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View Full Version : Tried RE-17....a little concerned with charge weight


bitethebullet
01-30-2013, 9:58 PM
I ran out of my normal use powder and had to pick up some Alliant Reloader 17...Not using this powder before, I am a little concerned with charge weight and powder compression. I started at -10% off max of 48.7gr per Alliants website. This puts me at roughly 44gr. I am using Hornady Match BTHP 178gr and am already hearing a crunch followed by no sound upon case shakey , shakey....I checked my Lyman DPS III against my bar scale and the charge is legit.....just getting a compressed load @ what should be close to minimum charge.
Anyone run into this problem with RE-17?

ExtremeX
01-30-2013, 11:49 PM
I don’t have any experience with that powder but any time I have questions concerning safety or load information I call the powder manufacture.

Pete1979
01-31-2013, 12:17 AM
similar burn rate to 4350, probably a bit too slow for 308. It was designed for good case fill in WSM cases.

bitethebullet
01-31-2013, 6:54 AM
I don’t have any experience with that powder but any time I have questions concerning safety or load information I call the powder manufacture.

I contacted them and they referred me to the website....they list 3 loads for re-17...Alliant is claiming they can get 50gr into a .308 case...I couldn't even get 45gr. I did some searching a there apparently people using it with 175 and up projectiles in 308 with good results, but they are using what looks to be 46-48.5 grains....:facepalm: I don't know? Maybe a batch with a larger kernel cut?

OldShooter32
01-31-2013, 7:23 AM
GI cases or commercial? More room in a commercial case.

phish
01-31-2013, 9:35 AM
I experimented a bit with RL17 in .308 with the heavies. I was able to pack quite a bit of powder in Lapua cases, close to 47 gr. The results were okay, but not enough to pursue it any further after a couple of matches.

This was with the early lots and it may have been changed since then.

Bill Steele
01-31-2013, 9:53 AM
Most of my loads in 308 are compressed. For instance when I am loading 4064, if I drop the powder directly into the case from a drop or scale pan with a funnel, the powder will be 3/4 up the neck.

If I pour the powder charge along the side of the funnel, so it slowly feeds into the case, that same charge will settle down almost to the bend in the neck. I hold the funnel and case in one hand and the powder pan in the other, rotating the funnel/case in a wobble while pouring slowly onto the sides of the funnel.

Other guys use a long drop tube. Some use a small vibrator with the funnel in place to keep powder from flying out.

It is all about the settle.

bitethebullet
01-31-2013, 12:01 PM
GI cases or commercial? More room in a commercial case.

Commercial Winchester cases....

bitethebullet
01-31-2013, 12:06 PM
I experimented a bit with RL17 in .308 with the heavies. I was able to pack quite a bit of powder in Lapua cases, close to 47 gr. The results were okay, but not enough to pursue it any further after a couple of matches.

This was with the early lots and it may have been changed since then.

Maybe the kernels from newer batches are larger? They don't seem to settle well. Like the above comment....maybe I should try to vibrate or tamp the charge before seating the bullet?

bitethebullet
01-31-2013, 12:08 PM
Most of my loads in 308 are compressed. For instance when I am loading 4064, if I drop the powder directly into the case from a drop or scale pan with a funnel, the powder will be 3/4 up the neck.

If I pour the powder charge along the side of the funnel, so it slowly feeds into the case, that same charge will settle down almost to the bend in the neck. I hold the funnel and case in one hand and the powder pan in the other, rotating the funnel/case in a wobble while pouring slowly onto the sides of the funnel.

Other guys use a long drop tube. Some use a small vibrator with the funnel in place to keep powder from flying out.

It is all about the settle.

Did you see any pressure signs when loading compressed charges. I'm just a little sketched out as none of my previous powder would require enough powder to be compressed....

Bill Steele
01-31-2013, 12:17 PM
Did you see any pressure signs when loading compressed charges. I'm just a little sketched out as none of my previous powder would require enough powder to be compressed....

I have never found a relationship to pressure signs and compressed loads in any gun I have ever loaded, handgun or rifle. I think you can get to "max" with far less than compressed and you can conversely have a load that you litterally cannot get the bullet to fully seat it is so compressed and still have fine looking primers, light bolt lift, etc.

That is my experience.

bitethebullet
01-31-2013, 4:38 PM
I have never found a relationship to pressure signs and compressed loads in any gun I have ever loaded, handgun or rifle. I think you can get to "max" with far less than compressed and you can conversely have a load that you litterally cannot get the bullet to fully seat it is so compressed and still have fine looking primers, light bolt lift, etc.

That is my experience.

Good! You alleviated some of my concern...I guess the only way to know is to choot em'....thanks everyone for your input!

Bill Steele
01-31-2013, 5:04 PM
Good! You alleviated some of my concern...I guess the only way to know is to choot em'....thanks everyone for your input!

Sounds right. You almost certainly know this, but just in case, work up from start loads, watch the primers and the bolt lift, my two most common signals things are getting sporty. When you change bullets, start over.

I recently tried some all copper Noslers in 150gr. Much lighter than the 168gr Barnes bullets I had been loading. I did my normal workup and over a grain below where the heavier Barnes all copper started showing signs of pressure the Noslers were at their limit. It seems the design of the Noslers doesn't include the bands the Barnes bullets posses which keep pressures in check. Hence the benefit of being patient and starting below max of a similar (but different) bullet.