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Reloader Swiss powders


johngarnett

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Please can anyone advise me which of the RS powders are double based, 'enhanced', nitro infused etc.

 

To be used in .308 for 155 up to 190'ish. My 'go to' powder is the safe RS50, was TR140 = N140. I thought I may try a single based RS powder for 155+ grainers.

 

Thank you

 

JohnG

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Please can anyone advise me which of the RS powders are double based, 'enhanced', nitro infused etc.

 

To be used in .308 for 155 up to 190'ish. My 'go to' powder is the safe RS50, was TR140 = N140. I thought I may try a single based RS powder for 155+ grainers.

 

Thank you

 

JohnG

 

 

All of them with two exceptions:

 

RS50 and RS62 which are both single based and use a Camphor coating for temperature stability and to keep pressures moderate at higher temperatures. Both have a heat of explosion of 3,750 Joules/gram

 

The rest, AFAIK, whilst technically extruded single base Nitrocellulose are impregnated with Nitroglycerine meaning that they are higher energy, effectively burning as double base. They tend to have a higher heat of explosion than the single base RS50/62 powders. How that translates to barrel life, I don't know as I've not heard many reports except fopr RS52 loaded "hot" in .308 which does show a tendency for significantly reduced barrel life compared with single base powders like RS50 or Vhit N150.

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Think of them as being akin to the older Swedish (Bofors manufactured) Alliant Reloder series powders like Re15, 19, and 22 which give very acceptable barrel accuracy lives if loads and pressures are kept sensible.

 

I bought a Musgrave TR rifle some 25 years ago with a low round count Australian Maddco barrel on it and used it for a few seasons with the original 155gn SMK with a modest Re15 load, selling the rifle on to a fellow club shooter whom I still see a few times a year. He has used the rifle with the same load and barrel for getting on for 20 years and it still shoots well. The barrel round count will be at least 5,000, more likely 7-8,000.

 

I use RS52 for most of my 308 shooting these days - it'll become 100% of it when my stock of IMR-8208 XBR (a REACH non-compliant product) is used up. I'm pretty relaxed about the wear and tear issue with 52 with the loads I'm using which are 'warm', but not super-hot, and perhaps crucially employ bullets on the light side. Although powder type is a factor, the loading itself is more important unless the powder generates really high energy and temperature values. A favourite GB FTR load that gives the 185gn Juggernaut 2,825-2,850 fps in 30-inch barrels using small primer Lapua 'Palma' brass and Viht N150 is regularly 'killing' match grade barrels in 2,300-2,500 rounds, so you don't need a double-based or high-energy propellant to produce a short barrel life.

 

There is a third RS non-EI high-energy grade, RS30 - more a magnum revolver powder or if rifle in the .22 Hornet and large calibre straight-wall case cartridge class. I'm told too that Nitrochemie is considering introducing a non high-energy grade in the N160/165, 4831 burning rate area which would be very useful if and when it appears.

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