36 grain sierra varmint king project

[tstowater]

So I have been loading up 20VT and 20 Practical with the intent of taking on a prairie dog trip or two in the near future. Been using 32 grain ZMax in the Vartarg and 39 blitzkings in the 20 Practical. About to switch to 40 grain VMAX or Ballistic tips as I have about exhausted the 39's.

I bought a couple hundred 36 grain Varmint King's when I was getting some other bullets but not sure what to do with them. Choices are the Vartarg, the Practical or a good old 204 Ruger. Should have enough brass around for each other the cartridges to use up the 36's if I decide to load them.

Suggestions and loads welcome as it doesn't appear to be much out there for the 36 grain bullets yet.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

20vt 32 gr, 20p 36, 204 the 40's. I don't have any of the new 36 to compare to 32/39's. Putting the boat tail on the 32's seems like most logical, bearing surface of the 36 and 32 would match. That helps a bunch with load development.

 

[Tommie]

I’ll be loading those in a .204 Ruger using 8208 XBR. Will post results in a couple months. Likely starting load will split the difference between published 32 and 39 loads

 

[neckdeep]

Buy more 32 gr Vmax and shoot 2 of them for one 36 gr VK !! I wish they would just make the 39 BK more available

 

[tstowater]

I have a good supply of 32 grain bullets and an adequate amount of 39 and 40 grain bullets. The 36 are purely to see if they are God's gift to prairie dog shooting. I personally don't think so, but worth trying. I saw 39 grain bullets available yesterday for a better price than 36 grain Varmint King's. I think that both are too expensive for my purpose, but I could be wrong.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

For my prairie dog budget, Sierra bk are out. Vmax are in.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

For my prairie dog budget, Sierra bk are out. Vmax are in.

Agree, along with the Nosler Varmageddon and BT. Shooting colony rodents with SBK's is just getting crazy expensive. But I'll admit in about every one of my varmint rifles, the SBK is usually the most accurate of them all.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Yes, the 39 gr is a very accurate bullet. The .224 55 BK is very accurate out of my 22-250's. Great bullets cost more. The BIB 40 is great bullet but not shooting them at rats/pd.