who's shooting this powder with 500gr Woodleighs, and would you mind sharing the regulation load you found?

Thanks,

Rich
DRSS

Rich, FWIW, Graeme Wright isn't showing RL15 loads. Just 19 22 and 25 in the RL series,.

R15 is by my experince very similar to VV N150 which I use myself. For 470NE and 500NE the charge I use is more or less similar to the cordite load. For 470 start on 86 grain, and you will probably end up around 87-89 grain. BTW I do not use wads, and have no problem what so ever with that load. I do also favour the faster powder like R15/VVN150. Less recoil, and seem easier to get regulatiion. Just my (limited) experience.

quote:

Originally posted by Litespeed:
R15 is by my experince very similar to VV N150 which I use myself. For 470NE and 500NE the charge I use is more or less similar to the cordite load. For 470 start on 86 grain, and you will probably end up around 87-89 grain.

Good info, I also use a 1" tall by .500 diameter foam wad on top of the powder with RL 15.

Rich---In my Merkel with the current lot of RL15, the regulation load is 87gr of RL15, Kynoch wad and 500gr Woodleigh softnose and 86.5gr with the 500gr Woodleigh solid. These loads are both chronographing at approx. 2150mv. The RL15 powder seems to have a variance from lot to lot. I started around 84gr and worked up to where the gun regulated. With another lot of RL15, it took 89gr to get to 2150mv.

Thank you all gentlemen.

Rich
DRSS

This time next week I hope to have landed safely, cleared Customs, and be enjoying my first day hunting.

Rich I recommend you use a filler with RL 15. Either foam or polyester, does not matter, ust be sure it is COMPRESSED between the bullet and the powder.

My Heym .470 regulated with 85 gr. RL 15 behind 500 gr. Woodleigh softs. This yielded 2018 FPS instrument velocity.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Rich I recommend you use a filler with RL 15. Either foam or polyester, does not matter, ust be sure it is COMPRESSED between the bullet and the powder.

100% on the filler. I have been using "backer rod" 1/2" or 5/8" depending upon calibre, cut to necessary length, with great success. It is available for about 3 or 4 bucks for a 20' roll. Much cheaper than the Kynoch wads.

Donald

I have been cutting mine out with a sharpened ,with a chamfer tool, 50 BMG case...

That "backer rod" sounds like a great idea.

I have used 3 different "densities" of foam in my 450 No2 as well as dacron polyester.

It does not seem to make any difference, just as long as the filler is compressed.

At the risk of "hi-jacking" the thread, in my .450 #2, with Bertram brass, Federal # 215M primers, 94.0 grains of R 15, and 2 grains of dacron filler, topped by a 500 grain Hornady bullet, I get right on 2070 fps at an ambient temperature of around 50 degrees F.

In my 450 No2 [28" barrels], with 480 Woodleigh Softs:
88gr RL 15 Right barrel 2157fps, left 2123fps.

500 Hornady Softs 88 grains RL 15, right barrel 2158fps, left 2163fps.

Why I like Searcy Double Rifles:

I just got an Email from Butch here at the house. He gave me a specific recommendation of 89gr of RL-15 with the Woodleighs that regulates in his rifles.

I bought my Searcy used on the classifieds here. I called him to ask about it, and he gave me the history. He also told me he would stand behind the rifle if I had issues. Now I get load data for the powder I want to use. Is there another DR maker in the world who does that? On the Saturday before Easter?

Butch is THE MAN!

My thanks again to the rest of you. I got to fly out Thursday at 7:15 am and that gives me about enough time to load and test, and then load for the trip.
You guys are the best!

Rich
DRSS

Do you need a copy of "Reloading the Nitro Express" by Ross Seyfried? YOu will find mention of RL-15.

Rusty,

Yes, if you have a spare. Otherwise I may have to drive (135mi) over to his place and get one.

Rich

Rich my Merkel has not impressed me with rl15.
I gotten better groups with rl19. I am at 89 grs of rl15 and the rifle is still shooting 2" apart at 50 yards and only 2050fps factory was 2173fps and touching . h4831sc and rl19 do better with all the bullets I have tried. I got a new lot of rl15 to try when my hand get better. The best groups I got were rl19 with a little pufflon on top of the charge.

JD

It is usually in the 85 to 90 gr. range. At 85 gr. I get about 2150 fps in the Krieghoff and at 86 gr. about 2200 fps, depending upon ambient temperature. If it was me, I'd opt for the highest velocity that I could and still sort of get it to regulate.

Missing a buff or elephant has little top do with regulation. Shooting too far away with a double has the greatest effect!

I hear a lot of mention of RL15. it seems very popular with the big old low pressure cases. Why is that? I would assume a slower powder would get higher load density. If RL22 filled the case, would that make sense? Cordite filled the case more or less, did it not?

I am preparing to reload the 505 and RL15 seems to get recommended a lot with filler and I dont understand why.

Fourbore,
Just send me your email addy and I will forward the article to you.

Rich, check your email.

quote:

Originally posted by Ed Scarboro:
Rich---In my Merkel with the current lot of RL15, the regulation load is 87gr of RL15, Kynoch wad and 500gr Woodleigh softnose and 86.5gr with the 500gr Woodleigh solid. These loads are both chronographing at approx. 2150mv. The RL15 powder seems to have a variance from lot to lot. I started around 84gr and worked up to where the gun regulated. With another lot of RL15, it took 89gr to get to 2150mv.

Rich:

In my Blaser I also use 87 grains of RL 15, a Kynoch wad, Hornady brass, and a .500 grain Woodleigh or Hawk bullet. Recoil is very modest and so are pressures. My gun also regulated with 100 grains of IMR 4831 as well. These loads runs 2000-2050 in out of the 24.5 inch barrel of my gun.

I would start with the 87 grain load and, if necessary, work up to 89 grains depending on your lot of RL 15 and see where you are. You have to use a filler with RL 15. I've tried Dacron but I think the Kynoch wads work better.

Dave, I've heard it shoots great in an S2 Blaser double rifle....not so much because of the load, but because by the time you get the firing pins off "safe", the barrels have cooled down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Biebs:

How did you do on your trip with JudgeG?

Sorry I missed you in when I came back to PA. I also missed Ken (KebCo). He was in France. I really wanted to take a look at a Verney-Carron. Will you PLEASE get a .577 so I can come back there and shoot it next time I am in PA.

Dave, We had a mix-up in Zim. I was supposed to have a Management Bull tag, but they only coughed up a Tuskless tag when I got there. Tuskless in March, with full foliage, is a pretty low-percentage hunt. First, you can't see them from afar...only when you're a few yards from them in the jess, and secondly, in good conscience, it's impossible in those conditions to determine if a cow has a dependent calf. We stalked up on a number of Ele, but I didn't shoot. Fun trip anyway...JudgeG got a Bull on the last day.

Interesting postscript. Federal is supposed to have developed RL-15 specifically for the .470NE, according to Ross Seyfried in Handloader 202.

Rich

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Dave, We had a mix-up in Zim. I was supposed to have a Management Bull tag, but they only coughed up a Tuskless tag when I got there. Tuskless in March, with full foliage, is a pretty low-percentage hunt. First, you can't see them from afar...only when you're a few yards from them in the jess, and secondly, in good conscience, it's impossible in those conditions to determine if a cow has a dependent calf. We stalked up on a number of Ele, but I didn't shoot. Fun trip anyway...JudgeG got a Bull on the last day.

Now see Biebs, if you had only taken your .500/.416 S2, you would have undoubtedly shot three tuskers, found a bag full of loose diamonds just laying around waiting to be picked up, and meet a beautiful Somali women who couldn't wait to have her way with you

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Bush:

quote:

Originally posted by Biebs:
Dave, We had a mix-up in Zim. I was supposed to have a Management Bull tag, but they only coughed up a Tuskless tag when I got there. Tuskless in March, with full foliage, is a pretty low-percentage hunt. First, you can't see them from afar...only when you're a few yards from them in the jess, and secondly, in good conscience, it's impossible in those conditions to determine if a cow has a dependent calf. We stalked up on a number of Ele, but I didn't shoot. Fun trip anyway...JudgeG got a Bull on the last day.

Now see Biebs, if you had only taken your .500/.416 S2, you would have undoubtedly shot three tuskers, found a bag full of loose diamonds just laying around waiting to be picked up, and meet a beautiful Somali women who couldn't wait to have her way with you

Sans AIDS?

My 470 Evans doesn't like R-15. I use IMR4831 in it. I've had two Holland Royals, a 500/450 and a 500/465. Both regulated perfectly at 2050 fps with 87 grs of R-15 and a Kynoch foam wad.

470Evans:

Could you please tell me how much IMR 4831 you are using in your vintage Evans and at what velocity it regulated? The IMR 4831 load that worked for me was a Hornady case, Federal 215 magnum primer, 100 grains of IMR 4831, and a 500 grains Woodleigh. That loads runs 2000-2050 fps in my gun. I am very curious to know at what velocity your vintage gun regulates.

quote:

Originally posted by fourbore:
I hear a lot of mention of RL15. it seems very popular with the big old low pressure cases. Why is that? I would assume a slower powder would get higher load density. If RL22 filled the case, would that make sense? Cordite filled the case more or less, did it not?

I am preparing to reload the 505 and RL15 seems to get recommended a lot with filler and I dont understand why.

fourbore
The reason that RL15 is used in the big NE cases is it closely matches the burn characteristics of the original cordite loads. The pressure curve and barrel time are nearly the same. This makes it easier to find a load that will shoot to “regulation”. You could run into a problem with some of the older rifles that have quite thin barrels if you use a slower powder that extends the peak pressure curve further down the barrels.
Bill