Varget
Best powder for both .223 and .308?
- Thread starter DennisH8706
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
Yep agree, I still have a Finn VKT M39, Springfield 1903 C stock, M96 Swede with Diopter target sights, M1 Carbine mint, actually the others are close to mint themselsves. I use to shoot a lot of WWII and WWI matches with them.
1903, oh yeah. One of my favorites. Don't know the Finn but sold my Swede. Now the M1, that's a keeper. Scored a big pile of surplus Korean ammo 3 years ago. Time for a barrel and rebuild now. Put my old Jap Arisaka m99 short 7.7x58 back in service 3 months ago. Winter project. Now to load for it. Hmmm... My dad had a fit when I got that. He got shot at many times in ww2 by that. He got pale when I told him.
The Finnish M39 7.62x54R... which is a super accurate remake of the Russian Mosin-Nagant 91/30, of the most accurate the Finn M39s' the Sako and VKT aka Valmet, seem to be the best of them. I need to pick up another M1 sold mine to a match guy years ago, the Arisaka type 99 is a great action, very strong... I was going to build a 45-70 on an old action I had for a time, never did. The Finn M39 have fantastic sights for battle sights on them. I use pulled 172gr NM M2 ball bullets (leftover from my M1) in a Lapua case, and Russian Kvb-7 match primers, the rifle's condition is near NIB. Cheers
Yep, as is the VKT birds of a feather.
xsn10s
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2016
- Messages
- 7,323
LOL. https://hodgdon.com/varget/
Varget isn't one of my favorites. But it's been well received for both 223 and 308 users. Temp insensitive in the Hodgdon Extreme powder line. But I'll try it if I ever get a 1-10" or 1-9" 308 win for 200 plus bullets. I like TAC, H4895, and RL15. Out of the three I like TAC because it flows so well. But it is temp sensitive so be aware of that.
Varget isn't one of my favorites. But it's been well received for both 223 and 308 users. Temp insensitive in the Hodgdon Extreme powder line. But I'll try it if I ever get a 1-10" or 1-9" 308 win for 200 plus bullets. I like TAC, H4895, and RL15. Out of the three I like TAC because it flows so well. But it is temp sensitive so be aware of that.
I think Tac is a very good one as well, on the 4895 in .308s I've found that the IMR4895 works better in the gas guns, in the bolts? either one does the job. Of course, LR-15 is my go-to powder. Cheers
xsn10s
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2016
- Messages
- 7,323
I haven't tried IMR 4895 in my gas guns. H4895 worked well for me. In the bolt guns again H4895 worked better. But the IMR 4895 wasn't bad and my rifle is dirty. I spend more time shooting than cleaning lol. I do need to clean it though.
Edit: there's a pic of the dirty barrel load using IMR 4895. Prone and my rear bag broke so no rear bag. No load development. I know this rifle so picked a common accuracy load that's max or near max. No pressure signs in my rifle. Kids don't do this at home
Attachments
Last edited:
I agree, IMR4895 in guns like the M1A is more about a proper pressure curve and still getting the correct velocity. As for H4895, it works great in my .224 Wby Mag it gives me good vel's and very good accuracy. CheersI haven't tried IMR 4895 in my gas guns. H4895 worked well for me. In the bolt guns again H4895 worked better. But the IMR 4895 wasn't bad and my rifle is dirty. I spend more time shooting than cleaning lol. I do need to clean it though.
Edit: there's a pic of the dirty barrel load using IMR 4895. Prone and my rear bag broke so no rear bag. No load development. I know this rifle so picked a common accuracy load that's max or near max. No pressure signs in my rifle. Kids don't do this at home
xsn10s
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2016
- Messages
- 7,323
Yes IMR 4895 was the powder for M1A's but those in the M1A forums use H4895 also since it's in the correct burn rate range for it. I preferred running it in my gas guns since it's temp insensitive. IMR powders aren't bad though and I use them too. Pretty much whatever your rifle likes.
Yep, it seems that the IMR4895 is just a little, and I mean a little faster than H4895 at least on paper it is. I've used H4895 in my M1A it gives me a little higher numbers in the SD than IMR4895 does. But... as you said whatever works for the other rifles works! Cheers
