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Substitute for Varget

#51
Re: Substitute for Varget

1911, you may just be right. But I don't intend to stop loading and shooting, for one component. So you can see my position. When Varget becomes available, I'll get a big can. Until then, I'll spend some time developing alternate powder loads. That's just the situation.

Or, you can send me some of yours
smile.gif
 
#55
Re: Substitute for Varget

we were shooting at markham , but the crowd is just starting to be to much.so we are now venturing out a little bit,one fellow hide member messaged us with some imfo on a range not too far away that we can stretch our rifles out a little further.thanks for the ar10 thread.
 
#56
Re: Substitute for Varget

team: 10-4 on the crowd, but it's at least tame now. I try to shoot on Wednesday and early Saturday. There was an ole boy allowing shooting on his property out west, a bit ago. Haven't heard anything on him lately.

Thinking about making the trip to Manatee, 4 hrs. When I have the weekend to spend, just shooting. Also, after I tune a load for the AR's 10 and 15 suitable for .5 moa, with a 69 grainer. My bolt.308 will do it, but I have not fine tuned the 10T load.
 
#57
Re: Substitute for Varget

Wil,
Buddy has some Tac and I have looked on the web, unsuccessfully, for load data on Tac. As you recommended it, pass on a starting load for .223 with 52 or 53 grainers and 69 gr. pills. If you have a link, with data, I'd appreciate it. That goes for anyone with some Tac data. Shooting it through an AR, so no max bolt gun loads please????!!!

I have not seen the package, that just may have some starting data on it; so help me out??
 
#60
Re: Substitute for Varget

Powder shortage temporarily over.

3 lbs of RL-15
1 lb of TAC
4 lbs IMR 4064

Need a friend in Ga. I paid $10 a pound more in Fl. than in Ga. for the RL-15. It was a Gunshow vs a retail shop, but that's, crazy.

Wil, break out the notes on RL-15 for .223 55-69 and 168 .308
You're one of those organized people you cursed in the other thread.(LOL) I'm putting loads on EXCEL, but I'm loading in the blind on every powder except IMR 4064 for .308
 
#61
Re: Substitute for Varget

.308 notes...
This data works well wit 168smk and 168 amax
42gr RL15 will get ya some good accuracy....and about 2600fps

44gr RL 15 will get ya about 2700fps


43.5gr 4064 will get ya 2600fps or so...

I would work a load up from 42-45gr TAC for the 168...



.223

23-24 grs TAC will get you where you wanna be for the 69smk

25-25.5gr RL-15 will get you a good load for 69smk

I dunno about the 52gr stuff with RL15 though....
 
#62
Re: Substitute for Varget

Thanks!
I'm trying 25 of RL under 55 and 52's as a max; with .5 decreasing increments down to 23. That's loaded for testing, already. Seems I should be trying Xterminator for the lighter pills??

My 40X likes 43 grs of 4064 and I'm trying 42.5 for my AR-10. That load came up from Greg from M1A data. I know it shoots 41.5 reasonably well, but I'm looking for 1/2 MOA at 100 from it. I think I can hold that steady. It rained here today, so it gave me some reloading time.

Kinda looking for a one powder that does it all, for what I load, including meter through a Dillon 550. Still no Varget in sight in two counties. May just have to move pill weights up to minimum 55 or 69 grainers, to use the powders listed here.

Thanks again.
 
#63
Re: Substitute for Varget

Guys, I'm still working with several powders as previously recommended here. The best, to date has been 27.0 grs. of BLC-2. 52gr hpt. Berger flat base. 7 rounds, 3/4 moa, most touching. 1:8 Twist DPMS bull upper on an Armalite NM lower.I may have done better had I not been jumping for joy and in a hurry for the next shot.

Nothing has beat IMR 4064 for .308, for me. 42.5 for the AR-10 (thanks Greg) and 43. for the 40X. All sub moa at 100 168 hpbt. Berger Moly's Shot a few rounds of TAC (42.9 grs)under this pill. Very promising, but recoil in the AR was significantly more than the sweet bump of the 4064. Place the 168, 1.7 inches high from a 100 yard point of aim zero, but 1/2 moa. Then the range officer told me, time up or pay more. TAC may be my powder for progressive loading of .308.

Wil, the RL 15-load of 42-44 grs is going to be a short work in progress to get .5 moa from my AR. I can see it coming. Thank you. There was nothing impressive in .52 grainers with the RL.

Will be tryng TAC in .223 with a 55 gr. and lookiing for xterminator as it seems that may be better for 52, 53, and 55's
 
#65
Re: Substitute for Varget

Reaper:

Ramshot.com list 21.2-23.5 for TAC with that 77 grainer and 1:7 and 1:9 twist. As noted 2 of my 15's have 1:8

Scroll up and find the post from Wil out of Tx. on a load for IMR4895 though it may be for a 69 grainer.

Wil got me started and seems to have his data documented with OCW test results. Will be trying his recommendation for 25-25.5 RL-15 for the 69's when they come in from Mid-South.
 
#66
Re: Substitute for Varget

I'm running 175 SMKs over 42.5 of H4895 and getting outstanding accuracy at around 2750fps. Here's 4 groups shot today with this load out of two different rifles. All are 5 shots at 100, the two on the right are me and my rifle and the two on the left are my buddy and his rifle:
425H4895groups.jpg


Joe
 
#67
Re: Substitute for Varget

42.5 grains of H4895 for me too. Shoots just as well or better than Varget. Meters the same, but hell, we load them one at a time anyways!
 
#69
Re: Substitute for Varget

Bill, at least they had some. Supply and demand. I paid $27 and change for RL-15 in Ga. and came home and paid $10.00 more a pound. Would you belive, they were the same lot number. Reloadding must not be big in my area. Only seems to be one local gunshop that carries much of anything, and he's expensive. The only thing is, ammo is expensive too, and reloading definitely saves money. I may have to drive 40 miles into South Dade County to find RL in anything over a pound.

TAC is going for 24.99 plus tax a pound in So. Dade. No X-term was available a few days ago. I use to buy .223 at $5.99 a box of 20, buddy told me he's paying almost $12 now. I'm prepping 400 rounds of brass from what I saved when I wasn't loading it, and picking up all the once fired brass at the range in calibers I load. Mixed brass beats no brass, and free brass beats all brass. Supply and Demand
 
#71
Re: Substitute for Varget

I've about got this Varget sub thing down. As luck would have it, Varget is slowly becoming available, but some of the other powders; BLC-2, TAC, RL-15, are serving me just as well, better, in that they meter smoother.

Now I'm just waiting until one of them is available locally, in 5 or 8lbs. It's been interesting.
 
#72
Re: Substitute for Varget

The powder might be expensive locally, but remember you're not paying the !@#$!@# hazardous shipping fee ( $20 ) if you have to order it online. If you can get your primers and powder locally, then consider it a blessing in disguise
laugh.gif
 
#73
Re: Substitute for Varget

10-4 in local purchases. Hazmat Charges are as high as $50. One reason why I want to have loads for different powders, so at least one, will be available locally. Right now the nearest TAC is 40 miles to So. Dade County 24.99 a lb. RL-15 is 15 minutes but, $34 a lb
cry.gif
. Two lbs of TAC makes the drive worth it, a five or 8 pounder, makes it a dream.
 
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