Primer-Powder combinations- Dasher

[Keith Glasscock]

All,

I have been successfully running a Dasher on RE-15 for a couple of years. The downside is that I travel to matches with pre-loaded ammo. Sometimes (far too often), I find that my ammo is less than desired due to temperature changes and such. It's not that the rifle won't hold the 10-ring, it is just a bit less predictable with lower X-counts.

I want to give Varget a fair go. I'm starting to perceive a primer difference between the RE-15 users (most seem to be using CCI 450's) and the shooters successfully using Varget.

So the question is this:

Which powder works best for you (Varget or RE-15), and with which primer?

I know that several other powders are used successfully, but I'd like to restrict this to those two.

Thanks,
Keith

 

[kyreloader]

Keith, in my first Dasher barrel, Varget with CCI 450s shot best for me. I compared Varget, H4895, IMR8208XBR and RL15 and Varget was just a bit tighter than the others. I found my node at 32.6g with 104g Bibs.

Hope that helps.

 

[dkhunt14]

In all the testing that I had saw with Varget and BR4 it shot the best. This was with at least 10 different guns. This was all at 1000 yards and over weeks of testing. I saw one gun that shot Re15 ok but almost all shot better with Varget. The primer of choice was a BR4 with Varget. Matt

 

[BradY]

H4895 and BR4's just over 3000fps was my most accurate combo. The other thing you could try would be get a tuner on your barrel to tweak the tune due to temp fluctuations.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I agree about tuning out the load a little with a tuner, but no tuner can compensate for pressures high enough to open up the primer pockets. Likewise, when I miss, I tend to be off quite a bit - I'm not sure I could tune that out in 2 sighters.

I'm currently using FED 205's for fireforming with downright amazing results. Are the 205's hard enough to avoid blanking at full-house pressures? If it matters, Barnard action .062 firing pin and tight hole in the bolt face.

 

[dkhunt14]

You will eventually blank Fed 205 primers. I saw them or had them blank in Pandas, Vipers and BAT's. It didn't matter if small firing pin or not. Matt

 

[Longtrain]

Using Norma 203B to launch 105 to 107's in my Dasher, Wolf SRM's give me the lowest SD of 5, then any other SR primer. Haven't shot Varget in the Dasher, the 203B is so accurate, I'm not even looking for something else. Norma 203B is the about same as RE-15 or maybe it is the same. ???

 

[Kyle Schultz]

You will eventually blank Fed 205 primers...

Please elaborate on "blanking a primer"? I'm not familiar with that term. TIA!

 

[dkhunt14]

Firing pin puts a hole in primer. Not good for longrange accuracy. It usually messes up your fire control. It also will break a Jewell trigger. Matt

 

[johara1]

Firing pin puts a hole in primer. Not good for longrange accuracy. It usually messes up your fire control. It also will break a Jewell trigger. Matt

they will break a Kelbly trigger also 30. 5 gr of Varget and a 108 and a Federal GM. Blanked fire forming …….. jim

 

[Eric Leonard]

not a Dasher but my BRDX really came on with 33.0 Varget and the 104 BIB when switching to the Wolf 5.56 Magnum primer,,,

 

[Judd]

This post proves nothing else it's that all guns are different. I have been more sucessful with Varget and Fed205's than any other primer. While my brx likes 450's the best.

I've never pierced a primer for what it's worth.

 

[Eric Leonard]

I had a factory Rem 700 action chambered in 6.5x47 and it pierced the first 3-4 primers so Greg Tannel bushed it and now it will rock and roll,,

the pierced primers had no effect on the factory Rem trigger but they did lock up the firing pin and had to dissemble the bolt and clean it out to function,,

 

[BradY]

The fed primers arent blanking because of unbushed firing pin holes (well that could cause premature blanking) but the cups on the CCI450's are thicker. Having a good run in a straight BR with light bullets with the federal primers, but in heavy bullet loads in both BR and dasher, the thick cup primers are required.

 

[falconpilot]

Everyoone has their "pet" loads...that being said, use this one will and go shoot..

Varget - 32-33grs
CCI 450 OR Wolf Small Mag Rifle - I personally fidn the ES and SD much better with the Wolfs.

Good Luck

 

[johara1]

Everyoone has their "pet" loads...that being said, use this one will and go shoot..

Varget - 32-33grs
CCI 450 OR Wolf Small Mag Rifle - I personally fidn the ES and SD much better with the Wolfs.

Good Luck

Jim, i sold about 10,000 Wolf primers due to hang fires and yes i know how to seat them…… went back to cci 450's Es as low as 1……….. jim

 

[Cakes]

My "go-to" recipe is very similar to Jim's and I think we even shoot the same bullet...but slightly off topic, I only use "Tula" primers or the 450's. Supposedly Tula - Wolf made in the same plant to the same specs? but I've never blanked or FTF a Tula SRM in 7 guns and probably close to 8-10,000 rounds in these guns in all sorts of temps. Curious why some have problems with them and it usually seems to focus on the "Wolf" brand and not "Tula". FWIW, my Tula's are about 7 years old so definitely "old stock". Good shootin down in Phoenix too Jim. Eric in DL

 

[johara1]

You get a few click…. bangs with the Wolf primers. You move on and mine were old stock also……… jim

 

[Eric Leonard]

not a Dasher but my BRDX really came on with 33.0 Varget and the 104 BIB when switching to the Wolf 5.56 Magnum primer,,,

went to load some just now and the 5.56 magnums are tula not wolf ,,,shot 10 104 BIB BTs with the Tula 5.56 Mag primers and 33.0 Varget and magnetospeed v2 said low was 2962 and high was 2973,I had 4 rounds left and put them on my sighter plate at 600 and they were dead on elevation with 11 moa adjustment,,
I am liking this load so far,,

switched off the big Sightron scope and tried an old 24x Leupold and think I may be in the market for an old 36X BR-D

pics from today

 

[dogdude]

33.0 Varget with BR4's, works for me