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.308 FGMM w/ varget

JDT

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 1, 2009
119
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42
NC
With several threads going on about the FGMM and powder used etc... its got my curiosity up as if anyone could tell me how many gr. of varget in Lapua brass it takes to match the fps of factory FGMM 168's and even 175's using sierra match kings. I don't have a chrono yet, its on my next to buy list but until then the 168's shoot great in several of my rifles and I have 24lbs of varget I need to use. Just wondered if anyone might have the data already to get me started. In some other threads I found some recipes using RL15 which I have used also in the past. Seems like RL15 and Varget at one time were said to be pretty close to each other maybe one being a little more temp sensitive than the other. Should I use the same recipe for the varget as given for the RL15?
 
Re: .308 FGMM w/ varget

Man that Varget is junk. I am authorized to dispose of it safely and humanely, and my suggestion is to mail it to me at once before it's too late.

With that said, I have found it to be finicky from pound to pound, though you might not have much of a problem if you have 5 or 8 lb jugs of it. My results have been with Winchester cases, and the data I got was too inconsistent to give you anything useful. I got between 2,600 and 2,650 fps with 45 grains of it, FWIW.
 
Re: .308 FGMM w/ varget

I will say that I have had to do some modification to my dillon 550 to get it to throw the varget a little more consistent, but also I try to keep the powder measure at least half full. Once it starts to empty and lighten up I start to get some variance in amount of gr. it throws each time. All in all I've had good results with it when loading to specific rifles. I have an ar10 and couple bolt guns that I would like to have a generic load for and the FGMM seems to fit the bill. Just can't afford to buy factory stuff to feed it all the time.
 
Re: .308 FGMM w/ varget

I have no idea what the load data is for 168 FGMM, but me and a friend of mine were at the range a few weeks ago and he has a .308 that Is identical to mine (5R) as far as the barrel and action. He does not reload so he uses the 168 FGMM. He used my dope for my load and it was dead on out to 600yds as that's as far as we shot that day. I was really surprised that it was dead on. My load is as follows:
Lapua Brass
42gr RL15
CCI BR2
168 Berger VLD
 
Re: .308 FGMM w/ varget

trevor300wsm, what coal are you loading too. 2.800?

I loaded about 20rnds last night with +/- 43.6 gr varget under the 168 smk with a coal of 2.800 in lapua brass. but again I have no chrono yet. So other than seeing the accuracy out of them I will be unable to tell the speed of them. I would have already bought a chrono, but everytime I get geared up to buy one I can never seem to get consistent reviews on which one is most accurate/consistent. Don't mind spending the money on quality equipment within reason as long as I don't have to guess if the data it gives is correct.