I have a Remington 700 308 Tactical with the 20" bull barrel. I'm looking for the best recommended powder for reloading 170-180gr bullets. It has been suggested that I use either Hodgdon Varget or IMR-4064. I'd just like some comments/suggestions.
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Records will tell you. Winners of matches will tell you. Real small groups will tell you. There is a lot of information on here about this very topic. Favorites seem to come and go and trials are conducted all the time while trying to find that one "best do all" powder. Most people on here have their favorite and their reasons for it. Some are better for different disciplines, m1's, m1a's, ar's and bolt guns. short barrels, long barrels. I think most will agree that for .308 bolt guns used in f/tr at 600 and 1000yds. more winners use varget for that weight range that you mentioned. that's why you can't find any. When it hits the shelves it gets gobbled up. When you get much heavier than say, about 190gr. varget starts losing the lead for velocity. but in my opinion for the 185gr. and lower you can't beat it.
I use IMR 4064 IMR 4895 and Varget.
Used to only use Varget but ran out and found some decent loads from the other 2 that is good as varget.
Used to only use Varget but ran out and found some decent loads from the other 2 that is good as varget.
H4895 would work well in your application also besides the others mentioned.
Your best bet is to research this directly in the reloading section, use the search function on this site in addition to yahoo and google...your question has been asked numerous times...no reason for another thread on the topic because you don't want to spend time reading/searching the topic.
The above said...Varget is great in short barreled rifles.
The above said...Varget is great in short barreled rifles.
As was mentioned, read through the '.308 loads' thread, but since you're looking at this one too...
I like the results i had with Re-15
+1 for varget
Best? Doesn't exist.
I like the results i had with Re-15
+1 for varget
Best? Doesn't exist.
Varget and RL-15 both work great in my 308s, so well that I wouldn't use anything else. All of my 308s are 18" and under but the velocity is good and the accuracy is superb (.5MOA in my GAP-10, .3MOA in my Gradous truck gun). One detractor: don't run Varget through a Dillon. It just doesn't meter well, at least for me anyway.
This is what RE15 can do for you, but the velocity is in the 2550 range, havent chronod this load from my rifle, but did the rangemasters 26" 700 last wed with a load of 43grs Rem brass, 168MKs, 2534fps from his rig.
Now with 47grs of either 2000MR(LEFT) and 47grs CFE(RIGHT) youll get 2783 & 2830 respectively from a 26" bbl. Lapua brass. Excuse the horizontal stringing, my hold probably wasnt tight enough. With 48grs 2000MR I get 2795 from a 168AMAX, Rem brass. 300yd targets, btw.
Now with 47grs of either 2000MR(LEFT) and 47grs CFE(RIGHT) youll get 2783 & 2830 respectively from a 26" bbl. Lapua brass. Excuse the horizontal stringing, my hold probably wasnt tight enough. With 48grs 2000MR I get 2795 from a 168AMAX, Rem brass. 300yd targets, btw.
The hard truth about it is you will likely have to use several powders to find out what your gun likes. If you have a friend with a collection of powders you can try then that is ideal. Otherwise you should purchase a pound each of varget, re15, and whatever else you can find to do your load testing.
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Sent from my Galaxy S3 using Tapatalk 2.
With a shorter barrel varget will probably be a better choice to keep your velocity up given that it's a faster powder than RL-15...from what I understand is that it was designed for shorter barreled rifles.
What about accuracy? Easy...do a ladder test. Remember, ladder testing isn't about grouping, it's about finding the frequency node your barrel likes with a particular bullet weight at a given velocity...grouping will come from one of say 3 charges you find with the ladder test and with how far in or out the bullet is seated
What about accuracy? Easy...do a ladder test. Remember, ladder testing isn't about grouping, it's about finding the frequency node your barrel likes with a particular bullet weight at a given velocity...grouping will come from one of say 3 charges you find with the ladder test and with how far in or out the bullet is seated
i just tried hogdon benchmark today and that work for me just as well as varget i use both
IMR4064, I gave up on Varget for now.
Imr 4895 . 4064
