Dirty powder? Alliant/Reloader powder

[lives4huntin]

I have always loaded with IMR powder, and with great success. I saw that the Reloader 19 was the most accurate powder for my wife's 6mm, and Reloader 15 most accurate for my 220 swift. Noslers in hers, barnes in mine. Both rifles are very dirty after just a three shot group, and neither has shown a group worth keeping. Is this common? Should I shick with the IMR? I am at a loss right now.

 

[SteveW-II]

Keep with what ever works for you, but try new stuff sometimes. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not..

 

[WNTFW]

Without knowing your load I'd say it is light. The powder needs to burn of the primer "funk". I have never experienced that in rifles yet. Pistols have done it in my case.

I'm sure someone will set me straight if I'm offbase.

Added - Also did you change primers??

 

[Maj Dad]

Rel 19 In 6mm Rem

I shot sub-1" groups at 210 yds with Rel 19 in my Ruger M77 6mm Rem eight years ago in New Mexico. Don't recall the exact bullet, but I think it was an 85 gr (if you're really curious I'll dig through the old targets in the garage archive). I have never noticed any particularly dirty after-effects - the usual cleaning was all I needed, and I don't own stock in Alliant. I have used it since then with similar results, all without any out-of-the-ordinary cleaning problems. Regular primers, regular brass, regular outcomes - at least in my experience. FWIW,
Regards,
Maj Dad

 

[lives4huntin]

6mm was 46.0 down to 45.2 by tenths, 95 gr nosler ballistic silver tip, cci large rifle primer. Swift was 38.0 up to 38.5, 53 gr barnes triple shock, cci large rifle primer. Neither produced a group less than 1". All cases were once fired from respective rifles. Tumbled, sized, trimmed, etc. by the book. Both loads are around max by my books, but the newer manuals in the store say they are about two grains shy of max. Neither loads showed any signs of pressure.

 

[HankB]

Haven't tried Reloder 15 or 19, but I've found that Reloder 22 is an excellent powder in my .30/06 with 180 grain bullets (good accuracy and velocity) and never noticed any issues with it being "dirty."

 

[freakshow10mm]

You clean the gun after you shoot, right?

 

[USSR]

lives4huntin,

Alliant's Reloader powders work best at high pressure. If you are using light loads with them, they will be dirty and not deliver all the accuracy they are capable of.

Don

 

[GooseGestapo]

I haven't noticed either being any dirtier than the equivalent IMR powders. Reloader 15 @ 35.5gr w/55gr bullets gives very good accuracy and velocity from my .22-250. I also really like it in the .223, and especially the .30/30 and .338/06.

Nothing tops RL15 in the .30/30. Very, Very similar to IMR4064 and Varget however. But, in the .223 I prefer BLC2.

Reloader 19 has been a great disappointment however. Velocities have been quite a bit below published levels. The two lot#'s I've tried have produced lower pressure and velocities than claimed. With the .30/06, it was nearly 200fps below that produced by near equal amounts of IMR4350, H4350, RL22, and H4831 (the winner in recent accuracy and velocity tests with 180gr bullets from my Colt Lt. Rifle).

It (my two lot#s of RL19) appears to be MUCH slower than RL22, and very close to Reloader 25 from/in one cartridge I tried it in (.300RUM). RL25 gave superlative results in this cartridge and is my #3 favorite in this cart. behind WC860, and Retumbo.

I was hoping to get claimed velocities and accuracy with RL19 from 7mm08 and .30/06. I'll stick with the IMR and Hodgdon's powders in these two however. My rifles show superior results with IMR4350. However, RL22 is very close to H4831. In my two .257Roberts IMR4831 is just amazing..... Only application where I prefer it over the H4831.....YMMV.

So, I'm with you on RL19. (at least the two lot#'s I've tried), but it wasn't especially "dirty" from my experience. Just "SLLOOOWWWWWW".... Couldn't get enough of it in the 7mm08 w/140-150gr bullets, or .30/06 w/180gr bullets to reach a maximum, or even a clean burn.....

 

[ForneyRider]

Reloder powders are known for being clean burning. Whereas W748 can be very dirty.

I've use R10x, R15, R19, R22, and R25 and they have been great. I go through their powder like water.

If your load is closer to the min load, you may want to change powders. Should help with dirtiness. Also try a hotter primer.

I like R22 in 270 Win and 7mm Mag. I've also used IMR 4350, IMR 4064, and R25 with the 7mm Mag.

R19 works well in 375H&H with heavy bullets, else use R15. I used Varget with lighter bullets.

Used R15 in 30-30 and .223.

R10x wasn't as nice in my .223 as AA2230.