Okay for all of you guys that LOVE Varget.....

I have never had stellar luck with this powder in anything that couldn't be beaten by another powder....

However since so many guys are having luck with it and I am not, maybe I am not stumbling across that " right load"...

So I figure I am going to take a Ruger Sporter in 22.250 that I use for coyote calling and am going to work up loads using Varget and either a 50 grain or 55 grain ballistic tip....

So if any of you guys out there have any magic recipes... and you would like to pass them along... then Seafire would appreciate your input...

I also don't have much use for H 4895 as an across the board accurate powder.. However, this particular rifle does love 55 grain bullets and 32.5 grains of H 4895....go to 32 or 33 grains and the groups open up by an inch or two...go to any other bullet weight and they immediately open up..

with RL 7 it shoots any bullet weight to very very tiny little groups....

But I want to try out Varget once again.. See if I am missing something, or me and Varget just were not meant to be! ( had a few old girlfriends that I had to test that theory out on also.. so it works! )

thanks for the inputs..
\cheers
seafire

The best load I have found with Varget and the 55 grain Ballistic Tip is:

37-39 grains of N-150 and CCI benchrest primers, loaded to 2.5 OAL.

Varget has never shot well in the 22-250 and never will.

Seafire-I've used the Varminter coupled with Varget a fair bit over the years. Always worked just fine for me, no better no worse than others.

I'd go with 35 over a 55 bullet and be done with it.

With the 63 Sierra (one of the most accurate bullets I've found to date for a 22) I use 34 and that works just fine.

Let er rip

MD

seafire this works in my m70 stealth but i have not chrongraphed so i do not no the velocities

load 1

sierra 52 grain match, 35.5 grains varget, fed 210gm primers
i have shot several sub .5" 5 shot groups with this off the bence best was a .411

load 2

sierra 52 grain match, 34 grains imr 3031, fed 210gm best group .732 this load showed signs of pressure

load 3

sierra 52 grain match, 38 grains h380 fed 210gm
best group .666

best seating depth was .005 off the lands

as i know you know start low and work up to these loads i think they are all right at max.

Guys thanks for the load info....

I am still having a lot better luck with other powders... some that are not trendy at all....

Like RL 7....

Have been playing with the 22.250 lately and have found that IMR 4198, IMR 4227, SR 4759, 2400 are pretty decent choices for the 22.250.

They may not necessarily max out the velocity potential of the cartridge but they sure can turn in some respectable velocities with some Stellar tight groups....

But powders like Varget, I still don't see the results that good old 3031, 4895, 4064, RL 15, W 748 give me and have been giving others for years!

I always thought I was missing something not getting the results others claim to get....Maybe they are just happy with groups that I don't see as all that great....

But it never hurts to ask....

Mark D; I don't quite agree with you on the 63 grain SMP Sierra ( as the most accurate 22 caliber bullet) but she sure is a honey tho... one of my favorites...That and the 52 grain HP Speer are the Poor Man's " premium" bullets...
Hornady's SPSXs have also impressed me, especially for the prices....

cheers
seafire

seafire, how tight a group are you looking for?

for my shooting skill level and with a non modified off the shelf gun i think less than .5" at 100 is pretty good.

i do not disagree with the old standbys. i was surprised how well 3031 worked in this rifle. and do not doubt that if i worked with it i could get better groups. but the way i work shooting time is limited and when i come on something that shows promise it takes a while to work up loads. it took me the most part of a year to get the loads above.

i will admitt that i use varget alot, it has become my go to powder for .243, and .260, and .308. varget turned in such good groups in my .260 i swithched from RL15 years ago.
it has not performed as well in my .243 but i know people that have used it in .243 with better results than i had. (each gun is unique)

when i get my 25/08 finished it will be the first powder that i try. but i have all the old standbys sitting patiently on the shelf if it does not work.

if you have any load data for 25/08 i would greatly appreciate your input.

arky65

Sea-during my tests I've found the 2 most accurate heads to be the 63 Sie and the Speer 50 tnt.

Have a super weekend

MD

ps- I shot my biggest bruin with the 63 (blackie that is). I called the bruin in and he got away a bit from me. I took the shot as he quartered away at 178 yds. The bullet went in just in fromt of where his love handle would be and exited his adams apple. Near as I could tell about 38" of penetration. Said bruin went about 35 yds and tipped over.

At the time I took him he was #24 in the state, I believe somewhere in the top 30 now. He was 20 and 3/16" and squared 6 1/2 ' and went right around 335 lbs. Oh yeah F&G rated him at 5 1/2 years old.