Is anyone having a problem with Rel 19-22-25?

I swear they are all the "same" lately.

Rel 19 acts like a "slow" #15, and Rel 22 acts like 19, and 25 acts like whatever it feels like, usually quite fast.

They advertize that they specialize in consistant quality control, but I'm not so sure.

I've pretty much given up of the RL series of powder. I really liked RL15 but the batch-to-batch variations were a real pain. Varget isn't quite as good, either accuracy or velocity wise, but it is consistent.

I don't know. I found a good load with RL19 and bought about four pounds of the same lot #. I haven't had to switch to a new one yet, but I'll watch it when I do. Thanks for the heads up guys.

The Reloder series is made by the same European manufacturer as the Norma series. They are excellent powders (clean burning, high energy, easy metering), but have ALWAYS been very inconsistent from lot to lot.

I had a lot of N205 back in the '70's that gave super high velocities and very mild pressures in a .264 Winchester. The next cannister I tried was anything but satisfactory, giving lower velocities (verified by a good old Oehler Model 10) and unacceptable pressures. That lot, however, was magic in a friend's .30-06.

The bottom line is, buy only in lots large enough to load everything you ever want to load in a particular caliber/gun, or stay away from the brand. In other words, if you come across a bargain in a 5 lb caddy, buy it and SOMETHING you load for will like it. But don't buy a pound and work up a good load, then expect that the next pound you buy will perform the same.

It`s recommended you start over when going to a new lot of any powder. I normally drop the charge a couple of grains and see if the velocity follows the old lot. I feel if the velocity is similar the powder is acting pretty much as it should.
This isn`t a recommended way of reworking your load, just my way.

I would get a very large lot of powder and forget about it. That is what I did with RL22, enough to last quite a while. That way you are going to go through a few hundred rounds before considering powder troubles again. They are good powders though so I suggest not dumping them all together, but then again do unless you are willing to buy a few pounds from the same lot.

Most retail and/or surplus powder sources are able to ship up to 40 lbs for one hazmat fee... Lot variation and ridiculous haz-mat costs push me toward getting not less than 32-40 pounds total of combined powders each time I order.



Re15, 19, 22, etc., are different but the same <G>. As they come in 5 lb. kegs instead of 8-lb'ers, I usually buy 15 pounds of whichever one I am getting. Costs less in the long run, and don't have to keep re-working the good loads one discovers. And packaged along with 3 8-lb kegs of other powders, makes a total of 39 lbs, just squeezing under that 40-lb, one-haz mat fee, limit.



AC

Isn't RL15 the powder the military adopted for its .308 rifles? Do they deal with the same issues, or does Alliant heavily screen the lots it supplies to Uncle Sam, thus avoiding the variation, to some degree?

Also, what about RL7? It is the only other Reloder powder I use. Does it suffer from the variations mentioned, like the rest of the Bofors powders?

RSY

Terry,

I had the same thing happen a couple of years ago. I had a lb of RL-15 that was too slow, a lb of RL-19 that was too slow and a lb of RL-22 that was too fast. I broke down and added a five lb jug of each to add to my powder order. The powder out of the five lb jugs seems to be perfect in matching what the manuals say and do better in my rifles also. All are made in Sweden like my Winchester WXR which is very close to the RL-22. BM

Bill

I guess I'm the oddball. I haven't noticed much variation, but I mostly shoot RE-19. In fact, it's my powder of choice in several of my calibers: .338-06, .300 WSM, 7 X 57. It has been VERY consistent in the .300 WSM, even through 3 different 1 lb. canisters.

Go figger.....

MKane160 aka BigDogMK

Been using R-19 and R-22 in a 300wsm no one around here had a 5lb jug so got acouple 1lb of each but diferent lot # and haven't had any problem. Been chorongraph with an Oehler 35p. I've heard the pros and cons with the R powder so far R-19 is powder of choice for my 300wsm.

I am an Alliant powder fan!

MY main two are RL 15 and RL 7. However of the other ones,
I use a fair amount of RL 19 in the cartridges that they are appropriate in. I just don't shoot those calibers as often as I do smaller calibers where RL 15 and 7 work best in. I have not had substantial variation in quality control at all.

RL 22 is a different story, but I had a bad lot of it, that they sent out a recall on. RL 19 works well enough, and is close enough so I just use it.

The also make BLUE DOT which is the most consistent powder that I have used of any powder, given the most minimal standard deviation spread of all powders tried.

So That is Seafire's Experience. Oh RL 25, I tried, but did not find much use for it.

Cheers and Good shooting
seafire

I have only used one small container of RL19 in the past year or so, but I can't help but notice the variations in shape and length of the powder granules every time I measure it out. The variation is easily noticeable even to my old eyes.