So almost 2 years ago at the 2012 SHOT show RL33 was rolled out, purported to be the pinnacle of technological advancement in propellant technology due to impregnating the powder kernals with burn controlling compounds. This delays the initial pressure spike allowing a longer more consistant powder burn, giving more energy over the powders full burn cycle (summarized from the manufacture's release report)
I thought that if I could ever get my hands on some, I should definitely try it out in my 338LM, since it was expressly engineered and optimized for that round. Well, almost a year later I was finally able to round up all the components required... and I'm left feeling I must be missing something. I shot an Audette Ladder with RL33 and my personal stand by for the 338LM, H1000.
So the H1000 was exactly what I expected, with a nice node at #'s 5 6 7.
The "wonder powder" not only gave an unexpectedly erratic ladder (like, up, down, over back... not the vertical string I expect) but at 640 yards with 2.5 MIL dialed POI was the same as my ~2700 fps H1000 node (an estimate, my chrony was not on hand for this ladder unfortunately). Even though I don't have the measured speed to go with this target, the laws of physics tells me I didn't get any of the gobs of "extra velocity" I was supposed to get just by POI comparison with the "known value" H1000 data.
I'm surprised by the lack of readily available load data for RL33... and makes me wonder if anyone is really using it with any success... I had to more or less guess as to what I should test, my top charge at 100g being well over the 97.5g listed max (for the 300g SMK, the only similar weight bullet to the 300g OTM I'm using).
So of note, the H1000 ladder started getting a bit sticky on extraction on the last couple shots, no flat/pierced primers but enough resistance on the bolt handle to reassure me they were normal max loads and acting as such. The RL33 exhibited zero pressure signs. I was well over max, and to the point that my 6" drop tube was barely providing enough case capacity for the 100g charge... but to no effect!? In fact just looking at my target tells me the velocity spread from start to finish was minimal, despite a 10% charge variance!
This make me wonder... is Alliant full of BS? Or perhaps is this marvelous technology only useful to those with super long barrels, to accommodate the burn controlling compounds extending the burn beyond what my 26" tube will allow?
I'd love to hear what you guys think, any experience you might have with this new wonder powder that doesn't seem all that wonderful on first impression. Or perhaps I'm not experienced enough to interpret this ladder correctly? Does an 8 shot string in an 8" group mean anything? I'm thinking I should run w/my decent H1000 node and not look back.... or am I missing something?
I thought that if I could ever get my hands on some, I should definitely try it out in my 338LM, since it was expressly engineered and optimized for that round. Well, almost a year later I was finally able to round up all the components required... and I'm left feeling I must be missing something. I shot an Audette Ladder with RL33 and my personal stand by for the 338LM, H1000.
So the H1000 was exactly what I expected, with a nice node at #'s 5 6 7.
The "wonder powder" not only gave an unexpectedly erratic ladder (like, up, down, over back... not the vertical string I expect) but at 640 yards with 2.5 MIL dialed POI was the same as my ~2700 fps H1000 node (an estimate, my chrony was not on hand for this ladder unfortunately). Even though I don't have the measured speed to go with this target, the laws of physics tells me I didn't get any of the gobs of "extra velocity" I was supposed to get just by POI comparison with the "known value" H1000 data.
I'm surprised by the lack of readily available load data for RL33... and makes me wonder if anyone is really using it with any success... I had to more or less guess as to what I should test, my top charge at 100g being well over the 97.5g listed max (for the 300g SMK, the only similar weight bullet to the 300g OTM I'm using).
So of note, the H1000 ladder started getting a bit sticky on extraction on the last couple shots, no flat/pierced primers but enough resistance on the bolt handle to reassure me they were normal max loads and acting as such. The RL33 exhibited zero pressure signs. I was well over max, and to the point that my 6" drop tube was barely providing enough case capacity for the 100g charge... but to no effect!? In fact just looking at my target tells me the velocity spread from start to finish was minimal, despite a 10% charge variance!
This make me wonder... is Alliant full of BS? Or perhaps is this marvelous technology only useful to those with super long barrels, to accommodate the burn controlling compounds extending the burn beyond what my 26" tube will allow?
I'd love to hear what you guys think, any experience you might have with this new wonder powder that doesn't seem all that wonderful on first impression. Or perhaps I'm not experienced enough to interpret this ladder correctly? Does an 8 shot string in an 8" group mean anything? I'm thinking I should run w/my decent H1000 node and not look back.... or am I missing something?
