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RL 16 assistance

justincase

Private
Minuteman
Feb 15, 2022
94
21
Georgia
Hello all ,well I have a question for some of you which may have a lil more experience with this ,Wife just bought me a few pounds of RL16 today and 140 grain eld match bullets ..Never used this powder but here it can be awesome but data is being hard to find ...Can anyone give some starting points or good data for this and Thank You in advance...
 
the temp stable version of rl17 which is a great powder for lots of guns and loads great for 140gr bullets you could really buy her something nice that she found you powder and got it for you is special .
 
RL16 is my magic sauce for creedmoor loads. I run 42.3 gr with a 140 Hornady match bullets in my 6.5 creedmoor. 2830 fps with a 26” barrel. .2-.3 accuracy. This load is in Hornady brass. Only thing about RL16 is it’s a little bit dirtier burning. I clean every 100 rounds to avoid carbon problems.
 
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Also go wherever she bought it and buy all you can
 
the temp stable version of rl17 which is a great powder for lots of guns and loads great for 140gr bullets you could really buy her something nice that she found you powder and got it for you is special .
oh yes what ever she wants..they had a shit load of it so Im heading that way ..grab some more BR Primers as well
 
I normally use Hornady brass but was given a crap load of Lapua srp brass but I dont really use it..yeah she bought powder ,bullets ,primers ..either she loves me or wants me out of her hair lol...either way win win
 
I normally use Hornady brass but was given a crap load of Lapua srp brass but I dont really use it..yeah she bought powder ,bullets ,primers ..either she loves me or wants me out of her hair lol...either way win win

Ditch the Hornady, load develop the Lapua. Night and day with respect to consistency and brass life.
 
Agreed. I have around 6 firings on my Hornady brass and most primer pockets are trashed. If I was starting fresh I would run the lapua. Definitely tougher brass.
 
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Reloader 16 is so difficult to find loads for and to actually develop something that will shoot good using it. You should give it to me. Heck, I can even trade you h4350 or varget for it. 😉
 
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Hell I Love the H4350 everyone has told me at the F class to try RL 16 so figured I would go all mad science with it once and see
 
Did you mean 41.0 start

Everyone is different, and I don't have a 6.5 CM, but were it me, I'd do:

- Use your Lapua brass
- Lapua has a little less case volume, so you should start a little lower
- Run a ladder starting at something like 40 and working up at .3 gr increments - 3 shots per charge weight.
- Find charge weights to play with that give good group(s)/consistent velocity
- Run those weights with 15-20 rounds each to validate.
- Choose the best
- Play with seating depth
 
Been loading some RL16 trying to save my 4350 i think it mite become my go to powder for the 65cm ,my wife didnt buy me powder but she did buy me a 419 zero press for xmas!
 
Everyone is different, and I don't have a 6.5 CM, but were it me, I'd do:

- Use your Lapua brass
- Lapua has a little less case volume, so you should start a little lower
- Run a ladder starting at something like 40 and working up at .3 gr increments - 3 shots per charge weight.
- Find charge weights to play with that give good group(s)/consistent velocity
- Run those weights with 15-20 rounds each to validate.
- Choose the best
- Play with seating depth
sounds like a safe plan,Will use your suggestion...
Been loading some RL16 trying to save my 4350 i think it mite become my go to powder for the 65cm ,my wife didnt buy me powder but she did buy me a 419 zero press for xmas!
Been loading some RL16 trying to save my 4350 i think it mite become my go to powder for the 65cm ,my wife didnt buy me powder but she did buy me a 419 zero press for xmas!
Cant beat the awesome usable gifts...Got to love em..
 
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I second rocketmanb suggested process. Should find the sweet spot doing that.

Ps. Can your wife talk to my wife and teach her how to come home with powder and bullets after going out!!!
 
I second rocketmanb suggested process. Should find the sweet spot doing that.

Ps. Can your wife talk to my wife and teach her how to come home with powder and bullets after going out!!!
will do ...but caution I have not yet found what it will cost me in return lol
Sounds like someone really likes the 1

Did you mean 41.0 start
Ide take the H4350
 
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Looks like all the advice worked,Thanks to all...Went and bought 3 more lbs today to have . Used my data load for same as 4350 adjusted scope half moa ,2 shot for sighters,at 200 put 8 shots in dime size hole, So ,
'THANK YOU 'To everyone for the helpful advice about the RL16 powder .Looks like my rifle likes better than the 4350 So will definitely be sticking with it
 
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Strange happening today got me a lil puzzled...I loaded my normal load of RL16 last week ..great fps on crono,great grouping..decided to see if could get a little more fps. so using same brass ,same bullets same primer ,same scale..loaded a bit hotter..and cant figure it out but lost speed by over 80 fps..figured more powder ,higher pressure faster speed but got just opposite, Has anyone else experienced this..? Figured I did something or entered Twilight Zone ...
 
Strange happening today got me a lil puzzled...I loaded my normal load of RL16 last week ..great fps on crono,great grouping..decided to see if could get a little more fps. so using same brass ,same bullets same primer ,same scale..loaded a bit hotter..and cant figure it out but lost speed by over 80 fps..figured more powder ,higher pressure faster speed but got just opposite, Has anyone else experienced this..? Figured I did something or entered Twilight Zone ...
While its not common, ive seen slight drops in velocity when hitting overpressure in a given rifle. 80 fps is a bit on the high side compared to what ive seen, which is 30-40 fps or so. Ive also seen rounds start to impact lower and to the right once that pressure threshold has been exceeded. Not sure if that’s also happening for you or not. Pressure does occasionally do some weird shit like that.
 
While its not common, ive seen slight drops in velocity when hitting overpressure in a given rifle. 80 fps is a bit on the high side compared to what ive seen, which is 30-40 fps or so. Ive also seen rounds start to impact lower and to the right once that pressure threshold has been exceeded. Not sure if that’s also happening for you or not. Pressure does occasionally do some weird shit like that.
yes the impact was also off by about 2 in.
 
I stopped firing them and dropped the load back down and was perfect..so guess I will stay wear Im at,not to take chances,
thanks for the reply on it I was going in circles lookin shit up getting no wear on this one
 
I stopped firing them and dropped the load back down and was perfect..so guess I will stay wear Im at,not to take chances,
thanks for the reply on it I was going in circles lookin shit up getting no wear on this one
By How many grains did you drop it?
 
didnt really go to much higher with load and didnt see pressure signs so thought was ok but I guess rifle was talkin this time
 
Hope it holds up in the summer months but if not, id drop it another .2-.3 just to be safe. Should still be in the same “node”, precision wise but poi may or may not shift. I might do a quick test at .5 lower than your original charge weight over your chrono to see what happens but its up to you.
 
its the Pro Chrono DLX...the one you shoot through the ears
That can be part of the issue. If you are not level and shooting straight through it you can get inconsistent #s. Plus. As you get near max, you can see a velocity drop before it jumps again. Providing more information is helpful. Gun specs, brass, primers, powder charge, bullet and seating along with how you tested and results with distances and velocities. We don't have magic powers to discern what you are doing and seeing, you have to tell us.
 
For load development, 140 is 140. Start a fair amount below max and work up.
I was under the impression that different bullets with different base types and/or more mass in front of the ogive would have different free space at same seating depth. Wouldn't that effect tuning and max charge?
 
Hope it holds up in the summer months but if not, id drop it another .2-.3 just to be safe. Should still be in the same “node”, precision wise but poi may or may not shift. I might do a quick test at .5 lower than your original charge weight over your chrono to see what happens but its up to you.
RL16 is so temperature insensitive there should be no issue.

I love the stuff. Bought 64 lbs at one point a few years ago and still have half of that left.
 
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