reloader 17

[Gary C]

I went to a shop today to pick up two hundred Berger 108 .
He had IMR 4895 on the shelf so I got a LB.
He had #8 Lb Jug of reloader 17 and 19 ( I think) but I have no Idea if they are
a fit in 6BR.
Anyone??
The shop owner said there is no Idea if Varget will EVER return!
Said somthing about cancer causing agents being used in the Mfg???
This could be hearsay ( I hope )

 

[AJC]

I went to a shop today to pick up two hundred Berger 108 .
He had IMR 4895 on the shelf so I got a LB.
He had #8 Lb Jug of reloader 17 and 19 ( I think) but I have no Idea if they are
a fit in 6BR.
Anyone??
The shop owner said there is no Idea if Varget will EVER return!
Said somthing about cancer causing agents being used in the Mfg???
This could be hearsay ( I hope )

They make varget in Australia and the manufacturer has put out a delay of over a year. Reloader 15.5 or 16 would be closer to varget than 17.

 

[Laurie]

Said somthing about cancer causing agents being used in the Mfg???
This could be hearsay ( I hope )

I can't comment on US regulatory changes being in the UK, but we and all of Europe lost all Hodgdon Australian manufactured 'Extreme' grades; all IMR powders other than the five new 'Endurons'; older Hodgdon 'spherical' grades such as H414 and BL(C)-2 as a result of tiny amounts of 'unsafe' and/or 'environment-unfriendly chemicals in their composition.

This is a purely Europe-only bit of nonsense though (called Project REACH that was a massive exercise covering every chemical and chemical mix in use for any purpose and took 10 years of intensive work). Unless your EPA is thinking of changings its standards and regulations on chemicals' safety, REACH regulations have nothing to do with the US. If changes were in the wind, I'm pretty sure that someone on this forum would have said so.

Having said that, I'm pretty sure this is a 'straw in the wind' and that the rest of the West will follow the EU sooner or later. Some Australian Forum members have posted that Thales / ADI which makes these Hodgdon 'Extreme' powders including VarGet are working on new reformulated versions to become 'green'. In the meantime, our loss is your gain as more VarGet than before goes to North American outlets. I think it's much more likely that it's a combination of massive increases in demand and sales allied to equally massive global shipping problems right now. Australia is a long, long way from the ports of San Francisco / Long Beach and there is only a single shipping line on the Australia / New Zealand to US route.

 

[Laurie]

They make varget in Australia and the manufacturer has put out a delay of over a year. Reloader 15.5 or 16 would be closer to varget than 17.

Yep, I forgot to mention that too in my post. I wouldn't use Re17 in the 6BR. Re15, Norma 203-B, Viht N150, Shooters World 'Precision' are much better suited. Viht N140 / N540 also work too, although I prefer N150 of the Viht powders in the BR with 105-107gn bullets. Re15.5 too likely as @AJC says and it'll overcome Re15/N203-B's well known temperature sensitivity.

 

[SeabeeKen]

Its also very likely that these powders being from australia are sitting on ships in california waiting to be unloaded. European powders seem more plentiful since the ports are working.

 

[newbieshooter]

Varget availability past 2 months

 

[Bill Norris]

RL-17 works very well (tight groups and low E S) with 103 gr. and 115 gr. bullets in my 6BRX.

 

[Toms]

I went to a shop today to pick up two hundred Berger 108 .
He had IMR 4895 on the shelf so I got a LB.
He had #8 Lb Jug of reloader 17 and 19 ( I think) but I have no Idea if they are
a fit in 6BR.
Anyone??
The shop owner said there is no Idea if Varget will EVER return!
Said somthing about cancer causing agents being used in the Mfg???
This could be hearsay ( I hope )

I tried it in my 6br with Sierra 107bullets. It shot well and velocity was 50 fps faster then my varget load. Velocity was 10fps spread with SD of 6 if that means anything. Couple guys use it in there brxs also. It will work. I used it in a 6x47lapua with good success. Tom.

 

[JB10]

I need some r-17 but its for my daughter's 22-250

 

[Herzo]

RL-17 works very well (tight groups and low E S) with 103 gr. and 115 gr. bullets in my 6BRX.

I found RL-17 to be very good in my 28" 6mm AR with heavier (105 and up) bullets.1/2 MOA and highest velocities with no pressure signs.

 

[Gary C]

I would like to try RL-17 and will when it warms up.
But not ready to jump into a jug just yet.

 

[boltman13]

I have found VV N140 works very well in 6BR with 103-107 gr Bison, Berger, Sierra match bullets in my 3 different rifles. I have just enough Varget left SWN's 600 yd match but may just go with the VV N-140.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Re-17 and 88 ELD-M was the go to load in my 224 Valkyrie