Varget & 65 Game Kings

soup

Member
Folks
I've been trying to find a good load for hunting yotes with my AR .
It's a 20" Krieger VarMatch 1/7.7 twist. , in .223 Wylde 3.5x10x50 VX3 DMR trigger.

It bug holes 69 Match but I don't want to use them for hunting. I loaded some Sierra 65 gr Game Kings over 25 gr. of Varget . COL 2.260 . No dice . I couldn't get a group smaller than 1 3/4 @ 100 benched . Also laddered 25.2 and 25.5 grains .

I know it likes the longer bullets but I thought I could get the 65s to group.

Anyone with personal knowledge on this subject I would appreciate your help

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Semper Fi
Soup
 
I believe this is over book or near max load so proceed to this with extreme caution. My best load has been 26.2 gr Varget and 65 gr GK's at a COL of 2.24". This gets me repeatable .5 MOA groups if I do my part. Try shortening your COL. The 65 gr game kings seem to like a longer jump. I shoot a 16" 1/8 twist Wylde chambered barrel (AR platform). The harder I pushed the 65gr GK's the better they did with regards to accuracy. As a note I can feel a slight "crunch" when seating the bullets with this loading. 25 grs of Varget was giving me 1.75ish groups too with 25.5 grs I was getting 1.5ish groups. I stopped at 26.2 grs because I was happy with .5 MOA for a hunting load.

Mort98


 
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I'm using the 55 sgk for fox and yotes and 65 sgk for deer. 25 gr of 8208 with 55's give me 3100 fps with a 20" 8 twist and the best groups. My load for the 65's is 25.3 gr of varget but it does not group as well. I will be working with the 65's because think they are a good bullet for bigger size game.
 
I got great accuracy with 24.5gs of h4895 and cci 450s. I then worked up to 25gs and it was not as good but good enough to hunt with. Also you have what should be a excellent barrel so you should do as good if not better than my factory RRA barrel. Good luck!!
 
I used a heavy charge of CFE223 with the 65gr GMK and they did good. Used them on hogs for awhile.
H4895 did well with them also.
This is out of a 18" 8 twist and a 16" 7 twist.
 
And yes those bullets work great on deer. I wouldnt try to bust the shoulders especally at close range. But those bullets will kill deer very well with the proper shot placement. I used them for the first time last year and got two with no probs at all.
 
Folks

Besides Varget I've also got a full jug of CFE 223 .

I'm open to suggestions with either powder . But I want to try to make these 65s work .

Thank you
SemperFi
Soup
 
I have had good luck with the cfe 223 also. I cant remember my load right off but it worked good. I use it mostly now for the 55g nbt but it did work good with the 65g sgk.
 
Soup, Why don't you call Sierra Ballistic Techs and see if they can help you with a load or certain powders. I've always found them to be very helpful. 800-223-8799. M-F. 8-8 CST.
 
Originally Posted By: yotekiller47Soup, Why don't you call Sierra Ballistic Techs and see if they can help you with a load or certain powders. I've always found them to be very helpful. 800-223-8799. M-F. 8-8 CST.

You can also send them an email with your questions, and they will usually send you back the load data.

sierra@sierrabullets.com
 
Rifle dependant of course but I would try for a little over 25.5gr of varget. Ultimately varget might burn too slow for that light of a bullet and short of a barrel.
 
Mine puts 68 & 69 grain bullets with 25.3 Varget into .5". The 68's are Hornady # 2278 and the 69's are Sierra # 1380. They are both match bullets. They work on chucks but I don't know how they would perform on coyotes.
 
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I looked at my notes last night and looks like i used Tac with the 65 GMK for a little while. H4895 Grouped the best but CFE223 had the higher velocity with out loosing most its accuracy.
 
Folks
I sent Sierra an email last night . They replied with a question I just answered , and I asked if they had any data on the 65s with Varget . I'll wait to see what they come back with
Soup
 
Fellow shooters,
I got an email from Sierra and they were kind enough to send me their data on .223 in a PDF . It doesn't even list Varget as a powder for the 65s , so I've got some options and some new game plans to come up with . The tech did say some of his buddies use it with success. I've got a full jug to Varget and also CFE223 , but I use the Varget in the 69 Match bullets . VV 130 is listed and I've a 2 pounder of that also so back to the drawing board.

If anyone has a formula please PM me .

Thank you all for your time and consideration.

SemperFi

Soup
 
I know that the sierra folks know what they are doing but it seems odd that they show loads for AR's with 55 and 60 gr and 69 and 77 gr with varget but not the 65's.
 
Originally Posted By: whyit seems odd that they show loads for AR's with 55 and 60 gr and 69 and 77 gr with varget but not the 65's.

Is that 65 grain bullet a new or newer bullet? If it is maybe they did not get around to developing loads for it.
 
The 5th edition of their manual lists it on the same page as the 63 grain ,in fact right under it , but they caution you to use a 1/10 twist or faster with the 65
Soup
 
It's not a new bullet.if I recall, I was leaning on them a smidge with 26.0gns of varget in Ww brass. Only shot one coyote with them, but he went down like a puppet had his strings cut. Great little bullet.
 
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