RL15 Temp Sensitive?

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Gents,

Went to the range today with my younger son, he's been feeling left out with big brother and dad doing all the shooting. Intent for the day was to finalize scope settings for my .300WM and try out Varget in a .375 load.

Things went well with .300WM with my 200gr A-Frame load repeating as it has several times. 5 shots into a 1" group, set 2" inches high at 100. I had cleaned this barrel this week and loaded up ten 200gr NP's for fouling. As luck would have it I bumped into another accurate load with the last three shots, go figure.

So on to the .375. This is where things got a little strange. I've got two loads in 270gr A-Frames and North Forks that both use RL15. Both have been repeatable 1" or better groups, but not today. The groups opened up where the furthest shots apart were 2" or so.

The biggest difference I can tell from last week when I shot those loads was the temperature. Last Saturday in the low 80's, this morning high 50's to about 60 degrees F. So the question for you is have you experienced RL15 to be temp sensitive to a change of 22-25 degrees in this temp range?

I hope not, I bought a 5lb jug of the stuff after last week's shoot!! In some fairness, I have put quite a few shots down the tube since it was last cleaned, perhaps it's showing in the groups opening up?

 

[BRICKBURN]

...........
So the question for you is have you experienced RL15 to be temp sensitive to a change of 22-25 degrees in this temp range?
................

Very temperature sensitive in my groups experience.
Load in the summer and use in the winter. Totally different performance.
Just like you are describing.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Very temperature sensitive in my groups experience.
Load in the summer and use in the winter. Totally different performance.
Just like you are describing.

Well crap, that throws everything off. Is Varget better?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Well crap, that throws everything off. Is Varget better?

Can't say on this one. I'll ask the guys and see if anyone has used it.

 

[1ObsessedHunter]

In some fairness, I have put quite a few shots down the tube since it was last cleaned, perhaps it's showing in the groups opening up?

This would most certainly do it too. Although it is possible that RL-15 may be temperature sensitive, I would thoroughly clean the rifle before totally writing off the RL-15 loads. Then you'll know for sure. Good luck!

 

[David K]

A 15 degree drop will result in a 1 inch drop in bullet at 100 yards. 15 degree rise in temp will result in a 1 inch rise in at 100 yards. If you sighted your rifle in 90 degrees at 60 degrees you will be 2 inches low. At 105 you will be 1 inch high. Hope this helps

 

[Cliffy]

Well crap I just got some good loads for my 338/06 with RL15 .70 3 shot group repeatable.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Well it wasn't a dirty barrel. I went back last Sunday with some Varget loads. At 74.4gr behind the 270gr NF soft, it printed a nice sub 1" 3 shot group. Not much doubt in my mind that the RL15 is sensitive to temp as others have said here.

I was back at the range today and that load repeated by the way.

 

[PaulT]

Well this lets the air out of my tyres.

I was hoping to use R15 to regulate and load my .500 with over Summer this year.

If this powder is a sensitive as you say it'll throw the groups of my double out from when I load it to when I carry it afeild.

Back to the drawing board !

Thanks for posting this Phil.
You saved me some time and a whole lot of $$$$.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Well this lets the air out of my tyres.

I was hoping to use R15 to regulate and load my .500 with over Summer this year.

If this powder is a sensitive as you say it'll throw the groups of my double out from when I load it to when I carry it afeild.

Back to the drawing board !

Thanks for posting this Phil.
You saved me some time and a whole lot of $$$$.

RL15 and Varget have very similar burn characteristics, so you might give your 2208 a try. I ran a load in my son's .308 that uses Varget this morning and it shot like it usually does, so it appears to be less temp sensitive and that goes along with what I've read.

 

[PaulT]

The main reasons I was leaning towards R15 in the .500 was avoiding the need to use filler material.

In my circumstances, where I'm loading and testing/regulating in a Temperate zone then hunting for 5 months in a Tropical zone apowder that is temperature sensitive is out of the question.

Cheers,

Paul.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

The main reasons I was leaning towards R15 in the .500 was avoiding the need to use filler material.

In my circumstances, where I'm loading and testing/regulating in a Temperate zone then hunting for 5 months in a Tropical zone apowder that is temperature sensitive is out of the question.

Cheers,

Paul.

If filler is not needed with RL15, I'd be surprised if it's needed with 2208/Varget. My load manuals for most loads show them either having equal max charges or Varget loading a little more.