Varget

[Slimjim]

I love this powder Especially in .223. The reason i love it, is you cant throw a overcharge with it, even the max load is compressed, but we tried fitting a manual specified, 27.5 grains into a .223 cartridge, it wont go. it overflows first.

Anyone else shooting varget? My load now is a 25.5 grains of varget behind a 55 grain bullet (all types). With a winchester primer for ignition.

 

[Valkman]

I just loaded up my first batch of .223 with H335 - same thing where the normal load fills up the case. No way is 50gr going to fit!

I'm loading for a HBAR with 1-9" twist - any tips on bullet weight? I plan on trying 55-65gr bullets at varying seating depths to find an accurate load, and I also want to try Varget.

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

i've loaded 69gr. MK's and 55gr fmj with varget, i like the powder mostly becasuse it is clean.... i've never shot a factory load that was even close..

i ordered a bunch of military LC and WCC .223 brass, and had 1 winchester com. brass in the mix... i was charging 26.5 gr and the com. brass overflowed where the LC had no problems... quite a difference in case volume...

i load 25gr. behind the 69 gr. MK and 26.5 behind the 55gr. fmj OAL is 2.26 on both...

haven't got to shoot the 55gr. but the 69 gr. are clover cutters out of a 1/8" RRA...

 

[Coltdriver]

Slimjim,

Are you using military brass??

I am using a scale and getting 28 grains of Varget in Winchester non military brass.

I have read that the heavier webbing on military brass reduces the internal volume.

Anyway, Varget is excellent. I use 28 grains under a 50 grain sierra blitzking and it is an excellent round.

I put 28 grains of H335 under a 40 grain blitzking and get almost an identical ballistic path.

I am trying the Varget in a 243. It does not fill the case however.

 

[dakotasin]

i shoot tons of varget (well, maybe not quite that much) in 308... i worked w/ it in 223, 22-250, and 243 and although it shot, i found other powders that worked better... but, in the 308, i don't think it can be beat.

the biggest problem i had w/ varget and 223 was just when the load was starting to come around (accuracy wise), i just ran out of case... never did reach max accuracy or velocity.

 

[wanderinwalker]

My Varget experience mirrors dakotasin in the .223. I tried, I wanted to like it, I can't get it to work. I run out of case-capacity before I get up to speed. Plus, at least with Winchester primers, I got awful extreme spreads on velocity. Sure, changing primers may have helped, but I switched to H4895 (had some on hand that didn't look like it was going to get used anywhere soon, figured, why not?). Instant improvement.

FWIW, I'm using a 1-8"-twist match-AR-15 and 69, 77 and 80gr bullets. With H4895 and the 77s I can get 2750fps. With the Varget I was averaging about 2600-ish IIRC, maybe 2650 (and out of case capacity). Still not sure what I can get with the 80s and I don't see myself using a 69 anytime soon.

Valkman,
Try a Sierra Matchking 69gr or lighter. Don't bother with the 75/77 and heavier. At 100yds the Hornady 52gr BTHP works well also. Try a 4895 (Hodgdon or IMR perhaps) or even W-W748 with the lighter bullets up close. Although H335 should be fine.

 

[Kamicosmos]

I love varget too! I was wondering if other people were running into the 'compressed' loads too. guess that's all right then.

I'm shooting 55 grain bullets, and I'm still tweaking my load, have tried 25 and 26 grains. So far, my rifle seems to like it closer to 25 grains. Which is good, since not much more will fit apparently!

1 in 9 twist, 24 in barrel, BTW. I'm getting around 3200 fps. Fast enough for me, and the accuracy is better than me! Turning out around .5 inch 5 shot groups at 100 yds.

 

[Valkman]

Valkman, Try a Sierra Matchking 69gr or lighter. Don't bother with the 75/77 and heavier. At 100yds the Hornady 52gr BTHP works well also. Try a 4895 (Hodgdon or IMR perhaps) or even W-W748 with the lighter bullets up close. Although H335 should be fine.

Thank you, Sir! So far have bought Sierra 55gr and Speer 55gr, and just bought 1k of Hornaday TAP 60gr - they're on sale at MidSouth Shooters for $34!

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/hornadytap.asp

 

[P0832177]

The answer to getting more Varget into the 223 case is a drop tube. It will still be a compressed load. I have gotten the 40gr V-Max with 28gr of Varget to work well.
Varget is a great powder. But, the problem is that it is not really good to use with the Dillon. TAC works well for that function!

 

[g56]

Generally speaking, 1:9 twist barrels don't work with bullets of 70 gr or heavier, most bullets 69 gr or less seem to work fine in the 223.

 

[Slimjim]

No im not useing military brass, and is that 28 grains a compressed load, it seems tat'd be the only way to get it from what i see in my cases.

 

[atek3]

man, my varget 223 load is puss. 69 gr. moly'd SMK over 23.4 gr. varget in a LC case with WSR primer. I worked the load up and that is the one that gave me a quarter minute group so I ran with it

atek3

 

[P0832177]

First off a person has to try bullets before writing them off or listening people like us on the internet. A 1-9 twist will not tolerate bullets greater then 70g, is such a statement. I have shot A-Max, Berger, and Starke 75 bullets out of a 1-9 twist DPMS upper. And, they do group tightly and repeatedly. And, I done that with Varget and Rem 7.5 primers in WW cases. And, they will shoot in my 700P, too! Heck 80gr Noslers shoot in the 700P, too. Go figure. Yeah 28 gr is compressed. So is 27.5gr. The military brass in the larger calibers is a concern with using loads developed in commercial brass. In the 223 that is not a consideration.

 

[Swamprabbit]

I use Varget for the 60 grain Hornady V-Max (hunting load), 69 and 80 grain SMKs with all great success. Yes, all are compressed loads. I haven't chronographed any of them but the sub 0.5 MOA groups I am getting tells me enough. I use only commercial (Winchester and Remington) brass.

I have also had great success with Winchester 748 with the heavier bullets. For lighter bullets, I like H-335.

 

[Coltdriver]

My 28 grain Varget load under a 50 grain Blitzking is a compressed load but it is only slightly compressed. There is a good 1/8th inch from the top of the neck to the powder.

Well if your brass is 5.56 versus .223 you may have the heavier webbing internally which is what reduces the internal volume.

It is nice to work with a case and powder that you can not over load and hurt yourself with as long as you are using Varget.

 

[Steve Smith]

LC .223/5.56 BRASS IS NOT HEAVIER!!!

TEST IT YOURSELF!!! FILL A BUNCH OF LC AND OTHER BRANDS WITH WATER AND MEASURE THE AMOUNT OR WEIGHT OF THE WATER THAT YOU CAN FILL IT WITH...THEY ARE THE SAME...ALSO WEIGHT THE CASES THEMSELVES!!!!

note: there is a significant difference in the .30 cal LC offerings.

Varget is ok, but you can't put enough of it in the case.

 

[Northwest Cajun]

Hi all,
I'm another BIG fan of Varget.
It's my main powder(.223, .25-35, .300 Savage, .308, .30-06, .338-06, .45-70)
With other powders you may get a little more speed in a few of the cartridges but I have developed accurate loads with my hunting rifles that should be suitable for anything I care to hunt.

Cajun
BTW I'm currently TDY saving my Perdiem for my second 8lb jug of Varget.
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