i bought varget...

AXEMAN

General Nuisance
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 17, 2009
5,037
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kansas, topeka
first batch ive loaded. went for some 4895 possibly some 4350, but nope. the cupboards were bare, only varget was there. gotta read up on this. all my research was 4895 related. its $33 a pound here, just for reference
 
Re: i bought varget...

ouch, well i knew it was high, but it was the closest and easiest access to get me started. i didnt want to buy in bulk til i like the powder. ive no doubt ill like it, then ill look to get the prices down. but thanks for the reference prices
 
Re: i bought varget...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jaw921</div><div class="ubbcode-body">picked up an 8 pounder for 139.99 at a local shop today, pretty fair. </div></div>

Same price here, but the 1 pounders are 23.95 but he will sell it to me for 19.95.
 
Re: i bought varget...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: baldie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You guy,s dont know what expensive really is. The current price we pay in the UK, is the exact equivalent of $ 68.29, at today,s exchange rate, for a pound of varget. </div></div>


That is INSANE.
 
Re: i bought varget...

ok guys, i went thru a bunch of threads with varget in them, took 10 loads guys had writen about using with 168g and got a 44g average. so lets say i start below that at 39g or 40g? and go up .5g at a time? how high would you load to just take to the range first time? stop at 42g or 43g? i know ill have to work up the load, but ive got 56 odd hornady and 112 black hills to test with right now. in the hornady, i was thinking 5 each of 11 different loads, is that over kill? i can do it, ive got time. i need to load what i can ahead of time. then i want to load the 112 BH just to shoot while im there. what would a safe utility load would be, 40g? make sense?
 
Re: i bought varget...

When initially testing for pressure and velocity, I load 1-3 rounds at the increments I want to test the first time out to find the velocity range for that particular rifle.

I use a chrono to see where I am at, velocity wise. If velocity is not where I want to be, I will just shoot that one and move on...no sense wasting bullets, powder, etc. Each round is a sighter as well.

Once I am on target, for accuracy, I shoot round-robin to find the accuracy node. That is one round at each powder increment into a different bullseye....then repeat 3 times. With a little luck I might find the right load with a total expenditure of about a dozen rounds.

You might want to stick with one type of brass the first time out. The BH...it's a known quantity. I just seat to mag length.

39gr is a low starting load for BH brass. 44gr Varget behind a 168 should be comparable to Fed GMM...it's not a max load in any of my rifles, but usually accurate. With a new rifle, or a new jug of powder, I might start at 42gr in a new rifle just to be on the safe side. In that case, I might load 1 round each at 42.0 and 43.0 and 3 rounds each at 43.5, 44.0, 44.5, 45.0, 45.5.

By looking at the target, one of those should be an obvious winner.

42gr happens to be Hodgdon's recommended start load.

Look here and see what makes sense to you.

TC
 
Re: i bought varget...

that helps. i saw starting loads that were as low as 32.6g/2100fps. i did see hogdons 42g/46g min/max in the manual. what speed should i be looking for? i dont have a chrono at the moment, but i may have to get one from midway. is there anywhere i can see good pictures of pressure signs? i know about and have seen pics of case bulging and have head about blown and dented primers, but having never seen them or signs leading up to a pressure issue, i was hoping for some good pictures. thanks. my scope base is on backorder, but i want to have all the test ammo made and labeled before i head to a range.

for testing i am trying to just use the hornady, but i want to load the BH match so i can shoot while i am at the range. i have 700 rounds 1x fired LC match and another batch of 250 BH/Hornady on the way. im trying to build up enough commercial brass, but i may just start off with load development using the LC match, reducing the 42g to 40g for a start point. is it crucial to know bullet speed? i can get by without a crony during load development cant i?
 
Re: i bought varget...

Depending on what kind of chamber you have, you should be safe to start out with 43.0 grs with a 175SMK.

On a factory BBL wiht WInchester Brass, Fed primers you can go 45.0 but if you change to CCI or different brass start lower and work up.

I've heard that it doesn't have the umph that it had a couple years ago so your results may vary.

From my Factory BBL, 45.0, Fed 210M, 175SMK I get 2680 to 2710 fps.
 
Re: i bought varget...

im wondering if i should start out with the military brass? i know it will require reduced powder but with 700 1x fired to use, even though i have another 250 mixed hornady and BH match coming, its not all from the same lot. ill have to work out a load for all of it anyway.
 
Re: i bought varget...

In my GAP chamber Im getting 2725 fps

44 gr Varget, CCI BR2, Lapua Brass, 175 SMK ( Pointed of course
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Re: i bought varget...

Wow! I'd sort of expected VV to be a better price as it's made in Europe.. glad I'm in the US now..

PS... I'm a "Monkey Hanger".. if you know what that is in the UK..

RJ
 
Re: i bought varget...

Thanks just got 16# of Varget total cost $158.00.
used the $30.00 off coupon I had and the $170.00 in Cabelas bucks.
Thanks for the sale info
Bill

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Super Bee 950</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Cabellas has Varget on sale for $21.99. They also have a $20 off coupon for anything over 100 bucks. I buy it 5 pounds at a time and pay 20 bucks a pound out the door after taxes. I had to go back today and grab some more

I have enough to last me a LONG time
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</div></div>
 
Re: i bought varget...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Downzero</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Varget is known for a lot of things, but clean metering is definitely not one of them. </div></div>

first thing i did was run some powder thru my measure and get it semi adjusted. it does not meter well at all, lol. i guess thats the same with all extruded powders?
 
Re: i bought varget...

With the right technique and a little practice, a quality rotary drum style measure like the Redding, RCBS or Hornady should throw charges well enough for short range work out to 600 yards.

For long range, or to really give a load a fair test, I adjust the measure a few 10ths low, throw the powder into the scale pan and trickle up to the right weight.

TC
 
Re: i bought varget...

thats what i did for the 100 i loaded last night. started at 40g and went to 44g in 0.4g steps. its varget, speer 168g match in lake city match brass. anyone load LC match with varget?
 
Re: i bought varget...

I was able to find 8 pounds for 140 and the gunshow. Powder is still in short supply here unless you want to pay over $30 per pound. I just placed an order at powdervalley for over 20 pounds of various powders.