RL-16 for 280 Ackley?

[stx]

I'm half tempted to try 16, 23, and 26. My local Scheels has all three on hand currently

RL26 has given me the velocity/accuracy combos I've been looking for in my 6.5x284, 264WM, 280 Rem, and 280 Ackley.

 

[Kaptoe]

H4350 and H100v for me

150gr ABLR over 54.5gr of H100v gets me 2930fps and SD under 9 .accuracy is sub .5moa with decent trigger pulling

I got to that load pretty quick on my rifle and am done until I change the tube .

 

[planetwaves]

A fairly well known member here suggested I load my 280 Ackley with RL-16 and magnum primers for 140gr bullets and stating pretty good results. After looking at all my reloading manuals (none of which had RL-16 info in it) I found one that used H4350 which I heard had a very similar burn rate but it's only one load out of my 9 reloading books it was hardly enough information for me to be confident in using RL-16 especially with magnum primers. It was suggested to start with 53gr and work wup in half grain increments and that they had best results with 56gr. I have a fair amount of trust that this member wouldn't purposely steer me wrong but my gut is telling me to double check before I try these RL-16 loads with magnum primers just to be sure. What do you all think?

If you can find load data for RL-17, it should be very similar (if not identical) to load data for RL-16. My understanding is that RL-16 is an "improved" version of RL-17, making it more temperature stable and adding anti copper fowling agent. I use RL-17 in my 270 win. Alliant replaced most RL-17 load data with RL-16, but the min and max values are mostly the same (or very close). Since RL-16 is scarce, but RL-17 is available, I continue to use RL-17.

The Nosler Load Data lists RL-17 for the 280 AI with 150 gains bullets.
51 gains starting load with 55 max (not much different than the 4350 load data you quoted). That could be a reasonable starting range for your 140 gr bullet with RL-16. But for 140 gr bullets, the max would be higher.

 

[stx]

If you can find load data for RL-17, it should be very similar (if not identical) to load data for RL-16. My understanding is that RL-16 is an "improved" version of RL-17, making it more temperature stable and adding anti copper fowling agent. I use RL-17 in my 270 win. Alliant replaced most RL-17 load data with RL-16, but the min and max values are mostly the same (or very close). Since RL-16 is scarce, but RL-17 is available, I continue to use RL-17.

The Nosler Load Data lists RL-17 for the 280 AI with 150 gains bullets.
51 gains starting load with 55 max (not much different than the 4350 load data you quoted). That could be a reasonable starting range for your 140 gr bullet with RL-16. But for 140 gr bullets, the max would be higher.

The Alliant sight has RL16 data

 

[planetwaves]

The Alliant sight has RL16 data

Yes, but they don't list loads for the 280 AI.

 

[Kaptoe]

I would go to the nosler site .they should have it

 

[stx]

Yes, but they don't list loads for the 280 AI.

OOPS! Sorry, I guess I had 280 on my brain since I'm working with one right now. In my 280 AI, I did better with RL26 than RL16 for both accuracy and velocity.....but this was with a lighter bullet since mine has a 10 twist bbl.

 

[slv hunter]

Alliant sight list 54.3g rl16 for 280 rem and 140g partition. It's a place to start working around.

 

[L.Sherm]

RL16 and H4350 are all but identical in my testing.

 

[Kaptoe]

Agreed .H100v tracks right there as well

 

[Griffon58]

Check out this temp stability test. https://precisionrifleblog.com/2016/06/19/powder-temp-stability-hodgdon-extreme-vs-imr-enduron/

H4350 is still reported to be the most used power by the top 50 Precision Rifle Series shooters because of temperature stability. I've used it with 6 Dasher, 284 WIN and 280AI loads for years with 115's to 162's, noting little velocity variation from summer to winter. I've had good luck using 4831SC with 168's to 175's as well.

 

[Kaptoe]

I only started using H100v after the prolonged powder shortages. It has been a great powder for me .

Would wonder where the PRS crowd would go if they couldn't get H4350?

 

[Griffon58]

According to Precision Rifle Blogs' 2015 study of PRS shooters, only 5 of the top 100 shooters did not use one of the Hodgdon Extreme Series powders. Over 60 of them used H4350, followed by Varget and 4831SC. IMR 4350, 4451 and Reloader 17 made up the 5 non Hodgdon users. Later posts say that trend continues.

 

[25WSM]

Rl26 will give you great velocity and is much much more temp stable than 22 or 25. I use rl26 in my hunting rifles because of the stability. Hogdens extreme powders are very temp stable and it's all I use in my 1000 yd. Competition rifles. H4350 in my 300wsm and varget in my 6bra. H1000 in my 243 ai. I've built a bunch of 280 ai for guys around here and most are using rl26 but one of the really hums with retumbo and 168 berger. I personally don't think the load density is good with rl16 or h4350. I like full cases of powder.
Shep