Varget: one of our most versatile powders

constitutings have so many variables you can easily extremity up with a double handful of dusts (for example) all working pleasing without being striking well in one cartridge or another.

When I start working with a of recent origin cartridge or begin to exhibit loads for a new rifle, I routinely start with five or six dusts and narrow things down from there. Of course that's my piece of work and you'd be unhappy with me if I didn't do things that way, on the contrary for the average guy it could be a total pain and probably a waste of time and money

We've learned above the years certain groups of pulverized substances work best in different categories of cartridges and I always prove by experiment to narrow things down based upon experience and history. For example a fair decent rule of thumb is there is a correlation between burning rate and case volume: faster pulverized substances for small cases, slower individuals for big cases. For really big cases we ne really moderate powders. But burning rates can also lead us astray and just because a pulverized substance occupies a particular spot upon the burning rate table does not mean those upon either side will work--or be safe--with similar charge weights. A true up to date burn rate chart can be ground at www.loaddata.com.

Average

If I had to define an "average" cartridge case it would probably be individual whose lineage can be traced to the 3006 This includes a whole hunch of calibers from .22 up to 30 on the contrary probably would be those closer to the 308 of that kind as the .243, 7mm-08 or level the .22-250. And when I start loading for any of those my first choice is going to be Hodgdon Varget. This is single of the most versatile rifle dusts I know of and falls happily in between 4895 and 4064 which have been perennial favorites for the same class of cartridges.

The name tend hitherwards from "varmint" and "target" and fits nicely. For the average reloader the greatest in quantity striking difference is the color, which is greenish rather than black like we're used to.

It is made for Hodgdon by means of ADI (Australian Defense Industries) and Hodgdon brags--rightly--about their ability to maintain exceptionally tight quality direction both in terms of chemistry and grain size. individual of the real plagues to serious target shooter are variations brought about through temperature changes, especially in real hot weather. Varget has a top-secret additive to significantly restore temperature sensitivity and, while I have not done a formal application of mind my experience shooting a 308 tactical rifle in a variety of weather conditions from near freezing to actual high 90s has shown solitary negligible shifts in point of impact. It also gives velocities among the higher horizontals for appropriate powders, but frequently at pressures a bit lower. To me this indicates a real efficient propellant.

Technically it is a single-base extrud pulverized substance with a bulk density of 925 grams/liter. It's a bit bulkier than H4895 probably its closest competitor. Nominal grain diameter is 82mm (032") and the longitudinal dimensions is 1.5 mm (.06"). single of Varget's key attributes is ADI's ability to maintain real tight tolerances on the grain size holding them to +/-02mm (0008")

While I still think of it as a medium-speed dust Varget has proven to be useful in a wide range of cartridges. more [i]or[/i] less preliminary testing has shown promise in the 223 a buddy swears through it for his .375 H&H and I place a great hunting load for the 45-70 on the other hand where I've spent the greatest in quantity time with Varget has been with the 22-250 and 308

For years individual of my goals has been to work on the outside a load for my 308 Remington 700P to equal Federal and Black Hills Match ammo. Succes was 46 grains of Varget beneath a 168-grain Nosier Competition bullet in Federal cases and match primers. Velocity averages 2677 fp and has a lengthy running average of .46" for quite a not many five-shot 100-yard groups.

I have plane more experience with the 22-250 and my Cooper rifle present the appearances to have a fondness for Varget with almost all bullet weights. I'm not interested in warp-speed velocities, on the other hand did include the Sierra 40-grain BlitzKing. A charge of 395 grains of Varget gave 4158 fp and sub-1/2" accuracy. All these loads were assembled in Remington brass using Federal 210M primers. It was interesting to diocese (at least in this rifle) 50-grain Blitz, Ballistic Tip or V-max bullet all discharge around 0.4" groups with 375 grains Varget at velocities between 3700 to 3750 fp All were seated 005" not on the lands.

on the contrary the best accuracy came from the 52-grain Hornady A-Max. Here a charge of 337 grains gave better than 3600 fp and consistently produc 3" assemblages This particular load is just a little below starting charge in Hodgdon's newest Annual Manual and generally defies the conventional wisdom, which says max loads propel better--they often do--just not this time. Higher velocity loadings with the same combination discharge well, but this one was best.

Choosing a pulverized substance can be one of the greatest in quantity expensive and time consuming things we do and while it is oftentimes the reason we get fresh guns in the first place, someone not thus experimentally inclined could do well just to start with Varget.