Ball Alternative To Varget For .308 and .223?

[Lawdog734]

This may seem stupid, but is there a ball powder alternative to Varget for good ACCURATE .308 and .223 loads? I want something that will run through a powder measure much better as well as have the insensitivity Varget has to temperature. I typically shoot out to 1000yds (with .308) so accuracy is a must.

 

[Mark whiz]

Really, about the only suitable ball powders for those two rounds are Win748, Hodgdon BL-C(2), and maybe Ramshot TAC. The 1st two have been used for YEARS.............but 1000yd accuracy out of them might be asking a bit much.

 

[cheygriz]

H335 has won numerous bench rest championships in the .308.

 

[Delmar]

I have used BLC-2 and H380 and had good result with both. Stick powders still seem to hold a touch better accuracy at the longer ranges-dunno why.

 

[Zak Smith]

In .308, I've used W748 and IMR4895. I load on a Dillon 650.

Even though the std dev for the powder weights thrown was less with W748, the velocity std dev for the IMR4895 was less. Something to consider.

-z

 

[Dave R]

Another H335 fan here.

I use it in both .308 and .223.

 

[g56]

I'm using H335 in 223, 22-250, and 308, I really like the way it meters.

 

[Poodleshooter]

You're looking for the best of both worlds-ball powder's compactness and easy flow through meters, coupled with extruded powder's temperature insensitivity.
I don't think there are any "extreme" type ball powders.
I use military pulldown ball powders. I'm currently using WC846 which burns somewhere between H335 and Ball(C)2. Of course, looking at those two powders (as well as Win748), it's hard to see much difference in their load data. It frequently overlaps.

 

[Bacchus]

Another vote for W748.

 

[Rico567]

I have used a lot of 748 in .223, with uniformly good luck. I tend to favor Varget in .308. H335 seems to perform very well, too. As far as BLC-2 is concerned, it was my standard powder back when I shot a lot of .222. But BLC-2 is infamous for losing performance at low temperatures; I don't know about any of the others. The new Hodgdon Benchmark powder showed excellent results in .223, and may replace 748 as my standard powder. It's an "extreme" powder, and although it's a "short stick" type powder, it goes through my Dillon measure just like the ball powders, and with very uniform drop weights.

 

[Swamprabbit]

I've had good luck with 748 and H-335

 

[Ben Shepherd]

H335 in 223, 308 and 30-30. Powder choice #2 in 223 and 308(prefer win 748 in these 2 calibers).

But it's my most accurate powder in my win94 30-30.