RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

DAFAR

DAFAR

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 29, 2003
355
1
Bremerton Washington
#1
Hey guys here is the deal, I know rl 15 is better for 308 than rl 17 but during the powder scarsity I ended up with 4lbs of RL 17. currently I am loading a sierra 175 grn hpbt match over 49 grains of RL-17 in m852 cases with federal match primers at an oal of 2.810(just fits in my remmy mag well). This is a compressed charge and I was just wondering if anyone had any inputs or concerns if it is too hot.
lastly is RL-15 that much differant or better if so please tell me why
 
#2
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

I have not used RL-17 yet, but Alliant lists a max load of 48.7 grains under a 180 gr BTSP for 2641 FPS. Your bullet is 5 grains under and your load is 0.3 grains over. Looks good to me, if you have no pressure signs. What kind of FPS are you getting?

If it's accurate, and fast I would not change. Just shoot it....
 
#4
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

I've used the RL17 in the .308 with heavy bullets. It works well. I don't think you will find the velocity of the RL15 with the 175 using RL17. If it shoots well though... who cares?
 
#5
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ffl medic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've used the RL17 in the .308 with heavy bullets. It works well. I don't think you will find the velocity of the RL15 with the 175 using RL17. If it shoots well though... who cares? </div></div>

But that's the beauty of RL-17...free fps, compared to other powders!

I wonder what fps people are getting using the 155 Scenars and RL-17?

Chris
 
#6
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

No. I'm thinking that the RL 17 powder is too slow of a burn for the 175's. I don't think you will get as fast a speed from the RL 17 as you would with the RL 15. I don't know as I have not tried it.
 
#7
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

According to Quickload, using the 175g SMK, & a 24" barrel(don't know what you have)
Edit: Using the 2.810 length the OP spec'd.

49.0g of <span style="font-weight: bold">RL17</span>= 2,828fps, but is over max psi at 64,635psi
48.0g of <span style="font-weight: bold">RL17</span>= 2,772fps, is the max load at 60,183psi

45.1g of <span style="font-weight: bold">RL15</span>= 2,731psi is the max load at 60,008psi

I have no experience with these & don't know about the accuracy, but the program shows the RL17 making more velocity than RL15. The 17 has more advantage with heavier projectiles & longer barrels, as it is a little slower.
 
#8
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ChrisGarrett</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ffl medic</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've used the RL17 in the .308 with heavy bullets. It works well. I don't think you will find the velocity of the RL15 with the 175 using RL17. If it shoots well though... who cares? </div></div>

But that's the beauty of RL-17...free fps, compared to other powders!

I wonder what fps people are getting using the 155 Scenars and RL-17?

Chris </div></div>

Using a <span style="font-weight: bold">155 Scenar </span>24" barrel & 2.800" length, Quickload gives the following:

<span style="font-weight: bold">45.9g</span> of RL15 = 2,877fps at 59,854psi (Max Load) (<span style="font-weight: bold">Edited transposed #)</span>
48.6g of RL17 = 2,902fps at 59,851psi (Max Load)

Of couse, this depends on temp, brass, primers, chamber, etc & should be worked up to, but gives a theoretical comparison.
 
#9
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

!!!!!!!You might check that again 49.5 R 15 and correct in a .308 behind a 175 gr bullet is not somthing I would even want to be standing any where in the area.
 
#10
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Unsichtbar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">!!!!!!!You might check that again 49.5 R 15 and correct in a .308 behind a 175 gr bullet is not somthing I would even want to be standing any where in the area. </div></div> Thanks for catching that. I transposed the 5 & the 9.
Also this is for the 155 Scenar he was asking about.
 
#11
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

well I chronograhphed the rounds this weekend,
here are the results:

specs were sierra 175 smk over 49 grains rl 17 in an m852 308 LCM case using a federal gold match primer COAL = 2.810
all rounds were sized with an RCBS small base resizing die
temp was 48 Degrees
AR-10 24 inch tube 5 shot average = 2650 fps
remington VTR 20 inch tube 5 shot average = 2525
niether round showed any pressure signs, I am not sure why they were moving so slowly
 
#12
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

The RL17 is kind of a slow powder. I don't think the quickload can wrap itself around actual data. I don't think you can stuff enough of it (RL17) into a .308 case to get the speed you would with the RL15 & 175 combo. Then again, I might be wrong on that too.
 
#13
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

Unless you have a 17.5" gas vent hole spacing on your AR-10, you might be overstressing the bolt. RL-17 is supposed to be close to IMR4350 in burn rate; that is way too slow for an AR-10...

IMR4064, Varget, RL15, IMR4895, XMR4064 are more inline with the pressure curve your rifle is designed to function with.

Doesn't much matter if you have a Tubb recoil spring, or weights on your bolt-carrier; if you want to damage your bolt lugs or possibly your barrel extension, just keep at it. Maybe you have some possibilities if you are running a tuned gas port or wrap around tubing setup, or as mantioned an extended gas vent system; but, Why Risk It?

Might want to look at the rear edges of your bolt lugs and see what has been happening there...
 
#14
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

My personal results with RL 17 are as follows
Federal cases
Federal 210 GM primer
Sierra 175 MK
50 grns of RL17
2708 fps at 10' in front of a 20" Benchmark
Conditions at the time of the test were 50 deg F, 2600 ft MSL.

No pressure signs and I seated them at 2.228" from the ogive taking them .002 off the lands. I'll post some groups after I do some fine tuning.

I think it's a winner and it meters nicely with smaller granules. It's an extremely dense powder.
 
#15
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pegleggreg</div><div class="ubbcode-body">According to Quickload, using the 175g SMK, & a 24" barrel(don't know what you have)
Edit: Using the 2.810 length the OP spec'd.

49.0g of <span style="font-weight: bold">RL17</span>= 2,828fps, but is over max psi at 64,635psi
48.0g of <span style="font-weight: bold">RL17</span>= 2,772fps, is the max load at 60,183psi

45.1g of <span style="font-weight: bold">RL15</span>= 2,731psi is the max load at 60,008psi

I have no experience with these & don't know about the accuracy, but the program shows the RL17 making more velocity than RL15. The 17 has more advantage with heavier projectiles & longer barrels, as it is a little slower. </div></div>

In my experience QL is WAY off with RL 17. RL 17 won't provide better velocity until you are using 190gr or heavier bullets. If you use it with lighter bullets though it still will provide more than enough velocity to be usable with the advantage of a very large safety margin. With 155s I don't think you could put enough of it into the case to go overpressure.
 
#17
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

I got 2594fps avg. from 47.2gr of RL17 behind 185 gr. Bergers at 2.860 COAL (2.196 ogive) out of my Orion bolt action and 24" Hart barrel (temp - 40F) No pressure signs. Thought about stuffing a little more powder to see what happens. Anyone else load with RL17 and 180-190gr bullets?
 
#18
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jedi</div><div class="ubbcode-body">QL is indeed incorrect for RL17
typically fps is 70-75 high
more important PSI is also 7k high </div></div>

Yeah, I thought you couldn't put enough RL17 in a 308 to reach 60k+ PSI.
 
#19
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: blue_ridge</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Jedi</div><div class="ubbcode-body">QL is indeed incorrect for RL17
typically fps is 70-75 high
more important PSI is also 7k high </div></div>

Yeah, I thought you couldn't put enough RL17 in a 308 to reach 60k+ PSI. </div></div>

You can with 208s and maybe the 190s, don't know for sure as I've only used the 208s.
 
#21
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: blue_ridge</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You mean at longer OAL, like 2.950+, as a single shot? Or have you been able to squeeze enough RL17 behind a 208 at mag length and still reach max pressures? </div></div>

I was loading to 2.995" and was mag length in a Savage. The same loads at less OAL would have had even higher pressure.
 
#23
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DAFAR</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Hey guys here is the deal, I know rl 15 is better for 308 than rl 17 but during the powder scarsity I ended up with 4lbs of RL 17. currently I am loading a sierra 175 grn hpbt match over 49 grains of RL-17 in m852 cases with federal match primers at an oal of 2.810(just fits in my remmy mag well). This is a compressed charge and I was just wondering if anyone had any inputs or concerns if it is too hot.
lastly is RL-15 that much differant or better if so please tell me why </div></div>

Bottom line is, RL17 is a good powder for 308, but does has a slower burn rate and generally is better with heavier bullets in 308 (185 and up) It seems to really shine with 208's and 210's. With 175's you aren't in much danger of running hot and you are likely to be a little below the velocities you could get with RL15, Varget, 4895, 4064, XBR8208 and similar.
 
#24
Re: RL-17 vs RL-15 in 308

I have done some testing with RL17 and 175g Nosler CCs and 210g SMKs out of a gas gun, and recently went up to 49 grains with the Noslers. Here is what I settled on:

175g Nosler CC
48.8 grains of RL17
Winchester brass FL sized
CCI BR2
2.270" OAL to ogive

I've tried OCW tests and a ladder test with these bullets, and am very confident that I'm where I need to be as far as charge weight. My chono'ed velocity with this charge is 2,620, but I think it's conservitive. Last weekend I shot a ladder test at 600 yards with 12 1/2 MOA dialed in, and the 48.6, 48.8, and 49 grain charge where right on, leading me to believe that I'm at 2,700 fps. That's more than I got with 45 grains of Varget.
RL17Laddertest.jpg
 
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