In Nosler reloading guide #4 they use 62.5 grains of RL-22 (most accurate powder rested) with their 175 grain NOsler Partition Muzzle Velocity 2970 24" tube, 215 primer.

I have a 26" Shilen barrel with the same load mention above and chronograph it at 2855 MV.

My question is can one Lott # of powder from another make this much of a differnce in Velocity. I heard that RL-22 is real bad about this. With every new can you need to work up the load again.

My chrono had a new battery and was 15' from the muzzle. I thought the chrono was bad so I sent it back not thinking about the powder. Thanks

Scratch

Bullet: Nosler 175 Grain Partition
Powder: 63.2 grains of RL-22
Primer: Remington 9-1/2 M
Case: Remington
Firearm: Ruger 77R
Velocity: 2903 FPS @ 15' from muzzle

I also use RL-22 with the 168 grain Sierra HPBT bullet, and performance is very stable.

ricciardellia

I got that load off your web-site and have yet to try it out. Thanks for the post. I really enjoy your web-site and have gotten lots of useful information.

Scratch

Scratch: I believe there are velocity differences in different lots of powders. I ran across this using Varget. The old lot was "slower". I bought an 8lb keg after that, so once I see where the numbers are, I'm set for awhile. I'm going to try that RE22 in my Win. 70 7mm Mag. Still waiting for the dies and Sierras to arrive, but I have H4831 to try and some IMR4350 and 4831 also.

Barrels and rifles can vary significantly. So, for example, a load that gives 2900 f.p.s. may give only 2800 f.p.s. in a different rifle, even if they are the same make and model, and even if they came off the manufacturing line one after the other.

Of course, powder can vary from lot to lot too.

My point is that I don't think you should conclude that the difference is in the powder, without seeing how your rifle performs with other loads.

I have had some very inconsistent results using Relaoder 22 in my 7 Mag with 175 gr. Nosler Partitions. I tried several different cans of powder, and I just couldn't get it to perform in my rifle the way I wanted. I switched to IMR 7828 and have had excellent luck.

Joel Slate
Slate & Associates, LLC
www.slatesafaris.com

7mm Rem Mag Page www.slatesafaris.com/7mm.htm

LE270

I agree with you 100% about differnce between two rifles. However, I shot the same load in another 7mm Rem Mag same model, only differnce was the barrel was 24" instead of 26". And the shorter barrel shot 40 per second slower every time. Thats why I thought perhaps It might be the powder, or my rifle doesn't care for RE-22 I have to try another type.

jrslate

I read somewhere a good load using IMR-7828.

66.0 IMR-7828

CCI-250 primer 175 grain Nosler Partition

C.O.L. 3.290

MV 2980

Was this your load? If not would you care to share your Load?

Thanks

Scratch

Scratch,

I do believe that is my load. I like it a lot, in fact, I burned up a few of them today at the range. Shot great, like always.

Joel Slate
Slate & Associates, LLC
www.slatesafaris.com

7mm Rem Mag Page www.slatesafaris.com/7mm.htm

jrslate

Thanks, I'll give that load a try next time at the range. Good-shooting.

Scratch

If that's all the difference you've seen then I think you're pretty lucky. I've seen over 300 fps difference between the published velocity and the actual velocity. Unfortunately todays reloading manuals have been so worked over by the lawyers that they're almost useless. The reloading companies make sure they're shooting with an absolute minimum SAAMI spec chamber, something none of us have in a factory rifle. This gives them artificially high velocities and pressures. The ONLY way to know what your rifle and load are doing is to shoot it across a chronograph. Shooting it using pressure equipment like the Oehler M43 is even better. I pick several powders out of the manual that give velocities in the top of the range, then I work up loads 1 gr at a time with each of them. If one shines accuracy wise then I usually stick with it. I never try to get top book velocity out of my loads, I figure that if I need more velocity then I'll go to a bigger case. Most of my loads are pretty mild. Also, the "most accurate powder tested" statement listed in the reloading manuals is a bunch of bunk. I wish they're quit listing that because it's totally useless information and it misleads a lot of beginning reloaders. The most accurate powder in my rifle has little to nothing to do with what will be the most accurate in your rifle.

boltman,

I believe everything you said to be true.
For example a 1973 Hornaday manual show 68.4 grains of 4831 (doens't say whether or not it was H-4831 or IMR-4831)to be max load.
Look at their new manual and its something like 62.4 grains of IMR-4831 with their 162 grain SP.

I agree every gun is different and you need to find what your particular rifle likes and shots the best.
The only reason I asked about RL-22, because I'd read somewhere there maybe a big differnce between two lot #'s in velocity.

Scratch

RL-22 works better than anything I've tried in 7mm Mag. I load 66 grains with a 175 Nosler and these chronograph 2920. This is from a Sako w/24 bbl and Winchester cases. Check the case capacity with water among the various case makes and you'll see why there's so much variation from one person's data to the next. Add different throats and it makes a lot of difference in a big case. You can also use this data to switch a known good load to another brand of case. If your rifle works good with the above load, let's say you run across a bunch of remington cases. Trim them and compare the capacity of water to your freshly trimmed Winchester cases. If the Remington case holds 97% as much as the Winchester (I just made this up, but it's not too far off.), load 97% of the 66 grains loaded in your old load. It's just math-the rifle doesn't know what case is in it, just the capacity. As a rule the Remington rifles are shorter throated, combine this with R-P cases and you'll see why the data varies so much, as does the velocity. Of course some barrels are just faster, too.