What to use instead of varget for 308 168 grains hdy match?

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Kryogen

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What to use instead of varget for 308 168 grains hdy match?

varget not avail from local dealer.
I want to shoot this fall, and not buy expensive barget elsewhere.

which powder do you use instead of varget that works fine?

I tried some loads with TAC, will try sunday maybe, will report, but until then, wondering.
 
+1 for H4895. Shoots identical to Varget in my bolt gun but obviously you'll have to find which powder weight your rifle likes best.
 
I use nothing but Varget and BLC-(2) in the 308 (M14 and bolt guns), but I hear from all quarters that the 4895's are excellent choices. I need to get around to trying 4895, but the other two are just too darn good.
 
If you are going to be shooting at 600 yards or closer, you can tolerate a fair bit of variation in your muzzle velocity (Federal 168 Gold Medal Match, which is wonderfully accurate factory match ammo, has ES/SDs on par with middle-of-the-road thrown-charge handloads). You can use any medium-speed powder, so you have literally dozens of decent candidates to choose from.

If you're wanting to shoot beyond 600 yards, it would be worthwhile narrowing your powder selection to those proven to give better velocity uniformity (usually single base stick powders, such as Varget, H/IMR-4895, 4064, 4320, 3031, Benchmark, N140/N150, etc but also some low-nitro double base powders such as Reloder-12 and Reloder-15)
 
"...will order..." Buy components locally. Shipping costs will negate any savings found on-line.
IMR4064 gives consistent accuracy with a 168. Works well with 165 hunting bullets too.
 
sunray said:
"...will order..." Buy components locally. Shipping costs will negate any savings found on-line.
IMR4064 gives consistent accuracy with a 168. Works well with 165 hunting bullets too.
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Well if locally there is nothing available, you'll save a lot. Im only 3 miles from sfrc, but no powder there for me, or anywhere else within 100km.
 
For a while I couldn't get H or IMR 4895 which are my standard powder for .308 and many other calibres. I tried out a pound of Hodgdon Benchmark and have since bought another 3 pounds. For whatever reason it isn't too popular (is it relatively new?) but gives excellent results. I haven't chronied any loads with it (I only shoot up to 300yds so getting max velocity isn't a major concern for me) but I have it shooting around 1/2 MOA in .223 and .308 with 69gr and 168gr BTHP's respectively.
 
purple said:
Other proven propellants include W748, BLC-2, IMR 3031 and IMR 4895. The last 2 were used in US military match ammo.
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I hear IMR4895 is rather temperature sensitive. I buy whatever powder I can get my grubby hands on and my latest find is a fair bit of IMR4895. I'm worried about this as winter is approaching, and I don't have enough Varget to get through the winter months.
 
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