i bought a bunch of stuff from an estate a bit ago. Among things was 3#'s of RL-21 unopened. I've looked through all my manuels and burn rate charts, but I can't find RL-21 listed anywhere. I know its an old powder, but damn some of my manuels go back into the late 50's and I can't find it anyplace. Anybody out there have anything of it??

Speer #8

Reloader 21 was a double-based powder manufactured by Hercules in the U.S. -- quite different from the current Reloader series manufactured by Nobel in Europe.

RL-21 was some bit faster than its number would indicate if it were a part of the current series. As I recall, it would fall somewhere around the speed of RL-15, and somewhat faster than RL-19; NOT between RL-19 and RL-22.

Most of the reloading manuals from the 70's have data on RL-21, as well as its series-mates RL-11 and the "original" RL-7.

Dang,

you old guys are sharp! It takes all I can muster just to keep up with the current powders.

On the downside, I have no desire to ever reload with an obscure or discontinued powder... I'm too scared I'll find an incredible load and never be able to procure more.

Are you sure you're not dyslexic and it's actually RL 12?

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
Are you sure you're not dyslexic and it's actually RL 12?

I have a pound of it I bought in 1981, and have just opened it. I use it with 150-grain bullets in the .30/'06, and find that it performs about like IMR 4320 or H380. It is NOT a really slow powder, more of a medium burning rate.....

thanks guys - vapodog - I'm not cixelsyd

quote:

Originally posted by megalomaniac:
Dang,

you old guys are sharp! It takes all I can muster just to keep up with the current powders.

On the downside, I have no desire to ever reload with an obscure or discontinued powder... I'm too scared I'll find an incredible load and never be able to procure more.

To quote the old saying, "Ther are lots of old relaoders, and there are a lot of dumb reloaders, but there are no old dunb reloaders."

At least that still have all their fingers and both eyes intact.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
Are you sure you're not dyslexic and it's actually RL 12?

Naw Vapo,

There was a Reloader 21, and Reloader 11 back in the 1960s and 70s....