RL 16 in 6.5-.284?

[DHuffman]

Anyone tried this combo yet or have any thoughts on it.

26" Varmint Select Match barrel 1:8 twist on a savage long action. Not a comp. rifle obviously, I want to shoot steel out past 1000 yds and maybe use it as a coyote/prarie dog rifle also. Deer and antelope this fall if I can draw tags.

I'm wanting to shoot the 140-143 grain bullets to minimize wind drift so between that and the 26" barrel will I realize that will slow it down but if I can't get a good load @ +/- 3000 fps I might as well shoot my 6.5 Creedmoors or Lapuas.

If a guy was going to test it how far would you back off H4350 weights and work up? All the manuals I've looked at show just over 2700 fps for most powders except H100V Hybrid @ 2900fps.

Any insight appreciated!

 

[DHuffman]

I went ahead and ran a set of Hybrid 100 v today. Nice little 3 rounds touching group almost flat on the vertical @ 49.5 grains which is a max load on Hodgdon's website. I went as high as 50.1 may have had just a little bolt lift there, very little if any. Primers were barely starting to crater.

 

[waterdog]

In my experience I have found R-17 to be very good in the 6.5x284. With a 140vld start at 49 grains and work up. You should get around 3000 fps out of that.
I would also be interested to know the results of R-16 in the 6.5x284.

 

[DHuffman]

Thanks. I have both 17 & 16 and plan on testing some 16 soon.

 

[st338]

Keep us posted I am going to try some rl16 in a 6.5x284 also alongside H4350 to see which one measures up, but it is going to be another week before I get to it.

 

[M.Stilley]

I had better luck with slower powders in 6.5-284. I'm up in the 56grn region using Retumbo - 2990 fps for a 140 Hybrid, and it very consistent.
I know some guys shooting H1000 and Re22 with good results in this cartridge, as well.

 

[DHuffman]

I had better luck with slower powders in 6.5-284. I'm up in the 56grn region using Retumbo - 2990 fps for a 140 Hybrid, and it very consistent.
I know some guys shooting H1000 and Re22 with good results in this cartridge, as well.

I shot the hybrid 100 v again Sunday in .1 increments from 49.3-49.8 to bracket the one hole 49.5 group I shot the day before. Hodgdon max load is 49.5 with a 142 @ 2900fps

There was a decent group @ 49.4 but that was it, .1 either way was not good. The speeds were pretty good though for not being over book. 3010 - 3050

I have a couple pounds of Retumbo and will be trying it also.

Tried the H 1000 first, nothing really there except down pretty low. I was hoping it would work I've got over 10 pounds.

 

[kyreloader]

56.5-58g of H1000 worked very well in two different 6.5x284 barrels that I have loaded for. Usual cautions.

 

[normmatzen]

I have a 7X57 hunting rifle as well as a 284 WIN long Range Bench Rest/F Class gun.
I started these guns on 4831sc and gravitated to RL-17 for both. QuickLoad calculated this was the most efficient powder for both guns.
Then, along comes RL-16! The temp. stability got my eye so I tried RL-16 in a new 7mm barrel on the 284 WIN. The RL-17 shot better than the 4831sc and the RL-16 shot better than the RL-17. Loads are almost identical. I characterize my new barrels by shooting 5-6 5 shot groups in round robin fashion in about 1% steps and record MV and ES. I then plot ES in EXCEL and curve fit to a polynomial 3-6 th order and find the low point of ES and that is my powder load. I then tune my tuner for best group.

 

[flatlander]

I think RL23 would offer more velocity in the 284 case, though I don't own a 6.5-284. I intend to try RL23 & RL26 both in my 284s with 180s when I get the chance this spring. Am also looking for info from anyone who's tried both or either of these powders in their 6.5x55AI. My thoughts were that RL16 would be better suited for use in cases with medium capacity, like 6x47/6XC & 6.5x47/6.5 Creedmoor.

 

[DHuffman]

56.5-58g of H1000 worked very well in two different 6.5x284 barrels that I have loaded for. Usual cautions.

I went up over 56 in my first test loads and the group was getting bigger with every jump. I'm sure I quit too early probably.
The two reasons I'm looking at H1000 is I have plenty and a lot of people seem to be of the opinion it may prolong barrel life over some of the usual powders used in this cartridge.
I doubt if being 1-3 grains over book, according to Hodgdon will help barrel life but will likely test that range again now that I have some rounds on the barrel.

I think I've got a pretty good load @ 54.5 grains H1000, Lapua brass, CCI 250 primers and a 143 ELD-X Hornady bullets.

2960 avg. FPS 5.5 SD and 11 ES

It was cold and windy when these were shot and I've got a varmint spring coming for the accu trigger. I could tell I was pushing the gun around when pressing the trigger, the spring should help.

 

[slm9s]

I'm using h1000, but plan to try rl26 soon. People are getting great velocity.

 

[ShootDots]

I used 2 / 6.5 x 284s for F-Open for 2 seasons. I was a "newbie" F-Classer back then. One thing I found out quickly and very expensively, is that the primer pockets on 6.5 x 284 brass are, "generally speaking" the weakest link in that chain. VV N560 was not only the MOST accurate powder I tried, it gave me the HIGHEST velocity of any powder I tried. However, true to form, primer pockets did not last long. I went to H1000 and that solved BOTH problems: 1.) getting decent velocity and 2.) not destroying primer pockets inside 4 firings! Having said that AND knowing what I know of that cartridge, in order to get you to where you want, I would seriously consider RL-26! It is within striking distance of the same burn rate as H1000 and WILL give you higher velocities. You won't have to run it up to max to do what you want, thus saving you primer pockets. I have not used it, but everyone I know that has, states it will give incredible velocity and accuracy!

 

[ShootDots]

I went up over 56 in my first test loads and the group was getting bigger with every jump. I'm sure I quit too early probably.
The two reasons I'm looking at H1000 is I have plenty and a lot of people seem to be of the opinion it may prolong barrel life over some of the usual powders used in this cartridge.
I doubt if being 1-3 grains over book, according to Hodgdon will help barrel life but will likely test that range again now that I have some rounds on the barrel.

I think I've got a pretty good load @ 54.5 grains H1000, Lapua brass, CCI 250 primers and a 143 ELD-X Hornady bullets.

2960 avg. FPS 5.5 SD and 11 ES

It was cold and windy when these were shot and I've got a varmint spring coming for the accuracy trigger. I could tell I was pushing the gun around when pressing the trigger, the spring should help.

My load with 140 Hybrids and H1000 was 54.7grs. That gave me 3030f.p.s. and SUPERB accuracy. I got just shy of 1700 rounds. BUT instead of the accuracy begin to trail off, it fell off the table!

 

[DHuffman]

My load with 140 Hybrids and H1000 was 54.7grs. That gave me 3030f.p.s. and SUPERB accuracy. I got just shy of 1700 rounds. BUT instead of the accuracy begin to trail off, it fell off the table!

That's pretty much what I'm looking for. I would guess I'm giving up some fps using the 143 ELD X's vs. The 140 Hybrid and I'm using .2 g less powder. My barrel has just over 200 rounds now so I would guess it's as "fast" as it's gonna get. If 2960 is as good as it gets in the 26" tube I'm fine with that but I will look higher at some point.

The goal here was to pick a long range match/hunting bullet that's readily available at a reasonable cost and not waste half the barrel chasing bullet/powder combinations. I have 11+ pounds of H1000 and 1000 ELD X's so I'm going to tune it and shoot it.

 

[6MMsteve]

My load with 140 Hybrids and H1000 was 54.7grs. That gave me 3030f.p.s. and SUPERB accuracy. I got just shy of 1700 rounds. BUT instead of the accuracy begin to trail off, it fell off the table!

same here it went from bugholes to 410 shotgun

 

[DHuffman]

Once I get close to 1000 rounds I'll have another barrel ready to be screw on.

 

[ShootDots]

That's pretty much what I'm looking for. I would guess I'm giving up some fps using the 143 ELD X's vs. The 140 Hybrid and I'm using .2 g less powder. My barrel has just over 200 rounds now so I would guess it's as "fast" as it's gonna get. If 2960 is as good as it gets in the 26" tube I'm fine with that but I will look higher at some point.

The goal here was to pick a long range match/hunting bullet that's readily available at a reasonable cost and not waste half the barrel chasing bullet/powder combinations. I have 11+ pounds of H1000 and 1000 ELD X's so I'm going to tune it and shoot it.

If you look at the fact I had a 30" barrel as opposed to your 26" tube, you are right on the money velocity-wise. If your accuracy is where you want it, call it good and go enjoy your rifle!

 

[DHuffman]

If you look at the fact I had a 30" barrel as opposed to your 26" tube, you are right on the money velocity-wise. If your accuracy is where you want it, call it good and go enjoy your rifle!

That's the plan, thanks for your input.

 

[DHuffman]

I think I'm there. Shot great out to 700 this evening and looks like -.025 is the sweet spot for seating depth.