Varget for cast?

[XWrench3]

is anyone using Varget for shooting boolits out of their rifles? i am looking to shoot it in my 300 win mag, but i can not find any cast data for it. while that is not something that has to stop me, i do not want to have a major problem with it either. i have exhausted the normal (well, to me anyway) powders, without finding a good load for this rifle. i really do not care how fast or slow they run, i am just looking for a good accurate load. i have tried IMR SR-4759 (my normal go to boolit powder) trail boss, reloder 7 & 15,and the 2 pistol powders i have, AA#2, and auto comp. i was going to try my normal 300 win mag powder, IMR 4831, but an old friend told me that light loads of this in a big case can have some nasty problems. so i figured i had not better temp fate. so far, the best i can come up with is just over 3" 5 shot groups @ 100 yards. one of the things that bothers me with this powder, is the data for "J" bullets stops @ 168 grains, and my boolits are running 183 grains with a check and lube.

[.22-10-45]

Hello, XWrench3. I have used it in a .40-70 2 1/2" straight, Axtell Sharps rifle, using 300 to 350gr. cast. Very accurate.

[runfiverun]

use 4895 data and a dacron filler and work up.
1900 fps or so should give you all your rifle will give.
if you can't find any data 29 grs is where i'd start.

[rockrat]

Usually in an '06, I think the charge of Varget is around 36gr., for use in Garands, so I would think a 300 win mag would be at least around 40gr. 4895 loads are 35-36gr and Varget is a bit slower, so I use about a grain more of Varget.

Have you tried around 32-34gr of 4759 in your 300wm? I use 32 in my 338wm and you have greater case capacity than the 338wm

[XWrench3]

rockrat, i have tried everything from 28 to 42 grains of sr4759. with no good results.the best was just under 4" groups @ 100 yards. if i can not find a good load for this soon, i am going to write this bullet mold off as something that my particular gun just does not like. i guess the one thing about it i have not changed is the alloy. i could try doing that before selling it off. i am using what i normally use for rifles, which is 80% wheel weights, and 20% linotype, water dropped. i could soften them up a bit and see if that makes a difference.

thanks for the tip on using 4895 load data. i will give it a shot. hopefully, i can come up with at least 1 good load for it.

[Char-Gar]

You are heading in the right direction with a slower powder. Fast powders like 4759 loose their usefulness in the amounts you have using.

[runfiverun]

when starting out with a newer rifle or something like you have here.
after gwtting a good idea of the rifles throat shape.
i target a velocity.
usually 1900 or so, then try a couple of powder combinations at that velocity.
and maybe an alloy change.
if they all have poor accuracy then i know the rifle and boolit combo are not compatible and move to my next closest mold or one with more bearing surface.

[Larry Gibson]

Varget is a slow "medium" powder that really needs a certain psi to burn efficiently (as does every powder) which is higher than some comparable powders such as 4895, RL15 and 4064. If you are going to use it in the 300 Win Mag I suggest a heavier bullet such as a 200 gr 311299, the 311284, the RCBS 308-200-SIL or the Lee C302-200-1R. The use of a 3/4 - 1 gr dacron filler will also enhance ignition and probably accuracy. As runfiverun mentions best accuracy is going to be at or under 1900 fps.

Larry Gibson

[XWrench3]

well, i loaded up 5 different loads for this, from 28.0-36.0grains of varget, and a cotton ball size piece of dacron on top of the powder. my chronograph is at my brothers (tuning his crossbow) so i just concentrated on group size. it peaked out between 32 and 34 grains of powder, so i will try again going up 1 grain at a time, instead of jumping 2 at a time. and see if the group size gets better. they are still not tack drivers, but a little over 2" is the best i have gotten so far. the rifle and i can do better, because we can shoot one hole 3 shot groups with "J" bullets. i also have a 158 grain bullet that will shoot very accurately out of this gun. a lee ctl-312-160-2r, which really is for the 7.62x39 application. so by the time it gets down to .309", there is not much room left for lube. and it starts leading up pretty fast. which is why i bought a second mold.

[runfiverun]

leave it at the bigger diameter.
311 is fine.
i usually size most of my 30 cals at 310 because with my alloy to make the nose fit that's how they come out.
i play with the alloy for nose size more than body size.
an engraving [301] nose and a 308 body is acceptable to me, a 299 nose and 312 body isn't.

make sure that filler is touching the powder and and the boolit is giving it a little compression.