Power Pro Varmint in 5.56 NATO

[dc.fireman]

Hello all -

Finding powder in my neighborhood is like locating unicorn eggs. I came across some Alliant Power Pro Varmint the other day, and looked it up on the powder burn rate chart - it sits currently right next to H4895. I bought two pounds of it, and started working up some service rifle loads with it. It's a pleasant shooting powder, doesn't seem to be overly dirty, and being a semi-flattened ball powder it meters consistently and easily through the DIllon Super 1050 powder measure.

I started off mimicking my other service rifle loads which use Reloder 15, a Lake City case, Rem 7.5 BR primers, and a 77 gr. SMK. The SD's were a little high - in the high 30's, but the groups were OK.

I kept the same charges of 23.5, 24.2, 24.5, 24.8, but changed the primers out to CCI-400's, and Federal 205M's. The results are in the pictures below from the SOLO e-target. I didn't bother to adjust the scope - I just fired 5 fouling shots, and then proceeded to shoot the test loads. It was around 50-53ºF when I shot these, so the barrel never really got warm. There's still room to go up - there's zero pressure signs on any of the brass - I'm staying in this range because it works for my rifle, and seems to be a good match load for now.

ETA: fired @ 200 yds.

I know this powders been around for a little while now, I wanted to post a new thread for someone looking for options, instead of reviving the older zombie threads.

Rock River Arms National Match A4, 20" barrel
Leupold VX-r Patrol 1.25-4x20 Firedot scope
Caldwell Rock front rest
Protektor rear bag
Sierra Matchking .224 77 gr. HPBT
Alliant Power Pro Varmint
CCI-400 primer
Federal 205M primer
Lake City case annealed/trimmed/chamfered/deburred
Dillon Super 1050
SR-2 target

-tc

 

[Retired Grunt]

I shot some zeroing a .224 Valkyrie Saturday shot a pretty good group, finished cleaned the rifle today and it wasn't too bad.

 

[RonS]

I shot some zeroing a .224 Valkyrie Saturday shot a pretty good group, finished cleaned the rifle today and it wasn't too bad.

What's your rate of twist in your Valkyrie? Been thinking of putting one together, I've heard the 1:7 twist is finicky with heavy bullets.

Hello all -

Finding powder in my neighborhood is like locating unicorn eggs. I came across some Alliant Power Pro Varmint the other day, and looked it up on the powder burn rate chart - it sits currently right next to H4895. I bought two pounds of it, and started working up some service rifle loads with it. It's a pleasant shooting powder, doesn't seem to be overly dirty, and being a semi-flattened ball powder it meters consistently and easily through the DIllon Super 1050 powder measure.

I started off mimicking my other service rifle loads which use Reloder 15, a Lake City case, Rem 7.5 BR primers, and a 77 gr. SMK. The SD's were a little high - in the high 30's, but the groups were OK.

I kept the same charges of 23.5, 24.2, 24.5, 24.8, but changed the primers out to CCI-400's, and Federal 205M's. The results are in the pictures below from the SOLO e-target. I didn't bother to adjust the scope - I just fired 5 fouling shots, and then proceeded to shoot the test loads. It was around 50-53ºF when I shot these, so the barrel never really got warm. There's still room to go up - there's zero pressure signs on any of the brass - I'm staying in this range because it works for my rifle, and seems to be a good match load for now.

ETA: fired @ 200 yds.

I know this powders been around for a little while now, I wanted to post a new thread for someone looking for options, instead of reviving the older zombie threads.

Rock River Arms National Match A4, 20" barrel
Leupold VX-r Patrol 1.25-4x20 Firedot scope
Caldwell Rock front rest
Protektor rear bag
Sierra Matchking .224 77 gr. HPBT
Alliant Power Pro Varmint
CCI-400 primer
Federal 205M primer
Lake City case annealed/trimmed/chamfered/deburred
Dillon Super 1050
SR-2 target

-tc

What's your barrel's rate of twist?

 

[Retired Grunt]

What's your rate of twist in your Valkyrie? Been thinking of putting one together, I've heard the 1:7 twist is finicky with heavy bullets.

What's your barrel's rate of twist?

1:7 it likes the 88.5 -90 VLD's. I have used Berger's, Sierra's and Hornady ELD's

 

[NZ_Fclass]

yes - I found good results with it. Good velocities at reasonable pressures. Fantastic in the Grendel too. Unfortunately, it's hard to find in NZ and very expensive, 30% more than other powders, which do a similar job. 8208 seems close, certainly in the Grendel.

 

[std7mag]

If it were me, i'd do more groups with the 24.2gr & 205Ms.

I've been using Varmint in my 250 Savage with Sierra 75gr HP Varminters. Speed in the 3,150 area.
Going to try with the 90gr BlitzKings when hunting season is over.

In my wife's 223, i've been using PP2000MR with 69 & 70gr bullets. Bolt rifle 1:9 twist, 24" barrel.

 

[5spd]

It's a great powder, nice tight groups in my 223s with it

 

[Lefty Trigger]

It loads like a dream and burns clean at the upper end of charge weights. I found a 8 pound jug awhile back and have playing with it in quite a few different things.

 

[moorepower]

-It works great in 6ARC with 75-87 grain bullets.

 

[dc.fireman]

What's your rate of twist in your Valkyrie? Been thinking of putting one together, I've heard the 1:7 twist is finicky with heavy bullets.

What's your barrel's rate of twist?

It's an air gauged 1 in 8" twist, 20" in length, with a .223 Wylde chamber - the standard Rock River Arms NM-A4 barrel.

 

[RonS]

It's an air gauged 1 in 8" twist, 20" in length - the standard NM-A4 barrel.

I ran a DCM 1:8 twist 20”, it loved the Hornady 75gr in front of IMR 4320

 

[dc.fireman]

*Update*

I went back out today with the load that showed promise, and 40 rounds of my standard practice load, against 10 rounds of the new load. It was cooler, around 48º F, with windy conditions - a steady back and forth 12-16 mph, gusting up to 20 mph occasionally. Today confirms what the initial test loads showed - 24.2 gr. of Power Pro Varmint behind a 77 gr. SMK is a nice target load in 5.56 Nato, and is probably going to be my primary load, if I can find a few more pounds of the powder.

Another note - with gusting winds, comes interesting SD reports from the SOLO e-target. At one point, my standard Reloder 15 match load, was reporting a 42 fps SD across a 10 round string. When the winds calm down a bit, the SD drops.

The preferred load with the new powder is going to be:

.224 Sierra Match King, 77 gr. HPBT @ 2.260" COAL
24.2 gr. Alliant Power Pro Varmint
Fed 205M Small Rifle Match primer
Lake City case, annealed/full length resized/trimmed/chamfered/deburred

loaded on a Dillon Super 1050.

 

[dc.fireman]

Forgot to mention - the load data is in the image names in the upper RH corner of each picture.