Reloader 17

[elkeater2]

Tried RL-17 in a M70 Coyote laminated 24" 7mmWSM with 140 AB's. WLR primers, Winchester brass (what else is there for the wsm?). There isn't much data out there. The Alliant site shows a Speer 130 boattail with 66.5 grains, and a Speer 145 boattail with 63.5, so we thought this was a reasonable set to start with:

63.5 gr. was 3150
64.0 gr 3180
64.5 gr 3215 Average of three shots each, no bolt lift or extractor marks.
We stopped there as we think that's enough velocity and recoil for my son to use hunting.

The 64.5 gr load shot to the exact same POI as 139 Hornady w/67.3 gr of RL-19 out of this rifle. Voila! Deer loads, elk loads, coyote loads, etc without changing sight settings.
elkeater2

 

[Big Squeeze]

Tried RL-17 in a M70 Coyote laminated 24" 7mmWSM with 140 AB's. WLR primers, Winchester brass (what else is there for the wsm?). There isn't much data out there. The Alliant site shows a Speer 130 boattail with 66.5 grains, and a Speer 145 boattail with 63.5, so we thought this was a reasonable set to start with:

63.5 gr. was 3150
64.0 gr 3180
64.5 gr 3215 Average of three shots each, no bolt lift or extractor marks.
We stopped there as we think that's enough velocity and recoil for my son to use hunting.

The 64.5 gr load shot to the exact same POI as 139 Hornady w/67.3 gr of RL-19 out of this rifle. Voila! Deer loads, elk loads, coyote loads, etc without changing sight settings.
elkeater2

....................What were your prior max velocities using other powders? Did you have a noticeable increase in velocity with RL17?

 

[elkeater2]

Big Squeeze
We did have the 139 Hornadys jacked up to over 3300 with RL-19, and the max charges vary book-to-book by at least two grains - from 68 or so to 70. We shot some at 69, and started getting extractor marks, so backed off to the 67.3 mentioned. That load is matching velocity with the one I mentioned with RL-17, but I think it (the RL-19 load) is generating a little more pressure.

I know some of the web info has 280 AI's kicking 140 gr. bullets out at higher velocity than the WSM loads, but I think that just proves if you dig deep enough you'll find someone pouring powder in, shooting their chronograph in the bright sun, and happy if the bolt still opens, and then they post it on the web as "OK in my rifle".

My favorite example is the 100 grain 25-06 loads on another site, using RL-25 to get 3660 fps. They must have been shooting out the door on the space shuttle.

That's the long windy answer to your question - This rifle is shooting well at the 3200 level, and we only dabbled in more velocity with other powders for a short time.

I will be using the Reloder 17 in a .308 Win., and in the 25-06 with heavier bullets just to see what it will do. I have a lot more data on those two rifles using several different powders and bullets, so I think I can judge better if Reloder 17 will give me real gains in either of them.

Elkeater2

 

[Big Squeeze]

Big Squeeze
We did have the 139 Hornadys jacked up to over 3300 with RL-19, and the max charges vary book-to-book by at least two grains - from 68 or so to 70. We shot some at 69, and started getting extractor marks, so backed off to the 67.3 mentioned. That load is matching velocity with the one I mentioned with RL-17, but I think it (the RL-19 load) is generating a little more pressure.

I know some of the web info has 280 AI's kicking 140 gr. bullets out at higher velocity than the WSM loads, but I think that just proves if you dig deep enough you'll find someone pouring powder in, shooting their chronograph in the bright sun, and happy if the bolt still opens, and then they post it on the web as "OK in my rifle".

My favorite example is the 100 grain 25-06 loads on another site, using RL-25 to get 3660 fps. They must have been shooting out the door on the space shuttle.

That's the long windy answer to your question - This rifle is shooting well at the 3200 level, and we only dabbled in more velocity with other powders for a short time.

I will be using the Reloder 17 in a .308 Win., and in the 25-06 with heavier bullets just to see what it will do. I have a lot more data on those two rifles using several different powders and bullets, so I think I can judge better if Reloder 17 will give me real gains in either of them.

Elkeater2

................Elk! I`m looking forward to seeing how the RL17 does in my 300 WSM with some further experiments in the 375 Ruger too..........If 21st century powder technology can increase performance without losing accuracy and without increasing barrel length, then I`m all for it. I am most curious to see what RL17 loaded up to the max (1/2 gr. below pressure signs) will do in my 300 compact.

 

[elkeater2]

Big Squeeze,

Glad you didn't take any of my snide remarks and previous rant personally, cuz they were just me being a SA :grin:

I should have explained more - my son is a wheelchair guy, and someone donated (very kindly) a Colorado cow elk setup for him next week. Although I've killed an embarrassing pile of elk with the old 139 Hornadys,
I wanted to give him the additional toughness of the AB's. Not because a cow elk is so bulletproof, but the muzzle velocity is about 300 fps more than my old 7mm/06 generates and I worried about them coming apart at close range. Don't want to be picking copper out of our teeth. The WSM is his and we've been wanting to come up with a more confidence building all around load. There, now you know!
I too am anxious to see how the new powder will do in my old non-magnum clunkers. I'll let you know.
Elkeater2