Heat sesitivity of RL-15

[Groundhogwhacka]

Finally got everything around to let the 6.5x47 stretch its legs a little last night, but it went poorly. I was way off with my click chart shooting way over half a dozen groundhogs in the 500yds range. I am just trying to figure out what went wrong. I chrony'd the load and the ballistics calculator has been almost dead on for everything else I have used it for. So I wonder whether the RL-15 is very temperature sensitive because it was probably 30 degrees cooler when I chrony'd the load. The box of Bergers I had listed B.C. as .492 but their website listed them as .453. But that difference only amounted to about 2' difference At 500yds.

 

[jb1000br]

R15 is very temp sensitive. 30deg. will definitely change your velocity enough to miss a groundhog at 500 from what I have seen.

That said, I am still shooting it in 2 6BR's and my 6.5x47 because it works...

I just needed to learn how much a 0.1gn of powder was worth and have an idea on the temp that the ammo will be used in...then adjust accordingly.

JB

 

[gunnut606]

I have heard a lot about R15 being temp. sensitive, but then Aliant claims that it is very temp. INSENSITIVE, and the military chose that powder for their .308 match ammo. So ???

 

[Groundhogwhacka]

That kind of stinks if its that temp sensitive. I think I will set a few rounds outside but in the shade so they warm up and then take a few right out of the cabinet in the basement and see what kind of difference I see.

 

[Ackman]

I have heard a lot about R15 being temp. sensitive, but then Aliant claims that it is very temp. INSENSITIVE, and the military chose that powder for their .308 match ammo. So ???

Funny about all the stuff you hear, isn't it? Yet the people who know will say different. I shoot RL15 in both the 22BR and several 22-250AI's. Accuracy and velocity are just excellent with this powder, better than any others. These are used on rockchucks and prairie dogs. They're hot loads in moderate weather and they're also shot out there in very hot weather. I've never seen any indication that this powder is particularly sensitivity to heat. If allowed to sit in the sun on the hot hood of truck, or under a hot windshield, or if a round cooks unfired for awhile in a hot chamber, probably any powder could exhibit some change. But saying that RL15 is temp sensitive, I've never noticed it. Also.....a miss isn't necessarily because of the ammunition.

 

[Bobthenailer]

Ackman, I am looking for a load to swat varmints in my 22BR, I have tried RL 7, Varget, & H335. What loads are you shooting? the 22-250 load info would also be interesting.
One can never have too many load recipes....

 

[rijndael]

and the military chose that powder for their .308 match ammo. So ???

Actually, I believe they just reworked the load, and it no longer uses RE-15. There aren't many details about it yet.
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1186399

 

[Ackman]

Ackman, I am looking for a load to swat varmints in my 22BR, I have tried RL 7, Varget, & H335. What loads are you shooting? the 22-250 load info would also be interesting.
One can never have too many load recipes....

pm sent.

 

[jb1000br]

Ackman, have you actually chronographed the ammo at different temperatures with the same setup, same chronograph distance, etc to see if there was a difference?

I have.

R15 has never failed to gain fps in heat and lose them in colder weather.

Again, this doesn't stop me from using it in my best shooting rifle...I just have to pay more attention.

JB

 

[Bobthenailer]

Thanks Ackman!

 

[cliffy]

I find ALL powders temperature-sensitive. For .223 Remington, I find Alliant Reloder 10x quite stable, while for .243 Winchester loads Hodgdon H4350 works supremely. Yet for HEAVY .243 Winchester loads, Alliant Reloder 22 seems extremely temperature stable. I bypass Alliant R-19 for certain reasons of my personal findings. cliffy

 

[bsekf]

Cliffy,

What is wrong with RL-19? I thought I had done my research and settled on RL-15 and 19 because they were temp. stable and metered well. Also, made in the USA and a little cheaper than Hodgdons.

Thanks,

Bill

 

[cliffy]

I have yet to find a temperature insensitive powder, in any loadings I use. Ninety degrees and above begins the real dilemma. I load for 70 Farenheit and below, and for 90 degrees and above: not nearly the same varmint! Drop three-tenths of grain weight powderwise for every 10 degrees of ambient temperature rise above 80 degrees and you should fare well. cliffy

 

[cliffy]

I find RL-19 NOT the velocity equal of H4350 by Hodgdon. I do like RL-22 which can equal the likes of RL-19 velocitywise easily. RL-19 has left me cold performancewise regarding .243 Winchester performance. I'm sorry. cliffy

 

[js223]

Bill, just an FYI, Reloder 15 is not made in the USA. It is actually made in Sweden.

 

[bheadboy]

Thanks Ackman!

your question about the 22-250 load - i have a R W Hart built 40x, 26' 1-13 twist hart barrel 22-250 which i use 55gr Si blizking,41gr H414 .010'off lands- groups between .140-.200' at 100 in good conditions. Pdogs taken out to 570yd in Wy, near Sheridan.

 

[vonb]

Bill, just an FYI, Reloder 15 is not made in the USA. It is actually made in Sweden.

It's actually made in two places now. USA and Sweden as evidence by the cannisters. In looking at the powder ingredients, they two are different b/t the two. This was discussed on snipershide.com.

 

[Moderator]

Reloder 15 is ONLY made in Europe by Bofors. The Made in USA on the recent labels was a misprint. There has been no re-location of RL15 production.

Reloder 17 is also made in Europe, but by Nitro Chemie in Switzerland.

 

[Ackman]

Ackman, have you actually chronographed the ammo at different temperatures with the same setup, same chronograph distance, etc to see if there was a difference?

No. I've just been shooting it for about 20yrs in both 22-250AI and 22BR. These are very accurate, hot loads in 60* temps and I see no difference at 100*.

 

[cliffy]

Loads suitable for 60 degree temperatures are seldom the loads that excel at 100 degrees of sweltering heat without extreme pressure spikes. What powder can survive such ambient extremes with no velocity-pressure variances? I know that Hodgdon produces 'Xtreme Powders', but let's get REAL . . . since I Chronograph 'notable' DIFFERENCES regarding temperature differential extremes of 40 degrees, especially at the high ends of summer heat. SLOWING DOWN powder burn speed is one major control of super-pressure loadings. cliffy