Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Varget And/Or Benchmark?

I'm trying to decide which powder I'm going to try next. I'v been looking at load data and I'm wondering, how do this two meter? Preferences for these or others? I'd rather stay away from the long extruded powders for now. The other I'm considering is BLC-(2) but that one should do OK as far as metering. I'm using Dillons powder measure on a 550B and messing with 55 & 60 gr HPs and V-Maxs.
Thanks

I got my best groups with Benchmark using a 40 grain Vmax out of a 24" barrel. Varget was OK but no contest, in my gun with that bullet.

Varget is a longer grained powder. Benchmark & BL-C2 are both more granular and meter better.

try AA2230C, under $60.00 a keg and as good as any other ball powder (BLC2). Meters well in the dillon and used by many highpower shooters.

Varget is an excellent powder but will not meter in the dillon unless you have the powder bushing milled out and polished.

Thanks guys,I picked up a lb of Benchmark yesterday and I'll give it a try this week. I'll probably give AA2230c a try a little later,as I see a lot guys swear by it and it is cheap by the keg.I read somewhere that AA recommends using 2460 load data for it.
Jeff

I've had good groups from 28 grains of Ramshot Exterminator with 35 grain Vmax's and even better with a 40 grain Vmax and 24.5 grains of 10X. You would need to work up to those charges in another firearm, of course.

Tell us how the 2230C works out. I was VERY LUCKY to discover Accurate 2200Data several years ago and hoarded all that I could find. It's gone forever but works exceptionally well in the 221,222,223, and was dirt cheap.

Benchmark will work well with the lighter grain bullets. Up to 55 gr. But as for shooting the heavier stuff 60 gr and up you'll want to go with Varget,W748,RL 15. Be careful of some of the accurate powders, they have a tendancy to be temperature sensitive. I'm using Varget and Reloader 15 for NRA matches. Varget at 200-300 short yardage and Reloader 15 at 600.

I use Varget almost exclusivly. It's my main rifle powder( 9 different calibers) It's not the fastest powder in all calibers but I have shot MOA groups in just about all rifles. I also like it in the .223 because you cant put too much in. It is also very tempature insensitave. I get the same speeds in the summer(for western Washington) and winter. It does meter well through my RCBS uniflow.
Cajun

A big warning on AA powders. I burned up a lot of powder in a year of shooting. I found that AA can vary so much from one lot to another that I'll never use AA again.

Use at your own risk and make sure you get a bunch of the same lot number.

FWIW the change I saw was in 2520 and it was a full 200 fps slower and the accuracy never was to be found again. That was a case of 32 pounds and it was sold again quickly.

KSchultz-- Big warning for you in NRA matches-- make sure when mixing Varget and RL15 that they will follow the other. I know if I do it one way( I haven't shot anything but WC852 in 200 pound kegs and VVN540/550 for years now) it will work and the other way it won't for the first few shots. You'lll scratch your head, loose points for 2-3 shots and then all will be Xs and 10s.

Best, Jeff