However in the video you say the guy running the 260 is 20k over pressure?
No, not that I recall. That figure was speaking in generalities to the data I see people advertising regularly. It is often 20k-30k over pressure.
The general belief is that the burn rate and pressure curve of R 26 allows it to produce more velocity at a lower peak pressure.
Oh I'm well aware that the "half moa all day" crowd just loves the stuff. In my testing, RL26 hit 3107fps with a 140EH before I hit pressure. Guess what? H4831SC hit 3130fps. I've repeatedly seen this with 6.5 PRC's. H4831SC rivals, or often beats RL26 on velocity... and the H4831SC universally shoots better and is more stable across the life of the barrel.
Look at the data, most of which I collected while streaming live on youtube. Look at how many times RL26 is beat by H4831SC. Look at how many times N560 and N565 is right there with it. Look at the velocities I'm reporting pressure at, compared to the loads you see people claiming around here all the time.
From an accuracy and precision standpoint, I do not use Alliant powders in virtually anything. This RL26 magic pixie dust myth is very often being pushed by people that have not tried anything else, or at least haven't tried much else. They CERTAINLY have not been comparing performance on target. It's very likely they haven't been comparing bore stability, precision and accuracy stability across a long string of fire, resilience to adverse conditions, or how many rounds can be fired while maintaining accuracy and precision before cleaning is required.
Let me make this as clear as I can. In every rifle, with every cartridge, with every barrel... literally everything I've tested... Hodgdon and Vihtavuori produce the best accuracy and precision. (and most often velocity too) Not once have I had an Alliant powder beat them in testing on the target.
So Kyle will be happy that I am not eating up his RL powder supply.
But for a hunter looking to maximize performance on game if you can squeeze another 150 fps out of the round it may be worth it if it can be done safely.
It's not worth it, and it can't be done safely. Look at the AB mobile example I showed at the tail end of the video. 100fps extra velocity equals about 75ft lbs of energy on the 1000yd firing solution I was using as an example. Barely a tenth of a mil of wind difference from 2.0 mils of wind at the "slow" velocity. Is that really worth being on the ragged edge of pressure, then having some rain or melted snow get into your chamber and grenade your gun? Lock your bolt shut on the first round fired? Cause you to miss as a result of wild POI shift due to massive overpressure? Pierce a primer, welding your firing pin to your bolt body? Pierce a primer and put a jet of hot gas and metal into your eye that's conveniently sitting behind your bolt shroud/cocking piece pathway? THAT is why it can't be done safely, because all that's required for a severely negative result is for mother nature or other variables to intercede at an inopportune time. Then, kaboom.
Kyle isn't responsible. Kyle lives on the edge. Kyle doesn't care about anything.
The way I do things and recommend others do things was born from over 30 years of handloading experience and over 15 years of advising shooters professionally. What I recommend is designed to set a shooter up for the best chance of things going right all the time, every time, with as much room for error as possible. It takes a tremendous amount of time, effort, and money to get the kind of experience required to make those recommendations possible.
This next bit isn't pointed directly at you @cajun
I certainly do not have any obligation to defend against or debate with idiotic anonymous internet personalities with comparatively zero experience.
Kyle doesn't need any experience. All he has to do is read the internet.
-----------
Follow on Instagram
Subscribe on YouTube
Amazon Affiliate