RL17/ 257AI

[Barlow]

I've been working up loads for 100 and 87gr Hornady sp's and RL17 the last week. It's impossible to find data for the 257AI and this powder. I emailed Alliant and they said it's a wildcat, so no data. This a.m. I tried 52 and 52.5 gr (after starting at 47 last week) and got 3646 and 3656mv with the 87's. No pressure signs at all. 52.5 gr, group for 3 was .843 at 95 yards and 8 power. Has anyone else tried this powder in this cartridge, and what results are you getting. It seems like there is no end to what you can get. It's my Ruger 77 ts, with new Rock Creek barrel at 25".

 

[Ray B]

I have tried some loads for the 257AI, but none recently. I have no Rl17 so can't help you there. The 257AI is a good cartridge - the main advantage that I see in it is that I get equal velocities with it in a 21" barrel that I get in a 257 Roberts with a 24" barrel. I really should have another go at the cartridge with the powders that are available now (the last loading development I did for it was about 30 years ago).

 

[Barlow]

Ray B, I have had this rifle for years chambered in 257AI. Most of my loads in my old barrel were with imr4350, and it worked well. I could never get it accurate with anything over 100gr. So when the throat left I bought this 1 in 9 Rock Creek for it. I've read RL17 is magic in 25-06's, so I'm trying it in this rifle and so far it's amazing. I don't think I'm going to push it any farther than 52.5 gr with the 87's , as it's a laser at 3650mv. I can't wait to kill a coyote with this rifle. Barlow

 

[Kurz]

It's impossible to find data for the 257AI and this powder.

Powder and bullet manufacturers are in business to make money, so using valuable resources to develop loads for cartridges which are fading away is a low priority. The rapid rise of the 6.5mm cartridges and bullets has pretty much sounded the death knell for most .25 caliber cartridges, unfortunately.

The unfortunate portion of this is the fact that the .257 Roberts and its associated variations are some of the very best mild but effective deer cartridges available. Here are some lists of load data, none of which include Re-17 because I think they believe it is on the edge of being too fast for this cartridge.

https://load-data.nosler.com/load-data/257-roberts-ackley-improved/

http://www.reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=34

https://www.barnesbullets.com/files/2014/11/257AckleyImproved.pdf

http://www.accuratereloading.com/257ackleyimp.html

Your loads, as stated above, are at the top of where you should probably be with your combination. Remember that Ackley Improved cartridges do not show the traditional signs of mounting pressure as it rises but rather, it gets to that point and it's at the top.

Good Luck with your endeavor!

 

[Barlow]

I just checked my reloading manuals to see how many and how far back they list the 257AI. I have 16 manuals, 10 of them have 257AI data starting in 1973. They include 2 Nosler, 3 Hornady, 1 Speer, 1 Ackley, 1 Sierra, 1 Nick Harvey, and 1 Accurate. This leads me to conclude that there are a lot of 257AI users. RL17 is listed on Hodgdon's burn rate chart #117, smack in the middle of 4 other 4350's. Their is a lot of 4350 data for 257AI's, and I have used it for years. RL17 has been around for a number of years now, and I just find it odd this niche has not been filled. Kurz, I do not disagree with you, you are probably right, but if your in the gunpowder or bullet business you would think a few of them would provide some data. Thanks, Barlow

 

[Kurz]

Barlow,

I think that there should be several cartridges represented in reloading data which aren't currently. It just seems to me that most manufacturers are playing a much tighter percentage game than they used to. There are many more powders now than ever before so their resources and commitments get spread thin based on demand and sales figures. But I do agree with the amount of data that used to be published for the .257AI when it was definitely more popular. The same goes for the .250 Savage (.250-3000) and the Improved version of that as well. Both the Roberts and the Savage cartridges were very popular in the 50's, 60's and 70's but then started to lag behind the newest whiz-bang developments. I'm hoping for the pendulum theory to come into play; it swings to one extreme and then slowly works its way back to the opposite extreme of the swing.

Regards.

 

[Barlow]

I've been working up loads for 100 and 87gr Hornady sp's and RL17 the last week. It's impossible to find data for the 257AI and this powder. I emailed Alliant and they said it's a wildcat, so no data. This a.m. I tried 52 and 52.5 gr (after starting at 47 last week) and got 3646 and 3656mv with the 87's. No pressure signs at all. 52.5 gr, group for 3 was .843 at 95 yards and 8 power. Has anyone else tried this powder in this cartridge, and what results are you getting. It seems like there is no end to what you can get. It's my Ruger 77 ts, with new Rock Creek barrel at 25".

Just an update. 48Grs of RL17 and 117gr Sierra BT, 3223 fps, no pressure problems. I started at 45grs and worked up. Seems RL17 is magic powder in this rifle. Barlow

 

[sbhooper]

Interesting. I may be helping a buddy work up a load one of these days. I will have to give the Re 17 a try.

 

[Brians356]

Call Sierra and talk to Paul Box. You'll enjoy it, believe me. He's tested more rounds of Ackley Improved than any ten men on the planet. Sierra haven't issued a new manual since 2003, and I know Paul has more data to hand than what's in the 5th Edition.
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[ireload2]

The AIs are gun nut items only. When the original calibers were discontinued that ended most AIs.
.25s seem to have lost all favor and even the 25-06 is not all that popular.
If you can't be happy with a 25-06 there is not much hope for you except a new barrel. If you are going to use a long action why mess with a .257 AI?

 

[Brians356]

The AIs are gun nut items only. When the original calibers were discontinued that ended most AIs.
.25s seem to have lost all favor and even the 25-06 is not all that popular.
If you can't be happy with a 25-06 there is not much hope for you except a new barrel. If you are going to use a long action why mess with a .257 AI?

Huh? Could you be commenting in the wrong thread, by any chance?
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[Barlow]

I have a 257AI, and I am definitely a rifle nut. Barlow