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overthere · January 24, 2013, 06:41 PM

I have used Varget with Wolf magnum small rifle primers in my 223 bolt action (1-9) with a variety of bullets including:

- Hornady FMJ 55 gr
- Hornady SP 55 gr
- Berger Target 55 gr
- Hornady 68 gr Match
- Sierra MK 53 gr
- Sierra MK 69 gr
- Hornady Z-max 50 gr

For all these, accuracy has decreased over 24 grains of varget for the lighter bullets. The best results I have had is with the Hornady Match 68gr bullets with 23 grains and 25 grains (worse results below, in between and above that load).

For the 55 gr bullets the best accuracy in my rifle is around 24 grains.

27.5 grains for a 55 gr bullet sounds like an awful lot. Hodgdon's site does show 27.5 as the max for one of the 55 gr bullets they list (55 GR. SPR SP) but 24.0 and 25.1 as the max for two other 55 gr bullets. Do you have a load data source that specifically lists 27.5gr as the max load for the Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet you are using?

January 24, 2013, 06:41 PM	#13
overthere Senior Member Join Date: July 20, 2012 Posts: 290	I have used Varget with Wolf magnum small rifle primers in my 223 bolt action (1-9) with a variety of bullets including: - Hornady FMJ 55 gr - Hornady SP 55 gr - Berger Target 55 gr - Hornady 68 gr Match - Sierra MK 53 gr - Sierra MK 69 gr - Hornady Z-max 50 gr For all these, accuracy has decreased over 24 grains of varget for the lighter bullets. The best results I have had is with the Hornady Match 68gr bullets with 23 grains and 25 grains (worse results below, in between and above that load). For the 55 gr bullets the best accuracy in my rifle is around 24 grains. 27.5 grains for a 55 gr bullet sounds like an awful lot. Hodgdon's site does show 27.5 as the max for one of the 55 gr bullets they list (55 GR. SPR SP) but 24.0 and 25.1 as the max for two other 55 gr bullets. Do you have a load data source that specifically lists 27.5gr as the max load for the Nosler Ballistic Tip bullet you are using?