How close are RL17 and H4350?

[ButterBean]

You're a contributor in multiple ways.

Can't make everybody happy. Don't try. Teddy Roosevelt said (very approximately) that there's the man on field of battle, bruised, bloody and gettin' it done, then there's the critics on the sidelines, telling him how to improve. While differences of opinion do exist, my personal opinion is that much of the heat you've taken -without, afaik saying much about it - originates in the Peanut Gallery.

Starting a new business usually is all-encompassing. Stay on it, drop in when you get a chance and know for a FACT that you're missed.

I appreciate it and I'm sure you know that I am always the guy in the field

 

[DWier]

All is well brother, I quit my job and started a new business so I've been off the grid for a bit, on top on top of that there were a handful of folks that said I was ruining this forum so I wanted to make sure that I wasn't

There's always a handful!!!

 

[112Savage]

I would say the largest difference you're going to see between them is load density which in tern will have more effect than overall burning rate because more RL17 can fit into the same size case than H4350.

In terms of density Highest to Lowest:
RL17
RL16
H4350

In the two cartridges I use these powders in, RL17 and RL16 consistently require more powder to hit max but also produce more velocity. In 9.3x62 RL17 is amazing for case fill and velocity, but you can't get enough RL16 or H4350 into the case to match velocity.

 

[WYO300RUM]

When searching for a potential load for my 375 AI, I decided to try RL 17 as it had very similar burn rate to H 4350 used in 375 Weatherby load data. It worked outstanding for me! YMMV memtb

H4350 is $43.55 here if you want to make a road trip

 

[SWHandldr]

I appreciate it and I'm sure you know that I am always the guy in the field

Anybody who ain't figgered that out has never looked at your avatar pic. You ain't been on the sidelines since you started walkin'.

I think it was your mom confirmed this. If she's gone to Heaven, she's been talking to mine.

 

[Starlite]

OP,
As many have stated H4350 is a very Temp stable; and not by a long shot in comparison to RL17.
If temp stability isn't a great concern (you calculate for the velocity change) then RL17 is a great powder. Accurate 2520 is a great choice too. Don't be afraid to trial some 308/creedmoor powders. Maybe Hybrid V100, StaBall6.5. Or Vihtavuori N-160 etc.

 

[KR260]

I have a related question. On the burn rate charge I have, RL-16 is 123, H4350 is 124, and RL-17 is 125. I understand that RL-16 is very temp stable.

I have 8 lbs of RL-16 and no H4350. How do these 2 compare?

I get better velocity and temp stability with Rl16 over H4350 in my 6.5 Creed, 22BR, and 6 Dasher. The problem is finding it.

 

[Pdvdh]

Under a hundred bucks? I hope it was at least half a hundred bucks!

What a bargain!

 

[ruby76]

I'm using H4350 in my 338 Sherman short with 225, 230 and 250 grain bullets. I bet varget would work too

 

[Citified]

Looking back at post #40, this was new information for me. So
My questions is:
Given the same caliber, would R17 favor a longer barrel say 26" vs a 20" due to the stated secondary burn rate? I can get R17 locally and not H4350 although I have some still

 

[rbTanzan]

Much good information has been shared above. since the .338" is a diameter I am fond of and I've used powders discussed in many cartridges like 243, 270, 338WM, 375Rug, and 416Rig, I've seen them at work in various capacities and temperatures.
My first inclination would be to try out some Varget since the 338-06 is slightly handicapped in optimum capacity. (Hey, that is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact it is functionally quite similar to the 308Win in a smaller diameter.) Varget works fairly well in the 308Win, so I would expect it to do very well in the 338-06.
In the slower level (R16, R17, H4350, StaBall65) I've found R16 and H4350 very similar and quite good with Hammer Bullets. However, R17 and StaBall65 have usually produced more velocity and at least equal, outstanding accuracy. I've found a little bit of case lot differences in my R17 (perhaps a grain difference at the capacity levels of 338 and 375) and so far virtually none in three different lots of StaBall65. I have currently chosen StaBall as my go-to powder for all the calibers above.

StaBall packs very densely into a cartridge that needs all of its space like the 338 and 375, allowing it to better H4350 and R16 for velocity. It would be worth a try in the 338-06 but it might turn out to be too slow. I am tending to think of StaBall more like HV100 and R19 on the powder burn charts. Plus StaBall has been available off and on on sites like Natchez, MidSouth, and PowderValley.

 

[memtb]

H4350 is $43.55 here if you want to make a road trip

Thanks a bunch…..but I'm "sitt'n" on plenty of 17! memtb

 

[LVJ76]

All is well brother, I quit my job and started a new business so I've been off the grid for a bit, on top on top of that there were a handful of folks that said I was ruining this forum so I wanted to make sure that I wasn't

Wish you the best in your new business, God bless.

Don't listen to those people Bean, your input is always welcomed and appreciated.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I've used both powders quite extensively. Rl-17 is a higher energy powder that will get you more velocity than h4350. However rl-17 is not as stable as h4350. Also, with rl-17 being a hotter powder it eats throats like crazy. Rl-16 is a good blend of both. I get better velocity with it over h4350 and its very stable. Hoever its a very dirty powder and has caused me issues with carbon in thr throat.
So with all that said my personal preference is h4350. It just flat out works