calvin45]

Well said.

Personally, if I needed my '06 to run at magnum speeds, I'd just get a magnum and operate it at normal pressures. Mind blown!

Yeah but just think...you could get the magnum running at ultra mag velocities. Or the ultra mag at....super duper mega ultra magnum velocities?

 

[Mike 338]

I am going to try it in a .243 win with 95 Berger VLDs. Should work great from the load data I have seen. The data says 3200 in a 24" barrel. We shall see what I get. Will be shooting it out of a 22" barrel. Should get 3150 but time will tell.

I hear 26 is the stuff for the 243. Got me a pound floating around somewhere but due to the scarcity, I figured, what's the point in working up a great load that you can't reproduce.

 

[NEMTHunter]

I hear 26 is the stuff for the 243. Got me a pound floating around somewhere but due to the scarcity, I figured, what's the point in working up a great load that you can't reproduce.

I hear the same thing. Now I aim to find out. When the time comes and I want more 8-pound jugs it will be.

 

[ZReed85]

Running 185 vld hunting over RL 26 at 2905fps average in my 06 serengeti with no pressure signs.

I've ran it from 20 degrees to 90 degrees same load.

2890 at 20 and highest jump I had at 90 was 2912