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• Big Chief Senior Member Posts: 32,995 Senior Member

  January 2015 #2

  I use Varget/BLC-2/H-4895 lots of choices. If you want to stretch your reloading dollar buy one like Varget that can be used in the .223 and others as well.
  
  I found a jug of AA 2200 surplus Data Powder in my garage. It was being developed for military calibers, then stopped for a few years and now reintroduced as AA 2200. So I'm loading some .223 and .308 with it, it may or may not the best choice in both calibers, I dunno, but they say use their data fer 2200 or the label on the jug and limited data on a website.
  
  Not the best fer semi autos and cycling, rather fast powder.

  It's only true if it's on this forum where opinions are facts and facts are opinions
  Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
  I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!

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• gator Senior Member Posts: 1,746 Senior Member

  January 2015 #3

  I was thinking about Varget.......thanks.

  USMC 80-84
  -96 lbs

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• Big Chief Senior Member Posts: 32,995 Senior Member

  January 2015 #4

  gator wrote: »

  I was thinking about Varget.......thanks.

  
  Many applications fer Varget and for me it has never been a bad choice. Sorta like the Unique for rifle calibers.

  It's only true if it's on this forum where opinions are facts and facts are opinions
  Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
  I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!

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• jbohio Senior Member Posts: 5,589 Senior Member

  January 2015 #5

  CFE 223 is working well for me with 168 A max. Under .5", and velocity is outstanding.
  
  It's similar to Varget, in that it works well in a range of cartridges, but, CFE meters like water. And, really does erase copper.

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• gator Senior Member Posts: 1,746 Senior Member

  January 2015 #6

  Thanks jb

  USMC 80-84
  -96 lbs

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• gator Senior Member Posts: 1,746 Senior Member

  January 2015 #7

  Looking at my book I see no powders that work in .223/.308 as well as .444 marlin which is the other I plan on loading for.....but that will be a whole nother discussion.

  USMC 80-84
  -96 lbs

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• Big Chief Senior Member Posts: 32,995 Senior Member

  January 2015 #8

  jbohio wrote: »

  CFE 223 is working well for me with 168 A max. Under .5", and velocity is outstanding.
  
  It's similar to Varget, in that it works well in a range of cartridges, but, CFE meters like water. And, really does erase copper.

  
  I'll have to try some CFE, heard nothing but good things about it.

  It's only true if it's on this forum where opinions are facts and facts are opinions
  Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
  I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!

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• Jayhawker Moderator Posts: 17,020 Senior Member

  January 2015 #9

  Varget...works well in .308 based cartridges....actually use it in everything from .223 to .45-70...

  Sharps Model 1874 - "The rifle that made the west safe for Winchester"

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• JasonMPD Senior Member Posts: 6,557 Senior Member

  January 2015 #10

  4064, H4895, Varget, Benchmark....

  “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers

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• NCFUBAR Senior Member Posts: 4,324 Senior Member

  January 2015 #11

  Another for Varget but when it was hard to find I did use H4895 and it did a great job.

  “The further a society drifts from truth ... the more it will hate those who speak it."
  - George Orwell

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• gator Senior Member Posts: 1,746 Senior Member

  January 2015 #12

  Thanks all.....I'll most likely look for some Varget...

  USMC 80-84
  -96 lbs

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• knitepoet Senior Member Posts: 21,281 Senior Member

  January 2015 #13

  gator wrote: »

  Looking at my book I see no powders that work in .223/.308 as well as .444 marlin which is the other I plan on loading for.....but that will be a whole nother discussion.

  444 is close enough to the 45-70 in capacity, I can assure you that you can use H4895 in both the 308 & 444. Is it optimal for the 444? Probably not, but if limiting the number of powders you have on hand is important, there aren't many rifle rounds you can't get a safe load for using H4895 (notice I said {and bolded} "safe" and not "optimal" )
  
  I've used H4895 (plus Varget & TAC) in everything from 223 to 45-70.
  
  The only rifle I load for that hasn't had any of those 3 powders down the bore is my 50 Beowulf. It has such a huge expansion ratio compared to its case capacity that it needs a much faster powder (Li'l Gun, H110, Reloader 7)
  
  edited to add: Just checked Hodgdon's website and they list data for the 444 with both Varget & H4895

  Seven Habits of Highly Effective Pirates, Rule #37: There is no “overkill”. There is only “open fire” and “I need to reload”.
  
  
  

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• Ranch13 Senior Member Posts: 820 Senior Member

  January 2015 #14

  gator wrote: »

  Looking at my book I see no powders that work in .223/.308 as well as .444 marlin which is the other I plan on loading for.....but that will be a whole nother discussion.

  
  4895 would work for all three of those.
  
  748 is my favored powder for the 308.

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• JasonMPD Senior Member Posts: 6,557 Senior Member

  January 2015 #15

  Ranch13 wrote: »

  4895 would work for all three of those.
  
  748 is my favored powder for the 308.

  
  Or Varget....Reloaders 17, 19 and 22....
  
  Accurate 4064, 4895...
  
  Oodles to choose from.

  “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers

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• gator Senior Member Posts: 1,746 Senior Member

  January 2015 #16

  knitepoet wrote: »

  Just checked Hodgdon's website and they list data for the 444 with both Varget & H4895

  
  Thanks Paul

  USMC 80-84
  -96 lbs

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• gator Senior Member Posts: 1,746 Senior Member

  January 2015 #17

  Think I'll head to the LGS in Wickenburg and see what he has before I trek into Phx.

  USMC 80-84
  -96 lbs

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• tennmike Senior Member Posts: 27,444 Senior Member

  January 2015 #18

  For 150 grain bullets in the .308 I use IMR 4064 and IMR 3031. I have more of those two powders than I will ever use, and they both perform for me and my rifles, and not just the .308 Win. And the Garand loads I load are exclusively IMR 4064.

    “I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer”
  ― Douglas Adams
  

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• jaywapti Senior Member Posts: 4,975 Senior Member

  January 2015 #19

  The only .308 I load , is for my M-1 Garand , I use only IMR-4895.
  
  JAY

  THE DEFINITION OF GUN CONTROL IS HITTING THE TARGET WITH YOUR FIRST SHOT

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• Big Chief Senior Member Posts: 32,995 Senior Member

  January 2015 #20

  I tired Benchmark and it was a disappointment in my .223 loads for me in my REM 700. Was supposed to be the cats meow. Maybe I didn't give it a chance, but the same bullets grouped much better at about the same velocity (by charts) fer me using Varget. Go figure!

  It's only true if it's on this forum where opinions are facts and facts are opinions
  Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
  I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!

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• JasonMPD Senior Member Posts: 6,557 Senior Member

  January 2015 #21

  Big Chief wrote: »

  I tired Benchmark and it was a disappointment in my .223 loads for me in my REM 700. Was supposed to be the cats meow. Maybe I didn't give it a chance, but the same bullets grouped much better at about the same velocity (by charts) fer me using Varget. Go figure!

  
  I'm sure there are chemical variations, maybe, but I think Benchmark essentially is Varget with the powder granules halved in size to meter more evenly in powder dropping equipment.

  “There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.” – Will Rogers

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• olesniper Senior Member Posts: 3,763 Senior Member

  January 2015 #22

  BLC-2

  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
  I will fear no evil: For I carry a .308 and not a .270

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• sarg1c Senior Member Posts: 1,707 Senior Member

  January 2015 #23

  IMR3031, IMR4064 my favorite two for the .308..

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• sarg1c Senior Member Posts: 1,707 Senior Member

  January 2015 #24

  tennmike wrote: »

  For 150 grain bullets in the .308 I use IMR 4064 and IMR 3031. I have more of those two powders than I will ever use, and they both perform for me and my rifles, and not just the .308 Win. And the Garand loads I load are exclusively IMR 4064.

  
  I totally agree...
  
  Jay, Varget works well, but IMR3031-IMR4064 are my favorite....

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• gator Senior Member Posts: 1,746 Senior Member

  January 2015 #25

  The LGS in Wickenburg had several cans of Varget so I bought one and a brick of large rifle primers.
  
  Still rainy so I'll start to resize some brass...

  USMC 80-84
  -96 lbs

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• twa Senior Member Posts: 2,238 Senior Member

  January 2015 #26

  I prefer H4895, a very versatile powder.

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• Big Chief Senior Member Posts: 32,995 Senior Member

  January 2015 #27

  JasonMPD wrote: »

  I'm sure there are chemical variations, maybe, but I think Benchmark essentially is Varget with the powder granules halved in size to meter more evenly in powder dropping equipment.

  
  Varget is about 117 compared to Benchmark which is 95 on a list I saw, so Varget is slower burning. Don't know exactly what all that will do except just a comparison , they are much different in burn rates.
  
  I only ever tried a 1lb canister of it (Benchmark) so it may be in my future again. I just know I pass it up in favor of other powders, but can't remember precisely why except my reloads/limited experience with it were nothing to write home about.

  It's only true if it's on this forum where opinions are facts and facts are opinions
  Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
  I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!

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• Freezer Senior Member Posts: 1,783 Senior Member

  January 2015 #28

  My Savage 99 is 308 and likes 46 grains of Varget over a 165 gr Siera Game King

  I like Elmer Keith; I married his daughter

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• Gene L Senior Member Posts: 11,815 Senior Member

  January 2015 #29

  I like Varget, and also 4895. Surprisingly, 4895 works in a .222 as well. Just drop it from a long tube to case capacity. I forget the grains, but you can drop it to where it's level with the case neck and measure that. Very good.
  
  Powders, in general, are more versatile than you'd expect. Except for pistol powders, any port will work in a storm.

  Concealed carry is for protection, open carry is for attention.
  

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• bellcat Senior Member Posts: 1,898 Senior Member

  January 2015 #30

  RL 15 works best in AR10 and bolt gun I hand load

  "Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see." Mark Twain

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• Big Chief Senior Member Posts: 32,995 Senior Member

  January 2015 #31

  I'm fixin to load up some Hornady 155 grain A-Max bullets for my .308 now I know more about them thanks to Jaywapti and a phone conversation I had with him today.. He told me they were originally developed for Palma match shooters/rigs for longer distance and met the criteria standards to use them. I was curious why the box said for 1-14 twist rate or faster, well my Savage twist rate is faster, so I'll give them a shot, so to speak.
  
  I may use Varget, that AA 2200 Data Powder or some AA 2230 I got from a forum member last SE Shoot begging to be used up.
  
  One one hand they are nice bullets and I think I should use a powder that has given me good results in the past, but OTOH something I've never used in .308 before sounds appealing too.

  It's only true if it's on this forum where opinions are facts and facts are opinions
  Words of wisdom from Big Chief: Flush twice, it's a long way to the Mess Hall
  I'd rather have my sister work in a whorehouse than own another Taurus!

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