7mm rem mag 162 eld-x results?

[Varminthunter243]

I printed 3 drop charts to try from jbm, hornady 4dof, and strelok. All with identical data inputed. And after 300 yards they show very different numbers haha which one do you use?

 

[fmajor]

varmithunter243

Burn rate for RL-22 = 0.3860 and 0.4090 for RL-23 with the lower number being slower. So they are not too far apart except in drift due to temp changes where these powders couldn't be more different. I wouldn't use RL-22 unless my only other choice was to throw rocks.

Because of the temperature sensitivity?

I used to use RL22 in a 300 Win mag. The RL22 provided the best accuracy in the winter when i was doing initial testing, but I found when temps went up so did the group size...

 

[Varminthunter243]

I had a similar issue with a 300 I worked up a load for. Ended up going with IMR4350 of all things. And it loves it! .5 or less all day, any day with 180gr E-tips

 

[WildRose]

I agree haha I wonder how comparable RL22 and 23 are. I would expect same load data? I haven't seen any RL23 around here.

They are close but not identical burn rates. I picked up several pounds of RL23 and 26 from Graf's a couple of months ago and bought 4 more pounds of RL23 from Midway last week.

Alliant has a limited amount of load data on their site and you can download their full reloading manual online for free.

 

[WildRose]

A good Ballistics calculator records zero ing weather and compensates for the weather change.It uses all weather data to achieve a density altitude. (A real time thickness of the air to calculate an atmosphere drag rating. It uses temp, bar.press.,humidity,and elevation to do this. You may be at 700 altitude, but depending on the temp,humidity, and bar.press.,your round may be experiencing a 2500 ft altitude. So you won't have to worry about it. Its called absolute pressure in the app settings.

Temperature related burn rate differences are not compensated for in any of the ballistics programs that I know of, they just compensate for atmospheric affects on bullet flight.

 

[Varminthunter243]

If I can find some, I'll have to give it a try. Retumbo too. What other powders are thermally stable?

 

[WildRose]

If I can find some, I'll have to give it a try. Retumbo too. What other powders are thermally stable?

H1000 has always been pretty reliable for me and until I started fooling around with RL23 and 26 it was all I'd ever used in my 7mm STW's and .300wm's.

H1000 won't break any velocity records but it is very consistent. Temperatures where I live can vary by over 100 degrees through the course of the year so I try to avoid powders that aren't pretty stable.

What has impressed me most about RL23 and 26 is the higher velocities without showing any pressure signs.

I was shooting some highly compressed loads of both powders in my .260's today without seeing any pressure signs at all. My old Chrony died on me in November and I haven't replaced it quite yet so I can't tell you what my velocities were running. Both 23 and 26 are pretty bulky so they fill a case quick. I've always been leery of compressed loads but these impressed me.

 

[WildRose]

I haven't tried it but RL17 is supposed to give good temperature stability as well and they show load data for 160gr speer in their reloading guide.

Alliant Powder - Reloader's Guide

 

[IRISHMADMAN7RM]

Temperature related burn rate differences are not compensated for in any of the ballistics programs that I know of, they just compensate for atmospheric affects on bullet flight.

The one I use has data input for powder temp.

 

[STEEL SLINGER]

the444shooter

I'm seeing about 1 fps per degree F in my 7mm WSM with RL-26 and the 162 gr ELD-X. RL-23 seems to run about 100 fps slower (but so do most other powders) and it is supposed to provide no drift with temp. I have no problem managing RL-26 given I don't hunt in temp extremes but I do have RL-23 just in case that changes.

I know this thread is about the 7 MAG and 162 ELD-X . . .BUT. . . all this RL26 talk I have question about. I run a 280AI with 61 gr. RL26 and 162 gr. A-Max (but working a load over to 168 gr. LRAB) cruising at 3045 fps. When you say a 1 fps per degree change. . . you've experienced a 50 fps loss in a 50 degree decrease in outside air temperature? I live in north central florida and I shoot in temps from 50 degrees to 90 degrees and I've fallen in love with RL26! Velocities, pressures, cooler burning. . .this powder has been outstanding in several calibers I shoot it in! Now you have me thinking where my bullets are going to hit when I'm in Kansas and Montana.

 

[STEEL SLINGER]

A good Ballistics calculator records zero ing weather and compensates for the weather change.It uses all weather data to achieve a density altitude. (A real time thickness of the air to calculate an atmosphere drag rating. It uses temp, bar.press.,humidity,and elevation to do this. You may be at 700 altitude, but depending on the temp,humidity, and bar.press.,your round may be experiencing a 2500 ft altitude. So you won't have to worry about it. Its called absolute pressure in the app settings.

What are you using to compute your various trajectories and temp changes?

 

[Engineering101]

Wildrose

Just so you know, RL-17 uses the same technology as does RL-26/RL-33/RL-50 and shares the same 0.5 fps per degree F velocity shift as they do (per Alliant data not per my experience). So as Alliant says, it has "controlled" temperature drift which is true - it is manageable unlike RL-19/RL-22 which are crazy unstable with temp changes. Reloading and going to the range just because I can is a hobby to me so I don't mind having a Winter load and a Summer load but for some, temperature drift is a problem. RL-16 is the rock solid stable one along with AR-Comp and RL-23.

 

[IRISHMADMAN7RM]

What are you using to compute your various trajectories and temp changes?

A ballistic calculator

 

[STEEL SLINGER]

A ballistic calculator

Yes. . .and is there a preference of which one you like to use? ? ?