Pressure equals velocity. Bullets that are easiers to push through the barrel almost always produce reduced velocities because of less pressure. The same applies to moly coated bullets. The moly reduces friction and therefore reduces pressure resulting in less velocity.
Varget inconsistency
- Thread starter Obtunded
- Start date
Pressure equals velocity. Bullets that are easiers to push through the barrel almost always produce reduced velocities because of less pressure. The same applies to moly coated bullets. The moly reduces friction and therefore reduces pressure resulting in less velocity.
- Location
- In the clock tower!!
The nice thing about Varget as compared to other powders is that it is (for the most part) less temperature sensative. Every powder will vary somewhat from lot to lot, with Varget you may have to adjust your load slightly, but things shouldn't swing as much as with RE15 or others.
That being said, RE15 does do will in place of Varget, different beast but produces favorable results.
That being said, RE15 does do will in place of Varget, different beast but produces favorable results.
I don't know who Jim B is but I have to agree with the "Great Info" part.
Not intending to hijack this thread here but seeing as we are on the topic of powders being more or less sensitive to temperature, which powders has everyone found to be the most consistent across the range.
I had thought the 4831SC (300 Win mag) and Varget (308) would be good choices.
I had thought the 4831SC (300 Win mag) and Varget (308) would be good choices.
I've always been a fan of Varget and its my "goto" powder for .308 Win, especially for my hunting loads. With lots of temperature fluctuations and long hunting seasons down here in Newfoundland, I've found it offered the most consistent performance of any I tried.
I would not use Varget if you gave it to me free. Reloder 15 is the best in my rifle. Shot a group this past weekend, .6 of an inch C to C at 200 Meters.
Sticker
I've also tried varget and was not all that impressed with it. Bought 2lbs and still have most of the second sitting on the shelf. Tried it in a variety of cartridges to see what all the hoop-la was about, still don't know......
I guess none of my guns like varget.....
Keebler750
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta!!!
Some VERY interesting info in this thread. I have always been told that humidity at the time of reloading DOES NOT MATTER.
Hmmmmm.
Hmmmmm.
Q - "Where can I buy a 20 kg drum of powder?"
I used to buy powder by the hundreds of pounds, if not thousands. Commercial powder (not cannister) sold to ammo manufacturers comes in large cardboard drums.
My main suppliers were Aliant (who sell Bofors powders. e.g. BOFORS RP11 is sold by Alliante as Reloader 15) and Expro (Valleyfiled, Quebec, the manufacturer of hundreds of different powders, some of which are sold as the IMR series.
I assume that unless you are an ammo manufacturter with the appropriate federal license and powder magazine, the answer is that you cannot buy powder in 20 KG drums. The drums are not licensed for retail sales.
I used to buy powder by the hundreds of pounds, if not thousands. Commercial powder (not cannister) sold to ammo manufacturers comes in large cardboard drums.
My main suppliers were Aliant (who sell Bofors powders. e.g. BOFORS RP11 is sold by Alliante as Reloader 15) and Expro (Valleyfiled, Quebec, the manufacturer of hundreds of different powders, some of which are sold as the IMR series.
I assume that unless you are an ammo manufacturter with the appropriate federal license and powder magazine, the answer is that you cannot buy powder in 20 KG drums. The drums are not licensed for retail sales.
As for the comments about poor performance of Varget. Some rifles have a strong preference for one load vs. another.
If the initial test with Varget does not look promising it might mean that the rifle does not like varget, so try something else - or it may mean that more load development is required before you find a Varget laod that works.
I have several thousand pounds of loading experience with RL15 and only about 10 pounds of experience with Varget. I think it is easier to get a RL15 load to shoot well than with varget, but so far, after some fiddling, I have got Varget to shoot just as well.
Varget does not react to ambient heat as much as RL15. Many of us develop our target loads in the spring, as soon as the ranges open. It is common to find shooters in August with blown primers becasue their loads were developed on cooler weather.
It is my practice to test my "pet" load with an extra grain of powder, to see if it still works. If I get pressure problems i regard that laod as too clsoe to the limit and a potentiual summer problem.
Of course, if I used Varget I would not have that problem.
If the initial test with Varget does not look promising it might mean that the rifle does not like varget, so try something else - or it may mean that more load development is required before you find a Varget laod that works.
I have several thousand pounds of loading experience with RL15 and only about 10 pounds of experience with Varget. I think it is easier to get a RL15 load to shoot well than with varget, but so far, after some fiddling, I have got Varget to shoot just as well.
Varget does not react to ambient heat as much as RL15. Many of us develop our target loads in the spring, as soon as the ranges open. It is common to find shooters in August with blown primers becasue their loads were developed on cooler weather.
It is my practice to test my "pet" load with an extra grain of powder, to see if it still works. If I get pressure problems i regard that laod as too clsoe to the limit and a potentiual summer problem.
Of course, if I used Varget I would not have that problem.
As for the comments about poor performance of Varget. Some rifles have a strong preference for one load vs. another.
If the initial test with Varget does not look promising it might mean that the rifle does not like varget, so try something else - or it may mean that more load development is required before you find a Varget laod that works.
I have several thousand pounds of loading experience with RL15 and only about 10 pounds of experience with Varget. I think it is easier to get a RL15 load to shoot well than with varget, but so far, after some fiddling, I have got Varget to shoot just as well.
Varget does not react to ambient heat as much as RL15. Many of us develop our target loads in the spring, as soon as the ranges open. It is common to find shooters in August with blown primers becasue their loads were developed on cooler weather.
It is my practice to test my "pet" load with an extra grain of powder, to see if it still works. If I get pressure problems i regard that laod as too close to the limit and a potentiual summer problem.
Of course, if I used Varget I would not have that problem.
If the initial test with Varget does not look promising it might mean that the rifle does not like varget, so try something else - or it may mean that more load development is required before you find a Varget laod that works.
I have several thousand pounds of loading experience with RL15 and only about 10 pounds of experience with Varget. I think it is easier to get a RL15 load to shoot well than with varget, but so far, after some fiddling, I have got Varget to shoot just as well.
Varget does not react to ambient heat as much as RL15. Many of us develop our target loads in the spring, as soon as the ranges open. It is common to find shooters in August with blown primers becasue their loads were developed on cooler weather.
It is my practice to test my "pet" load with an extra grain of powder, to see if it still works. If I get pressure problems i regard that laod as too close to the limit and a potentiual summer problem.
Of course, if I used Varget I would not have that problem.
I have several thousand pounds of loading experience with RL15 and only about 10 pounds of experience with Varget. That said, I think it is easier to get a RL15 load to shoot well than with Varget, but so far, after some fiddling, I have got Varget to shoot just as well.
Varget does not react to ambient heat as much as RL15. Many of us develop our target loads in the spring, as soon as the ranges open. It is common to find shooters in August with blown primers because their loads were developed on cooler weather.
It is my practice to test my "pet" load with an extra grain of powder, to see if it still works. If I get pressure problems I regard that load as too close to the limit and a potential summer problem.
Of course, if I used Varget I would not have that problem.
Varget does not react to ambient heat as much as RL15. Many of us develop our target loads in the spring, as soon as the ranges open. It is common to find shooters in August with blown primers because their loads were developed on cooler weather.
It is my practice to test my "pet" load with an extra grain of powder, to see if it still works. If I get pressure problems I regard that load as too close to the limit and a potential summer problem.
Of course, if I used Varget I would not have that problem.
I would!
It works great in my 223 Ackley with heavy bullets. Not quite as easy to use as H335, of course, but pretty good!
Ted
Last edited:
