Favorite Varget alternative for 105 class bullets in straight 6BR

[Okumacaptain]

Varget being the hard to find product that it is, what does everyone use when they can't get it? I listed a few that I have seen, but curious what has worked best for everyone.

 

[Okumacaptain]

RL-15 gave good results in my rifle with 105 gr. Bergers.

All my wife and I shoot is 6BR and all we have in house for powder is 16lbs of Reloder 15 . Works great !

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

I use 30.9 grs of shooters world 062 and I am probably going to up that to 31.2 grs to get the same velocity of 2920 FPS as I get from 30.3 grs of Varget. Shooters world runs slower. But I do get bugeye 5 shot groups with either load

 

[WIB3]

H-4895, RE-15.

 

[Bill K]

IMR 4166 is supposedly the equivalent to Varget.

 

[Dave Zander]

Anyone try N540?
H4895 is what I shoot now , have some N140, works good in 223 with 88Grain ELD-M's.
H4895 also works well in 223 with 80&80.5g bullets. Running out of N140 but store has some 540.

 

[Laurie]

IMR 4166 is supposedly the equivalent to Varget.

It might work ......... BUT! It gives compressed loads at lower charge weights than either H4895 or VarGet. Also, although shown as slightly slower burning than H4895 in Hodgdon's powder quickness list, it pressures out at significantly lower MVs in small cartridges. Nearly all 4166 loads in recent manuals are in larger cartridges such as 308 Win, even 30-06. Although on paper, it looks a shoo-in for 223 with 68 gn and heavier bullets, only Hodgdon itself gives a load for 77/80gn bullets and their max charges are substantially down, as are MVs, for both H4895 and VarGet. I got it to shoot in 223, but not at H4895 MVs and ES values were on the high side.

 

[GunzRUs]

I use 30.9 grs of shooters world 062 and I am probably going to up that to 31.2 grs to get the same velocity of 2920 FPS as I get from 30.3 grs of Varget. Shooters world runs slower. But I do get bugeye 5 shot groups with either load

Nick, is that in a straight 6BR or a Dasher? I tried 30.1 SWP in my 6BR and seemed a little slow.Thanks, Mark

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

Nick, is that in a straight 6BR or a Dasher? I tried 30.1 SWP in my 6BR and seemed a little slow.Thanks, Mark

6BR. Lapua scenar bullets.

105gr Scenar

Lapua

30.3

Varget

CCI 450

2920+

Very uniform bullet that likes tight bores or canted lands. You can hot up this load in winter by .3 grains. Match load, .015″ into lands.

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[Laurie]

Nick, is that in a straight 6BR or a Dasher? I tried 30.1 SWP in my 6BR and seemed a little slow.Thanks, Mark

In 223 with heavy bullets, it's significantly slower burning than VarGet and MVs were on the low side needing an extra 0.6gn to provide a match. (A significant increase in the cartridge even in a long-throated chamber.) In 308 and similar, the pair appear to be closer, so 6BR is likely to be in-between.

 

[rwj]

It might work ......... BUT! It gives compressed loads at lower charge weights than either H4895 or VarGet. Also, although shown as slightly slower burning than H4895 in Hodgdon's powder quickness list, it pressures out at significantly lower MVs in small cartridges. Nearly all 4166 loads in recent manuals are in larger cartridges such as 308 Win, even 30-06. Although on paper, it looks a shoo-in for 223 with 68 gn and heavier bullets, only Hodgdon itself gives a load for 77/80gn bullets and their max charges are substantially down, as are MVs, for both H4895 and VarGet. I got it to shoot in 223, but not at H4895 MVs and ES values were on the high side.

IMR 4166 works great in my 6BRs at the lower velocity nodes (<2850 FPS) using 105 grain bullets…

 

[Skattergun]

Some of the guys here recommended ar comp as a h4895 alternative. I’ve been using it with good results

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

In 223 with heavy bullets, it's significantly slower burning than VarGet and MVs were on the low side needing an extra 0.6gn to provide a match. (A significant increase in the cartridge even in a long-throated chamber.) In 308 and similar, the pair appear to be closer, so 6BR is likely to be in-between.

In my 223 I built as a bench gun, shooting 80 gr in 1/8 twist, Varget and Shooters World are about the same.

 

[SGT. Slaughter]

In my 223 I built as a bench gun, shooting 80 gr in 1/8 twist, Varget and Shooters World are about the same.

I'm new to the 6 bra and was wondering if anyone has tried N530 if so how did it shoot and what kind of velocities did you get? I'm thinking about 80 to 108 grain bullets.

 

[Lance21]

This is 4166, straight 6 br, 110 smk. 450 primer. Straight hammer.

 

[SGT. Slaughter]

This is 4166, straight 6 br, 110 smk. 450 primer. Straight hammer.
View attachment 1327535

Thanks I appreciate that.

 

[Spook]

I got nuthin' , If I dont have Varget I stay home.
Luckily I have some Varget.
I could type BWAH HA HA HA Ha and leave it at that,
But that would be in bad taste.
By what ever Grace or patron Saint that watches over Old Men that shoot competitively , I traded into 6 Lbs locally yesterday.
Thanks Be

 

[andym686]

Anyone try N540?
H4895 is what I shoot now , have some N140, works good in 223 with 88Grain ELD-M's.
H4895 also works well in 223 with 80&80.5g bullets. Running out of N140 but store has some 540.

I don't have his load data, but my friend Greg has shot some impressive groups using N540 in his brand new Old Dominion Custom Rifles 6BR.

 

[PopCharlie]

N540 with 105gr Berger VLDs. Then Shooters World Precision Rifle.

 

[NC/Br Shooter]

N150. I know by the chart it looks a little slow, but it gives great results in my 6BR.

I like Reloader 15 as well, but it seems erratic. One day it shoots great, the next, not so great. The lots I have are about 10 years old, though. Many say the newer lots seem to be more consistent.

I shoot 30.8 grns behind my own 103.

How do you have lots of powder 10 years old?