RL15 for .308 ?

Hello and welcome to the Nosler Forum!

I haven't seen any RL-15 for sale in a long time, it's a fine powder for the 308 Winchester. Here's some data from Alliant's website:
1719585852080.png
 
Code:
Cartridge          : .308 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 125, Nosler Accubond 52165
Useable Case Capaci: 50.971 grain H2O = 3.309 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.800 inch = 71.12 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : Alliant Reloder-15 *C

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-10.0   98    46.17   2837    2234   42995   8208     91.2    1.097
-09.0   99    46.68   2870    2286   44503   8313     91.8    1.080
-08.0  100    47.20   2903    2339   46068   8415     92.4    1.063
-07.0  102    47.71   2936    2392   47691   8515     92.9    1.047
-06.0  103    48.22   2969    2447   49375   8612     93.4    1.030
-05.0  104    48.74   3002    2502   51123   8707     93.9    1.014
-04.0  105    49.25   3035    2557   52938   8799     94.4    0.999  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0  106    49.76   3068    2613   54823   8888     94.9    0.983  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  107    50.27   3102    2670   56781   8974     95.3    0.968  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0  108    50.79   3135    2728   58816   9057     95.8    0.953  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  109    51.30   3168    2786   60931   9137     96.2    0.939  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  110    51.81   3201    2845   63130   9213     96.6    0.924  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  111    52.33   3235    2904   65417   9286     96.9    0.910  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0  112    52.84   3268    2964   67797   9355     97.3    0.897  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  114    53.35   3301    3025   70275   9421     97.6    0.883  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  115    53.87   3334    3086   72856   9483     97.9    0.870  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 5% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 5% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    109    51.30   3255    2941   67129   9178     98.4    0.901  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 5% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    109    51.30   3069    2614   54882   8984     93.0    0.981  ! Near Maximum !

Perhaps this will help.
 
Code:
Cartridge          : .308 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 125, Nosler BalTip 30125
Useable Case Capaci: 51.141 grain H2O = 3.321 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.800 inch = 71.12 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : Alliant Reloder-15 *C

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-10.0   98    46.26   2838    2235   42975   8231     91.3    1.097
-09.0   99    46.77   2871    2288   44480   8336     91.8    1.080
-08.0  100    47.29   2904    2341   46042   8438     92.4    1.063
-07.0  101    47.80   2937    2394   47662   8538     92.9    1.047
-06.0  102    48.32   2970    2448   49342   8636     93.4    1.031
-05.0  104    48.83   3003    2503   51087   8730     93.9    1.015
-04.0  105    49.34   3036    2559   52898   8823     94.4    0.999  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0  106    49.86   3069    2615   54778   8912     94.9    0.984  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  107    50.37   3103    2672   56731   8998     95.4    0.968  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0  108    50.89   3136    2729   58760   9081     95.8    0.954  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  109    51.40   3169    2787   60870   9161     96.2    0.939  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  110    51.91   3202    2846   63062   9238     96.6    0.925  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  111    52.43   3236    2906   65343   9311     97.0    0.911  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0  112    52.94   3269    2966   67716   9380     97.3    0.897  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  113    53.46   3302    3026   70186   9446     97.6    0.883  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  114    53.97   3335    3087   72758   9508     97.9    0.870  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 5% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 5% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    109    51.40   3256    2942   67055   9202     98.4    0.902  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 5% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    109    51.40   3070    2616   54833   9009     93.0    0.982  ! Near Maximum !
 
I use RL15 with the 225 gr. Barnes TSX in my .35 Whelen. Much of the time temps run 100 degrees or higher. One my elk hunts which have occurred in late November to late December and two that were in early January where the temps were running from 14 above to 4 below zero and never had a problem regarding temperature affecting the load. That may be an unscientific test on temp sensitivity for that powder but the results were always good.
FWIW, I always do my main load work ups this time of year due to it being very hot. If temperature is a problem it'll usuallshow up faster on a 100 plus degree day. I do my elk hunting in New Mexico out of Raton. The NRA Whittington Center is just a short way out of town and has excellent facilities for checking sights the day before the hunt. When it's about ten above at the range and your shots run true, what's not to like?
Paul B.
 
Code:
Cartridge          : .308 Win. (SAAMI)
Bullet             : .308, 125, Nosler BalTip 30125
Useable Case Capaci: 51.141 grain H2O = 3.321 cm³
Cartridge O.A.L. L6: 2.800 inch = 71.12 mm
Barrel Length      : 22.0 inch = 558.8 mm
Powder             : Alliant Reloder-15 *C

Predicted data by increasing and decreasing the given charge,
incremented in steps of 1.0% of nominal charge.
CAUTION: Figures exceed maximum and minimum recommended loads !

Step    Fill. Charge   Vel.  Energy   Pmax   Pmuz  Prop.Burnt B_Time
 %       %    Grains   fps   ft.lbs    psi    psi      %        ms

-10.0   98    46.26   2838    2235   42975   8231     91.3    1.097
-09.0   99    46.77   2871    2288   44480   8336     91.8    1.080
-08.0  100    47.29   2904    2341   46042   8438     92.4    1.063
-07.0  101    47.80   2937    2394   47662   8538     92.9    1.047
-06.0  102    48.32   2970    2448   49342   8636     93.4    1.031
-05.0  104    48.83   3003    2503   51087   8730     93.9    1.015
-04.0  105    49.34   3036    2559   52898   8823     94.4    0.999  ! Near Maximum !
-03.0  106    49.86   3069    2615   54778   8912     94.9    0.984  ! Near Maximum !
-02.0  107    50.37   3103    2672   56731   8998     95.4    0.968  ! Near Maximum !
-01.0  108    50.89   3136    2729   58760   9081     95.8    0.954  ! Near Maximum !
+00.0  109    51.40   3169    2787   60870   9161     96.2    0.939  ! Near Maximum !
+01.0  110    51.91   3202    2846   63062   9238     96.6    0.925  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+02.0  111    52.43   3236    2906   65343   9311     97.0    0.911  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+03.0  112    52.94   3269    2966   67716   9380     97.3    0.897  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+04.0  113    53.46   3302    3026   70186   9446     97.6    0.883  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
+05.0  114    53.97   3335    3087   72758   9508     97.9    0.870  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!

Results caused by ± 5% powder lot-to-lot burning rate variation using nominal charge
Data for burning rate increased by 5% relative to nominal value:
+Ba    109    51.40   3256    2942   67055   9202     98.4    0.902  !DANGEROUS LOAD-DO NOT USE!
Data for burning rate decreased by 5% relative to nominal value:
-Ba    109    51.40   3070    2616   54833   9009     93.0    0.982  ! Near Maximum !
Thankyou very much for your help with this I will definitely try this out on the weekend 👍
 
FWIW, Varget with the 168 ABLR yields 2820 fps in my 308 with .5 MOA. No reason to change anything as far as I'm concerned.

JD338
That is good speed. How many grains were you using? I bet its north of 45 grains, if so, what brass did you use and any heavy powder crunch? If you had powder crunch, were you able to keep the seating depth consistent as if you were loading without powder crunch?
 
Very slight with the 168 ABLR and no with the 168 BT. My COL is 2.815".

JD338
 
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