Is anyone getting 3300fps with 160gr bullets with the 7mmSTW and RL25?

I am shooting 77gr H1000 and 160gr accubonds and barely kicking over 3050fps. But notice alliant posts RL25 loads over 3300fps! I believe 80gr. Thats kinda hard to believe when Hodgdon posts Retumbo loads 80gr not near that. Figured I would ask before I waste my time and powder.

nobodies tried RL25 in an STW and chrono'd?

In a 28" barrel we tried H1000, Retumbo, RL25 and Ramshot Magnum. Hands down the Magnum gave the highest velocity and accuracy. Velocity was 3220 fps with 160g Nosler Accubonds. None of the other propellants got over 3200 fps without using a crowbar to open the bolt, and none were as accurate as Magnum. Retumbo and RL25 were about the same but don't recall the velocity nor accuracy. Your mileage may vary.

That was what I was thinking Bob. I don't know how alliant says they got 3300fps with 79gr when I don't break 3050 with 78gr of H1000.

So many powders, so little time. And barrel life

I am getting 1.5MOA accuracy out of my sako. Factory federal 160gr accubonds got .7MOA accuracy. So I Know I need to work on the load. Figured I might try 7828 with the 160gr accubonds.

Please remember that this information is not a reccomendation for loads in your rifle. Follow the directions in the reloading manuals for safety.

I have settled upon 84 gr as an acceptable charge of RL25 over a Hornady 162 gr btsp in my Ruger #1 SS with a 26 in barrel. The Chrony shows a velocity of 3283 fps at ten feet with this load.

Please remember that when I did this testing very little data was available for the STW, and none was available for RL25 in this cartridge as it was brand new.
I have gotten much better accuracy though and lower velocity variations from H1000 in this caliber with either 162 gr Hornady btsp or 160 gr Sierra spbt bullets. I load H1000 to 82 gr and achieve 3150 fps for everyday use and hunting.

I will copy some of my load / velocity information for you. Be aware that these charge rates are much higher than listed in any manuals. My rifle requires more powder than normal to gain normal velocities. When I load at higher than book velocities, the brass then begins to show commonly recognized signs of excessive pressure.

Also keep in mind that this data was gathered in central Idaho during late November through early January and the temperatures were typically in the mid thirties to low forties farenheit.

RL 25 with 160 gr Sierra spbt
Gr powder vel @ 10 ft
77............3027
79............3015
80.5..........3109
82............3150
83............3165
84............3198, 3211, 3268
85............3295
86............3331, 3250
87............3384, 3384
The newest Sierra manual lists 78.5 gr of RL25 at 3250 with this bullet.



RL 25 with Hornady 162 btsp
gr powder velocity @ ten feet
80............3131
81............3158
82............3203
83............3213
84............3283

H1000 with 160 gr Sierra spbt
gr powder velocity @ 10 ft
82............3163
83.5..........3206
85............3258, 3225
86.5..........3252, 3178
88............3367, 3361
89............3401, 3401



H1000 with Hornady 162 gr btsp
gr powder velocity @ 10 ft
84............3350
85............3359
86............3401
87............3442



H870 with Sierra 160 spbt
gr powder velocity @ ten feet
88.5..........2824
91.5..........2864
93............3031, 3071, 3068
94............3153
95............3229
96............3221
97............3252
98............3250, 3276
99............3347, 3282
Hodgdon #26 says 87 gr of H870 should yield 3233 fps.

This same manual also suggests that RL22 will give 3286 fps with 160 gr bullets at 76 gr.

The top loads in each category often gave flattened primers and measureable case head expansion after firing. The primer pockets also loosened after two to three rounds so that the primer did not feel secure when seated with a Lee autoprime. But that was only with the fastest loads in each category. I never did feel any firmness in the opening of the action or difficulty in extraction.

When shooting my cousin's Rem Sendero with a 26 in barrel, my reloads and all factory loads we tried shot about 150 fps faster than in my rifle. My working loads were not safe to use in his rifle and they may well not be safe in yours.

I have abandoned Rl 25 as a viable powder for my 7 STW and for my 264 Win mag, as it was prone to excessive pressure spikes with little change in charge weight or with temperature changes from 40 degree winter to 95 degree summer. H1000 does much better in this respect in my rifles.

I am looking forward to developing load data for both cartridges using Magnum and Retumbo.



But with groups like these at 132 yds I do not really know what I could hope to gain with any other powder. These were shot with my #1 and the Hornady 162 btsp over 82 gr of H1000 at 3150 fps. I would not trade this kind of accuracy for another two hundred feet per second velocity.