Varget replacement

[irish hunter]

After spending 3 months developing a load with varget , I have been told that it is now impossible to get, I was wondering has anyone got a replacement to varget? , i am shooting a bartlein light varmint barrel 32 inch with 1 in 12 twist , the load I had developed which bug holed was 46.9 varget , cci primer, lappua brass and Berger 155 hybrid heads. I would like to develop a load with a powder that will be easily got. Thanks in advance.

[dannywayoflife]

Try TR140 mate easy to get and cheap

[Brillo]

I'll 2nd that..............Great powder.

[Finman]

I use SO65 which is apparently a twin to varget. So far, no complaints (£36 a pound, who'd complain??) accurate, clean and speedy

 

Best wishes

 

Finman

[irish hunter]

Thanks lads I will try that

[Laurie]

Although Lovex lists SO65 as having exactly the same burning rate as Varget, I'd not rate it as a substitute.Its actual burning rate appears to be slower, and it's also bulkier. Add these together and you constrain 308 Win velocities especially with heavier bullets seated at anywhere near SAAMI / CIP / magazine lengths. Lovex's own data lists the same maximum charge (46.3gn) for every bullet from the 147gn FMJBT to the 168gn A-Max, and a very small range of weights (mostly 42.4 to 43.2gn) for heavier bullets. Chamber pressures are very low for many combinations even with maximum charges - 46,400 psi with 150gn SPCE, 53,700 psi with the 165gn SST, 45,000 psi with a 168gn HPBT, 44,700 psi with 180s and then slowly rising with heavier bullets up to 58,200 psi with the 200gn Norma Oryx. Constant maximum charges for increasing bullet weights and low pressures suggests full cases long before full pressures and MVs are reached, and QuickLOAD supports this hypothesis.

 

 

175gn Sierra MK at 2.850-inch COAL in 26-inch barrel

 

 

45.0gn H. VarGet

103.5% case fiil-ratio ........... 59,762 psi ............... 2,733 fps MV .................. 99.4% charge burn

 

46.0gn SO65

104.7% case fill-ratio ............ 52,450 psi .............. 2,632 fps MV .................. 97.0% charge burn

 

I quite like Lovex SO tubular powders and have played around a bit with 62 and 65 recently. I'd recommend SO62 in 308 with most bullets. QuickLOAD and the 175gn SMK again:

 

44.7gn SO62

102.3% case fill-ratio ............ 59,766 psi .............. 2,736 fps MV .................. 100% charge burn

 

The usual caveats apply as this is a computer model not real life, but my own results in a Howa 1500 Varmint I'm playing with as a clubman's 'affordable F/TR rifle' bear this out, SO62 giving higher velocities and smaller groups than SO65 which is better suited to larger case / smaller calibre combinations such as 260 Rem 7mm-08 Rem, .30-06 Springfield and similar.

 

SO62 used to be sold as Accurate 4064, and bottles may still be so labelled depending on their age.

 

Other powders that may or may not be available in the current 'powder-drought' and which work well in .308 Win are IMR-3031 (a really good performer in the cartridge including with fairly heavy bullets), Ramshot TAC, Wild Boar, and Big Game, IMR-4895.

[Scotch_egg]

What about N140? This powder keeps getting missed on nearly every varget replacement thread I I read.

[Laurie]

That's probably because most of us take N140 as a given - the first choice for 308 Win with 150-175gn bullets and a base to compare others too. It won't give as high MVs with 155s and similar as H4895, IMR-4895 and VarGet though, so it depends on the application.

 

Throw in N140's near clone (and cheaper too), TR140. N150 can be a good choice for 308 Win with 155 to 185gn bullets, especially for shorter range match shooting. Over the years, I've often got better results with it than with N140 in 155, 168 and 175gn loads but at lower MVs, but that's not a great issue for 200-600 yards competition - or for shorter range deerstalking too, I'd imagine.

[irish hunter]

Now I am really confused and appreciate all who have replied . But what will I go T N 140?

[gbal]

Now I am really confused and appreciate all who have replied . But what will I go T N 140?

Vihtavouri N140 or its near clone TR140

 

...but don't mix them!

 

Gbal

[irish hunter]

Thanks gbal

[gunner]

who sells this tr140?? im in gloster,,, thanks

[Brillo]

who sells this tr140?? im in gloster,,, thanks

Hi Tim, HPS on Waterwells business park, just behind the dance studio. I use TR 140 a lot. Great powder.

[Scotch_egg]

Don't HPS sell N140 in 3.5kg tubs at rather good prices any how?

[Exeter lad]

I've just loaded up some ram shot TAC in 308 cal.. Velocity is very close to varget In the book.. Testing either tomoz or Wednesday when rifle arrives.

[Brillo]

Don't HPS sell N140 in 3.5kg tubs at rather good prices any how?

Yes they do, and it brings the price per kilo down to near enough that of TR 140. What a dilemma.