Have any of you experienced extraordinary high pressures with RL-22 batch number 25083 ????????? I have read an article that in a 284 it was over 6 % higher than other batch numbers.
This is the article. I just purchased a couple jugs & sure as heck they are that lot number. I wrote to Alliant, haven't heard back yet. Should I be afraid to use it??????????
Thats the number on my 8 lb. keg and I have had no problems with it..Most of these problems are not the powder but the loader I suspect...Who wrote that article??
In all fairness, anytime you change lot numbers you need to check it out..All books tell you that and variences can arise but I doubt that it reaches injury status...
Ray-------this isn't a joke-----I finally was contacted by Alliant yesterday----they are going to replace this powder. They insisted I do NOT use the powder. If anyone has this batch I highly suggest you call Alliant & ask for advice. We surely don't need anyone getting hurt. I was lucky & read the article only hours before I was going to use it. I have had it for a month or so but never got around to loading with it. Both my jugs have never been opened. RL
The post on the other board mentioned that it was from lot 25083 from September -- I just loaded a number of rounds from lot #25083 dated "Jan. 11 '01" -- can anyone post more details re. comments from Alliant?
John
Posts: 1246 | Location: Northern Virginia, USA | Registered: 02 June 2001
Nothing really new to add, but I also got an e-mail response from Alliant indicating they had two confirmed incidences with this particular lot of Re-22. They also indicated they had tested the lot and found it to be on the high end of their acceptable limits. They indicated they would be sending a replacement, but I have not received as of yet. As I have not opened my powder, I can't comment on whether there actually are any problems.
Posts: 9 | Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico | Registered: 01 June 2001
I received an email from Alliant also promising to replace my powder and NOT to use the lot number mentioned. Fortunately, I hadn't got into it yet.
A friend used this lot number in a 7mm Rem Mag and reported significantly higher velocities and recoil with the same powder charge as he had used with previous lots. He's got 40 bullets to pull.
Posts: 380 | Location: America the Beautiful | Registered: 23 May 2001
Your friend should be a little more responsible and begin his load work up all over again when switching powder lot numbers, this would elivaite his problems.
I got a lot of R22 that burns like R19. I'm going to check the lot# against these posts. I noticed in my 416 Rigby that I was 125fps beyond my spec when I started using this new lot of powder. Since I adjusted the amount, however, it shoots quite nicely.
I checked the date and lot # of my R22 and it is the sep00 25083. I am continuing to load it in my Rigby and have experienced no problems but I am loading 4gr less to get the targeted velocity. My only concern is whether this lot of powder might be unstable and susceptible to changes in burning rate.
I would just go ahead and call Alliant. At the beginning of the week when they told me not to use the powder, they said they'd ship a replacement canister next week--in fact it arrived yesterday. And Lynchburg is a few hundred miles closer than I am!
I was very impressed with their customer service on this.
John
Posts: 1246 | Location: Northern Virginia, USA | Registered: 02 June 2001
I also have two pounds of R-22 with the lot #25083. Although I can bearly read it. I presently have 144 rounds reloaded with it. Seventy .338 WMs, and seventy four 7mm STWs. I will be calling Alliant on Monday to see what thay are going to do to make me happy. I called the Gun shop that sold me the R-22, and he said he had not heard a peep out a Alliant, and said if Alliant had indeed sold some bad powder thay would have called him, especially as he is on quite good terms with the people at Alliant. I will post what Alliant tells me after I speek to them on monday.
If you have lot 25083, then we do not recommend that you use it. Please send me your address and I will replace your lb. of powder. Thanks for contacting us regarding this issue and have a nice day.
I told him that I had a bunch of stuff loaded, 7 Rem and 340 wby, he said not to shoot it and dispose of it. Told my dealer and he called them, they told him that they would send him replacemnt powder.
This would explain why my 7 Rem seemed to kick so much more the last time I shot it.
I think one problem with a powder recall of this nature is that the distribution of this powder differs from standard reloading components, so tracking down the end users is very difficult.
[This message has been edited by Bill (edited 06-10-2001).]
Mike AW writes, "I got a lot of R22 that burns like R19. I'm going to check the lot# against these posts. I noticed in my 416 Rigby that I was 125fps beyond my spec when I started using this new lot of powder. Since I adjusted the amount, however, it shoots quite nicely."
Along with all the other lessons, this is just one more thing I think I'm going to like about the .416 Rigby. In the high-pressure cartridges, this could be a problem. In the Rigby, it's just a little more velocity and recoil. Could be those old-timers knew what they were doing.
Posts: 2272 | Location: PDR of Massachusetts | Registered: 23 January 2001
Well, I called Alliant on Monday got a reps voice mail and left a message explaining the situation, and low and behold when I got home from work today I had a message to call Alliant ASAP. As it turns out my lot# is indeed powder that is too hot. Thay are sending me free of charge replacement powder equal to what I have, and told me NOT TO USE IT, and to despose of it properly (burn it safely)and not send it back to Alliant. I cant wait to speek to the gun store owner who sold me the powder because when I called him to ask if he had heared anything about some bad R-22, and that I had gotten the info from this web site. To this he quite arrogantly replied that in the 40 or so years he has been involved with guns and reloading he has come to the conclusion that few people know what thay are talking about and most web sits are full of BS. He farther assured me that he is on such good terms with his Alliant rep that if indeed there were any problems with R-22 that he would have been notified from Alliant ASAP. Im going to ask him when was the last time him and his Alliant rep showered together, and if he is still on his Alliant reps x-miss card list, cus evidently he aint as tight with the guy as he thought. Anyhow, the rep from Alliant handeled the matter to my compleat satisfaction.
Gratest of thanks to the person or persons who posted and brought this matter to my attention. Up till now I could not justify the cost of a 35P, now I have my reasion. At present I dont own a cronnagraph, and without one, I doubt I would have caught this potentialy dangerous situation as I reload large cap belted magnums like .338WM & 7mmSTW.
I contacted Alliant concerning the powder I had received (lot #25083) and was told that it was in fact a faster burning powder and no more than that. Due to legal ramifications they would not reccomend that I go ahead and use it but would not state that it was unsafe if loaded prudently ie. no pressure signs. They are sending me a replacement container at this time. In the interim I had ordered 2 pounds of R22 from Graf and sons and told them specifically not to send any of lot #25083 and.... you guessed it...they sent 2# of lot #25083 but dated Feb of 01. In this litigious society all I would expect from Alliant is to replace the powder and admit no wrong. But...this stuff is hotter than R22...be careful.
I would also like to thank the original poster for bringing this issue up. I e-mailed Alliant yesterday and within 15 minutes I had a reply asking me for my name and address so they could replace the 2 pounds of RL22 that I have. I had used some in my 7 mag and noticed excess pressure signs before reaching published max charges. The exchange of information on these sites is certainly valuable.
Checking back through my records on my 338 I notice that I had to cut back 2 grs. on the RL-22 over my previous loads when I purchased that 8 lb. keg....Actually it has apparently got the burning rate of RL-19 and thats fine, as long as the loader is aware...This is not an unusual occurance, it just seldom observed and never confessed to, until cought with hand in cookie jar.
But it does support my suggestion that the hiccups are in the hands of the reloader, to use safe and knowledgeable practices and take nothing for granted...I always buy powder in 8 Lb. canisters for that reason, I work up a load for that lott..
