Reloader 17 / Hodgon Hornady Superformance

[sndmn11]

Would either of these powders be a good choice?

Over the fall I had talked to my family about wanting to start reloading. Apparently some of them were paying attention to that, but didn't realize there was a shortage of components going on. My dad told me they have everything sourced but powder; the first thing he got a few months ago were primers and had planned on letting me pick from the oodles of powders. After some searching, a local store has a fair amount of 1lb Hodgon Hornady Superformance Rifle, and a few 5lb Rl17, both at what seems to match up with Midway/Brownells out of stock prices at $25 and $133 respectively.

Calibers are 6.5cm, 7-08, 30-06, .270, .223, potentially 6cm.

Bullets if it matters would be GMX, barnes, Hammers as the hunting choice, cheapest range bullets for practice.

My main reason for wanting to reload is to have more availability, consistency, etc. And really want to just find a good happy load for each and not really experiment or play around too much.

 

[UtahJimmy]

I use RL17 in my 06 and am very happy with the results.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Dos Perros]

You should buy a reloading manual pronto.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

I use RL 17 in a few different calibers. Works for me. I have heard all the talk about temp sensitivity but it's not something I've noticed or worry about.

 

[Deplorable77]

Superformance powder is usually available when no others are....... if that means anything.

I picked up a few pounds of Superformance myself to experiment with 6.5 & 300wsm

I have a buddy that is loading 44.7gr w/ 127LRX out of a 6.5 Vanguard that has been the best load he could develop for that rifle.

 

[sndmn11]

Superformance powder is usually available when no others are....... if that means anything.

I picked up a few pounds of Superformance myself to experiment with 6.5 & 300wsm

I have a buddy that is loading 44.7gr w/ 127LRX out of a 6.5 Vanguard that has been the best load he could develop for that rifle.

Initially it did mean something, buy I think what I am learning is that there are countless ways to skin a cat, and possibly people like to use what they use and stick with it for the safety of familiarity. It could be dog poo, or it could just be not popular because it does what others have done before it.

Did you do your own experimenting yet?

 

[5MilesBack]

That's a wide range of cartridges, but depending on what weight bullets etc for each.......RL-17 could work for some. I have some RL-7, RL-19, and some Vihtavuori N-140 and N-540 I don't use anymore........along with a mostly full bottle of Retumbo too, if you want to make the trip down. $25/lb for the RL's and $30/lb for the V's.

I even have a Lyman Reloading manual like new I could throw in. But once you get a manual, you'll see what powders you'll want for each cartridge.

 

[wyo2track]

I use R17 in my 7 SAUM with 140 and 150 accubonds. Great stuff, shoots lights out, great velocity. Tried it in my 7x57 and worked ok. Tried it in my 338 win mag with 200 accubonds an 210 swift scirocco's and it did fine. I too have read about temp sensitivity in high temps above 85, but my area rarely see's those temps. Fall and early winter hunting I'm packing my 7 SAUM with full confidence. It was designed for the short mag cartridges in that 4350 burn range. Any cartridge that does well with powders in that burn range you could give it a try in. I'd check out the Speer reloading data on their website for the calibers your running to as they tested it out in many different calibers.

 

[pnw]

if you go to Alliant Powder website find products/ rifle/ rl 17 there are recipes for three of the cartridges you have listed

 

[sndmn11]

if you go to Alliant Powder website find products/ rifle/ rl 17 there are recipes for three of the cartridges you have listed

I did see that, I was more looking for feedback on if those would be a good choice or poor choice, etc. Without any experience, the data is just simply numbers with any context and I am sure there is a lot more valuable knowledge to be learned than just data. Like it has been mentioned about temp sensitivity, I'd imagine deviation and spread can be more or less of a problem with some than others, I'd have never thought about bullet weight playing a big part in things, etc.

 

[wyo2track]

I'd have never thought about bullet weight playing a big part in things, etc.

All my research on R17 is keeping bullet weights from medium weight down to the lighter ones in the caliber your using. Perhaps that keeps you from shooting the heavy weights and doesn't reflect your style of hunting, but for me it was just right. If I was around Colorado Springs I'd be buying those 5lb canisters from 5milesback.

 

[sndmn11]

All my research on R17 is keeping bullet weights from medium weight down to the lighter ones in the caliber your using. Perhaps that keeps you from shooting the heavy weights and doesn't reflect your style of hunting, but for me it was just right. If I was around Colorado Springs I'd be buying those 5lb canisters from 5milesback.

I sent @5MilesBack a message, I am sure we will hook up. What we have in factory is all monos 120gr for 6.5, 120gr and 139gr for 7-08, 165gr and 180gr for 30-06. I would prefer to stay in the middle or lighter as I think it makes sense with the monos. Which of his powders would you buy? Would you buy any or all of those before what I had in my original post?
The 7-08 and 6.5cm are 20" barrels, the 30-06 are 23" and 24".

 

[wyo2track]

I sent @5MilesBack a message, I am sure we will hook up. What we have in factory is all monos 120gr for 6.5, 120gr and 139gr for 7-08, 165gr and 180gr for 30-06. I would prefer to stay in the middle or lighter as I think it makes sense with the monos. Which of his powders would you buy? Would you buy any or all of those before what I had in my original post?
The 7-08 and 6.5cm are 20" barrels, the 30-06 are 23" and 24".

I've never tried Superformance. R-19 is my go to powder in my 338 win mag and 7x57. R-17 & 19 works great for what I need. I've tried Barnes TTSX in most all my rifles. Use the barnes bullets on the lighter side to keep them going fast and hard, they won't care when they hit bone and it'll help in those those 20" barrels.

 

[hodgeman]

Superformance has a pretty narrow range of bore/charge ratio and won't work for a wide range of cartridges...but when it works, it really works. It's the best powder I've found for the 6.5CM/143ELDX bullet.

RL17 is a good powder as well.

 

[sndmn11]

Superformance has a pretty narrow range of bore/charge ratio and won't work for a wide range of cartridges...but when it works, it really works. It's the best powder I've found for the 6.5CM/143ELDX bullet.

RL17 is a good powder as well.

So maybe I might be best served with a pound or two of the Superformance, some RL17 and some RL19?

 

[hodgeman]

So maybe I might be best served with a pound or two of the Superformance, some RL17 and some RL19?

In all earnestness with no nastiness at all...you're best served with a manual to look at what works best for the cartridge/bullet you want to load.

SuperP is good where it's good. RL15 and RL17 are good for a wider range of cartridges but not universal.

 

[.270]

I played with Rl-17 in 280AI, did pretty good. It is my go to powder for wsms, and 7mm-08, 257 roberts if I am looking for velocity specifically with mono bullets.

 

[Yellowknife]

RL-17 should work good for the 30-06 with 165 -200 gr bullets and the .270. Of your options, I'd pick that over Superformance. If you can find something else, the 7-08, 6.5 CM, .223 are likely going to be better served with a faster burning powder. In the Reloder family, I've used RL-15 for that role. Varget is also great.

If RL-17 is what you can find, get it and you can make it work for several of your rifles until you can source something faster burning for the .223, etc.

Heck... I haven't seen a bottle of RL-17 in at least 6 months. I'd snap up a jug in a second.

 

[handwerk]

Just wanted to let my fellow Roksliders know Midsouth has RL17 instock

 

[OXN939]

I played with Rl-17 in 280AI, did pretty good. It is my go to powder for wsms, and 7mm-08, 257 roberts if I am looking for velocity specifically with mono bullets.

Getting nice small ES from your RL-17 7mm-08 loads? Been doing load development with H4895 and getting solid groups, but ES up to 70 FPS. Might try a ladder with RL-17 next. Between that and H 4350 for some 120 grain Hammer Hunters