Reloading advice or firsthand experience please.

rmarshall

Handloader
Mar 10, 2010
399
91
I'm looking for a new powder or backup powders for the following calibers..
260 Rem
270 Win
7mm-08
280 Rem
I currently use R17 in the 260 and 7mm-08, R19 and R26 in the 270 and 280.
Locally I can get Big Game, R16, StaBall 6.5, R22 and R23. I know R22 is a great powder in the 270 and 280, and from the looks of it R16 looks like it works great in the 260, 270 and 280. No data I can find for the 7mm-08 but it would have to be a good one there. StaBall looks like it could be one that could cover the bases pretty well as well. I can't afford to buy them all so what direction should I go?
I'm thinking the R16 looks and sounds awesome. Bullet weights in the 260 would be 120 BT, 130 AccuBond, the 270 will be 130 Interbond, 140 AccuBond, the 7-08 will be 120 BT, 140 PT, and 140 BT, and the 280 will be 140 BT, 140 PT, 154 IB, and 160 AccuBond. Lets here your thoughts and experience and or Data.
Does quickload have Staball 6.5 in it to show data for the above cartridges? thanks all
 
RL16 is a little slow to get good velocities in the 7mm-08 for anything lighter than 140gr bullets. I couldn't put too much of it in the case, but I was able to get ALMOST 3000fps with a 140gr e-tip and magnum primers. The accuracy wasn't there for me so I stopped working with it. I think it would be excellent with a 160gr or 162gr bullet though.

I've read good stuff about Big game in the 7mm-08 but I haven't tried it. Last load development I was working on was with 120gr TTSX and IMR 3031...
 
RL22 hands down for the.270 !
I'm looking for a top powder for the 08. What kind of speeds are you getting with RL17 behind the 140?
 
I would be okay with Staball and RL26.. Those two would cover alot of ground. 26 or 23 are really nice for the heavies in the 06 sized cases.
 
SJB358":1mkexy3t said:
I would be okay with Staball and RL26.. Those two would cover alot of ground. 26 or 23 are really nice for the heavies in the 06 sized cases.
I have to agree as well!


Hawk

Sent from my REVVLRY+ using Tapatalk
 
for top velocities , you can't beat RL17 in the 7-08 . I use it with 140 Bergers . in the 260 I used RL17 for the 120's and RL26 for 140's . I have a few targets with load info , in this thread .

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=39051

I have no experience with a 270 or 280 .
 
The .270 & .280 works well with RL-22 & RL-26, along with StaBall 6.5.
RL-17 can be used as well, but you won't get the velocities that you can get with the other powders listed above.
SJB358 Knows his stuff! I'm sure he could give some info on what he mentioned more, if need be.


Hawk

Sent from my REVVLRY+ using Tapatalk
 
jimbires":39skx7eb said:
for top velocities , you can't beat RL17 in the 7-08 . I use it with 140 Bergers . in the 260 I used RL17 for the 120's and RL26 for 140's . I have a few targets with load info , in this thread .

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=39051

I have no experience with a 270 or 280 .
Very detailed and packed full of good info!
 
lhsako":1kb7d77y said:
RL22 hands down for the.270 !
I'm looking for a top powder for the 08. What kind of speeds are you getting with RL17 behind the 140?




the 7-08 I'm using RL17 in , I'm shooting the 140 Berger VLD hunting bullets . from a 24" bbl I'm getting 3080 FPS , and good accuracy .
 
In the 7mm08 I use Big Game. Asked and received on here several loads for it and Big Game has grouped well in mine with 120,130 and 140 gr bullets.

Picked up a 260 couple weeks ago and so far Big Game and RL15 are showing the best of what I've tried so far.

270 I was a IMR4831 shooter. Dan.
 
Staball should work for all. There’s load data for it in everything you want to load for except the 280. I’m pretty sure the 280 data will be added soon. It’s burn rate is right between the 4350’s and IMR 4831 which are both great powders for the 280. It wouldn’t take much to ladder test the staball in your 280. I like it a lot in my 270 Win. Loads top out with 1.5-2 grains lower charge weights than with IMR 4831 depending on bullet choice. I don’t think they have load data released for all the cartridges it’s suitable for yet.
 
jimbires":i1uiyxk8 said:
lhsako":i1uiyxk8 said:
RL22 hands down for the.270 !
I'm looking for a top powder for the 08. What kind of speeds are you getting with RL17 behind the 140?




the 7-08 I'm using RL17 in , I'm shooting the 140 Berger VLD hunting bullets . from a 24" bbl I'm getting 3080 FPS , and good accuracy .

the top three dots are from this rifle and load . the one on the right is my load . shot from 200 yards .

P8140527.JPG
 
There is certainly nothing wrong with what you're shooting! That is well within bragging territory.
 
thanks Dr Mike , this combo has shot well for me . I've taken a bunch of groundhogs with it .
 
You didn't mention it, but IMR 4350 or H4350 would fit this bill very well. It (IMR 4350) is THE powder for me in .280 Rem across all bullet weights. I also use it exclusively in 6.5x55, it should perform equally well in .260 Rem. It is fast enough for the 7mm-08. I've loaded .270/130 grain with it when I had a rifle in that caliber and got fine results. Both powders have been around forever with plentiful and diverse load data, and were nearly universally available before the crazy came, and should come back sooner than later vs. some of the foreign made powders you mention.

I assume from the tone of your post, you're looking for a workhorse powder in terms of versatility. You may not optimize velocity with the 4350s across all your calibers, but you will very likely get serviceable accuracy and velocity with either one of them.
 
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