Reloder 16, plusses/minuses?

[Bill28]

I'm going to be starting a new load and I need to finally branch out from my beloved H4831sc. It's just too slow for this project, so I need to get into the mid range of things. This is in a 7 saum.

H4350 and rl16 are popping up locally and online but I don't think I'll have time to monkey with both on this project. Has anyone had trouble getting accuracy with rl16? Who has compared them neck and neck? For my season this fall the additional speed will be valuable, but I also can't trade that speed for inaccuracy. I tried RL 17 in the past and couldn't get it to shoot under 1.25 moa ever, where 4451 and h4831 I could easily get into .7 and .6 with the same gun. I knew a lot less back then, and that was a different barrel and cartridge, but when you're comparing it to something as bombproof as h4350 the bar gets pretty high.

Essentially I've pounded the internet this morning and can't get a straight answer. Anyone want to reassure me or scare me off? Thanks in advance.

I use H 4350 in my 243 100 grain Partitions and 95 Berger's works great also for my 6.5 Creedmoor 140 Berger's for hunting. I use Reloader 16 for my competition 6.5 Creedmoor and 147 eldm's. Both work great. I hope I can find some more Reloader 16 soon. They'll both work good, go with the one you can get the most of.

 

[DRock]

I use H 4350 in my 243 100 grain Partitions and 95 Berger's works great also for my 6.5 Creedmoor 140 Berger's for hunting. I use Reloader 16 for my competition 6.5 Creedmoor and 147 eldm's. Both work great. I hope I can find some more Reloader 16 soon. They'll both work good, go with the one you can get the most of.

Brownells has RL16 in stock right now--first I have seen it in quite some time. 2 lb limit with shipping and hazmat its expensive but who knows when we'll see more?

 

[LVJ76]

Both RL16 and H4350 work great, just need to see which one your rifle likes.

Go with RL16 first and see what happens. My wife's 7mm-08 shoots cloverleafs with the 162gr A-Max. Mine likes H4350 with 168gr Hybrids.

That said, I havent seen much RL16 around, but I have seen lots of H4350 locally and online.

 

[JakeC]

Wow, tons of great info. I was driving for ten hours and wasn't really seeing all the updates. lots of new stuff to think about. I'll definitely give it a try now.

 

[Aviator]

I really like it in 6.5 Creedmoor

 

[PatriotHenry]

RL16 is the best powder in its burn rate. Temperature, accuracy. Pressure/velocity. It is a tad more dirty than H4350, but that's the only downside. They are about .2-.5 grains apart for speed.

My experiences almost exactly in a 6.5 CM with 135-147gr pills.

 

[7stw]

I have had very good success with anything I have used RL16 in, that would also shoot H4350.
I have a load for 6.5 cm, with 142smk, that ,is a genuine fly killer. I could not for the life of me get no wheres near the accuracy with H4350. The only rival is varget, with 123ELDM. RL16 will not let you down.

 

[Justice1327]

Wow, tons of great info. I was driving for ten hours and wasn't really seeing all the updates. lots of new stuff to think about. I'll definitely give it a try now.

Did you test RL16 yet? Data/updates?

 

[Svashtar]

IME, it's everything 4350 is, with less temp sensitivity and higher velo. I haven't had a problem with cleaning.

I'm going to pick up an 8lb'er this week. It's good that it's showing up again.

Sorry to dredge up an 15-month old thread, but ran out of my H4350 so thought I'd give RL16 a try. After Hazmat and $25 shipping it's $523 for 8# on Powder Valley! Man, I'm out of touch! That last 4 lbs of H4350 two years ago was $140 shipped, so I figured maybe as high as $300, but not 75% higher. It's always a gamble that the price will come back down and you'll have overpaid, so for now I can't bring myself to pay that and need to track the price. I still have a few other powders I can use to get by the next few months until hopefully the demand gets less crazy. Luckily I put away a ton of primers a few years ago, so at least have that one thing covered. I don't see how guys new to reloading are making it…

 

[PatriotHenry]

Sorry to dredge up an 15-month old thread, but ran out of my H4350 so thought I'd give RL16 a try. After Hazmat and $25 shipping it's $523 for 8# on Powder Valley! Man, I'm out of touch! That last 4 lbs of H4350 two years ago was $140 shipped, so I figured maybe as high as $300, but not 75% higher. It's always a gamble that the price will come back down and you'll have overpaid, so for now I can't bring myself to pay that and need to track the price. I still have a few other powders I can use to get by the next few months until hopefully the demand gets less crazy. Luckily I put away a ton of primers a few years ago, so at least have that one thing covered. I don't see how guys new to reloading are making it…

What cartridge are you loading? If a 6.5CM I can give you some loads I did a couple of years ago when H4350 was unobtanium. Also check your LGS maybe you can find some H4350 on the shelf.
RL16 shot good for me.

If I didn't already have a so so stash of components on hand, I would be out of the game. So it is a painful process for beginners right now. I am mentoring one and the affordability, and availability of components is a challenge for sure!

PH

 

[Mike Matteson]

Sorry to dredge up an 15-month old thread, but ran out of my H4350 so thought I'd give RL16 a try. After Hazmat and $25 shipping it's $523 for 8# on Powder Valley! Man, I'm out of touch! That last 4 lbs of H4350 two years ago was $140 shipped, so I figured maybe as high as $300, but not 75% higher. It's always a gamble that the price will come back down and you'll have overpaid, so for now I can't bring myself to pay that and need to track the price. I still have a few other powders I can use to get by the next few months until hopefully the demand gets less crazy. Luckily I put away a ton of primers a few years ago, so at least have that one thing covered. I don't see how guys new to reloading are making it…

Yes it's crazy in powder and primer prices. Last year I paid $40.00 for a 1000 Rem LRP. This year I have paid more, just here the other day I paid $176.00 for 1000 Fed210M primers. "SAD" The Fed 210M are deing piece meal out a little a a time too. Powders were kind of setting down until the first of the year. Become more advailable too. Now they have figure out that they can raise the prices a way up. Bullets a company makes a special type and I feel they were where they need to be. All the other saw what they were getting for them and raised their prices to that level too.

 

[The Badger]

RL-16 has been my go to in both my 6.5 CM paper punchers. Both shooting 140 ELDM's. Shot very well in a 6 CM I had too with 88 HH's. Its temp stability is a plus for summer shooting here in FL. I've had mostly better results than with RL-17. I did try it in my 6.5-06 and couldn't find a load with 110 HH's. Had better results there with H4350.

 

[JakeC]

Did you test RL16 yet? Data/updates?

Sorry I never saw this question. I did get it and test it, mostly in extreme heat. I didn't get quite the velocity I wanted but it wasn't the powder's fault. Extremely accurate, nice to work with. Using it under a 140 absolute hammer. Got up to 3300+ with a couple leaky primers, backed it down to 3230 and have had great success. Want to say I'm around 63 grains. It was enough to put an okd bucks hooves in my scope at 60 and pop Busch cans at 550. I hated rl 17, id use 16 every day if i could.

 

[Hugnot]

$64.99 at my LGS