I have several very accurate loads with Varget in 308 Winchester, none of them are listed as compressed loads in any of my many books. These loads are 1,2,&3 grains below max, but everyone of them crunches a fair bit when seating the bullet. I have used both fireformed and virgin brass, and there is not a discernable difference. Is it OK to be crunching on a load that is 3 gr. below max? I am not getting growth in OAL after 72 hours, so the round seems to remain in as built condition, no crimp on these bullets at all, 150 gr bullets, so not a whole bunch of bullet into the case really....

Just looking for thoughts on the compression at below max charges with a light for cal bullet.

I've had the crunchies with a 270 and a 130 grain pill with H4831. I never had any problems with high pressure signs and the load was hunting accruate and great on game. If there are no pressures signs I would think that you are OK.

compressing powder is not a bad thing as long as one is working up a load in a responsible manner.

Just out of curiosity, what are you using for your max load with Varget?

quote:

Originally posted by jnemmers:
Just out of curiosity, what are you using for your max load with Varget?

Max is at 47 grains, no pressure signs, and very good accuracy. Started at 44 gr and worked up from there. Nosler brass and Lapua brass both worked up seperately, CCI-LR primers.

I felt comfortable since I worked up, but was just wondering if other folks have compression at as little as 44 grs.

Nothing to worry about but you can try a drop tube like the BPCR shooters use to settle the powder better.

Jesus Christ Fish!

Crunchy Varget! It goes in the cartridge case, not on your corn flakes.

Damn okie (I have to re-train him after every coffee break).

If a neighbor has mild parkinsons disease, you can have him hold the filled cases for about fifteen seconds to settle the powder. Don't use that method if the parkinsons has progressed to the moderate or severe categories; then it will get spilled EVERYWHERE.

Hmmm, screening test????

Of course, most AR posters would fail this test after 3 hours at any winter sporting show or convention.

quote:

Originally posted by bfrshooter:
Nothing to worry about but you can try a drop tube like the BPCR shooters use to settle the powder better.

Hey Don, This is what I do and it works very well.

Must admit the JCN has found an interesting solution though.

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

LD, you are a beauty! I think I'll just touch the cases to the side of my Dillon tumbler for a sec.

Hot core, using the RCBS charge master and then a satern powder funnel, so not a lot of 'drop' there, I've got a long tubed powder funnel, I may give that a whirl.

Thanks guys--Don

Your COL has effect on the amount of powder space available. Speer lists 47gr of Varget as a compressed load as does Hodgdonwith 150 gr bullets. Other manuals I have don`t. Speer uses a COL of 2.490 with their 150 gr RN, 2.680 with the GS and 2.700" with a BTSP. The 150 gr BT/FMJ is loaded to 2.80". I am sure the RN and GS bullets at short COL intrudes into the powder space more then the others. Nosler loads to max SAAMI lenght in their data and their bullets will be seated out to 2.810" giving them more powder room.
The books don`t say WHERE compression starts with COL or powder charge just that the max load at a short lenght is compressed. Don`t worry about it. You can check and if the bullet moves over time from compression then rethink your load.

Thanks Joe, I'll make sure to double check the length on these rounds, but they haven't moved over about a 10 day period. I don't know if theres another powder I should give a whirl, but this Varget is damn accurate, and at several charge weights. I have some 4895 and N-150 (plus a bunch of other stuff) that I might load a few rounds with to see if they are as compressed.

Thanks for the feedback--Don

quote:

Originally posted by Fish30114:
...I may give that a whirl.

Hey Don, You can also Swirl it into the funnel. Pour real slow with the Funnel at a "slight" skew instead of straight up and down. Pour so slow you can almost count the grains and you will notice it Swirl around inside the Funnel before going down the spout.

I have an MTM Funnel Set which is realtively inexpensive and it came with a 6" or so Drop Tube. I figured it wasn't long enough to be useful, but it proved me wrong. It works great on most Powders which are useful in a 308Win size case.
---

And if you want to make a REAL Drop Tube, use an Aluminum Arrow Shaft. The Aluminum will not generate Static Electricity - which is a bad thing to have around Powder.

I got an Easton XX75 2413 in Autumn Orange(hard to misplace it) and it is 33" long. I have one of the MTM Adapters attached to it, so the total length is 34". I wrapped a "Thread Serving" on the end(the same way you tie a Line Guide to a Fishing Rod, except minus the Line Guide) and the Funnel fits snugly onto it. If you get a different size arrow, then it won't be snug.

But, you could always Epoxy a Funnel to it and that would be a nice permanent fix.

Works great and you can have the Arrows cut to any length you like. I have a hole drilled through the Reloading Bench where I stick the Arrow through and set the Cases in a Loading Block on a small box beneath the hole.

If you know a buddy who is a Bow Hunter, you could get an Arrow from him - if it is Aluminum.

Best of luck to you.

Hot core, neat idea on the arrow shaft. I've got about 1000 of em laying around. Quite a few years back, I was hardcore at the 3-d archery game,a ton of state, 3 Nationals and 1 World title.

Got an arrow saw and everything else you can think of still.....so setting up the 'supertube' up ought to be easy---I'll probably just keep crunching if the rounds continue to show no growth....I do swirl the powder in usually BTW.

Thanks for the intel--Don