Varget, 140 hybrids and 6.5x47L

[Rog2069]

From everything I’ve read the Berger book must be incredibly conservative. For 140 hybrids and varget the boom stops at 35.0gr as the max charge with a relatively low velocity. I’ve seen as much as 39.3gr of varget being used behind a 140gr hybrid by a friend.

So I shot a 300yd ladder this past Friday only using the maximum charge being 35.0, per the book. Found a node from 33.4-33.8 that grouped .33moa but it’s got to be slower than Christmas. At 35.0 I saw no pressure signs whatsoever @ 90 degree temperature, so clearly I can exceed book maximum working upward watching for issues.

Equipment used:
Origin action
Hart #7 26” 1/8 twist
205m primer

So, My question for the masses - what’s your go to load for the 140s using varget, how far off the lands are you and what velocity are you seeing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[rgv]

I just finished load devlopmemt with 140 RDF amd varget.

36.5 grains with CCI 450 40 thou jump 2745 FPS in a 25” 1:8 Bartlein.

 

[Dstoenner]

The Berger manual shows them loaded on a short OAL. I imagine you are loading long which lets you go higher. I see the same issue for my 6x47l with 105 hybrids. I started at 36 and went to 39.5 h4350 with no signs of pressure. My load for the 105 is 39.0. Just because I had a good wide node.

I say keep going up by .3 to .5 gn per step. What I do is load 4 at a step. Then I take 1 at each step level and shoot it for signs of pressure. Then I go back and shot the 3 across the chronograph to get some preliminary numbers looking for a good node. Then I work on the chosen node for a seating depth test.

David

 

[Rog2069]

The Berger manual shows them loaded on a short OAL. I imagine you are loading long which lets you go higher. I see the same issue for my 6x47l with 105 hybrids. I started at 36 and went to 39.5 h4350 with no signs of pressure. My load for the 105 is 39.0. Just because I had a good wide node.

I say keep going up by .3 to .5 gn per step. What I do is load 4 at a step. Then I take 1 at each step level and shoot it for signs of pressure. Then I go back and shot the 3 across the chronograph to get some preliminary numbers looking for a good node. Then I work on the chosen node for a seating depth test.

David

Yes that’s correct. Book says load em to a COAL of 2.800 and I’m @ 2.8235

 

[b6graham]

reloading books are mostly worthless. they dont take into account the

even the Hodgon book lists max charges and velocities below Hornady Factory

 

[Mordamer]

I start at 36.0 grains of varget and work up from there. You are almost guaranteed to find a winning load between 36.5 and 37.5 grains with a 140 grain hybrid.