Thread: Rl16 in a 260rem data

The Lapua brass is quite a bit thicker than the Hornady brass - Alliant used Hornady brass in their load data.

I haven’t measured Hornady brass case capacity but all the info on the interweb says it has a fair bit more capacity than Lapua.

I would imagine 43.9gr in a Lapua case would be compressed, but the Alliant data does not state it as a compressed load.

So @rambo-6mmrem is 100% correct: tread carefully.

Funny thing though i fit the max charge for the other bullet Weights in my lapua brass (they use hornady) so I could be worng but if it was a case Capacity lapua vs hornady thing wouldn’t all the data be hotter with lapua brass?

Originally Posted by Gibo

Actually im talking shit. Zero compression, thats my 2209 load.
42 RL16 seems real light compared to the 2209 brew. Start safe anyway

interesting as they seam to have similar burn rate bro, looks like you could use your 2209 data

Originally Posted by Gibo

Well still havnt tested the RL16 yet but bought a bottle so am committed

Well Gibo.....whats the bully on this now? Been to the range yet??

Ran a ladder through my 6.5SLR 16.5" barrel last night... RL16 - 130 ELD Match - Lapua brass - CCI250 Primers - COAL 2.88"
41.5g - 2580
42.5g - 2604
43g - 2649
43.3g - 2667
43.5g - 2653
44g - 2722
44.3g - 2708
44.5g - 2763

looks compressed from 43.5, but no real pressure indications up to 44.5..... gunna play with a drop tube to see what it maxes at. The ladder shot into 0.83 MOA which looks promising for accuracy.

Max in the Alliant table is 42.9g so this is well over a standard 260 Rem.. as always start well below reliable reloading manual maxs. The space may end up being the issue...

Comparatively, I have been running 2208 behind the 130ELDs and get pressure just before 2800. Accuracy is mobile but have a working load sorted that shoots .80 MOA or thereabouts at 2758.

@Mathias Ok - next installment... 3 shot group loads
44g 2720
44.2g 2737
44.5g 2763
44.8g 2781
45g 2780
45.5g 2836 - Some brass shined up start pressure signs big jump in speed as well.. max probably 45g for my rifle. Accuracy doesn't look great at that end anyway... looked better at 44g and less... but speeds aren't higher useably that 2208 and accuracy doesn't appear significantly better..

Wanting to play with some Berger 130 hybrids so will keep for that..

I picked up some new Peterson SRP match brass for the .260rem today.
The test platform is a desert tech SRS A1 with a light profiled 20" trueflite 1-8" twist barrel and dpt suppressor.
I have a factory 26" Lothar Walther 1-8.5" twist heavy fluted barrel with a match chamber for it too but I wanted to run the little 20" to directly compare it to my 20" Creedmore using the RL16 and 136gr Lapua Scenar L match bullets.


I had a quick look at the Aliant website data for a load with a lapua projectiles but there was no info. I decided they were closest to the 130gr Berger VLD they had listed with a max load of 42.9gr of RL16.



The 136gr lapua bullet is 6gr heavier but has a very simalar length bearing surface and hybrid ogive so I took a educated guess at a hearty charge weight of 42.5gr and dropped it in the new un prepped Peterson small rifle primer match brass.
The primers were CCI BR-4 and COAL 2.900" which puts me approx 10 thou off my lands.



I shot 3 rounds over the chrono with an average speed of 2700fps, after quick visual bore sight I shot 2 more to sight in at 100 yards and 5 on paper punched a 0.350" group.. light wind right to left, shot off bipod in a crappy position in long grass and hot sun.. sweat dripping off my nose and bugs crawling in my ears.. The two shots that went left a touch were all me..







Accuracy is good enough but in comparison to my 20" barreled Creedmore the .260 was about 210fps slower.
I shot this same bullet with 43gr of RL16 and got the same mild pressure signs that are showing on this .260 brass. Only the lightest ejector marks and small firing pin craters but still rounded edge primers.







Now this brass is fire formed it may respond better to another .5 gr but I think thats about as hot as Id go with it in this barrel.

Originally Posted by Wingman

I picked up some new Peterson SRP match brass for the .260rem today.
The test platform is a desert tech SRS A1 with a light profiled 20" trueflite 1-8" twist barrel and dpt suppressor.
I have a factory 26" Lothar Walther 1-8.5" twist heavy fluted barrel with a match chamber for it too but I wanted to run the little 20" to directly compare it to my 20" Creedmore using the RL16 and 136gr Lapua Scenar L match bullets.


I had a quick look at the Aliant website data for a load with a lapua projectiles but there was no info. I decided they were closest to the 130gr Berger VLD they had listed with a max load of 42.9gr of RL16.

Attachment 103487

The 136gr lapua bullet is 6gr heavier but has a very simalar length bearing surface and hybrid ogive so I took a educated guess at a hearty charge weight of 42.5gr and dropped it in the new un prepped Peterson small rifle primer match brass.
The primers were CCI BR-4 and COAL 2.900" which puts me approx 10 thou off my lands.

Attachment 103476

I shot 3 rounds over the chrono with an average speed of 2700fps, after quick visual bore sight I shot 2 more to sight in at 100 yards and 5 on paper punched a 0.350" group.. light wind right to left, shot off bipod in a crappy position in long grass and hot sun.. sweat dripping off my nose and bugs crawling in my ears.. The two shots that went left a touch were all me..

Attachment 103477

Attachment 103478

Attachment 103479

Accuracy is good enough but in comparison to my 20" barreled Creedmore the .260 was about 210fps slower.
I shot this same bullet with 43gr of RL16 and got the same mild pressure signs that are showing on this .260 brass. Only the lightest ejector marks and small firing pin craters but still rounded edge primers.

Attachment 103480

Attachment 103481

Attachment 103482

Now this brass is fire formed it may respond better to another .5 gr but I think thats about as hot as Id go with it in this barrel.

I found the Hodgdon superproformance powder worked better in my .260 than RL16 it gave less pressure and more speed with SD. of 7 with 143ELDX doing 2860fps in my 20" Tikka seated 20 thou off.

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Cheap ol Win 760 might be worth a shot as well.
Every powder I tried in my improved. 260 was slower than expected in my barrel with pressure signs also reached reasonably early. Superperformance was the worst for some reason. Everyone else I knew that used it had success with it.

Can't remember who, but someone on here suggested 760 and everything was sorted.


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With accuracy like that found in the matter of 10 mins of hand loading ( I cant even claim it was load development) I personally wont be looking for any other powders or chasing any more velocity in this hunting barrel.
Ill give the same load a run through the 26" match barrel in the next few days to see what velocity another 6" gives it and report back.

Im using the RL16 in 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmore and now two .260rem's so it would be nice to just have one "go to" powder
I may even give it a try in my .308 barrel with 175gr bullets (currently use 2208/Varget) as the data seems to line up quite closely with 2209(H4350).

I have no personal experience with Super performance powder but the guys I know who have tried it got a little more speed but groups opened up.

ADI 2213SC used to be the go to powder for .260rem to get the best speeds but Im not sure at what barrel length that would cross over with 2209. If I had to guess Id say about 23 to 24''. The shorter hunting barrels seem to like a faster powder.

Originally Posted by Wingman

With accuracy like that found in the mater of 10 mins of hand loading ( I cant even claim it was load development) I personally wont be looking for any other powders or chasing any more velocity in this hunting barrel.
Ill give the same load a run through the 26" match barrel in the next few days to see what velocity another 6" gives it and report back.

Im using the RL16 in 6.5x47 Lapua, 6.5 Creedmore and now two .260rem's so it would be nice to just have one "go to" powder
I may even give it a try in my .308 barrel with 175gr bullets (currently use 2208/Varget) as the data seems to line up quite closely with 2209(H4350).

I have no personal experience with Super performance powder but the guys I know who have tried it got a little more speed but groups opened up.

ADI 2213SC used to be the go to powder for .260rem to get the best speeds but Im not sure at what barrel length that would cross over with 2209. If I had to guess Id say about 23 to 24''. The shorter hunting barrels seem to like a faster powder.

This is my 18" Tikka my 20" shoots just as good but .6grns lighter load.

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Ya cant argue with that.. What is the velocity from the 18" tube?

Originally Posted by Wingman

Ya cant argue with that.. What is the velocity from the 18" tube?

2811fps with the 143ELDX

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Who in NZ sells Peterson brass? I've been looking for some recently without success.