Thread: Reloader 16 vs Reloader 17

@Hunty1 I've been pondering on a bit more barrel and velocity for a while and then along came a 20 inch barrel for the right price so i couldn't pass it up and it's shooting great but i do need to chrono the velocity.

The 16 inch barrel has been awesome, shot my biggest red stag at 300 mtrs and a bull thar at 400 so it's got the grunt... just wanted to try something different with the .284
@nevereadyfreddy sorry buddy but I'm not using RE17 in my Kimber 7mm-08 but I am running 120 gr Sierras with ADI powders and that does the business well.

Originally Posted by Hunty1

Im using 47gr RL17 with the 150 ELD-X, seated out long though in LA magazine. Chrony gave MV of 2835, shooting out to 450yrds confirms this. According to the calculators plenty of horsepower for as far as im likely to ever shoot.

Ok ,so at a guess I should be getting around 2900 with the 140s.
Have taken it quite a bit higher but accuracy fell away so settled on 170gr.
I got the re17 for my saum running 160 nabs but it goes better with re19.

accubonds.

Old thread

Just got a reference load for Kimber84L 17inch long action 284 with 168 Berger @ 2740fps with 54gr RE17 Data from when NZ Hunter must have done the build years ago. I only have RE16 and have done one load at 53.5gr but only getting 2510fps. No pressure, so room to move (again long loads at 3.2in) but it’s clear that 54gr RE16 won’t get to 2700fps….maybe 2600fps.

So is RE16 actually close to RE17 at max loads, is my Chrono out (it’s an optical Caldwell), or was the RE17 data optimistic??

I’m not obsessed with velocity - but do have an PBC dial on the scope that doesn’t work at 2600fps past 300yrds.

My experience with RL17 in 284’s is that 54gn with 162 AMAX or ELDMS is HOT ! Definitely above safe pressure. 53.5gn is ok (2780fps from 18in bbl) but 53.8gn or above gets into ejector stamp or swipe marks & stiff bolt lift. Can only guess that will be worse with 168gn pills. Have not played much w RL16 in 284. But I find some of the burn rate info published for Alliant powders does not line up with real world outcomes. For example RL23 is rated slower than 22 but I’ve found that I can run more 22 than 23 before hitting pressure. And generally better speeds with 22. In your case I’d run a ladder with RL16 & chosen pill and see where you run into pressure signs & monitor muzzle velocity.

I've played with both of these a bit in 284, 22 barrel.

RL17 and 162 eldm I had good velocity 2840 with 53.5g but had quite variable accuracy and odd pressure spikes. As chainsaw said 54 was up there popping primers.

RL16 and 162 eldm I'm at 2830 with 55.5g, this is my current load and pretty happy with it. RL16 is a bulky powder so it's a full case with a little bit of crunch.

Originally Posted by Bobba

I've played with both of these a bit in 284, 22 barrel.

RL17 and 162 eldm I had good velocity 2840 with 53.5g but had quite variable accuracy and odd pressure spikes. As chainsaw said 54 was up there popping primers.

RL16 and 162 eldm I'm at 2830 with 55.5g, this is my current load and pretty happy with it. RL16 is a bulky powder so it's a full case with a little bit of crunch.

Very interesting - I’ve been using RE16 in the Tikka 284 with 20inch and 53gr gives 2800fps with 162s. I wasn’t expecting such a velocity jump with RE17 based on same g’s.

The NZ Hunter 284 Bushpig article from years ago certainly had some “Hot” loads but with pressure monitoring and science so loading long seems to help. I tried to post the page, but am having trouble loading it on here.

@chainsaw I’ve started a ladder with the 162ssts with 53.5 and 53.8 and no pressure so far, so may work from there with appropriate caution.

When I got new Bartlein bbl on 284 earlier this year I thought I’d run a ladder to see how close my old 53.5gn load for 162 AMAX was to pressure. Went up in 0.3gn steps 54.7, 54.0, 54.3 & 54.5. No signs till 54.5. Settled on 54.2 but then had to change to new bottle & batch of RL17. New batch 54.2 was hot, so was 54. At 53.7 I’m seeing about half of the rounds exhibiting pressure & 1/2 ok. So I’m back at 53.5gn. Not too surprising that different batches will show differences.

Hi all, very interesting thread. I have just put some of your loads into GRT and they are hot. I run a Brno ZKK600 in 284 with a 20" barrel. The RE 16 load of 53.5 with a speer 160 gn GRT estimates the pressure to be 73220 psi which is well over the max of 63817 PSI, and this load would generate MV of 2887 fps. The Re17 load of 54.0 gns is estimated to develop 71124 psi, and 2895 fps with the Speer 160, well over the recommended max of 63817 psi. I am developing a 160 load for mine at the moment and getting about 2750 with W760 at 52 gns. The GRT seems to quite close to the real results I am getting. I know there are safety margins in all load data etc and if you can manage the pressure safely then go for it. I thought the input from GRT was interesting. Cheers Ruger

Originally Posted by Forestry

Very interesting - I’ve been using RE16 in the Tikka 284 with 20inch and 53gr gives 2800fps with 162s. I wasn’t expecting such a velocity jump with RE17 based on same g’s.

The NZ Hunter 284 Bushpig article from years ago certainly had some “Hot” loads but with pressure monitoring and science so loading long seems to help. I tried to post the page, but am having trouble loading it on here.

@chainsaw I’ve started a ladder with the 162ssts with 53.5 and 53.8 and no pressure so far, so may work from there with appropriate caution.

Oops mines 20 inch barrel.

NZ Hunter 284 article FYI. Caution noted as per above.

I have been using RE17 since it came out. Use it in 243, 7mm-08 and 30-06. Works fine for me. It is temperature stable. A friend switched over to RE16 and he fines less copper build up, a little more velocity.

Hi all When I put the Duley load 162 Amax (56 gns Re 17) into GRT it estimates pressure at 93793 psi, and MV at 3075 fps. To get down to 60000 psi for this projectile and powder GRT drops the load to 50 gns of RE 17 for MV of 2738 fps.
The Barnes 140 TTSX load (57 gns Re 17, MV 2925 fps, pressure 62500 psi) GRT estimates pressure at 89666 psi, MV at 3253 fps. I think these loads are hot and to be very careful basing your starting loads on them. Cheers Ruger

Originally Posted by Ruger7mm

Hi all When I put the Duley load 162 Amax (56 gns Re 17) into GRT it estimates pressure at 93793 psi, and MV at 3075 fps. To get down to 60000 psi for this projectile and powder GRT drops the load to 50 gns of RE 17 for MV of 2738 fps.
The Barnes 140 TTSX load (57 gns Re 17, MV 2925 fps, pressure 62500 psi) GRT estimates pressure at 89666 psi, MV at 3253 fps. I think these loads are hot and to be very careful basing your starting loads on them. Cheers Ruger

Could well be true but keep in mind the computer program has no way of knowing the throat of your rifle's chamber, which is the be all and end all.

The factory OAL in GRT for a 284 is much shorter than what most are running with long throats and 162's. a shorter round will drastically increase the pressure in GRT.

However I generally find GRT to be fairly close with its estimations.

Be careful, some brass and primers will hide pressure well.