[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Go! :)

[jbkebert]

Pro's

It is one of the cleanest burning powders Ihave found in my .308; It is also one of the 2 most accurate powders in my .308 loadings, I am using two slightly diffirent loads for two diffrent rifles and have tried 6 powders I keep coming back to Varget.

Con's

I have two bottles left and I can't seem to find it anymore:D

[edelbrock]

Con - Not readily available.

[ny32182]

I actually find that it dirties up my AR15s faster than just about anything else I have tried.

It is expensive compared to some others, at least around here.

It seems to be very versatile in terms of cartridges and bullet weights where it can be used, so I still buy it when I can.

[loadedround]

I'm beginning to think of Varget as the Unique of rifles powders and fortunately I just bought an 8 lb keg two months ago when it was still available. :D

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

How well does it meter?

So is it clean or is it dirty or somewheres in betwixt the two?

[Schleprok62]

It's not the best for metering... it is an extruded powder.

As for how dirty? Well, I have to agree with the AR observation... it seems to not be the cleanest in an AR, but it burn clean in my 7mm-08... go figure...

[SquirrelNuts]

I can load it in .223 .308 and .30-06 and it is temperature insensitive. I see it used in a LOT of load data, so it is very versatile. I use Lee dippers to scoop it, and my RCBS powder trickler (thanks Randy1911) to get the load exact.

[fireman 9731]

If I could find it right now its all I would buy!

Its great in my 22-250, as well as my 45-70. Very versatile, clean and cool burning IMO.

[solvability]

I love it for match loads in 223 and 308. Cannot get the velocity with heavy 6mm but there are other powders for it. Great powder in 303 and 7.5 swiss. One of the all time greats - thank you Australia!

It does not meter as well as ball powders, but does meter as well as other stick powders, plus it is green.:rolleyes:

[Jim Watson]

Good stuff, I load .308 and heavy bullet .223 with Varget.
But if you have trouble finding it in the Obama Panic, don't pass up Re15, 4895 or 4064 for similar applications. I tried hard to like AA2520 because it meters so well but it does not give the accuracy of any of the extruded powders in MY rifle. Might in yours and it is a dream to load.

[Floppy_D]

I can find H4895 easier, and from what I can tell, they do the same job for the same mess. No gripes other than I can't find it as easy as H4895.

[redneck2]

Gives incredible accuracy in my AR with 50 grain Nosler BT's. Haven't noticed it being dirty. Going on a PD hunt in 6 weeks. We'll find out then. We're using it in all the .223's.

[Redneck with a 40]

I find that it burns very clean in my Remington 700 SPS Tactical, .308. Accuracy is on par with my other powders, H-4895 and IMR 4064. So far, I like it! I was very fortunate to score (1) pound of this stuff at the gun show, paid a pretty penny though, $30.:eek:

[Lone_Gunman]

I actually stumbled upon a 8 pound keg of Varget in a a gun store last weekend, and of course bought it. $160.

[lgbloader]

Pros: Meters great in my Uniflow and Dillon PM as well as my Chargemaster. Shoots clean and accurate in most of my gas guns as well as my 308 and 30-06 bolts. very versitile.

Cons: Hard to find right now for the people that seem to need it most.

LGB

[Lone_Gunman]

Cons: Hard to find right now for the people that seem to need it most.


Ha!

I actually had been out of Varget for about a week when I found this. I failed to prepare properly with regard to Varget, I admit.

[jerkface11]

It's quite clean. I shot the groups in my sig line with a charge of Varget. And I threw that charge with my Frankford Arsenal powder measure so don't believe it doesn't meeter.

[lgbloader]

Lone Gun, you qualify as "people who need it most".

LGB

[ArchAngelCD]

Pros:
Accurate in my 30-06 bolt rifles
Delivers good velocity in the 30-06
Burns clean in the 30-06
Can be used over a wide bullet weight range

Cons:
None that I can think of
(considering all powders are hard to find at the moment)

[FlyinBryan]

i like its accuracy in 223.

but i dont like that it takes almost 25% more with light bullets when compared to h322.

it is probably the most accurate powder ive used for our ar's. (but not by much.)

i dont like that its longer cut than h322 and therefore doesnt meter quite as well for me.

i do love the smell of varget. to me it just smells more "fuely"

i dont like the fact that varget yields more than 50 rounds less from a pound than h322 when loading run-of-the mill 223 ammo with 55g fmj bullets

[evan price]

It's the best powder I load, in terms of consistency and that includes when the temperature changes.
I load with a Lee autodisk and finish with a trickler on the real accurate stuff and it throws fine for me.
Burns very clean, my 6.5x55 loads are so clean the brass almost doesn't need tumbled again.
It has loads for everything from .17 Rem all the way to .458 WinMag.

Only bad things are it costs a little more and you can't find it right now.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Hey how fast does it burn? It is better for short or long barrels - I'm looking at it for an 18" .260 rem - better choices than Varget?

I've got several load manuals indicating that both accuracy and velocity are excellent with Varget & .260, but these are all 24" test barrels, not 18 inchers.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Here's what I have on hand right now in rifle powders:

IMR 4350
Accurate 2460
Accurate 3100
Accurate 2015
Accurate 5744
Accurate 2700
Hodgdon H 380 (a LOT)

Hodgdon H 322
Hodgdon H 4831
Hodgdon H 4895
Hodgdon H 4350
Hercules Reloader 19

Should I start with one of these for the DPMS 18" .260 Rem, or go find some Varget? If you say start with one of these, which one? I want accuracy, first and foremost, of course, but I want good velocity, too. Thanks.

[P.S. I got a bunch of these powders at an estate sale, so I'm not too familiar with most of them.]

[evan price]

If you're limiting yourself to what you have on hand- I would say H380 FIRST because you've got a bunch of it and can work up loads. It's a good powder in the .260 Rem, with a good velocity and average pressure.

After that, the various 4350's next, followed by the Accurate 2700 & 3100, RL19, 4895, and 4831.

Short answer: Heavy bullets, lean towards 4350. Lighter bullets, H380.

The only advantages Varget brings to the table VS H380 is more temperature stability and more consistency and ten percent reduced powder quantity (more economical- but that's cancelled by the fact that Varget is very hard to find right now!); however unless we're talking national match shooting competition the indian is more important than the arrow.

Save the AA2460 & H322 for .223 and other small stuff.

edited to add, just noticed you have H110 listed as a rifle powder- it's actually a Magnum pistol powder that is also used in .30 Carbine. Equivalent to Win296.

[NCsmitty]

Dr. Tad, i would try H4895 before going out to get Varget, especially with the short barrel.

What bullet weights were you considering? I would stick with the middle weights, something like the Lapua 123gr. It would be a balance of velocity and accuracy, and you know Lapua bullets are quality.

NCsmitty

[Karl Hungus]

Varget is all I use for my .308 and my 22-250. It works great for a lot of other calibers as well. It is hard to find right now, but it is out there. I picked up 6 lbs the other weekend, so I can't complain.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

If you're limiting yourself to what you have on hand- I would say H380 FIRST because you've got a bunch of it and can work up loads. It's a good powder in the .260 Rem, with a good velocity and average pressure.

After that, the various 4350's next, followed by the Accurate 2700 & 3100, RL19, 4895, and 4831.

Short answer: Heavy bullets, lean towards 4350. Lighter bullets, H380.

The only advantages Varget brings to the table VS H380 is more temperature stability and more consistency and ten percent reduced powder quantity (more economical- but that's cancelled by the fact that Varget is very hard to find right now!); however unless we're talking national match shooting competition the indian is more important than the arrow.

Save the AA2460 & H322 for .223 and other small stuff.

edited to add, just noticed you have H110 listed as a rifle powder- it's actually a Magnum pistol powder that is also used in .30 Carbine. Equivalent to Win296.

Thanks very very much, Mr. Price!

NC, I'm thinking of loading two different loads -one is the Hornady 129 SST, and the other is the Hornady 95 VMax, so I want something that will work with both, but if pressed, I'd say that for now, I want what works best with the 95 VMax, as I have more of these bullets on hand (2 boxes).

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

And with that advice, I'm now leaning toward trying H 380 first since I have a lot of it, and then if I can't get a satisfactory load, look at Varget or another one. Lyman's says that Varget is "capable of the best accuracy" for several bullet weights in .260, which is why I am kinda keen on it. It also shows one of the higher velocities.

NC, oh yeah, I thought of trying Lapua 108s and Lapua 123s (the Scenars), but have these Hornadys on hand. I want to hunt deer with the 129 SSTs. The Lapuas are too iffy for game (may just punch through without expanding). I'd honestly shoot a deer with a neck shot with the 95 gr VMax that I know is going to violently expand, long before taking a chance on non-expansion with a Scenar or Matchking or similar. I had a buddy one time who (illegally I might add - in season but illegal caliber) dropped a doe in her tracks with a neck shot with a 17 grain .123 BC .17 HMR varmint bullet - I think a 95 gr .365 BC Vmax would drop even the biggest buck like a sack of flour *with a good neck shot*. But it wouldn't be my first choice - you never know when you'll have the long shot or a quartering toward shot with occluded neck, so I'll want the 129 SSTs loaded up.

[Redneck with a 40]

My three powders for .308 are Varget, IMR 4064 and H-4895. All three perform great and so far, my tightest groups have been shot with H-4895 and Sierra 168 grain SMK's. Its pretty much a dead heat between 4064 and Varget. H-4895 also has the same temp stability as Varget.

[ar10]

I can't think of any "cons", mainly because I bought 3 8lb cans last year (loong before the election). Works great in my AR10B though. :D

[1858]

This IS good news ... I've never used Varget but I just "reserved" at least 4lb of the stuff which should be here next week. I can't find Reloder 15 or IMR-4895 anywhere but perhaps my rifle will like Varget even more. I'm looking forward to working up some .308 Win loads using 178gr A-MAX bullets with Lapua brass and CCI primers.

:)

[jpwilly]

I've used a few lbs of varget between 303 brit, 308, 223, and 7.62x54r. This stuff seems to be very versatile and consistant no matter what temps are...love it!