New to reloading and after advice on RL19 combos for 243 please

[Lateral]

Righto...

Firstly, @Lateral, RL26 is way slower than RL19, so the advice about a faster powder and then posting RL26 as a good option doesn’t stack up mate. But it is a good option nonetheless, for the experienced reloader, as it requires some seriously compressed loads to work well.

Secondly, @Acm, RL19 is very close to H4350 (AR2209) which is the gold standard for .243 Win, and splits N150/550 and N160/560.

There’s nothing wrong with RL19 and once the reloader has found the node, it will work.

Hornady sent him data FFS. They would never do this if he had an inappropriate powder.

Do your homework fellas.

Dodgy,

Thank you for pointing out my error so eloquently. It shows that just looking at on piece of data, can be misleading. I should have noted the fill % too ! I will try harder.

With regard to RL26, and compressed loads. I chose the highest, safe, theoretical node, which based on QL, is still roughly 10% below Pmax, subject to testing. The load is at circa 99% fill.

According to QL, if I go to the faster node, it take the pressure to roughly 15% above Pmax, something I would never consider doing. So, in this case, how would one achieve a safe, seriously compressed load, to get the RL26 to work well ?

QL suggests RL26 for a few of the cartridges I shoot, so I just bought some for some testing.

 

[Acm]

Righto...

Firstly, @Lateral, RL26 is way slower than RL19, so the advice about a faster powder and then posting RL26 as a good option doesn’t stack up mate. But it is a good option nonetheless, for the experienced reloader, as it requires some seriously compressed loads to work well.

Secondly, @Acm, RL19 is very close to H4350 (AR2209) which is the gold standard for .243 Win, and splits N150/550 and N160/560.

There’s nothing wrong with RL19 and once the reloader has found the node, it will work.

Hornady sent him data FFS. They would never do this if he had an inappropriate powder.

Do your homework fellas.

Fair enough, I use reloader 19 in my .30-06, and agree there’s nothing wrong with it. my loadbooks don’t have it listed as a powder to use in .243.
but as you say, if hornady supplied the data it must be suitable.

 

[Odders]

Your RL19 apart from being less than optimal, could be of indeterminate age & storage conditions.

RL 19 is absolutely fine with 85-90gr bullets in .243.
In fact Sierra actually recommend it as the best hunting load with 90gr bullets.

 

[Muir]

Advice to new reloaders: Load to recommended OAL only. Start at the bottom and work up (like it or not). Get a book on reloading that isn't just data and read it.

This advice seems to be in reverse order but since this is the way most new reloaders approach the practice, I felt it might be easier for them to comprehend. ~Muir

 

[imnotrucknut]

Just a note.Depending on barrel length you could be under the legal 1750ftlb limit using 95g bullets with rl19.

Waiting to be corrected.

 

[ashray]

not staying at home like the rest of us then or are you lucky enough to have a safe range in your garden?

 

[Dave881]

Just a note.Depending on barrel length you could be under the legal 1750ftlb limit using 95g bullets with rl19.

Waiting to be corrected.

Go on then I will play, the Op is based in Cornwall so the legal limit is 1700 ftlb of energy at the muzzle and 95gr bullets are fine legally.
I don't have access to the projected figures on quickload for the test loads he has stated but will have to get a velocity of 2839 fps for these loads to be deer legal.
Dave

 

[imnotrucknut]

Go on then I will play, the Op is based in Cornwall so the legal limit is 1700 ftlb of energy at the muzzle and 95gr bullets are fine legally.
I don't have access to the projected figures on quickload for the test loads he has stated but will have to get a velocity of 2839 fps for these loads to be deer legal.
Dave

Ah yes,thought he was typing in a Scottish accent.

 

[Brian243]

When I used the 95 grain SST in my .243 I found it to be extremely accurate, very good at putting deer on the ground but caused rather too much meat damage on the smaller deer species.

Hornady’s 7th edition reloading manual which is what I used at the time lists RL19 minimum load 39.5 grains to 44.0 maximum. IN MY RIFLE I found just under the maximum recommended powder load gave the best results. 22.5” barrel, 0.5 moa, muzzle velocity 2,915 ft/sec, 1,793 ft/lbs muzzle energy. No signs of excessive pressure. Cartridge OAL was as stated in the manual, 2.63” seated to the cannelure.

The usual caveats apply, always work up your own load, every rifle is different and what works and is safe in my gun may not be in yours.

In my experience RL19 is an excellent powder in the 243 for bullets in the 85 -100 grain range. Hornady, Sierra, Speer and Nosler all list it in their powder tables for these bullet weights.

I now use either the Sierra or Speer 85 grain bullets, still with RL19, very effective and less meat damage than the SST.

 

[deeangeo]

The last thing the OP needs as a novice re-loader is a less than ideal powder. Abandon the R19 and go to Viht. N160 which is readily available and works just fine.

Viht N160 is indeed an excellent choice of propellant to use in .243 with a 95gn bullet

 

[Uncle Norm]

About 15 years ago, I tried RL19 in a Sako 75 .243 and Sierra 100 grain Game-king bullets, without success.

I couldn't get the necessary velocity to make the 1,700 ft/lbs muzzle energy, without pressure signs. Unfortunately I haven't kept the records. Perhaps it was simply an aspect of my rifle that didn't like RL19?

I got on better with RL22 but much prefer the N160, with Speer 85 grain SPBT bullets. It just works so well. It isn't fussy either as it shoots extremely well in my brother's Tikka T3, my pal's Blaser and my Sako 75 Finnlight.

 

[Selous]

It strikes me that the Op may be better having some structure to follow now it is clear that his components are fit for purpose. For the time being it would probably be a better idea to stick to a factory COAL until a definitive measurement of distance to lands can be made. I don’t consider a sharpie marked bullet to be accurate enough, sorry!
I have found the optimum charge weight method to be the simplest where there is no chronograph. If you were to load 3 rounds in 0.2 grain increments from minimum to maximum and shoot them in a round robin fashion at different targets at 100 yards so that target 1 has 3 shots of minimum charge, target 2 3 shots of minimum charge +0.2gr , target 3 has 3 shots of minimum charge +0.4 grain and so on.
It is important that you do not change the scope settings at all during these test groups.
look at the average point of impact of each group in relation to the next groups and try to identify adjacent groups with similar Average point of impact. Where you have 2 or three charge increments with similar point of impact this suggests a stable velocity node which is where you want to be with the powder charge.
for a more in depth discussion of this have a look at this page from the guy who developed this technique.

Dan Newberry's OCW Load Development System

Dan Newberry OCW or Optimal Charge Weight Load Development method or system for handloading, reloading, bullets, brass, powder, primers, accurate handloads.

optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com

What is absolutely imperative is that the shooter who is doing the load testing can be consistent between shots.
Hopefully by the end of this you should have identified the powder charge that gives best consistency. You can then tweak bullet seating depth if you wish.

 

[big ears]

Sierra give 41.6-46.2gr for 95gr load

good luck

 

[Odders]

Just a note.Depending on barrel length you could be under the legal 1750ftlb limit using 95g bullets with rl19.

Waiting to be corrected.

SST hits 3,000fps from a 24" barrel with 44gr of Re19 according to Hornady's 8th. A 22" barrel wont lose 100fps but even if it did, ME would still be close to 1,780ft/lb

 

[TheCornishman]

not staying at home like the rest of us then or are you lucky enough to have a safe range in your garden?

yes I am lucky like that... rifle range and sleet ground outside the back door

 

[TheCornishman]

When I used the 95 grain SST in my .243 I found it to be extremely accurate, very good at putting deer on the ground but caused rather too much meat damage on the smaller deer species.

Hornady’s 7th edition reloading manual which is what I used at the time lists RL19 minimum load 39.5 grains to 44.0 maximum. IN MY RIFLE I found just under the maximum recommended powder load gave the best results. 22.5” barrel, 0.5 moa, muzzle velocity 2,915 ft/sec, 1,793 ft/lbs muzzle energy. No signs of excessive pressure. Cartridge OAL was as stated in the manual, 2.63” seated to the cannelure.

The usual caveats apply, always work up your own load, every rifle is different and what works and is safe in my gun may not be in yours.

In my experience RL19 is an excellent powder in the 243 for bullets in the 85 -100 grain range. Hornady, Sierra, Speer and Nosler all list it in their powder tables for these bullet weights.

I now use either the Sierra or Speer 85 grain bullets, still with RL19, very effective and less meat damage than the SST.

Hi Brian, thank you for sharing your personal findings

 

[TheCornishman]

Sierra give 41.6-46.2gr for 95gr load

good luck

Cheers Big Ears...

 

[TheCornishman]

It strikes me that the Op may be better having some structure to follow now it is clear that his components are fit for purpose. For the time being it would probably be a better idea to stick to a factory COAL until a definitive measurement of distance to lands can be made. I don’t consider a sharpie marked bullet to be accurate enough, sorry!
I have found the optimum charge weight method to be the simplest where there is no chronograph. If you were to load 3 rounds in 0.2 grain increments from minimum to maximum and shoot them in a round robin fashion at different targets at 100 yards so that target 1 has 3 shots of minimum charge, target 2 3 shots of minimum charge +0.2gr , target 3 has 3 shots of minimum charge +0.4 grain and so on.
It is important that you do not change the scope settings at all during these test groups.
look at the average point of impact of each group in relation to the next groups and try to identify adjacent groups with similar Average point of impact. Where you have 2 or three charge increments with similar point of impact this suggests a stable velocity node which is where you want to be with the powder charge.
for a more in depth discussion of this have a look at this page from the guy who developed this technique.

Dan Newberry's OCW Load Development System

Dan Newberry OCW or Optimal Charge Weight Load Development method or system for handloading, reloading, bullets, brass, powder, primers, accurate handloads.

optimalchargeweight.embarqspace.com

What is absolutely imperative is that the shooter who is doing the load testing can be consistent between shots.
Hopefully by the end of this you should have identified the powder charge that gives best consistency. You can then tweak bullet seating depth if you wish.

Thank you for the input...any xcuse to squeeze a few rounds is all good

 

[TheCornishman]

SST hits 3,000fps from a 24" barrel with 44gr of Re19 according to Hornady's 8th. A 22" barrel wont lose 100fps but even if it did, ME would still be close to 1,780ft/lb

Thank you

 

[Namman]

Your RL19 apart from being less than optimal, could be of indeterminate age & storage conditions.

Why?