Does anyone have a manual that shows loading a 75 gr VMax with IMR 4064,IMR 4895 or Varget? My manuals shows a 75 gr HP but no VMax.

From Chuck Hawks site: back her down a couple of grains and work up looking for signs of high pressure.


75 grain Hornady V-MAX bullet, 38.9 grains IMR 4064 powder, CCI 200 primer, Hornady case. MV 3,300 fps in 24" barrel. MAXIMUM LOAD! (Based on the Hornady Handbook, Sixth Edition.)

You might try this site:

www.imrpowder.com/

The 75 grain Hornady listed is the HP which is a hollow point, flat base, the V-max is a BT. However, the load data at the starting load level, would be the same. You should work up to your rifle's accuracy load just as normal.
Ed

Thanks guys.I appreciate it.

Sometimes a bt bullet will actually use more powder than a lighter bullet with a flat base. It kind of makes sense - there is less bearing surface rubbing the bore which means less drag and resistance. That would lead to less pressure with the same load. Not always and it is by no means a rule of thumb but it is true sometimes due to makeup of the core and the bearing surface friction of the boat-tailed bullet.

I'd try about 40gr Varget then sneek up on 42. Vardet is a perfect powder for the .243 case. I load 42gr in the 70grNos BT. 43 in the 65Vmax (one of my favorite loads) and 44gr with the 58Vmax. Varget is the best powder in my .243's/tt

Varget is a magnificent powder that comes close to being the ideal all rounder.

For my .243 I load 40.5 grains of ADI2208 (marketed as Varget by Hogdon in the US) pushing a 70gn Hornady and 38 grains of ADI2208 (Varget) pushing the 80gn Remington PSP. The 80gn bullet is shooting just over 1/2 MOA at 100m from my Weatherby Vanguard.

Good luck with your load research......I reckon its almost the best and most enjoyable part of shooting.

Cheers, Vince

are there any benifits going to the varget over the 414 from hodgdons? cleaner burner or close enough to be a whichever you have on hand?

In my discussions with the folks from Hogdon they contended that H-414 was the very best in the Hogdon line for 22-250 case capacity cartridges. I have found that H-414 is also extreamly accurate with the 243 and the 260. The best groups in both cartridges, with several different guns, produce numbers in the sub .20 range at velocity numbers that are quite respectable. But you should try the powder and load combinations for your rifle, your results may be the same or different.
Ed

This is a very timely thread as I am working up a 75 gr. Sierra varminter bullet load for my .243 using H-414. Early scout loads look to have good accuracy potential and suitable velocity with 44-45 gr of H414.

I saw this with my 58 gr. V max load too that backing off of the max load by a couple of grains gave better groups with H414.

I used 414 almost exclusively befor Varget came along. The Varget seemed to give me better groups with the lighter bullets and more consistantly. Not much better though. Before VMax bullets I loaded 75Hornady HP's and Speer 75HP's with max loads of 414. Ilearned also that 414 slows down in cold weather. I'd read of this phenominon for years but never really saw it until I started doing tests with loads of 414 while comparing them with loads of Varget. The 414 loads were much lower velocity than loads Identical that I tested in summer. Haven't noticed this with Varget. Also had some excellent accuracy with H450 and the 75Hornady HP. .156" @ 100yrds. Used IMR 4064 too but settled on 414 untill Varget came along. 85 Sierra BTHP worked great with IMR 4350 too./tt

Tom,
Do you recall the aprox temp where the slow down occoured, 30s, 20s, etc? I have not seen this, but then again, we do not see much in the way of severe temprature drops either.
The reverse of what you report would be blown primers in heat after developing loads in the cold. So reduced pressures due to cold temps would be something to watch for.
Ed

GOOD POINT! If I was loading up untill I saw pressure problems in a cartridge when it was cold and snow on the ground and then kept that load and used it come July on chucks with a change from minus to way above it could sure cause some trouble. Without looking it up I'll try to remember that I was loading 47gr of 414 with the Speer 75HP. Can't remember the temperature but there was definately snow on the ground. As I recall there was close to 100fps change from the loads I'd chronyed in the summer for chuck shooting. They showed no pressure problems at that time and were very accurate. That was purty much my chuck load for several years.
Very good point and a warning for us guys in cold country who are playing with load developement outside the written manual . Doing that very thing this weekend hopefully with my 22/284 with some lighter bullets and possibly faster powder. A Max load this week when its -5 or -10 degrees C just could be a dangerous one next August when its over 30C

Hornady has changed data on the 105gr A-Max Moly. It requires a 1 in 9 or faster twist, according to thier site.