The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Has anyone made a comparison between Rel 22 and Rel 23 for 6.5x55 military loads.
If so, are there any advantages in using Rel 23?

ukrifleman

AFAIK, Re23 is not available in the UK, and may never be, in fact more probably won't. The reason for this is that any propellant sold in any EC country has to undergo mandatory and rather expensive CE testing and certification, and whereas Hodgdon Powder Co. has a policy of doing this for every new grade introduced, Alliant ATK has a policy of picking and choosing candidates depending on its marketing peoples' views on potential European sales levels.

As a result, Alliant AR-Comp a recent but earlier 'improved' grade from Alliant manufactured by Bofors in Sweden as with Re22/23 hasn't been certified and the last time I spoke to Derek Edgar, MD of Alliant importers Edgar Brothers, I was told is unlikely to ever be so. AR-Comp is to Re15 what Re23 is to Re22 - a treated version of the older model to make it less temperature affected. The chemical additives used usually have a side-effect of making the burning rate a little slower, otherwise they're the same thing temperature sensitivities aside.

Temperature sensitivity is a big issue for many American and Australian shooters, also military users, but much less so for most Europeans and is totally ignored by many Brits - for obvious reasons. As a result, there is little incentive to double the product range and inject costs by adding new and only slightly different products for the European market.

Incidentally, whilst Re22 is a good choice for full-pressure match and sporting loads in the modern 6.5X55mm SKAN loaded up to the allowed 55,000 psi levels, there are better and cheaper alternatives for historic arms military rifle handloads that should be kept down to 45,000 psi or less in Mausers and 40,000 psi or less in Norwegian Krags. Viht N160 and N165 are very well suited to 140gn bullets in the cartridge, are cheaper than the Re powders, and will burn cleaner at these low pressures.

Many thanks for your comprehensive and informative reply.
ukrifleman