Varget, 16" barrels and lightest bullets?

Rock Knocker

Active member
I've got over a pound of varget that's been sitting around since I traded my 24" upper, I'm shooting a 16" BHW barrel now and lots of H335 with 50-53gr bullets.

I used to shoot the 69 SMKs with Varget through my longer barrel but I haven't done much testing with them in my 16"

Just looking for some new idea with this Varget. What kind of bullets are you guys using with Varget in 16" barrels?
 
I think it's too slow. If you're shooting bullets 60 grains and under there's really nothing better than benchmark. Not even close.

50s and 53s will love it.
 
I'm not planning on trying it with the low 50's, I was just wondering how low of weights have still show good results in a 16".

This AR I only use for coyotes and plinking, I took one deer with it but will never take a 223 into the woods for deer again.
 
For 62 grain bullets and heavier, Varget is my go to for all my AR's especially 16 inch barrels. For 60 grain and under nothing works better for me than Benchmark, like stated already above. Decent groups with 55 grain bullets and Varget but Benchmark does better with regards to both accuracy and velocity in 16" barrels.

Mort98
 
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Originally Posted By: Rock KnockerI've got over a pound of varget that's been sitting around since I traded my 24" upper, I'm shooting a 16" BHW barrel now and lots of H335 with 50-53gr bullets.

I used to shoot the 69 SMKs with Varget through my longer barrel but I haven't done much testing with them in my 16"

Just looking for some new idea with this Varget. What kind of bullets are you guys using with Varget in 16" barrels?

Twist rate?
 
Varget is a little slow for even the 69's. You might get 2600 fps depending on actual case capacity. CFE223 might be a better fit for the heavies. And if you are shooting anything over 4-500 yards I would take advantage of the 1-8" twist and shoot the heavies.
 
Originally Posted By: coyotezapperVarget is a little slow for even the 69's. You might get 2600 fps depending on actual case capacity. CFE223 might be a better fit for the heavies. And if you are shooting anything over 4-500 yards I would take advantage of the 1-8" twist and shoot the heavies.


Varget is faster on Hodgdon's burn rate chart. The big difference between the two will be loading densities. You can get more CFE223 in a case, than you can Varget. If all factors are the same Varget should give higher velocity. Varget will also have higher chamber pressure using equal amounts of both CFE and Varget.
 
I've got some CFE223 sitting around also, I tested it with some 53grn Vmaxs and groups were so bad on the first test that I just haven't gotten around to doing any more testing with it. Never thought of trying CFE with the 69 SMKs.
 
Originally Posted By: R JohnsonOriginally Posted By: coyotezapperVarget is a little slow for even the 69's. You might get 2600 fps depending on actual case capacity. CFE223 might be a better fit for the heavies. And if you are shooting anything over 4-500 yards I would take advantage of the 1-8" twist and shoot the heavies.


Varget is faster on Hodgdon's burn rate chart. The big difference between the two will be loading densities. You can get more CFE223 in a case, than you can Varget. If all factors are the same Varget should give higher velocity. Varget will also have higher chamber pressure using equal amounts of both CFE and Varget.

Yes, good points. A QL example shows Varget to have much higher chamber pressures with similar loads, which correlates with the faster burn rate of Varget as you stated. With a case capacity of 28.8 grains which is 100% fill, Varget is 22.4 grains (100% fill) at 2466 fps 43K pressure in a 16" bbl. For CFE223 its 25.8 grains (100% fill) 2742 fps 54.9K. CFE223 at 22.4 grains, to compare to Varget is 2336 fps and 35K pressure.
 
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