I'm trying to get started loading for my .375. Has anyone used Varget with the Hornady 300gr Interlock and how did that work out?

TIA

Wow RIP! Your a better man than I Gunga Din!
I loaded up 62 Grns of RL-15 behind a 260 Grain Nosler. I got 2490-2500 out of my Safari Express! Geez! Plenty too stiff for me!

YOU DA MAN, again!

From your favorite recoil wuss!

Rusty

RIP. . RIP?
He was just here, really!

Rick,
As I remember about 60 grns will give you just over 2300 and 63 grns about 2409.

I'd start at 60 and work up.

not the Hornady Interlock

but Hodgdon's data:

300 GR. Sierra SPBT

Hodgdon Varget .375" 3.600"

58.0 2345 45,200 CUP

62.0 2454 49,300 CUP

Rusty,
I saw RIP's post. He must have decided to consult his reloading records.
I'm looking for a good 2,500 fps load that works in Tanzania or Alaska.

Thanks for the info because the manuals are all over the place.

What happened was that I realized I was talking about RL-15 instead of Varget,
and Varget is what was asked about.
So, as you were:
Yes, 72 grains of RL-15 is perfect with every 300-grainer I ever tried in the .375 H&H, giving 2500 to 2550 fps with all.
And I still have that "braggin' target" to scan and post,
showing sub-0.5-MOA for 3 shots at 100 meters
with the old Hornady steel-jacketed FMJ .375/300-grainer.

As for the Varget: I would work up to 73 grains from 10% below,
using those Hornady 300-grain RNSP Interlokts.

Oh yeah,
gotta use ww brass(winchester) as it is greater capacity,
for top results,
and I used Federal GM215M primers.
COL: 3.600".

In the 404 Jeffery, I found that 400-grain Woodleighs could be gotten up to 2400 fps by either

80 grains of RL-15

or

81 grains of Varget

May your powder lot be a good one, like mine.
BTW,
I shot all my plains game in Botswana with 72 grains of RL-15 behind 300-grain Barnes X Bullets.

DuggaBoye and RIP,

Thanks for the info, Hodgdon's max for the Sierra 300gr SPBT is quite a bit less than Hornady's data for the 300gr RN and I'm curious if the difference is a result of bullet shape or attorney influence.

RIP, I had faith you'd come back with some good stuff.

I haven't used any of the Reloader powders, sounds like RL15 might be a good place to start.

As soon as they get off their duff and get some data out, it will be found that RE17 will be the "go to" powder for 300 gr or heavier in the 375HH

NFMike,
Yep,
76 grains of RL-17 ought to give about 2600 fps with most 300-grainers in the .375 H&H.

Here is that braggin' target:



And the Barnes data that, as usual, over-estimates the velocity by 100 fps or more:
(note the * indicates most accurate powders)

I am a great proponent of Varget in the 404 Jeffery and anything else ...
except in the .375 H&H, where I have had such superb results with RL-15, that I do not want to switch ...
I see no reason to try anything else.
OK, Varget may have less temperature sensitivity,
but RL-15 ain't bad.
If Varget is 0.5 fps per degree F,
and RL-15 is 1.0 fps per degree F,
well, I can tolerate the RL-15 just fine, just like the US Army snipers do ...

If you figure up an RL-5 dose in this range, add one grain to get the equivalent Varget dose (Varget is one RCH slower, ta, da).

Go over to the REAL GUNS . There will be a recent article wherein the moderator/Kahuna put a Blaser R-8 through its paces. One of the supplied barrels was in .375 H&H Magnum. He tested North Fork SS bullets and came up with Varget loads for the 250 grain, 270 grain, 300 grain and even that weird 350 grain North Fork SS bullet. His list of charge weights for each projectile were well within the ball park.

Blaser barrels have the free-bore that we all love and admire. If you have a tight chamber, drop the listed charge weights and RCH or two.

No sense wasting your powder, time and shoulder to start from page one. This is basically an "if it will fit, it will fly" powder and cartridge combination.

Hi Rip

RIP,
I'd have kept that target for braggin rights too.

Mr Dart,

Thanks for the info, I normally keep quite a bit of Varget around so it's nice when a new ctg will work with it.

I made it to the range yesterday with the rifle and fired loads up to 68.0gr of Varget with the Hornady bullet in R-P brass with no pressure signs in 90degree weather.

Previously I had loaded some 270gr Interlocks with W760 and gotten excellent accuracy, and the 300gr/Varget combo looks like it will work just as well.

quote:

As soon as they get off their duff and get some data out, it will be found that RE17 will be the "go to" powder for 300 gr or heavier in the 375HH

Mike,

The long range guys are noticing that a lot of H4350 and H4381 users are switching to RL-17. I am having better than good results with it.

LD

Hi Bro' Dart!
Hope you and yours are well!

Yep,
H4350 and H4831 (LC & SC) are my favorite two (or three) powders for the medium-slow applications.
I am now adding RL-17 to that category.
RL-17 works wonders in the 12GaFH 3.85".
thanks to Ed Hubel for getting us started with RL-17, as soon as I could find it on the dealer shelf.
I expect that it will work wonders in the 20 Ga Hellboy 3.5" also, whenever I get around to it.

RL-15 and Varget are my two favorite "medium fast" powders.
I agree with your assessment:
Add one grain to the RL-15 charge to get the Varget charge for the "375 to 404" class, then fine tune.

I went to the range yesterday and shot my 375H&H Merkel double with 65 grains, 67 grains and 69 grains of RL-15 and the Barnes TSX 300 grain bullet. With 69 grains I averaged 2420. Should I expect less volocity from my double than from a bolt gun? Might I do better with the Varget?

RGH,
67-grain RL-15 >>> 2420 fps with 300-grainer
converts to expected:

72-grain RL-15 >>> 2545 fps with same 300-gainers,
all in 24" barrels ...

That is very fast!
The Barnes manual is BS on velocities, quite often, so go by your chronograph instead!!!

Sounds like your Merkel is as tight in the groove as any CIP or SAAMI bolt action.
Not slow! Perfect!

Whatever duplicates the factory regulation load best is what you want.
I think a lot of factory .375 H&H/300-grain ammo shoots right around 2450 fps in a 24" barrel.

You are certainly in the ballpark.
The slight differences between RL-15 and Varget may be the edge you need to make those angels dance on that pinhead.

Varget or RL-15?
Ginger or Maryanne?

Fine tune it to shoot both barrels parallel to infinity,
then tell us the load specifics and chronographed velocity ... for posterity.

I've been using 300 gr Swift A Frames in my.375 to get ready for an upcoming Buff hunt.

I have been getting 2550-2575 with 78 gr H4350 with sub MOA accuracy.

I have been getting 2625-50 fps with 78gr RL17 and also getting sub MOA accuracy.

These loads are right at max so be careful but I've got no pressure signs on either and accuracy is better at those loads than with reduced charges.

I use IMR4350 of course I get all of this powder
in the shell that I can get into it. and those bullets really move 2348fps for the 300gr bullet
2668fps for the 270gr bullet.I have the rifle Zeroed at 150yds