Need some advice about Varget

[mugsie]

I'm shooting a savage bolt in .223, 1:9 twist. I'm using 69g HPBT Nosler bulets over 25.5g of Varget. They are incredibly accurate, but yesterday I had a case split in the chamber (maybe one too many reloads I'm sure) and when firing today I noticed the primers were cratered. I looked at yesterdays barss and they too had cratered primers. I wouldn't think 25.5g of Varget was too hot for the 69g, and I'll drop it down to 25 or even 24.5 in the future, but is anyone shooting 69g bullets with Varget? If so, what load are you using.

Thanks for the help.

[Hylander]

Where was thew split ?
Any Pics of the Primers ?

[dcloco]

What ambient temperature did you work up this load in? Humidity? What was the temp/humidity yesterday?

Did you change dies? crimping?

Change lots of powder?

[privateer]

I have had good luck with 69 gr Sierra Match Kings (HPBT) and 24.1 gr of Varget. I just loaded some with 25.3 gr of Varget that I have not had a chance to try yet. I'll be sure to check my primers after I do.

[82boy]

I have noticed it, as well as other have reported, that some of the newer lots of Varget are hoter than the past lots. When I have shot 68/69 gr bullets in a 223 I found that 24.5 to 25 grs of Varget was where I had best luck.

[thehouseproduct]

I actually have 26.1 under the 69gr SMK. No pressure signs.

[PBinWA]

I shot some Varget through my .223 this weekend. I worked up 20 rounds through the range and noticed that the primers were flattening out from the mid-point on. I too think the most current batch of Varget may be hotter than previous. I don't have the load data with me right now.

[steveinwv]

26.0 and no pressure signs on Rem 7-1/2 primers. I shot 7 separate groups at 300 and 400 yards this past Saturday. The best was .252MOA at 400yds and the worst was .703MOA at 300yds. Everything else was in between. Factory FCP-K.

[dolomite_supafly]

I use 24.5 grains of Varget under the 69 SMK. My OAL is 2.43" though, not the specified length. I use CCI 400's and Remington 7.5's. I get no pressure signs from this load.

You might consider annealing your cases to extend their life. I am thinking the split was in the case neck because that is where I would get some case neck splits when I had too many loads on my brass without annealing.

Cratered primers are one but not the only indication of pressure. Hard extraction, pierced primers, loose primer pockets are also signs of excessive pressure. I have had primers flow so bad that you could barely see where the primer started and the case ended. That was an extreme overpressure but it was another indication of excessive pressure.

Dolomite

[kslefty]

One other thing no one has mentioned. 25gr. of varget may be fine in Win. or Rem. brass and can be way too hot in military brass such as Lake City. I had the same type problem with my H322 loads with the light bullets.