Varget powder

dakota1 · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:46 pm Post subject: Varget powder

I am thinking about working up some .270 win loads with Varget. I am looking at a .204 Ruger also, and thought it would be nice if I could stay with one powder.

I have never worked with Varget, is it extruded, ball, or flake?

Thanks.

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 3:10 pm Post subject: Re: Varget powder

It's a extruded powder and the grains are small it meters very well I use it for the 308 and love it :D. Here's a link to Hodgons
www.hodgdon.com/smokel.../page4.php
Joe

chambered221 · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:23 pm Post subject: Re: Varget powder

I load Varget in my 6mm Remington and 7mm-08 Remington. Like shrpshrjoe I agree that for a extruded powder it meters very well. This powder is the most consistant in regaurds to velocity that I've ever seen. In my 7mm-08 I get less than 10 FPS spread in a 5 shot string from a cold barrel. In the 6mm it averages between 25- 30 FPS. Evryone I've talked too that uses Varget has been completly happy with it. A bonus to this powder is its ability to give consistant velocity throughout a wide range of tempretures.

1895ss · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: Varget powder

Varget is a great powder to work with. Like shrpshtrjoe said it meters very accurately. I used to load it in my 45-70 but I got tired of all the unburned powder when at or near max loads so I switched to IMR3031. I am working on a load for my 22-250 using Varget that shows some promise but it hasn't lived up to expectations yet, but I haven't had time to pursue it all summer. I have quit a few lbs of Varget so I need to find a use for it. I haven't tried Varget in any of my other calibers but you never know some time I might.

Vince · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 11:01 pm Post subject: Re: Varget powder

I use Varget, or as its called here in Australia AR2208 (its manufactured here), in my .243WIN and 30.30WIN. I also load .223 for a mate and we use it there too. We get very good accuracy with all three of these calibers.

It has to be one of the more versatile powders on the market today, and Joe says, it meters nicely. Its maybe not the ideal powder for all calibers, but boy it does a great job in many of them.

AR2208 is manufactured by ADI Defence Industries here in Australia and is marketed by Hogdon in the USA as Varget.

Columns of figures below reading left to right are:
#1
BULLET
WEIGHT
(grains)
#2
POWDER
TYPE (AR2208=Varget)

STARTING LOADS
#3
POWDER
WEIGHT
(Grains)
#4
VELOCITY
(fps)
#5
PRESSURE

MAXIMUM LOADS
#6
POWDER
WEIGHT
(grains)
#7
VELOCITY
(fps)
#8
PRESSURE

204 Ruger 24" Barrel

32gn - AR2208 - 27.0 - 3,557 - 38,300 psi - 29.0C - 3,798 - 47,400 psi
35gn - AR2208 - 28.0 - 3,705 - 48,300 psi - 29.0C - 3,812 - 53,100 psi
40gn - AR2208 - 26.0 - 3,395 - 44,100 psi - 28.1C - 3,647 - 55,100 psi
50gn - AR2208 - 24.0 - 3,071 - 44,900 psi - 26.0 - 3,287 - 55,200 psi

270 Winchester 24" Barrel
(Note: There are no pressure figures for the 270 WIN)

90gn - AR2208 - 51.0 - 3,409 - 55.0 - 3,596
100gn - AR2208 - 48.0 - 3,232 - 52.0 - 3,397
110gn - AR2208 - 43.0 - 3,072 - 48.7 - 3,248
120gn - AR2208 - 44.0 - 2,858 - 47.0 - 3,010
130gn - AR2208 - 43.0 - 2,797 - 46.0 - 2,931
135gn - AR2208 - 41.0 - 2,701 - 45.0 - 2,902
140gn - AR2208 - 41.0 - 2,623 - 43.7 - 2,772

These figures are straight out of my reloading manual. I have found that I get best accuracy around .5gn below maximum load in both my .243WIN and 30.30WIN.

Good luck dakota1, I don't think that you will be disappointed with Varget.

Cheers, Vince

oscarj · Rookie Member Joined: Aug 10, 2007 Posts: 4

as vince said it is called 2208 and manufactured in australia look up adi website at www.adi-limited.com/ha.../rifle.asp click that you acknowledge the warning then select your calibre you will recieve data for most of their powders for different weights in that calibre. there is also a equivalent powder table as well due to adi also supplying hogden with other powders such as benchmark which is called bm2 in australia. anyway its all there

oscarj · Rookie Member Joined: Aug 10, 2007 Posts: 4

should probably mention maximums are fairly safe to avoid liability if your rifle is well maintained you should be able to carefully load past these maximums if it velocity your chasing 1985ss try 34.5gr pushing 52gr hollow point. using only nosler shots i can have 3 or 5 shot groups all touching at 200 yards with this load. but it only travells at speeds of about 3636fps

mike185 · Rookie Member Joined: Apr 30, 2011 Posts: 2

varget powder has anyone had any problems with it i reloaded it for my 6.5 creedmoor and my 223 and both guns had alot of unburnt powder in the barrells the grain that it let went from a silver color to a yellow any help would be great thxs

mike185 · Rookie Member Joined: Apr 30, 2011 Posts: 2

anyone know much about varget powder??

gelandangan · Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2011 8:20 pm Post subject: Re: Varget powder

I have used Varget for my 308 Win.
Works well.

Got some unburnt powder in the barrel, but with the cartridge crimped with FCD, it does reduced to almost nothing.

slimjim · Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 5:02 am Post subject: Re: Varget powder

mike185 wrote:

varget powder has anyone had any problems with it i reloaded it for my 6.5 creedmoor and my 223 and both guns had alot of unburnt powder in the barrells the grain that it let went from a silver color to a yellow any help would be great thxs

I've reloaded Varget in .223, .270, .308, .45-70. Varget is a slower burning powder. I too got lots of unburnt powder in my .45-70 like 1895ss did. Had to switch to H4895. Varget was my favorite for my .308 and is for my .223. I have no unburnt powder issues with the .223 but I only shoot the heavy 77gr SMK or 75gr Hornady A-Max. If you are using a light weight bullet in your .223, I can see where you could have unburnt powder. Because Varget worked so well for my .308 and .223, I tried to work up a load for my .270 with 110gr Barnes TTSX. I worked up to 50.0gr of powder but there was lots of volume left in the case. The velocity with Varget in my .270 was significantly lower than with other powders - 300 fps or more less. Note, this grain loading is higher than what Vince posted. Barnes copper-banded bullets can often be loaded with more powder than lead-core bullets because the copper-banded have less internal friction and less chamber pressure. Varget might work better in a .270 with the heavier bullets. However, other powders work better in the .270 and mine thrives on IMR 4350, H414, and Hunter. I've saved the Varget for my .223.

Elvis · Posted: Sun May 01, 2011 12:44 pm Post subject: Re: Varget powder

I dont have varget but its close relative AR2206 does all my requirements 2213 woks good too in the .270

inthedark · Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 12:15 am Post subject: Re: Varget powder

i have been using Varget since it came out in my 22-250, and 308 and in my buddy's 223. It works very good in ALL weather conditions from -45C to 31C personally. It is a very stable propellant, That being said, Reloader 22 is the go to powder for 270 according to Sierra. I will finding out eactly how well Reloader 22 does compared to Varget in the Win270 and 300WSM in the next couple of weeks. I am doing some work up loads for my friends new rifles and they too would like to stick to one powder for all. We will see how that goes and I'll post the results along with some targets, God willing.

inthedark · Posted: Tue May 03, 2011 12:15 am Post subject: Re: Varget powder

I have been using Varget since it came out in my Rem22-250, and Win308 and in my buddy's Rem223. It works very well in ALL weather conditions from -45C to 31C personally. It is a very stable propellant, that being said, Reloader 22 is the go to powder for Win270 according to Sierra. I will find out exactly how well Reloader 22 does compared to Varget in the Win270 and 300WSM in the next couple of weeks. I am doing some work up loads for my friend’s new rifles and they too would like to stick to one powder for all. We will see how that goes and I'll post the results along with some targets, God willing.

WildHorse · Member Joined: Feb 17, 2005 Posts: 184 Location: Nebraska

When it comes to the 204 Ruger in my opinion, you just cannot beat the performance of benchmark with the 32gr Hornady V-Max bullet. I use 28gr of benchmark and it runs out at about 4050fps. The best load/bullet combination I have ever used in my CZ .204.

I also use Varget for a lot of other calibers as well. It performs well and it shoots cleaner than some of the other powders.

Just my 2 cents worth.