Barnes Triple Shock .223 70 grain with Varget?

bisley

I may have screwed up in a recent purchase of Barnes Triple Shock .223 70 grains, by not looking first at the load data. Barnes does not list a Varget load for the 70 grain. I have 16 lbs of Varget, so that's what I really want to use. From what I gather (from googling other sites), the solid copper bullet may be longer than a typical 70 gr., and since this is for an AR, I need to load magazine length. This may be a compressed load, which I try to avoid since I don't use a chrony. I typically start at a minimum load and go up a half grain at a time, and stop when I find the most precise grouping before reaching the maximum recommended charge.

The consensus seems to be that Varget is OK past 25 grains, but I would like to hear that from somebody here, if anybody has direct experience. Else, I will just get some H 4895, which is listed.

I will be using it in a 20" heavy barrel, 1:8, RRA lower w/DPMS .223 upper. My most precise load so far has been with Hornady Match 68 grain - I forget the charge, but I'm thinking it was 25.0 of Varget. It crunches the Varget a bit, but is not considered a compressed load.

PS: I also bought some Winchester 64 gr. Power Points, so opinions on that are also welcome.

Pegasus

I've never used the 70gr Barnes, but I have loaded the 75gr Swift Scirocco to magazine length.

The bullet database shows the 70g TSXBT to be 1.03 inch in length and the 75gr Scirocco to be 1.085 inch. I use 24gr of Varget to load the Swift. It is compressed.

Use a long drop tube, or just lightly knock the filled cartridge on the table several times before seating the bullet. That should help pack the powder.

bisley

I finally did find a Barnes Reloading Manual #4 recommended load for the 70 gr that shows 24.5 as a maximum load, with 22.5 as a minimum.

Likely, I'll start at 23 grains and hope to find a sweet spot before 24.5.

Thanks for your response, Pegasus. I'll be more comfortable with that info.

bisley

There aren't a lot of recipes out there for 64 grain PPs. I bought these because they were cheap and supposed to be good, too - just in case I hate the Triple Shocks.

orchidman

Have you checked out the ADI load guide. You call it Varget over there. The powder you are looking at is AR2208.

http://adi-limited.com/handloaders-guide/rifle.asp?Calibre=223+Remington+%285.56mm+x+45%29

Here is their list of powder equivalents....... http://adi-limited.com/handloaders-guide/equivalents.asp

bisley

orchidman wrote: »

Have you checked out the ADI load guide. You call it Varget over there. The powder you are looking at is AR2208.

http://adi-limited.com/handloaders-guide/rifle.asp?Calibre=223+Remington+%285.56mm+x+45%29

Here is their list of powder equivalents....... http://adi-limited.com/handloaders-guide/equivalents.asp

No, I had not, but I have it bookmarked, now. Thanks.

I don't have anything else that matches up, but the AR2208 equivalent to Varget is showing a max load of 26 grains, so that would seem to give me some cushion, if I want to ease up over the 24.5 grain max I'm looking at. However, they don't list a COAL, which matters, since I will be loading to fit the AR magazine. I suspect the suggested loads in this chart are all for bolt action rifles, since the velocities are all for 24" barrels. Also, the description of the AR2208 says it is a 'fine grained' ball powder, which Varget is definitely not. So, I think the chart may only be comparing burn rates.

Even the 68 grainers I'm loading at 25 grains of Varget are 'crunching' on the powder when I seat the bullet, because of its 'stick' configuration. So, 25 grains of AR2208 might not be a compressed load, whereas the same charge of Varget may be. Hmmm, I think I'll stay below 24.5.