RL 17 in 7 x 57 mauser

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oldscot3

New member
I have a good assortment of bullets in the 140 to 160 gr. range, thought I might try some with RL 17. Has anyone else been down that road yet?
 
All I can tell you is that QuickLOAD thinks it would be a top performing combination from the standpoint of velocity. I don't know about accuracy. You'll have to try it.
 
The Hornady manual has published data for RL19; I was all set to load some but noticed 17 is in the burn rate areas of the 4350s. Apparently RL16 is also just no data for either. I suppose I ccould extrapolate data from 708 but I was hoping to find out if someone has already blazed that trail.
 
I think 16 is one of the new Alliant temperature stable powder formulations. IMR has added some, too. It's a trend started by Hodgdon. So the number may differentiate it from 17 just in that regard alone.
 
CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond or not covered by currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The Firing Line, nor the staff of TFL assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I put the warning up because I based my loads on QuickLoad, and I haven't seen any independent data, not because I think these are overpressure. That said, yes, I have found Reloder 17 to work great in 8x57 (9.3x62 also). I am not going to post QL data, as it is copyrighted, but it says my load is safe:

175 Sierra ProHunter
56.0 Re-17
COL 3.100
2,727/10 Std.

No problems in my 1935 Brazilian. Accurate, too.
 
I use R17 in my 260, though I keep getting told that it isn't that temp stable. Maybe, however, the formulation has been altered, because the second pound of it that I bought had verbiage suggesting it was temp stable, whereas the first pound did not have that verbiage. I guess I could call them, but I haven't. It's very accurate behind a 120 gr Nosler BT.
 
Thanks ligonierbill. I have a stock of now discontinued Hornady 154gr. roundnose soft points, also a bunch of Speer 160gr. mag tips that I want to use up.
 
I have read the same thing on it not being temperature stable.

All the commenters I tracked down were running over pressure and complaining about its stability .

Basically they were doing serious over compression /pressure loads and reaching out to 1500 yard or some such and at hot temperatures in the 90s.

I suspect when you go outside the allowed parameters for a powder (like over compressing the living daylights out of it) that negates anything a manufacture can do about idiots.

It should be noted, this is actually a Swiss made powder unlike most of the Aliant Powder line (nothing against them) made in Sweeden.

As this is the land of the 7.5 Swiss and the famous GP11.?

You can suspect somewhat strongly those folks know a thing or two about temperature swings!

There is a strong suspicion that R-17 is the GP11 powder
 
It should be noted, this is actually a Swiss made powder unlike most of the Aliant Powder line (nothing against them) made in Sweeden
Click to expand...

I think you meant Switzerland.

Anyway, I have a very good idea what a safe starting load would be, however being a little ocd about safety in reloading, I'll do more research for awhile.

I'm going back to where I started... RL19, but thanks all for the input.
 
Not completely applicable to you, but I found that RL17 was great in my 7mm08 with 150-162gr bullets. Great accuracy, SD, and best velocity I tried. It was temp sensitive though. I blew a primer after shooting 30 rounds in warm weather. Looked at my cases and cratering started after about 20 rounds. Should have cooled it down better but it was shooting lights out.

I turned that rifle into a .260Rem and never have played with RL17 again.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
 
Use 7mm-08 data, the lean towards top loads with R17 to start. and work it from there. That is provided you have a modern action or a 98. 7x57 has slightly more case capacity than a 7m-08. I use R17 and a 150 grain in my Remington 7x57.
 
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