Not having varget sucks

[Jmccracken1214]

I’ve not been able to get varget all year, settler on h4895, and with a 308 RPR, using 168 and 175gr smk, couldn’t find a load to shoot under a inch.
Bought a bergara 308, tried 175 with 4064, cant get this thing to shoot either.... really pissing me off. Varget has always been so easy to get a sub moa group with.

about to scrap the 308 idea all together and just stick with 6.5

 

[Powder_Burns]

I feel your varget withdrawal pain, but recently started loading with vihta vuori and I’m liking it so far.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

How about Re15? Or IMR 4166? 8208 XBR?

 

[Jmccracken1214]

I’ve got a few lbs Of 8208, but read everywhere it isn’t good for 175+ weight bullets

How about Re15? Or IMR 4166? 8208 XBR?

 

[Supersubes]

Too bad you’re not in western Nevada. I’ve got it coming out of my ears. Lots of substitutes though. IMR 4166, RL15, h4895, etc.


You should dump the .308 regardless.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Too bad you’re not in western Nevada. I’ve got it coming out of my ears. Lots of substitutes though. IMR 4166, RL15, h4895, etc.


You should dump the .308 regardless.

If I keep this bergara, thinking of putting a 16-18” 6.5 barrel on it, I’ve ran my berger 140hand load in 6 different rifles and shot 1 hole groups with single digit SD and ES in every rifle. But then I’d have 3 rifles in 6.5 lol.

took a new tikka out today, same old handloads I’ve been using, 15 shots in a nice ragged hole and a SD of 6.4, ES of 12. On a new barrel.

 

[flyfisher117]

I’ve not been able to get varget all year, settler on h4895, and with a 308 RPR, using 168 and 175gr smk, couldn’t find a load to shoot under a inch.
Bought a bergara 308, tried 175 with 4064, cant get this thing to shoot either.... really pissing me off. Varget has always been so easy to get a sub moa group with.

about to scrap the 308 idea all together and just stick with 6.5

Back in June Varget was abundant at all of my local stores. Just the other day one of my local stores had about 30 pounds of it sitting on the shelf. It sells out quick but I see it randomly pop up locally and online.

 

[Caterpillardoc]

Try H414 for .308. It’s an older powder that works well in that size case.

 

[blbennett1288]

I watch online religiously for about 3 weeks and was able to source 26lbs. It can be done you just have to look hard for Varget.

 

[Brux]

OP,what loads have you tried with H4895? My 308 likes it better than varget but had to load it down because its a hotter powder.

 

[Reload10]

If you can't find a load that shoots <moa in those rifles it's not the powder.

 

[Huskydriver]

If you can't find a load that shoots <moa in those rifles it's not the powder.

Exactly...if you can't get 4064 or h4895 to shoot then that's on you or that barrel...

 

[30cal user]

N140 and n150 are best substitute

 

[diggler1833]

Yeah, the H4895 and IMR-4064 are some of the staple powders for accuracy. I currently own four .308 bolt guns and one semi-auto. I've let a few oths go before that, and I don't think I've ever had one not go sub MOA with 4064, 4895 (both IMR and H), Re-15, and Varget. It's one of the reasons why the. 308 still has so much love.

And with the SMK too...I hate to say it, but I might start to get suspicious of a piece of equipment.

 

[Threerun]

My .308 like IMR 4064 really well and I can readily find it. I've also lucked out and found Varget a few months ago at a local feed and tack store. I grabbed 3 lbs but haven't cracked into it yet.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

Varget isn't magic. You should be able to find suitable loads with IMR4895, H4895, IMR4064, IMR4320, RL-15, W748, TAC, Accurate 2520...

 

[Rlandry]

I picked up 8lbs when Powder Valley had it. Just be vigilant and check the powder sites.

 

[Steel head]

I’ve seen varget a lot more frequently than the common magnum powders.

 

[whatsupdoc]

308 + IMR4064 +175SMK + bad accuracy = shooter or rifle

 

[BrienM]

Shooters world precision would be a similar substitute for Varget...

 

[ShtrRdy]

Several months ago I ended up back ordering Varget from Powder Valley. It took a little over a month but I was able to get some Varget.

 

[47guy]

shooters world precision https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/77207

this powder shoots every bit as good in a 6bra as varget might want to get a pound and give it a try.

 

[Greg Langelius *]

I never really got into Varget with the 308. I'm doing my shootin for 308 out of a 24" Savage 11VT, and a 20" PA-10 .

For decades, my goto 308/175 Match load has been 42.2gr of IMR-4064. Lately, I've been using Starline brass and CCI BR-2's or CCI-200's.

Another load is 168gr Speer Gold Dot, and 43.5gr IMR-4064, all else, same as above.

I live above 4300ft altitude, and the 168 gets most things done fine.

Greg

 

[wil_pt]

I have a 178 eldx load with Varget that shoots sub moa all day. I decided to try Imr4064 due to Varget being out of stock and was able to find several good loads with 175gr pills.

 

[918v]

What brass? What powder charge? What coal?

 

[Mr Tibbs]

Varget did okay in my 308 with Sierra 168 Gr HPBT MK(savage) but IMR-4895 did much better. So i don't really miss Varget

 

[mheimer_45]

Why you have no varget? Did you not stock up like the rest of us in the days of AJ?

 

[Mr Tibbs]

Mheimer_45 is your question for me or the OP ?

 

[Shoots 700's]

Agreed Varget works well, but isn't magic. Lots of other choices. IRM 4895-H4895-4064-RL15-TAC-N140.-IMR4166.

 

[kindabitey]

You know that Varget isn't the only powder made, don't you? I try to use anything but Varget.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

this powder shoots every bit as good in a 6bra as varget might want to get a pound and give it a try.

Are you shooting similar powder loads (ie 30gr range)? Any issues with carbon ring or it being dirty? I might try some when I get my 6BRA set up.

 

[47guy]

Are you shooting similar powder loads (ie 30gr range)? Any issues with carbon ring or it being dirty? I might try some when I get my 6BRA set up.

i shoot 31.1g varget...SWP is about a grain slower so 32g produces about the same velocity as 31.1g of varget...its clean burning but i clean every 100-150 rounds so i dont have to worry about carbon rings.

 

[mensajd]

Varget has been relatively available recently. It tends to sell out soon after it is available and some mail order sites are limiting customers to two bottles only. I bought some from Midway last month but they ran out shortly thereafter.

If your mail order vendor has the ability to generate email alerts when stuff becomes available, sign up for the alerts with respect to varget. Once you get the alert, order right away. Good luck to you.

 

[1MoreAR]

Shooters world precision would be a similar substitute for Varget...

Yes, and about 10 fps slower than Varget.

 

[Jmccracken1214]

I ditched the 308, probably replace it with a 223, not 100% sure yet and hopefully I’ll be good to go with 8208 and 77smk

 

[E-Tool]

Theres been plenty varget around me, retumbo is gone tho.

 

[308pirate]

I’ve got a few lbs Of 8208, but read everywhere it isn’t good for 175+ weight bullets

Do you believe everything you read?

 

[XLR308]

AR-COMP outperformed Varget for me in my 308win loads so there's another option.
Varget had a little more speed for the node I shot it in but AR-COMP was more accurate with the 178amax.

 

[308pirate]

You know that Varget isn't the only powder made, don't you? I try to use anything but Varget.

During the first big powder scare I couldn't find Reloder 15 so I tried a few cans of Ramshot TAC. Haven't used any other powder for 223 and 308 since.

10 rounds of 178 ELDX, Lapua brass, Winchester primers, and 42.5 grains of TAC

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Do you believe everything you read?

Only if you’re typing it

 

[XLR308]

During the first big powder scare I couldn't find Reloder 15 so I tried a few cans of Ramshot TAC. Haven't used any other powder for 223 and 308 since.

10 rounds of 178 ELDX, Lapua brass, Winchester primers, and 42.5 grains of TAC
View attachment 7413734

That will do, I have a couple pounds of it I just haven't ever worked up any loads with it.

 

[Friday]

8208xbr is the varget answer

 

[culater]

This why you reload you can go fine another recipe that will work

 

[Jackomason]

wait... you guys are finding h4895?

 

[kindabitey]

During the first big powder scare I couldn't find Reloder 15 so I tried a few cans of Ramshot TAC. Haven't used any other powder for 223 and 308 since.

10 rounds of 178 ELDX, Lapua brass, Winchester primers, and 42.5 grains of TAC
View attachment 7413734

I think these days, most people want everything to be easy, so they get all of their info from the internet, and don't put any effort into finding alternative components.
When I started reloading, you had to go buy a manual or talk to an older shooter to get any load data. If it wasn't in a reloading manual or a wildcat cartridge, sometimes it was a walk on the wild side.

 

[Brux]

Is AR Comp being used in the FGMM 175's loads now? Because it's not 4064

 

[Reload10]

Is AR Comp being used in the FGMM 175's loads now? Because it's not 4064

In the 168gr 100% for sure. Can't confirm if the 175 is but I'm pretty confident it is.

 

[DTF370]

Asking for a friend... Does anybody else find it difficult to use temperature sensitive powders in their rifles for load development? I think I might have a complex. In my imaginary world I envision myself to be some world class hunter/SHTF game changer and I feel that if I don’t have a reasonably stable powder, my load will be inconsistent, leaving me with an Achilles heel. I just don’t want to not be able to save the world because my velocity swings 100+FPS in the temperature swings...

 

[918v]

What makes you think that temperature sensitive powders are as sensitive as people claim? Have you developed a load and tested it in the cold and in the heat? Did you know that some of these allegedly super sensitive powders have a wondering zero that moves upward when it’s cold and downward when it’s hot, countering the effect of the change in velocity?

 

[DTF370]

Yessir I have. H4350, Varget, and H4895 seem to be relatively stable for me, while RL15, CFE223, and BLC2 seem to be much more sensitive.