SmallCaliberCentral

Hi all and thank you for adding me to this forum.

I stay in the UK and own a Tikka T3x Lite 20” in .204 and last year managed to get hold of a tub of H4895 which can no longer be imported to the UK due to REACH compliance.

I worked up a load and reached a popular weight of 27.5gr H4895, Hornady Brass, CCI primer and 39g BK @ 3637fps and it shoots very well, but is on the max limits.I recently purchased RL10x which is easily available and started to work up a load using the same components and OAL. I worked up to 25gr which is around most RL10x users preferred powder charge, but I was only getting an average of 3259fps and wasn’t getting any signs of pressure.

I slowly worked up in 0.2gr increments, checking the cases as I go and reached 26.5gr @ 3619fps with still no signs of pressure and no flat primer, but was happy with that speed and groups.

My question is....Why with H4895 am I getting average published speeds and with RL10x I am getting about 300fps to 400fps lower than normal published loads and I am having to go way beyond published data to equate the speeds.

I fully understand my rifle will shoot slower due to the 20” barrel, but with H4895 it’s not far away.

Could be the manner in which the RL 10 burns in your shorter barrel and also the companies testing in their facility holding it back for liability purposes. Bill K

Published velocities can be all over the place. Most are usually close but not always. As you mention it may well be the short barrel does not like the 10X.

Is the equivalent of CFE223 available in your neck of the woods. It gave me acceptable accuracy with great speed.
Accuracy trumps speed. Though I do seek both.
Jeff