Euro Powder-Maker Shares Technology with ATK (Alliant), Plans Joint Production in USA
If you have followed our reports on Reloder 17, you’ll know that this Alliant powder, produced in Europe by Rheinmetall Nitrochemie, is a unique propellant that, in many cartridges, can offer 100 fps (or more ) velocity than any other commercial powders. The secret to the extra speed is a proprietary Nitrochemie process that embeds or saturates the kernels with burn-rate controlling compounds. This allows a longer duration, extended energy release. Most conventional extruded powders have surface coatings only. These tend to have a strong “spike” in their energy release but then decrease rapidly in energy output. By sustaining the energy release over a longer period of time (in the barrel), powders such as Reloder 17 promise to deliver higher velocities than could be achieved with other propellants.
Following the release of Reloder 17, sources at Alliant Powder, an Alliant Techsystems (ATK) subsidiary, confirmed that we can expect more powder products using the new Nitrochemie technology. Alliant plans to release both a faster powder (for 223-sized cartridges) and a slower powder (for large magnums).
ATK and Rheinmetall Nitrochemie Announce Strategic Partnership
Rheinmetall Nitrochemie (RN) is jointly owned by Rheinmetall AG and RUAG of Switzerland. Since 2005, ATK has been a Rheinmetall sales partner. Now ATK and Rheinmetall Nitrochemie plan a much closer relationship, through which RN will share propellant technologies and ATK and RN will produce powders together in US facilities. ATK has agreed to a “strategic partnership” with the Rheinmetall Nitrochemie Group, the propellants division of the Düsseldorf-based Rheinmetall Defence Group.
According to DefenseNews.com, “Under terms of the agreement, propellant technologies will be transferred from Nitrochemie to ATK, and the two companies will target sales in North America and elsewhere. While Rheinmetall will gain access to expanded markets, ATK will receive licenses to manufacture and sell powder and propellant systems developed by the German firm. These products will be marketed to both the U.S. military and other ammunition manufacturers.” Through the strategic partnership, ATK will become the exclusive North American vendor of the new-generation Nitrochemie propellants. The technology transfer positions ATK as the exclusive North American provider of Nitrochemie’s Extruded Impregnated (EI), Extruded Composite Low-sensitivity (ECL), Surface Coated Double Base (SCDB), and R-Type propellants.
Rheinmetall Nitrochemie to Build Powder-Making Facility in the USA
As part of the new, expanded business relationship with ATK, Rheinmetall Nitrochemie will shift some of its actual powder production to the United States. Rheinmetall and ATK revealed “medium-term plans” under which a new, powder-processing plant will be set up in the USA and operated by Rheinmetall Nitrochemie in cooperation with ATK. This will allow Nitrochemie propellants to be sold at more competitive prices, since they will no longer have to be shipped across the Atlantic. No specific date was given for the construction of the new powder factory.
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Tags: Alliant, ATK, Nitrochemie, Powder, Reloder
How do Reloader 10 and 17 differ. Seems to me, from using R10 in my 20Tac, and reading about R17, that the latter has less of a sudden peak as R10 seems to have. What would be a safe starting load in a Tac20 with a 39 or 40gr. varmint bullet in an 11-twist 26″ Pac-Nor barrel?
Certainly would appreciate some commentary. Thank you.
Henry
What would be a good load with Reloder 17 for 6mm br 105gr a-max 1/8 twist
Based on the very limited load data I could find (on Alliant’s site), it seems higher velocities would still be achieved with Reloder 15 in a .308 shooting 165 or 168 gr. projectiles. I’d be interested in trying it regardless, having had very good results with Reloder 15. I typically use Varget, however, since it does act less temperature sensitive (at least I get more consistent chrony results with it). Reloder 15 provides a bit more accuracy for my rifle and I’d be curious to see how 17 stacks up for that reason. I wonder what its temperature sensitivity is.
I love Re17 in my 6XC. Good 100 fps faster than H4350 with great accuracy. Going to try it in .243, 9.3×62 and 325 WSM next.
Good news the stuff’s gonna be made here. Hope that eases the availability issues some too. Hope the next products using the same technology are as effective.
To Jon,
Early testing of R17 (search for it here; this website is where it was published sometime back around mid-year last year) kinda confirms your suspicions about 308. R15 & Varget are the most common choice for many 308 shooters; there’s not enough case capacity to boost effective speeds using R17.
I like R17 for 6XC; with BN-coated 115 DTACS I’m getting +150 fps better than with H4831sc at a similar accuracy node out to 1K, using a grain less propellant.
When I started working up loads in a short barrel .243 (18″), I tried the RL17. The fps was about 100 slower and accuracy was 1-1.25″ The RL15 worked much better, 100 fps faster and with 1/2″ accuracy. Am using the 95 grain flat base Nosler (got a ton of these) and has been deadly on 200 plus pound feral hogs.
Any word on the .223 sized cartridge powder?? RL-17 is a monster in .308 with 200+gr bullets and short barrels. Would love a appropriate burn rate powder for heavy 5.56 bullets. The EI impregnation is really something and almost magic hahaha.