Good news from Alliant. They will be releasing a new powder called R16, sometime late Spring, early Summer. This powder will be similar in burn rate to H4350. While at SHOT show in Vegas all last week, I stopped by the Alliant booth and visited with them. This powder is part of their new temp stable powders, and was made to mock the burn rate of H4350. The interesting thing that Alliant mentioned was the lot to lot consistency of this powder. I have noticed (as well as other shooters) the lot to lot variation of H4350. This powder was stated to be more consistent from lot to lot. Also, the temp stability is greatly improved over H4350. I will be trying this new powder once it comes out.

R17 is about the same burn rate as H4350, so does R16 replace R17. Or, are the two R powders supposed to bracket H4350.

R17 is not marketed as a temp stable powder, and slower burning than H4350.

I have been under the impression since Re17 came out that it WAS supposed to be temp tolerant. Maybe it was a bit of misleading marketing??

RR I always wondered why Alliant would put on their webpage these descriptions:
Reloder® 15
Smokeless medium rifle
•Broad caliber range
•Consistent at all temperature
•High velocity varmint loads

Reloder 17
Smokeless medium rifle
•Designed for short magnum case capacity
•Meters easily and consistently
•Consistent maximum velocity in extreme weather conditions

What other extreme weather conditions other than temp are they talking about?

http://www.alliantpowder.com/products/rifle.aspx

That looks familiar, Kevin. I was going to visit Alliant's website again to see if I was mistaken but you saved me the trouble.

I wonder if the Re16 page will say "temp tolerant, and we're not kidding this time!"

I guess it will say what ever their spin doctors want it to.

I asked the same questions. R17 is a double base powder (as is most of the R series), and is an aggressive powder for the burn rate. The Alliant folks did admit that it was more temp sensitive in certain applications. The new R16 was engineered to be more temp stable than previous powders, with added coating and changes in the powder compounds.

When they say "consistent in all temps", I think they are referring to a ball powder. Ball/spherical powders are definitely more temp sensitive than extruded powders, since they have more surface area on the powder to be effected by the temps.

There's no way I would use R17 as a go to powder for year round shooting. When it first came out, I used it on a few loads, and the pressure swings from cooler to hot was dramatic. Near max load in Spring time, to blowing primers in the Summer time. R17 will get the speeds up, but with a big asterisk next to it.

I'm load testing with R17 for my 260 and the 120 gr Nosler BT. Looks like the chosen load will be about a grain under maximum. I would have preferred to do this in hot weather, but at a grain under max (if that's what I settle on) I expect to be Ok in hot weather. I guess we'll see. Accuracy looks really good so far. Of course, this is the rifle that you (Chad) had made up for me, and accuracy hasn't been bad with any load I've ever tried in it. The dang thing is a real shooter.

I'm working up a .30-06 load with 180 Partitions and Re17 the last week or so and am now trying to finalize seating depth. The velocity is insane, but I haven't fired that charge in temps above 40 F as of yet. If I end up going with it, I won't wait until we're having 90 degree temps to fire it again...I'll shoot it at 60 F to see if velocity climbs. I had an experience with Re17 a few years ago that gives me reason to be leary, but the truth is I don't KNOW what caused it. I won't let Re17 bite me!

17 is by far the worst temp powder I've ever used...to the point I sold all I had just so I wouldn't try it again

It is however generally the fastest velocity powder in a given condition.

Judd, what cartridges have you used it in?

6.5x47 and Creedmoor

I've shot R17 out of a creed and had good enough performance. Super dirty powder though.Love me some h4350!

I saw this in an email during SHOT. I'll be trying this with my 260 as soon as I can find some.

In reference to the .30-06 loads I am developing using Re17: it was 40 degrees the day I did pressure trials, and the best charge weight yielded 2898 fps (not bad for a 180 Partition out of a crusty ol' .30-06). On a 60-degree day recently I shot that charge weight again, varying the seating depth, and the velocity climbed by about 22 fps. That's really about as far as I want to see the velocity go. I will be shooting that charge weight again because I saw accuracy improving as seating depth increased and I think there's more to be had.

I'll be looking for another 40- to 50-degree day.

Had the same temp issues with RL-19 in my 25-06. Temps in the 40's = great ES and ED and sub-.5" groups. Temps in the 60's-70's = blown primers and marks on the base.
It's kept me from trying RL-17.

If -16 is temp stable enough, I may give it a try.

I had two one-pound cans of R17. I just used up the older can, which didn't say anything about temp stability. The new can does, though I can't remember the exact wording. I'm getting terrific accuracy in my 260 and I don't find that it's dirty or sooty at all. My accuracy load is one grain under max and was worked up in 60 degree conditions. We'll see how things work at cooler and hotter temps.

The only temp sensitive problems that I've ever had were with Reloader 7 powder in my 458 SOCOM. I use a lot of Alliant powders Reloader 7-10x-15-17-19-22 as well as Power Pro Varmint-1200R-2000MR.

^^^^^^^^^^^

I use RE7 in quite a few loads for my SOCOM. I always develop my loads in the Summertime when it is hot...so any temp differences (in cool weather) are not a concern to me. I haven't taken the time to Chronograph the difference, but thus far...I've experienced no problems. Like you, I use a lot of Alliant products.

It will be interesting to see what RE16 brings to the table. Might be a good replacement for H4350 in something like the 6.5 Creedmoor.

Flint.

Looks like it's official!


http://www.alliantpowder.com/downloads/RL16_Initial_Loads.pdf