RL Powders?

[roy reali]

I have never used an RL powder in any of my reloading. Not on purpose, but I just haven't. I use Hodgdon most of the time.

Looking at my reloading manuals I see that certain RL powders might work well for some of the cartridges I reload for. However, with the cost of powder, I'd hate to buy a can of it and have just sit on my shelf gathering dust.

I want to hear from RL powder users. Do you like them? What applicaions do you use them for? How do RL powders compare to other brands?

 

[rwilson452]

I use RL 15 for my 30-06. It gave me the best accuracy using a Sierra 150gr spitzer. For my 22-250 I wound up with H380. I haven't done a complete finding on my 243 yet, it's new.

As always YMMV.

 

[QBall45]

Íve had excellent results using RL15 for 223. Very accurate. I've also tried RL7 & RL10x. Both of these look promising. I haven't finished my load work up with these 2 yet.

 

[Blue Grass]

I use Rl-15 for .30-06 and .243 when I can find it. It and IMR-4064 are my two favorite powders. Burns clean and very accurate.

 

[edward5759]

sit on the shelf?

If you get a few friends to buy diffrent powers, then you will have more to select from.
if I have a powder I don't use I make it avalible to friends, and in return I get to try some of the powders the dont use. network.

Ed

 

[TheNatureBoy]

I've used RL-19 and 22 for the past year when reloading for my .280 and 7mm rem mag and have been very happy, especially when using 22 with my 7mm rem mag. Gonna check out some other RL powders in the upcoming months.

 

[zxcvbob]

I bought 2.2 pounds of RL-12 a couple of years ago. I intend to use if for M1 Garand .30-06 loads, but when I run out I won't be able to get any more so I'm not going to waste a whole lot of effort optimizing the loads. (it's supposed to be a really good powder)

 

[Farmland]

I like RL powder very much. I use RL 15 for my 30-06 and 25-06 only. I use RL 7 for my 223.

RL 15 is dead on with my 25-06 using Nosler 86 grain ballistic tip boat tails.

The powder works real well with both my Dillon powder measure and my RCBS powder measure.

 

[rwilson452]

IMR 4895 is called the "goto" powder for the Garand. You might want to try RL 15 when your RL22 runs dry.

I bought 2.2 pounds of RL-12 a couple of years ago. I intend to use if for M1 Garand .30-06 loads, but when I run out I won't be able to get any more so I'm not going to waste a whole lot of effort optimizing the loads. (it's supposed to be a really good powder)
__________________
"They're coming to get you Barbara..." —Johnny

 

[crimsondave]

I believe the higher the number on the RL powder, the slower the burn rate. I have used most of them. RL #7 is a good 45-70 load. They say it is good in varmit load, but I never liked it in .223, but I only shoot out of an AR. RL 15 is great for mid weight 30-06. 15 is among the most popular 06 powders. I've used it in .375 H&H with mixed results (good on 260 gr Nosler.) I've tried RL 19 and RL 22 in 300 H&H calibers with mediocre results.

 

[crimsondave]

"Íve had excellent results using RL15 for 223. Very accurate. I've also tried RL7 & RL10x. Both of these look promising. I haven't finished my load work up with these 2 yet."

Really? I never thought to try that powder in .223. What bullet weight, and were you firing out of an AR?

 

[J A]

RL 15

RL 15 in my 243. Works great.

 

[zxcvbob]

IMR 4895 is called the "goto" powder for the Garand. You might want to try RL 15 when your RL22 [RL12] runs dry.

I have a pound of AA2495. And 8# of AA2520 that I bought on sale real cheap. But it'll take me a while to really get started reloading .30-06 seriously because I have over a thousand rounds of Greek milsurp ammo, a can of Korean milsurp, and I mostly shoot pistols anyway.

 

[Tomas204]

I like RL powders I use 7 for my 45-70 and my 405 ,I like the 19 for my 270`s yes I have 3 and for my sons 7mm-08 and 15 for my 257 weartherby they are great powders

 

[Kawabuggy]

I too love RL-22! I use it in my 25-06, 270, 7MM Magnum, & 30-06. It performs really well in those calibers. I tend to reserve it's use in long action calibers. For short actions I like Varget. If I were limited to only 2 powders for all rifles I load for, these would be the 2 that would not only allow me to survive, but prosper!

The only issue I've ever experienced with RL-22 is that on a fairly hot load in my 25-06, when shooting a string of rounds at the shooting range, is that if I left a round in the hot chamber for a minute or so before firing, that round would experience sticky extraction. If I weren't right at max it may not have done this, but it proves that this powder is heat sensitive under the right circumstances. That has not stopped me from using it though. It has proven very accurate in all of my rifles.

 

[Farmland]

RL 7 really shines in the lower grain 223 bullets. RL 15 shines in heavier bullets in the 223. The change over to RL 15 is at around the 69 grain bullet.

My personal load for the 223 is a Sierra 55 FMJBT with RL 7 at 20.5 grains with an OAL of 2.250

 

[GeauxTide]

I just got some 15 to try in my .308. I've used 19 extensively in my 280 and 6.5-06. Outstanding.

 

[ronl]

I've used RL 15 in my .308 with good results, especially the 155 A max's.

 

[Nomo4me]

My gunshop reloading specialist tried to send me home with a can of RL-15 for my use with my .204 Ruger today with 32 & 40 gr.
He said it was quite sooty so I didn't buy it. Sounds like I made the right choice based on comments here.

 

[A_Gamehog]

I like the powders

Speer, CCi, Alliance all fall under the same ownership. That said

I like R-7, R-10, R-15 for the .223
I like the R-10, R-15 for the 22-250
I like R-25 for the 300 WBY and 180's (I use sierra's listed hunting load)

the 22 cal ,75 grain Hornady HP Match is a toss up between Varget and R-15 as far as accuracy. Each powder has a tweak or two for your gun if you figure it out. The velocity listed in books really is what you get from loads. Very consistent from load to load and predictable. Manufacture date and Lot numbers are printed on the bottles for your reference. I actually got 2 week old powder in feb of this year, as an indicator for no supply in the pipelines.