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Starting load advice


Blue Haze

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So who can offer advice on a starting load for my .284"? I am trying to get a much of the ammo prepped before the rifle is finished. So I now have 200 Norma brass fully prepped and neck turned. A big stack of BR2 primers, some 180 Berger Hybrids and a tub of RS60/RL17.

 

I have not loaded anything yet, but a few people have suggested that RS70 or 4350SC may be a better powder... Any thoughts on that?

 

Also can some of the experienced F-open lads suggest a good place to start seating depth and velocity wise? I was planning on starting 10 thou off the lands and aiming for 2850 fps - or do these shoot better on the lands?

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RS60 is absolutely fine

The other powders of choice would H4831SC and H4350 (this as you seemed to have marked is not available in SC formulation.

RS60 is a great powder but expect higher velocity than you stated with good working loads with this powder.

Most people use between 52 to 52.6 grains with this powder and velocities run 2920-2960FPS

As ever I'd start at 10% less and work up but no doubt you'll end up in the above range.

H4831SC is probably the finest powder for the .284 but will give much lower velocities start around 54grains and work up.

My rifle had 2 good accuracy nodes at 55.6 and 56.2 grains with hybrids.

Personally I would start with a seating depth of 15-20 thou of the lands.

My straight .284, .284 Shehane and 7/270 WSM all seem to like a 20 thou jump with hybrids, accuracy dropping off the nearer to the lands you are.

Cheers

Dave.

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I followed Dave's advice and he's spot on regarding RS60 and H4831SC. The charge weight range suggested just works.

The only thing I would add is that RS 60 burns the chamber throats faster than anything else I've come across, about 0.005" per 100 rounds.

In practice it's not a problem because by the time the throat length is excessive the barrel is worn too.

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If you look at my thread called my 284.there is several ammo testing targets.52.5grs of RS60 was just on the edge.i was getting some ejector marks.the 52grs load shot superb.my Freebore was made .220.i seated the 180gr hybrids 15 thousandths of as suggested by brillo.so say that's what Bryan litz suggests.mine is 26 inch barrel and 52grs load were doing 2884 fps. 52.5 were doing around 2915fps.as suggested by laurie Holland n165 could get you another 1000 shots out your barrel.ive got a 1000yd load to use until I am happy with the n165 load.make loads long and seat proper when you your rifle.

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N165 is far more suited to the short magnums than the straight .284 case capacity becomes an issue with N165.

For someone starting out with a .284 I would recommend RS60 or H4831SC to start.

To much rubbish is talked about I'll get more barrel life with this powder over that powder!

My first .284 shot nearly 2500 rounds with Rel 17/RS60 and would still clean the F class target at 600 yards when I sold it on!

I think the quality of the steel in the barrel has more to do with barrel life than the powder you put through it?

I've now been shooting a .284 for some 7 years in Fclass and have put a lot of very accurate rounds down range with this wonderful cartridge.

Shoot it and enjoy it and forget about barrel life as I'm sure if you had 2 barrels with different powders you'd be hard pressed to pinpoint the differences.

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I use 55.3 grains of 4831SC with the Berger 180gr Hybrid which gives 2880 fps and no signs of excessive pressure (in my rifle). Set at 10 thou off the lands. Not done any real testing yet in changing the seating depth. Cartridge base to bullet ogive is 2.792 using a Stoney Point attachment. The base of the bearing surface is in front of the case neck/shoulder junction so if there is any doughnut I don't worry about it.

On warmer days I will reduce the load. Quite accurate at 1000 yds.

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Thanks Mr meldrew for your Imput.if i can stick with RS60 i will.certainly made me think twice after you thoughts on RS60.made a couple of stunning loads and they are bombing along.i would like to get another 1000 shots extra please.i don't bloody believe it .it would be really good though.burning an extra 4 plus grains more powder than RS60 you would think is extra wear of some kind. 54.5grs of H4831sc gave me 2640 fps out my 26 inch bartlein.i will try upping it when I've got some more hybrids which I am due to pick up.got 4lb of sc so i wanna use it up.no pressure signs at 55grs.didnt measure fps on them.180gr scenars were a fraction faster than the hybrids on the same powder load of n165.this target was 56grs of n165 doing 2740 fps.nice group but need 2800fps plus really.RS60 easily gets velocities.52gr load behind the 180gr hybrids suits me as it's a few fps under hme.cant be arsed with all that.the 52.5gr RS60 load behind 162gr amaxs do 3000 fps.53grs clocked 3070 fps.52.5gr gave a nice bughole.

post-12052-0-96313700-1476728066_thumb.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...

So I have been having a bit of a play in Quick load on this one....And I must say that I am a bit confused about why RS60 seems to be the RS power of choice! Here is the summary of my findings:

 

 

ALL LOADS SET TO GIVE 2850 fps:

gr pres (PSI)
Elcho 17 51.1 57600
RL17 51.1 57600
RS60 51.2 55880
RS70 54.9 52950
N560 55.1 52400
H4831SC 55.5 58830
H4350 52.7 62500
From this I am struggling to see why RS70 would not be the best powder of choice. The pressure curve was the most gradual, which surely is a good thing and must be good for barrel life. It has the lowest pressure of all, and also yields the highest velocities for a given pressure.
Thoughts on RS70??
And also, what predicted pressure do you guys find pressure signs appear at in .284?
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N165 is far more suited to the short magnums than the straight .284 case capacity becomes an issue with N165.

For someone starting out with a .284 I would recommend RS60 or H4831SC to start.

To much rubbish is talked about I'll get more barrel life with this powder over that powder!

My first .284 shot nearly 2500 rounds with Rel 17/RS60 and would still clean the F class target at 600 yards when I sold it on!

I think the quality of the steel in the barrel has more to do with barrel life than the powder you put through it?

I've now been shooting a .284 for some 7 years in Fclass and have put a lot of very accurate rounds down range with this wonderful cartridge.

Shoot it and enjoy it and forget about barrel life as I'm sure if you had 2 barrels with different powders you'd be hard pressed to pinpoint the differences.

 

 

+ 1....particularly the last line as this most likely applies to all calibers

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Quick load doesn't always stack up, I can tell you now that 52.7 grains of H 4350 is going to yield you a lot more than 2850 fps! And if you're lucky enough to be able to open the bolt I can guarantee that your primer pockets will fail after 2-3 firings. 51-51.5 grains will normally get you to 2830-2850 fps.

 

Can't comment on RS70 as I have never used it.

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It's looking like I am not going to get velocities I wanted with H4831sc. I might liad a few with h4350 and see how they do.its looking like it will be 52grs of RS60.got a question. If your 180gr hybrid load was doing say 2960 fps average summer temperatures.what would you expect it to be at winter temps.

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  • 1 year later...

I think it would be simple, to be able to make a staircase with the powder guns, to see the speed jumps and evaluate their SD.
I use the RS52 in my 6.5x47 with better precision results than the Vhita 150. I do not know how the 284 will go. I'm still waiting in the old continent for my re-barrel

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