Reloder 16, plusses/minuses?

[JakeC]

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…

That's interesting, Bass Pro must be doing some wheeling and dealing because h4350 has been in my local Cabelas pretty constantly. Whole cases left on the shelf at 52 bucks. I would pay more for alliant but not that much. Hey at least you have it now.

 

[Marplot]

Just bought 8lbs RL16 for $427. PV calling it on clearance.

 

[JakeC]

Just bought 8lbs RL16 for $427. PV calling it on clearance.

Oh man. That's a crazytown price, good for you, seriously. Sounds like maybe people are starting to realize we're past our limits and they can pour milk on it and feed it to their kids at their current prices. Saw it on a shelf, honest to god, 89.99.

Dollars. US. Per pound.

 

[Marplot]

Oh man. That's a crazytown price, good for you, seriously. Sounds like maybe people are starting to realize we're past our limits and they can pour milk on it and feed it to their kids at their current prices. Saw it on a shelf, honest to god, 89.99.

Dollars. US. Per pound.

I have only been reloading about 6 months and don't know about the "good old days!" But I am getting ahead of the future! What will it cost more as the Ukraine and others keep using up nitrocellulose?

 

[JakeC]

I have only been reloading about 6 months and don't know about the "good old days!" But I am getting ahead of the future! What will it cost more as the Ukraine and others keep using up nitrocellulose?

I'm not even a good ol days guy, I think if primers had been 8 cents each all along we wouldn't have seen the shortages we had over the years, but you're getting into it in the era of unadulterated gouging. War or no war, if one place is went from 44 to 54 dollars but another went from 44 to 67 in 3 months for the same powder, there's only one explanation. That's how I feel at least.

Anyway you're definitely doing the right thing and investing while you can.

 

[Nomosendero]

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.

6.5 PRC ?

 

[JakeC]

6.5 PRC ?

7 saum

 

[Seabeeken]

Has anyone had trouble getting accuracy with rl16?

I've tested in a number of cartridges and reloder 16 has given excellent accuracy and often single digit ES. The only 2 complaints I have with it are:
Leaves quite the carbon ring
In many cases you just cant seem to get enough in the case to get pressures up to get a cleaner burn which can lad to that carbon ring. In this case, Reloder 17's higher density gives better results.
In cases where I could get enough into the case it was amazing with accuracy and speed.

 

[Marplot]

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.

What powder amount do you use for the 6.5 CM with RL 16?

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

What powder amount do you use for the 6.5 CM with RL 16?

Hey Bill & Anne
Hope that you guys are doing well.
We have to get together some time since we live close.
You can use the loads close to H-4350 for the 6.5 Creed with 42 gr SMK.
You can take a look at Hodgdon Webste Reloading Data Center to get an idea of starting loads.

Reloading Data Center – Hodgdon Reloading Data Center

hodgdonreloading.com

For example we shoot a .260 Rem with 142gr SMK and use 43.6 gr of H-4350. Now don't take what we use for your loads.
6.5 Creed is 38.8gr to 41.5 gr of H-4350 and if you look at the Burn Rate Chart, R-16 is right next to H-4350. So you can most likely use that starting load for R-16.

Maybe we can get together sometime, and we can help you out with reloading. I been reloading for 55+ years.

Take care and shoot straight!
Len & Jill

 

[Marplot]

Len, I got an 8 pound jug of RL 16, inexpensively. Trying to use it up!
My Rifles are
6.5 Creedmoor
270 Win

Double rifles/Drillings
9.3x74R
7x65R
8x57R
10.3x62R BP