Varget Substitute?

[ArchAngelCD]

New question: At ranges of under 250 yards (as far as I intend to shoot) for non-competitive target (wanting results but not against competition per se) and hunting (ie Minute of Deer) will charge deviations of 0.5grs within the same batch make much of a difference?

Slight differences in charge weights will increase the SD of the ammo but it's been proven even triple digit SD numbers have no effect on accuracy. That said, a charge weight difference of .5gr sounds like a lot even in a large case cartridge like the 30-06 with a charge weight of 50.0gr. It would probably be much worse in the 30-30 and the 6.5 Swede with charges of only 37.5gr.

That said, I use nothing but H4350 in my 30-06 ammo with a 165/168gr bullet and I can achieve sub 1/2MOA accuracy with that powder. I like a slower powder in the 30-06 than 4895, 4064 or Varget.

 

[7mmb]

Get a Uniflow and stick with the Varget. Mine throws it just fine and I get very low SDs with thrown charges.

 

[RPRNY]

Thanks for the advice. I ended up buying a used Lee Perfect Powder measure on ebay for $9.00. What a difference. While it takes 5 - 6 throws to dial it in, once calibration is achieved it has been very accurate and very consistent with loads of both Varget and Trail Boss (I load some 30-30 with the Hornady 86gr 30 Mauser short jacket and TB for plinking and varmint control) - and no leakage. Anyway, a vast improvement, thanks for your advice.

 

[TNBilly]

Reloder 15 is basically the equal of Varget and measures a little better as well.

 

[James2]

I need to take a longer look at metering options (thanks 243Winxb!) because it looks like some folks are getting better results than I do. I am not very experienced, so I have to believe there are other ways to skin a cat.

Let me just say that no matter what tool you have, the technique of the operator has a lot to do with consistency. I am using a Lyman 55 and the instructions say to raise the handle and then hit the tapper, then lower the handle. I have found that it works better for me if I just raise the handle, wait a sec for the powder to settle on its own with no additional tapping, then bring the handle down to cut the load. It is important to try to move the handle at the same speed each time both ways. I hit the tapper after dropping the load to assure it all fell into the casing. I use a couple of rod powders such as 30-31 and 4831 and can throw them with a .2 deviation. That doesn't seem to matter a whit in accuracy near as I can tell. Anyhow for what its worth, there is my technique. Play with the way you use the tool and you may be able to get some better consistency.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Thanks for the advice. I ended up buying a used Lee Perfect Powder measure on ebay for $9.00. What a difference. While it takes 5 - 6 throws to dial it in, once calibration is achieved it has been very accurate and very consistent with loads of both Varget and Trail Boss (I load some 30-30 with the Hornady 86gr 30 Mauser short jacket and TB for plinking and varmint control) - and no leakage. Anyway, a vast improvement, thanks for your advice.

I use a Lee Perfect Powder Measure and while it's not perfect it's pretty close. If feels cheap, looks cheap and doesn't cost much but it does throw accurate charges of most powders and does it over and over. I like that powder measure for rifle powders...

 

[Big JJ]

308 Varget load question

Team
I need 308 win. load data for Varget powder with Barnes 150gr TSX copper bullets.
First year back deer hunting this season and in the Cali condor zone we have to use copper now.
The COL is still 2.80 however because the Barnes copper bullet is longer than the FMJ bullets it will have a differant pressure.
That is why I am reluctant to use FMJ date.
I have looked at a lot of load data tables for Varget however none of them show loads for copper bullets thus my problem.
Has anyone tried any loads for these bullets using Varget?
How did they shoot and what are your load recommendations?

 

[Jim Watson]

Call Barnes.
I asked and they furnished data for a .224 X bullet.

 

[JRI]

Imr 4320