260 and RL17

[sideshowbob]

Has anyone tried/tested this combination yet? There were a few things written online when it first came out, but nothing substantial since then.

http://www.6mmbr.com/reloder17.html

There was a brief discussion here

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=691822&page=1

but load/velocity data still sparse. This powder seemed ideal for 260.

 

[alf]

Re: 260 and RL17

I haven't. H4350 gives me what I need with either the 123's or 140's.

Acually kinda scared to try it. I DON"T wanna stock another powder.....

 

[ChadTRG42]

Re: 260 and RL17

Yes, I've played with R17 and 130 and 140 VLD's in the 260. It shot great, with some tighter groups than H4350 gave in a few loads. It gave me similar speeds as H4350, but did not provide as tight ES velocities. I didn't take it all the way up to pressure signs with R17. I stopped when I found my H4350 load. You might get a fw extra fps with it. But in my testing it gave too big ES for long range shooting.

 

[greentimber]

Re: 260 and RL17

I added 80+fps over H4350 & reduced my SD from 13 to 4 by switching to RE17.

It is the shit! I'm about to start loading it in my 30-06 when my bullets come in.

Depending on what it does in my .223 loads I may have finally found ONE powder for all my rifles.

 

[42769vette]

Re: 260 and RL17

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: greentimber</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I added 80+fps over H4350 & reduced my SD from 13 to 4 by switching to RE17.

It is the shit! I'm about to start loading it in my 30-06 when my bullets come in.

Depending on what it does in my .223 loads I may have finally found ONE powder for all my rifles. </div></div>

you added 80 fps to where you started seeing pressure, or 80 fps to your accuracy load?

 

[vinconco]

Re: 260 and RL17

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: greentimber</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I added 80+fps over H4350 & reduced my SD from 13 to 4 by switching to RE17.

It is the shit! I'm about to start loading it in my 30-06 when my bullets come in.

Depending on what it does in my .223 loads I may have finally found ONE powder for all my rifles. </div></div>

Here is some work I've done with the 30-06 and RE-17

 

[rwest309]

Re: 260 and RL17

Im using 42 grains of RL 17 in RP brass with wolf large rifle primers and 139 scenars. It is about 1 grain off max for my rifle and groups well. I have not chrono'ed yet. May get it done this week.

 

[nhm16]

Re: 260 and RL17

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rwest</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Im using 42 grains of RL 17 in RP brass with wolf large rifle primers and 139 scenars. It is about 1 grain off max for my rifle and groups well. I have not chrono'ed yet. May get it done this week.</div></div>

I'm using 42.8gr of RL-17 in RP brass, BR-2 primers and 139 Scenars. A stout load, light primer cratering but accurate.

 

[rwest309]

Re: 260 and RL17

Tried the 42 grain rl 17 in nosler custom brass and it was giving some sticky bolt lift along with ejector marks and a bit of case enlargement at the base. maybe .002-.003. I have some loaded down to 41 grains in nosler brass that I have yet to try.

 

[nhm16]

Re: 260 and RL17

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rwest</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Tried the 42 grain rl 17 in nosler custom brass and it was giving some sticky bolt lift along with ejector marks and a bit of case enlargement at the base. maybe .002-.003. I have some loaded down to 41 grains in nosler brass that I have yet to try. </div></div>

I've read that Nosler brass has less case capacity than RP brass. I have two boxes but I've yet to load them.

 

[rwest309]

Re: 260 and RL17

Definitely had to back down my load. I can get to 43 grains in Rem brass before seeing the same pressure signs. I dont think its any better than rem brass anyway. I weight sorted about 300 rounds of rem brass and it does everything I need it to. I cracked open the nosler brass to do a quick 20 rounds for break in / sight in on another guys rifle. I didnt have time to do any sizing so I just primed them and went. Probably not the smartest thing I have done lately but...they did shoot sub 1/4 inch at 100. Just way too hot for my liking.

 

[rwest309]

Re: 260 and RL17

Shot F class with this load on Saturday

from 100 yd zero

19.8 moa to 800
23.8 moa to 900
28.2 moa to 1000

still havent chrono'ed but based on real world data it looks to be about 2750 or so

 

[josephberry]

Re: 260 and RL17

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Yes, I've played with R17 and 130 and 140 VLD's in the 260. It shot great, with some tighter groups than H4350 gave in a few loads. It gave me similar speeds as H4350, but did not provide as tight ES velocities. I didn't take it all the way up to pressure signs with R17. I stopped when I found my H4350 load. You might get a fw extra fps with it. But in my testing it gave too big ES for long range shooting. </div></div> +1 had the same results.

 

[nhm16]

Re: 260 and RL17

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rwest</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Shot F class with this load on Saturday

from 100 yd zero

19.8 moa to 800
23.8 moa to 900
28.2 moa to 1000

still havent chrono'ed but based on real world data it looks to be about 2750 or so

</div></div>

I also shot my 42.7gr RL-17/139gr Scenar load at a 1000 yard F-Class match recently. With a 100 yard zero, I needed 7.8 mils to 1000, or 26.8 moa. That works out to around 2920fps. Which is odd because I chrono'ed the data the day before, under similar weather conditions, and got around 2820fps, which has been consistent with all my past chrono data with this load.

 

[rwest309]

Re: 260 and RL17

I am going to bump up the charge a bit and find a chronograph. I think these could definitely be moving a bit faster. I didnt do much work up before settling on 42 grains of rl17. It just worked so I left it alone. We had some serious 20-25 mph full value wind up at Capitan on Sat. and a few times I had over 11 moa right windage dialed.
Capitan is at 6600' asl but the barometer was 30.0+ that day. I dont know how much more I can add as far as powder goes and still work the load up down in Artesia at 3300 asl with 90 degree weather.

It was a bit nippy up in Capitan as well. I guess I may have been bitten with the whole temp sensitive thing on this deal. I was expecting much higher velocities and much less dope.
What brass are you using nhm16?

 

[nhm16]

Re: 260 and RL17

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rwest</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It was a bit nippy up in Capitan as well. I guess I may have been bitten with the whole temp sensitive thing on this deal. I was expecting much higher velocities and much less dope.
What brass are you using nhm16? </div></div>

I'm using Remington brass... no special prep, just flash hole and primer pocket uniforming. I use a Lee collet neck sizer.

I originally chrono'd my load in February, when the temperatures here were in the low 50's at most, and got similar readings as I got two weeks ago, 2820-2840fps. Both times it was under a covered firing line, as was my 1000 yard match.

 

[264Charlie]

Re: 260 and RL17

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: nhm16</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: rwest</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Shot F class with this load on Saturday

from 100 yd zero

19.8 moa to 800
23.8 moa to 900
28.2 moa to 1000

still havent chrono'ed but based on real world data it looks to be about 2750 or so

</div></div>

I also shot my 42.7gr RL-17/139gr Scenar load at a 1000 yard F-Class match recently. With a 100 yard zero, I needed 7.8 mils to 1000, or 26.8 moa. That works out to around 2920fps. Which is odd because I chrono'ed the data the day before, under similar weather conditions, and got around 2820fps, which has been consistent with all my past chrono data with this load. </div></div>

What BC are you using? G7 .285 it the ticket.

 

[264Charlie]

Re: 260 and RL17

QuickLoad can be your best friend... R17 is not an ideal powder for the .260 but kills it in the 6.5x47 and 308.

 

[nhm16]

Re: 260 and RL17

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Usdmgtr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What BC are you using? G7 .285 it the ticket. </div></div>

That's what I'm using, got it from Bryan Litz's book. For my measured MV, JBM says I need 8.6 mils of elevation to 1000yds, Ballistic FTE on my iPhone says 8.5 (using the JBM engine). Which doesn't make sense to me, really, since people claim to only need 8.5 mils with a 20" or shorter barreled .260, and here I am with a 28" barrel.

 

[rwest309]

Re: 260 and RL17

I think I figured out what the problem was with my back calculation for fps.

I was using JBM and I had the 6600' elevation, 30.00 in hg pressure, 13% humidity and 47 deg f temp entered in as known parameters but also had the boxes checked for standard atmosphere at altitude and corrected barometric pressure.

With those two boxes un-checked, back calculation to my real world dope is telling me 2905 Fps. That is more in line with what I expected. I can live with 2905. I need a chronograph though.