RL22 Temp Sensitivity findings

[300winnie]

After a lot of deliberation on the rumors of RL22 being one of the most temperature sensitive powders out there, I still decided to try it in my .300 Winchester Magnum. I wish I would have tried it a long, long time ago. Anyway, I worked up a load this summer/fall and got a load that shoots sub m.o.a. consistently and averaged 3,184 fps for 6 shots fired through the chronograph on a nice sunny day of about 75 degrees.

Fast forward now to December. Saturday the high was 24 degrees here in town. I was up on the hill(another 1,000 vertical feet) at about 10:30 in the morning, so I am being conservative in saying the temp was around 20 degrees. Fired six more shots through the chronograph and came up with an average of 3,146 fps.

Conclusion: For a 50-55 degree spread my gun dropped 38 fps in average velocity. After this little test, I am glad I viewed the temp. sensitivity issue more as marketing hype than fact.

Hope this little bit of information is useful.

 

[MachV]

Thanks for the review,i never thought R22 to be any more temp sensitive than most powders.
The one and only problem I've had with R22 is the lot to lot differences.R22 is the powder that taught me to start low and work up /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif Solved that problem by buying a large quantity of it of the same lot,now I aint got a single problem with my favorite powder /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[BountyHunter]

RL 22 really starts to show its temp sensitivity in the upper temp ranges for sure and lot to lot variation has been a killer. I had to drop 4 grains from my normal load to keep from blowing primers with one lot. Only took me three broken triggers due to the blowback to figure that one out.

If it works for you great. I went to MRP which is same as RL 22 and now Black Hills has it in stock again after a two year lull. They are now the importer for MRP and MRP2 (RL25)

Best powders I have ever used. I still have over 20 lbs of MRP for my WSMs.

BH

 

[remingtonman_25_06]

Yah it might not be temp insensitive, but it sure is lot to lot sensitive, as others have said. I had the same thing happen to me. First pound I bought was ok at 64g RL-22 and 168g VLD out of my 7mm. Cronoed right at 2940fps. Well had to go buy another pound, diff lot, and I loaded up the same 64g load. Well the velocity was now 3075fps, and the groups doubled. I like the RL-22 for its accuracy and thats about it.

 

[300winnie]

Yes,

I believe they do have some problems with lot to lot consistency. I'm glad I bought a 5 lb jug to start with.

 

[CatShooter]

[ QUOTE ]
... I am glad I viewed the temperature sensitivity issue more as marketing hype than fact.

Hope this little bit of information is useful.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not marketing hype, but it is an issue between ball powder and stick powders. If you did the same test with H335, 760 or others, you would see a much bigger difference.

.

 

[Buffalobob]

What Bounty Hunter said.

Temperature sensitivity goes through the roof at about 85-90 degrees.

 

[royinidaho]

From summer chuck hunting loads to the same thing in the depths of winter in a 270Win MV dropped of 130FPS w/RL-22.

Just my experience. ( But it was a dry cold - /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif)

 

[uncleB]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the review,i never thought R22 to be any more temp sensitive than most powders.
The one and only problem I've had with R22 is the lot to lot differences.R22 is the powder that taught me to start low and work up /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif Solved that problem by buying a large quantity of it of the same lot,now I aint got a single problem with my favorite powder /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
+1

 

[BountyHunter]

RL22 shows it sensitivity not in the low ranges but in the upper temp ranges. You might not have a good day working up a upper end load at 75 degrees and then trying to shoot it at over 90 degrees, partiularily upper 90s. Pressure has been known to be through the roof in mine and others experience.

Plus it has a documented record of lot to lot variance with at least one major lot recall for these issues.

IF you get a good lot and IF you buy enough to work up a load and shoot for awhile and IF that load is worked up in the max temp range you will probably be ok. If not, do not be surprised to see smoke coming out of the action, primer cups in the firing pin holes and broken sears when you hit the hot temps.

IF you are going to be in hot temps, work the load in hot temps with RL22 and no issues, go the other way and it could be a fun and expensive day.

That is why MRP is so popular with guys who have been through this and want to shoot RL22 speed powders. Black Hills is now the stocking distributor for Norma powders.

BH

 

[jeffbird]

[ QUOTE ]
What Bounty Hunter said.

Temperature sensitivity goes through the roof at about 85-90 degrees.

[/ QUOTE ]

fwiw - I did load development in a 7wsm with RL22 last summer when the temps here in Texas were over 100. Same load is working very nicely now that temps are running in the 30's - 70's. The opposite of that might not be true i.e. can't work up a load in cold weather and then use the same one in the high heat. However, wouldn't that be the case for most powders?

 

[Buffalobob]

Jeff

I believe what you are saying is the same thought that started the threaed. A RL22 load developed in "warm" weather will be safe in cold weather. I do not believe anyone disagrees with that thought.

If the "warm" weather load of RL22 is a max load it may not be very safe in "hot" weather. Unlike Bounty hunter, I did not break firing pins, I simply had to run a cleaning rod from the muzzle down the barrel into the case and hammer the case out of the chamber - twice in a row before I got the idea to quit shooting for the day. It was about 95 degrees fahrenheit that day/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[keithcandler]

H4831 SC is very close to R#22........

it is a very viable alternative to R#22. I shoot both in a 257 Weatherby with zero freebore.

I believe that Alliant has someone on Crack running the machine that produces R#22...ONLY BUY THIS POWDER IN 5 LB CANS or you are in serious trouble with your load development. Preferably, buy two 5 lb'ers at a time because when you get a new lot#, you are back to square one, peg one on your load development most of the time.

 

[hoghound]

Re: H4831 SC is very close to R#22........

And RL-25 ain't no better.

Tim