Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters IMR-4320 or Varget

Dusted off my .338-06 for carry this year. In re-visiting two articles:

- Hunting with the .338-06 by Steve Timm; Handloader 109
- The .338-06 - A power house among standard cartridges by Nick Harvey; Guns Australia

Both articles praise IMR-4320 as a top all-around performer. While I don't have any 4320, I do have 2-lbs of Varget and I see these two are very close on burn rate charts.

What are your experiences/thoughts on Varget verses IMR-4320 in the .338-06? Reasonable to substitute one for the other? Bullets to be used are 200g CTBT and 225g AB.

Thanks

My 338-06 loves 4320 and 200's and 225's but Varget, RL15, 4064,4895 performed about the same with some small differences in velocity and accuracy. Don't know about your rifle but mine is not to choosey about powders.

Yeah Varget would be my choice over 4320. Hodgdon lists numbers for ya on their site.

I had great results from RS-Hunter on 225s & heavier in mine.

Great cartridge! Good luck!

I realize that I am swimming upstream, but IMR4320 has been one of my favorite powders for more than 50 years. I have used it successfully in .220 Swift, .22-250, .243, .244, and .30-06. It meters well, and has been very accurate in my rifles.

HighRoad,

IMR4320 works very well in the .338-06 (as well as other cartridges from the .22-250 on up), but since you've already got Varget I'd try that before trying to find some 4320. It's pretty hard to come by right now.

Varget is also one of those very flexible powders, and is more temperature-resistant than 4320. Based on its burn-rate and many fine results with other rounds, I'd bet it will work very well in the .338-06.

Rel 15 is my favorite

For case filling with 225,"two grains faster than 4350 and four grains slower than 4064" . In the days when you could get powders, that's what I came up with. Big Game was perfect. Since loads are not as common as the parent case, I went with a max of 2650 for a 225.

Thanks for the input everyone -- I'll see what I can work up with Varget.

My 23" Hart doted on 4320, 2670/225 PT, did 2900+ w 200 BT
215 did 2790

My best speed/accuracy was using 4320.

Brass WW, partial sized, std primer.

1/2 MOA all day long

Oh no, not another of those famous 1/2 MOA all day Campfire rifles!?

JB,

It was a Great shooter, till the bolt handle fell off after the first shot fired upon returning from hunt in Colorado. Someone else owns it now as I could never trust it again, but indeed it would wad up 3 shots every time at 100, and repeatedly did 1.25 at 200 yds. Had a 6x42 on it, 2.5-8x, and in CO a 1.5-6x 4200.

JB - lets just say everytime I fired groups, it routinely shot small groups using 4320. It did not like H414. It was a stiff barrel.

But to your point, sure, I never shot it ALL DAY, in any session

this is a trick question? an IMR powder or Varget and you have got the varget!

Imr4320 has always been a great universal powder for me. It worked quite well in my 225 Winchester. It has also given excellent results in other cartridges.

I have some Varget but have yet to use it.

Lemme guess - a Remmy?