6.5 CM RL-16 & 147 ELD-Match

[TRD]

Has anyone done any load development with 147 ELDM's and RL16?
I'm getting under 1/2 moa with the 147's and H4350, but with my 140 ELDM loads, I'm getting same accuracy (under 1/2moa) with both H4350 & RL16, but average 120fps better MV with RL16.
Seems all I've done is load development lately, and I just want to shoot some, but the question keep nagging in the back of my mind, can I get the same accuracy and increased MV with RL16 & the 147's. Hornady doesn't have published load data for RL16, nor does anyone else I can find, for this combination.
I'm not interested in other powders, just RL16, and trying to get a little bit of data without starting from the ground up.

 

[Deadshot2]

With the standard caveat "What works in my rifle may not work in yours" , I'm finding success between 43 and 44 grains of RL-16 under a 147 gr ELD-M seated so it's .020" off the lands.

43 grains is just under 2700 fps from my 24" barrel and I still have to fine tune loads for accuracy. Not bad now but I shoot (pun intended) for groups down in the "teens" at 200Y. Not quite there yet that's why I just listed 43-44 gr.

 

[TRD]

With the standard caveat "What works in my rifle may not work in yours" , I'm finding success between 43 and 44 grains of RL-16 under a 147 gr ELD-M seated so it's .020" off the lands.

43 grains is just under 2700 fps from my 24" barrel and I still have to fine tune loads for accuracy. Not bad now but I shoot (pun intended) for groups down in the "teens" at 200Y. Not quite there yet that's why I just listed 43-44 gr.

I appreciate it. It's what I'm looking for- a point to back off of and work up to. Hopefully I'll get some more responses just for more points of reference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Niles Coyote]

40.5 grains of RL-16 shoots great out of my 22" JP barreled AR-Creedmoor, just to slow to make it worth it at 2599 fps and unfortunately the next node up is just a little to hot at 41.9 grains for my brass to survive more than a few firings in the AR. But that upper load was doing 2690fps.

 

[Deadshot2]

40.5 grains of RL-16 shoots great out of my 22" JP barreled AR-Creedmoor, just to slow to make it worth it at 2599 fps and unfortunately the next node up is just a little to hot at 41.9 grains for my brass to survive more than a few firings in the AR. But that upper load was doing 2690fps.

Curious but what brass were you using and how far off the lands?

I found that one brand of brass showed pressure sign on loads that were so light they left soot all the way down the side of the shoulder (no hot enough to expand neck for good seal) and primers looked just like new only with a dent in the center. There was a very well defined ejector mark on each piece and when I increased charges, they got higher and higher until polished off by opening the bolt. Still no flattened or cratered primers and speeds were pathetic.

Changed brass (back to Hornady) and pressure sign disappeared. Was able to get up to 43 gr with no pressure sign and all indications are I will be able to go more. I seat bullets with a .020 jump which is around 2.855" (2.155" cbto when measured with a Sinclair comparator insert). .199" freebore allows me to get the 147's long enough that the base of the bullet isn't even touching the powder in my case.

 

[Niles Coyote]

That was with Hornady brass and I was seating to 2.850 which, IIRC, has them jumping .030-.035" in that chamber. I didn't figure they would work in my AR, I bought them to use in my Bolt rifle but I just had to try... Unfortunately I have not had the time to work up a load in my bolt rifle yet with RL-16.