Need advice - 6 ARC bolt action load data for 103-108 gr bullets

[Mr. Wolf]

What’s the best load you have for varget? Just picked up the aeromatch bullets and realized I need the new seating stem so waiting on that. I was thinking of starting at 28 grains and stopping at 28.5 with .020 of jump.

My once fired Alpha brass has the same case H2O capacity as my Hornady but Alpha is a much tougher brass so load at your own risk.

I started to get slight compressed loads starting at Varget 28.3gr. And at 28.4gr (~2800 fps) I'd get ~20% of cartridges with pierced primer (CCI 400 SRP) when running in my Savage SA. No pierced primer with my BigHorn Origin which has the factory small firing pin and was a consideration in my build.
Hornady 105gr Aeromatch in it's hybrid/secant profile took less seating depth vs 103gr ELDX, so you'll be riding the fine line of case capacity vs lighter bullet weight in the pursuit of speed. As many have pointed out, 2660 fps was a great node, 2830 also seems to be a very good node.

I haven't tried drop tubes but when I tried and old electric toothbrush to see if I could get the extruded powder to settle, but it only helped ~.1-.2gr before slight crunch.

0.020" seating depth without compressed load should be fine as the seating depth really had minimal effect higher than 0.005" in my development, so I'd seat it to maximum length before the bullets touch the rifling or ~0.010"

YMMV and happy shooting

 

[Mr. Wolf]

Powder temp stability chart from the internet.
Of the handful I've tested, the data seems to be correct.
YMMV, happy shooting

 

[Jojo417]

What’s the best load you have for varget? Just picked up the aeromatch bullets and realized I need the new seating stem so waiting on that. I was thinking of starting at 28 grains and stopping at 28.5 with .020 of jump.

I run 27.2gr in Starline brass. 107smk’s loaded at 1.725 base to ogive. It’s around .015 from the lands in my barrel. Federal 205m primers. This is a compressed load for me.

This averages 2680 in a 20” northland shooter supply barrel. Sd’s averages around 6-7.

Hornady shows max at 28.1gr. I had pretty significant pressure signs at 27.6gr.

 

[EODsniper]

My once fired Alpha brass has the same case H2O capacity as my Hornady but Alpha is a much tougher brass so load at your own risk.

I started to get slight compressed loads starting at Varget 28.3gr. And at 28.4gr (~2800 fps) I'd get ~20% of cartridges with pierced primer (CCI 400 SRP) when running in my Savage SA. No pierced primer with my BigHorn Origin which has the factory small firing pin and was a consideration in my build.
Hornady 105gr Aeromatch in it's hybrid/secant profile took less seating depth vs 103gr ELDX, so you'll be riding the fine line of case capacity vs lighter bullet weight in the pursuit of speed. As many have pointed out, 2660 fps was a great node, 2830 also seems to be a very good node.

I haven't tried drop tubes but when I tried and old electric toothbrush to see if I could get the extruded powder to settle, but it only helped ~.1-.2gr before slight crunch.

0.020" seating depth without compressed load should be fine as the seating depth really had minimal effect higher than 0.005" in my development, so I'd seat it to maximum length before the bullets touch the rifling or ~0.010"

YMMV and happy shooting

Thanks for the response. I’m looking forward to giving these a try. I currently shoot the 107smk with 28gr of varget slightly compressed at .020 off the lands and get 2590 fps out of my 16” Krieger barrel.
This was a 10 rd group with the 107smk. I guess my goal for the 105 aeromatch is just a little more speed. So you’re saying seating depth didn’t make much of a difference at all for you? If that’s the case I’ll seat them as long as possible for more case capacity.

 

[Mr. Wolf]

Thanks for the response. I’m looking forward to giving these a try. I currently shoot the 107smk with 28gr of varget slightly compressed at .020 off the lands and get 2590 fps out of my 16” Krieger barrel.
This was a 10 rd group with the 107smk. I guess my goal for the 105 aeromatch is just a little more speed. So you’re saying seating depth didn’t make much of a difference at all for you? If that’s the case I’ll seat them as long as possible for more case capacity.

Nice group and nice work up for a 16” barrel.
In my system, the Aeromatch 105gr wasn’t jump sensitive from .010 - .030”
Cheers