Varget for 22-250?

[LCSportsman]

Hi, just a question about Varget. Seems people either love it or hate it, I've heard a lot of the old stories but the new Varget is suppose to be much better?

Has anyone used it for a 22-250 w/excellent results? I have used the H380, it was accurate at max loads but very dirty & temp sensitive though I didn't experience that.

I used IMR 4895 with success if you call a 3/4"X1" group @ 100yrds a success? That's the best I can get out of it too...

My rig & myself can do better but is it worth the extra minimal gain? So if you have used the new Varget, please give me some feed back. My concern is using a load here @ 4500-5000 ft elevation & arid, then shooting it somewhere that is lower & humid. Will it stay stable-accurate?

Thanks

Bob
LCSportsman
N. Cal-USA

 

[500YardHog]

I tried load of 36.1 grns of Varget behind a 55 grn Vmax just before i got rid of my 22-250 and it shot great. Maybe i just got lucky but i gave the extra loaded rounds to my cousin and he nailed his longest ground hog kill of 580 yards on a dead calm day with the rounds i gave him.Both guns were savage 12s .
If i ever get another 22-250 i wil be getting more Varget.

 

[chino1969]

I have a .22-250 A.I. When I was fireforming brass I used Varget with some very tight groups but never went back once the brass was fireformed to the improved chamber. The powder I use is H380 with a 50 grn. Nosler Ballistic Tip; this out of a 1-14" Hart. I have a 1-12" Pac Nor that I just broke in and I am going to try Varget. I use Varget in my 6mm BR with excellent results. Several years ago, I noticed inconsistency in Varget 1lb. lots of powder. That problem was resolved by buying an 8lb. jug.
Chino69

 

[jb77]

I use 35.1 gr of Varget over a 52gr Berger out of a 24" Hart on a trued Rem.700. It is very very accurate. This load replaced the standard 38gr of H380 that i had shot for years.

I discovered this load shortly after learing how to run a ladder test and i haven't looked back.

I am located in North Texas and I shoot this load all year long in Temps from 100+ down to 30 degrees or so and it is stable for me.

 

[people]

I use it in a 22-250.





This is post number 10.

 

[ConnorExum]

Didn't Hudegon,check spelling on that later) specifically advertise the Varget powder for cases like the 22-250 and so on on back in the mid and late 90's?

 

[chino1969]

Didn't Hudegon,check spelling on that later) specifically advertise the Varget powder for cases like the 22-250 and so on on back in the mid and late 90's?

I don't know about the dates, but Bruce Hodgdon's pet load for the .22-250 was 38 grns. of a specific powder and that's how the H380 label or name came about. I use a stiffer load than this in my .22-250 with excellent results.
Chino69

 

[500YardHog]

Not to get off track but while we are talking about Varget and H-380 .Are H-380 and Win 760 close in burn rates and temp sensitivity ? I had great results with Win 760 until i started pushing the envelope and all my early season loads seemed to get real hot in the late summer.

 

[LCSportsman]

Hodgdon-H380 pet load was 38gr. I used it w/ very accurate results, 1/2" groups@ 100yrds.

The Sierra manual lists this load as the max load, so I never go beyond the recommendations of the manuals. I value my rigs, face & life too much, but I also know that these manuals are guide lines. Nothing in concrete, right?

From what I have read & seen online it is my understanding that Varget is very popular w/ long range F-Class .308 shooters more so than IMR4895 & slightly more than the 4064. I use IMR 4895 for the .308 & was trying to stay w/ one powder, though it looks like I will have to change later on. My groups are not as tight as the H380 but I either spend my time at the bench metering/adjusting- loading or more time cleaning with the ball powders...Same ol' stuff right.

Varget will be next on my shopping list when the time comes, thanks to everyone for your comments & suggestions.

LCSportsman

 

[chino1969]

Not to get off track but while we are talking about Varget and H-380 .Are H-380 and Win 760 close in burn rates and temp sensitivity ? I had great results with Win 760 until i started pushing the envelope and all my early season loads seemed to get real hot in the late summer.

According to the Vihta Vuori burn rate chart H380 is listed as no. 116 with W760 listed as no. 117; so yes they are close in burn rate. Ball powders are notorius for pressure excursions due to an increase in temperature change as you have observed. You need to be very careful shooting a load in the heat of summer that was developed in cool weather.
Chino69

 

[AckleymanII]

I shot Varget in two Rem 700 22/250's trying to get it to shoot with the 50's and 55's to no avail,I was looking for 1/2" groups). My guns were pillar bedded with 2-24 & 8-32 Burris' on them.

I did find an exceptionally accurate load with 39.0g of IMR 4350, Win case, WLR primer, and 55g Nosler Ballistic Tips.

I shot up more varget in my Rem 700 in 243 with the 70's trying to get them to shoot, also to no avail. IMR 4064 did however shoot like a house a fire with the 70's and the 80's along with Win 760.

Accuracy is a relative thing, to some guys, 3/4" to 1 1/4" is great, while others are looking for sub 1/2" groups. Rifle barrels are like women, they are all different. I have been very unlucky with the guns that I shot that would not shoot sub 1/2" groups with Varget, and the next gun may love it.

A rifle that will shoot 1" groups will kill crows at 200 yards so it is easy for someone to get the idea that a powder is very accurate.

 

[okie]

I went from H-380 to varget when it came out. I was getting point of impact changes with the widely variating temps we have in the fall. almost one inch @ 100 yds from approx.30F mornings to 80F afternoons with the h-380. I would forget to correct and shoot over/under crows@ 200. Hodgen's marketing worked for me,I saw their ads and gave it a try. It really is temp stabile,at least for me) I didn't have to correct anymore and was able to leave my gun zeroed and just shoot. on my 2nd bbl with varget -use 34.5 gr w/ 50 blitzkings @avg 3660 fps. I think it might??? be a little cleaner than h-380 but couldn't prove it. It worked well at elev. 3000 ft. on a dog shoot,load developed @ 400 ft.) just passing on my,limited) experience with it.

 

[shoot4fun]

I tried Varget but never got the claimed velocity with 50 or 55 grain bullets. I have 4 22-250 rifles and all love 40 gr. H380 with 50 gr Nosler BT. They all shoot 36 gr. Benchmark well too with the same bullet. Both loads are at the top of the scale and both will deliver barn burning velocity. H380 over 3950 fps and just touching 4k with Benchmark. My oldest rifle, a Weatherby SVM, still shoots 1/2" groups @ 100 yds with either load. Most of my "dog" shooting is at 3400 feet above sea level. I would drop about a grain of of both and work up. Your gun should hit a "sweet spot" there some where.

 

[LCSportsman]

They all shoot 36 gr. Benchmark well too with the same bullet.QUOTE]

How would you rate the Benchmark overall compared to H380 or Varget for accuracy & is it cleaner or worse than others?

LCSportsman
N.Cal-USA

 

[LCSportsman]

I use 35.1 gr of Varget over a 52gr Berger out of a 24" Hart on a trued Rem.700. It is very very accurate. This load replaced the standard 38gr of H380 that i had shot for years.

I discovered this load shortly after learing how to run a ladder test and i haven't looked back.

I am located in North Texas and I shoot this load all year long in Temps from 100+ down to 30 degrees or so and it is stable for me.

My elevation is very different but temp variables are about the same.

What is your Hart barrel twist rate?

Thanks

LCSportsman

 

[shoot44]

I use Varget in 2 22-250's and 2 22br's.

-38grs of Varget behind 50gr Vmax or TNT's blow gophers really well. 26" factory Rem. 1/2" groups doing a bit over 3800fps.
-34grs of Varget behind 52 or 55 Bergers will shoot 1/4-3/8" out of a Savage LRPV. Fed Mag primers with the 250's.
-32.7 and 33grs behind 50 gr BT and Vmax in the 22Br's, 3800+. These loads are hot. One gun shoots 3/8", the other 1/2". I normally shoot at sea level on the West Coast of Canada then travel into the Praries to shoot gophers.

In 6yrs of using Varget I only had one problem, just last June. At a club fun bench shoot, using the 22br that shoots 3/8" loaded with gopher rounds, I was piercing primers. We had an unusually warm day,80F) with high humidity,80%). Being close to max load on our normal day,65-70F),60%H), the heavier air did it's thing to the pressures. Something to think about next time.

good shooting
Greg

 

[Asa_Yam]

We had an unusually warm day,80F) with high humidity,80%). Being close to max load on our normal day,65-70F),60%H), the heavier air did it's thing to the pressures.

Greg,

Incorrect. Warm, humid air is LESS dense than cold, dry air - see http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wdensity.htm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Density_of_air .

What probably got you was powder temperature. Varget is not immune to temperature swings, just less sensitive to them.

 

[shoot44]

Asa, I stand corrected. It's good to learn something new and to break old thought patterns.
Thanks

 

[RidgeRunner]

Same old same old here too. I tried like the dickens to get Varget to live up to it's reputation as a 22/250 propelent. Everyone told me it was the only way to go. OK results at best. Not bad mind you, just not what I look for in a 22/250. I keep coming back to H4895. I don't have any well thought out explanation for it. No printed stats to bear out my experiances. It just keeps working for me. Heck, back when the big O.S.H.A. thing was going on, I went out and stocked up on it. H380 is another powder I tried. I am kind of a ball powder nut. I love working with the stuff. Decent, but not super results. I guess the point to all this is, go with what your rifle likes. If things aren't quite what you expect from a varmint rig, try something else. That is the beauty of handloading.

This is my idea of varmint rifle accuracy. Being a woodchucker here in PA, 3 shot groups are just fine. Not near as fast paced as you lucky P-Dog poppers. The rifle used to cut this group was a Remington VSF 22/250. All this needed was moved up and over a trifle, and we were in business.

 

[chino1969]

Rifle barrels are like women, they are all different.

Hey Keith,
If a rifle barrel doesn't perform, you get a new one for about $300.00. If a woman doesn't work out, it's going to cost a hell of alot more than that to get a new one. Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Chino69