.223 Varmint Grenade loads anyone?

[effendude]

Looking for load suggestions for .223 Rem using the Barnes Varmint Grenade bullets in both 36 and 50 grains. My Barnes manual does not list these yet...Thanks,
Scott

 

[robbor]

I have been kicking around ordering some of these because i live in the lead ban area. Ive seen alot of reviews epically with the 50s that they just would not shoot. I really would not bother with them unless you have to and have a fast twist barrel.

 

[effendude]

I have some 1-8' AR uppers that should shoot them fine. I have been told they need a fast twist for their weight. I'll let you know how they do...
Scott

 

[cliffy]

50 grain Barnes Varmint Grenades blew through primers with 25.3 grains of Alliant Reloder 10x powder at 3590 fps. This is apparently TOO MUCH horsepower! I shall retry at 25.0 grains! I'll readdress this subject shortly. For now, I'll clear my bolt of crud. TOO MUCH ain't necessarily a good thing. I experiment to determine when too much is TOO MUCH. cliffy

 

[bohemR13]

I had the same issue finding data for the 26 grainers in 20 caliber. My solution was a SWAG by taking the data for a few powders that I had on hand and plotting min and max charge weight vs. bullet weight.

This gave me several curves to interpolate down to 26 grains.

A little linear interpolation gave me a window of min and max for each powder to look at.

I loaded a ladder test for it and shot them. No issues, took about 10 rounds to find the max since it's not perfect and I was actually able to shoot a little hotter than I predicted.

Excel is your friend.

 

[alf]

Just go to Barnes' website. They have loads for both bullets.

 

[graymist]

I tried the 36 grain varmint grenade in a Savage Model 12,26 inch barrel)

36 Barnes VG, RL10x 24.6, F205M, Hornady brass 3653 fps. Shot in the high .3's

36 Barnes VG, RL10x 25.3, F205M, Hornady brass, 3709 fps. Shot in the 0.5's.

 

[effendude]

Here's a quick update, as I just got back from ND shooting dogs last week. I loaded 26gr of H335 under a 50gr VG,RRA A4 1-8'), and 27gr of H335 under a 36gr VG,Ruger HVT). Both loads shot way less than .75 MOA without any work, so I thought I was good to go.

Wow, what a disappointment. I shot about 600 rounds in two days. I'm a fan of Barnes, but what a bunch of misleading marketing. Nearly every dog hit, from 50 yds. to 300+ crawled into it's hole, or ran around in a death dance, or flopped around for a while before dying. My buddy shot Nosler BT's and bargain Winchester HP's and had obvious instantaneous kills, most of them very dramatic. The dogs I found were devoid of hide at the hit, but very little tissue damge, and none or very little penetration except on soft tissue,guts). Forget head shots. I had just as much terminal performance from cheap CCI Blazer 22LR ammo out of my 10-22 out to 100 yds. as I did with the Barnes Varmint Grenades.

Am I alone? I'm going to give the rest to the kids to blast away with so I can reload with V-Max and Bergers fro a second attempt to redeem my reputation.
Scott

 

[ForneyRider]

I'm using AA2230 for 36gr VG loaded to 2.25 COL. Barnes suggests 2.19 COL. These bullets are very hollow, and are pretty close in size to many 50gr bullets.

Benchmark and R10x will work as well. 3650fps is common velocity for the 36gr. You can pump them up for more fps, but haven't seen accuracy getting better than around the 3650fps mark in .223.

 

[8mmMauser]

I don't hunt or shoot varmints but I thought the same thing when I first read about varmint grenades. How can something that basically dissappears when it hits a grape kill an animal humanely? Sounds like you saw just that - the bullet disintegrating on the animals fur. Not particularly humane I would have thought...

 

[ForneyRider]

Best I did with AA 2230 and 36gr VG was .7in group @ 100 yards. My worst combo yet in my 1:9 AR.

 

[shootinmiles]

Here is my experience,

I shoot a Rem 700 vlss thumbhole in 204, I love the 204. Anyway, I've loaded both 32 and 40 grain Vmax bullets as well as 26gr VG.

Results: Both Vmax bullets make the PD explode as if it had swallowed a lit stick of dynamite. The 32's go about 4000 fps and the 40's 3700. I cannot tell much of a difference in damage but now shoot solely the 40's for better ballistics and since I tend to shoot the occasional yote.

As for the VG. I had no issue with wounded animals. I did have an issue though with accuracy,which fixed itself with the second box of bullets). The VG gave a small entrance hole,about .204' in diameter) but a quite large exit. Instead of blowing the PD up, it blew a fist sized hole in the opposite side and it didn't matter whether it was 50 yards or 250 yards away. Also shot a jackrabbit and had the same result. My thoughts are that since the diameter of the hollow point on the 204 VG is so small it is not able to explode like the video shows of the larger bullet on the grape. It does disintegrate, but the momentum in carried forward creating the larger exit hole, rather than outward which would create an explosion.

I only use the Vmax now since most of the fun come from watching the explosions and flips. I wish I could post the velocity of the VG, but my chrono didn't measure it. I'm guessing somewhere in the 4400 fps range.

 

[cliffy]

36 Grain Grenade Varminters are predictable in flight, whilst 50 grainers are NOT, regarding spin factor. Regarding .223 Remington loads, watch the recommended twist recommendation closely. 36 grainers work well in 1-in-12' twist barrels. 50 grainers require 1-in-10' twist or tighter,1-in-9') for effective usage far down-range. .223 Remington loads are a sensitive lot.

 

[cliffy]

According to Barnes Stats, 50 grain Varmint Grenades are not meant to stabilize in 1-in-12" twist barrels in .223 Remington loads. So, therefore, I'm happy with 36 grain VG loads at 3900+ fps. These little missles cruise cleanly through 3/16" mild steel plate at 100 yards with sub 1/2" groups all afternoon long. Cliffy

 

[jb77]

The high speed videos of them are awesome.

There was some talk about them a while back not being very accurate but I believe that was due to them being shot in barrels that didn't have a fast enough twist rate.

 

[shootsanything]

I am having trouble getting the 36 grainers to shoot worth a poop in my CZ .223 with a 1:9 twist barrel. I have tried Benchmark, AA2230 with no luck, BL-C2 started to show promise but I haven't gotten to a max load yet. Not had as much trouble with Nosler 55 Balistic Tip or Vmax 40 and 50 grainers. Best VG I have had is about .5" at 100 yards, and all of the other bullets will shoot way inside this.

 

[squirrelsnpr]

shootsanything, read the recommended twist rate, as stated earlier in this thread. With a 1-9 twist you need to be shooting the 50 grainers.

 

[cliffy]

Thirty-Six grain Varmint Grenade findings: in 1-in-12" standard twist .223 Remington, Zoom - Bam on P.DOGS or smaller varmints (Chipmunks - Squirrels). VGs are Not designed for tough coyotes, in my opinion, since I'd rather use ANY 55 grainer properly jacketed-lead bullet on same. Having smashed several 36 VGs through 3/16" plate steel, I'm "delemetized" regarding What-The-Heck-Is-Going- On?" Fifty grain VGs don't work well, accuracywise, in my 1-in-12" twister, yet those were designed for 1-in-10" or tighter twisters. These are not truly coyote fare in my opinion. Cliffy

 

[shootsanything]

Actually, that was the next try and I have some waiting, but if a 40gr Vmax will shoot why won't a LONGER 36gr VG? Not looking for an answer, just a puzzle in my mind. Saving the last of my 36gr to try in my 1:12 twist 220Swift.

 

[cliffy]

A .220 Swift is a far apart animule from a .223 Remington. I never thought about a .220 Swift's prowess regarding mere 36 grain Barnes Varmint Grenades. I'd not waste time attempting to conquer the potency of VGs within the monster Swift's belly: A horse of a different color: Try 60 grain Nosler Partitions to quell your kind of horsepower. Cliffy