Who has used Varget in a Garand? I have a 7.62 Garand and have shot RL 15 in it but am getting ready to load Varget for 5.56 and on the bottle it seems that ther is a load for almost an rifle round. I will also be getting a CMP Garand soon I hope so .30-06 answers are appreciated.

I haven't used Varget in a Garand but it makes a VERY accurate T/C Encore 30/06 load.

I have not used Varget in a Garand, but I regularly load it in my 308 with SUPER results.

http://www.exteriorballistics....ics/gasgunreload.cfm

This might be of some help.

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http://www.exteriorballistics....ics/gasgunreload.cfm

Read carefully the part about powder suitability. The Garand is very sensitive to powder burn rate. Use a powder outside the appropriate burn rate and goodbye operating rod. As the article points out IMR 4895 and IMR 4064 are the standard powders in a Garand. I've never used Varget so I can't say where it falls in relative burn rate.

LWD

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Originally posted by LWD:

quote:

http://www.exteriorballistics....ics/gasgunreload.cfm

As the article points out IMR 4895 and IMR 4064 are the standard powders in a Garand. I've never used Varget so I can't say where it falls in relative burn rate.

LWD

Burn Rate Chart

Regards,
hm

quote:

Originally posted by LWD:

quote:

http://www.exteriorballistics....ics/gasgunreload.cfm

Read carefully the part about powder suitability. The Garand is very sensitive to powder burn rate. Use a powder outside the appropriate burn rate and goodbye operating rod. As the article points out IMR 4895 and IMR 4064 are the standard powders in a Garand. I've never used Varget so I can't say where it falls in relative burn rate.

LWD

Varget is close enough to use in the M1, in fact many other powders work equally well. Just stay off the max loads. Hornady has a section on service rifle loads. FWIW, I have used Varget in my M1 w/ 168gr match bullets, works fine.

Thanks for the inputs. Great burn rate chart. I added it to favorites and have to print it for the wall. I'll put some results up when I get the bench together.

I have always heard from M1 target shooters that you should not uses powders slower than IMR4064 in a M1 because of high gas port pressures. Varget is one step faster than
4064 on four Burn Rate charts that I just looked at. Go for it.

When I was shooting Garand '06 @ 1,2, and 300 yards, I ran a series with IMR 4895, IMR 4064, and Varget using M-2 ball and 147 grain Nato ball. I endeded up selecting Varget at the same powder charge for both bullets as it gave equivalent groups.

I noticed your listing Eastern North Carolina for a location. If your near Moyock or north-east NC, Norfolk County Rifle Range is hosting a High Power Match at Blackwater on the 28th of February. www.ncrr.net

What is your 06 load?

I tried Varget in one match M1a, and got case head separations. That told me that powder was marginally too slow for 30 caliber gas guns.

What works in the M1a will work in the Garand. And what does not work in one, will not work well in the other.

Varget is an excellent bolt gun powder.

The powder series you should use in a 7.62/30-06 Garand is IMR 4895/H4895/AA2495. IMR 4895 was the powder used by the military for National Match ammunition. It is the best choice for a Garand type mechanism.

The faster powder to use is IMR 3031. The slowest is IMR 4064. Any of these powders will do well, but the 4895 types throw better.

For a 308 Garand, don’t push 150 grain bullets faster than 2700 fps, 168 grain bullets should stay around 2550-2600 fps.

I have used a load of a 168 SMK 41.0-41.5 grs IMR 4895 LC cases, CCI #34 for years in these guns. Shoots great.

What ever you do, buy a Wilson type cartridge headspace gage and size your brass to gage minimum. Prime by hand and inspect to ensure that all primers are below the case head. Do not use Federal primers as they are too sensitive, I recommend using CCI#34 primers as they are about the least sensitive primers you can find. You do not want a slamfire, in battery or out of battery. The 7.62 Garands were the most slamfiring of the Garand mechanisms out there. It was a combination of the long 30-06 firing pin, and a faster bolt return.

I aquired a CMP Garand recently and worked up some Varget and 165 BTSP's. Around 55 grains in an HXP case shows some promise. Works great in my bolt gun with more of a charge.

I do have an adjustable gas plug but have been told it is not needed when using Varget.

Do you think Varget is better with 150's rather than 165's?

Powder burn rates can be confusing to some people ,as they are guide lines and change especially

between manufactures !. Meaning watch out nothing is written in stone .


http://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html


http://www.scribd.com/doc/2499...un-Powder-Burn-Rates


http://home.hiwaay.net/~stargate/powder/powder.htm

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Varget is close enough to use in the M1, in fact many other powders work equally well. Just stay off the max loads. Hornady has a section on service rifle loads. FWIW, I have used Varget in my M1 w/ 168gr match bullets, works fine.

Good advice !.