Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Varget & 155 scenar help

Shot some rounds and here is my results. At 47g varget I saw no pressure signs, however it is compressed load. Should I try to go up some more or settle in at 47 and play with seating depth. Gun is Tikka T3 308. What I really need to do is chronograph it and see what the velocity string is but dont have one.

47 gr's is THE book load with a 150 (you're shooting a 155). Can't see any reason to go over, especially given that group. You can certainly play with seating depth, though I'm not sure why at this point.

I'd go shoot three more groups @ 47gr's and see if the original group result holds up. If not, then play with seating depth.

Hard to discuss powder charges without some velocity data, but 45.8 grains of Varget in SRP Lapua brass gets me to 3030 fps in my Palma rifle (155 Berger Hybrid) and I don't see a need for compressing that powder.

2.800 is pretty short for that bullet. I assume you have a Mag length constraint. I would recommend trying a bullet jump of 0.010" or 0.005" if possible with your Scenars.

Varget varies quite a bit lot to lot as well.

Yup, I would like to know velocities/barrel length.

That's what I'd do also. And f it turns out to be within 50fps of what's considered normal, don't sweat the velocity. Just shoot it.

No not limited to mag length. I have a LA bolt stop and mags for my Tikka. I just read and went through all the info i could find on the web and most were loading to 2.825" to 2.800" which still would be within SA mag length. I'm 2.880" to the lands with the 155 scenar.

The hogdon Load Data for the 155 Sierra palma is 2.775", however I do know that the scenar is longer. Thus me asking. I'll work on some chrono info.

That's good news. The Scenars really like to be up close to the lands.

Just curious, what OAL is offered with the LA bolt stop and mag swap?

I can't remember the exact length of my LA mag however, even at 2.880" which hit my lands, I would still be well within mag length of the LA mag.

Good to know. I hear others doing the bolt stop / mag swap but wasn't sure what degree of OAL latitude it yields.

I guess I am the odd man out (not the first time) but I would go with the 45 gr load and play with seating. It is more round and the 47 has a little vertical to it.

I see what you're talking about, but I'd want more shots fired at those charge weights before drawing a conclusion.

Same here, me being me, I'd seat them 5 thou shorter and see what comes out of it. Looks like a node in the 46-47 range. While 46.5 was larger, I'd still be inclined to monkey around between 46-47 grains with the that and see what you come up with. They are easy to tune bullets. Like to see the speeds as well, but the accuracy looks great across the board.

I agree, but based on what was shown, that is the one I would pick

A chrono would be a BIG help as well

I'd be testing them at 2.860" OAL (.020" off). If you need to use a different magazine, I'd use the M+ from a 6.5 Creedmoor. That is what I'm doing with my 308w. Loading some as long as 2.920" OAL and working well. I do the same with my 7mm-08.

You and mathman are both correct. I'd want more groups fired and then you would have a better average. First thing I'd do though, is get the bullet out closer to the lands, grab a chrono and then look at group dispersion. That would be based on more groups fired, better average, resulting in a better statistical diagnosis..

He's already .080" off the lands and you would seat them shorter? I'd go just the opposite direction and start at .020" off the lands. Just me though.

Whenever I am getting 2-1 like that, I go shorter. I like to see more than 1 group like it, but if it is consistent across the board, I go shorter and it usually pulls that round into the group. Maybe not the way, but it does work decent for me. I usually start at the lands myself, so I didn't catch the 80 thou off part, I was just judging off the pics.

Based on your pictures of your three-shot groups, I would bet that if you shot each of those loads as ten-shot groups they would all be pretty much identical. I'd say pick one that has the velocity you want and run with it. Or, pick the 45 grain load to make your powder last longer, if you're hurting for powder. That's a round about way of saying "nice groups" and, "pick one". Personally, in my opinion, based on how good your groups are in the photo, seating depth is probably not going to matter much. It looks like you are there. Like I said, that's just my opinion.

No one said go shorter - said "play with seating depth." It's a two way street that goes both directions...

I did, so I imagine he's talking to me. With what he has, depending on which part of hunting season he is in, I'd rather be hunting, than worrying about tightening up an already killer load

I too liked the "cluster" of 45g, but when I was shooting I had them loaded so went what the hell and noticed 47. By not having a chrono (which I'm about to get one it seems), I decided with the presumed highest velocity charge.

I do see and I think I understand the 45g and the 46.5g as more of cluster than a vertical string. I would assume the vertical string is a sign of velocity changes? Faster charges would shoot higher?

Oh, and my mags are L, and measure 3.370". So loading to the lands in my Tikka is 2.880" COAL so I'm good to try anything.
At 2.835" the bottom of the boattail is at the shoulder joint to case. At 2.860" seated further out just seems not alot of bearing surface. But wth do I know. Ha.

Scotty said to go shorter. I guess you didn't catch that.. When loading anything, you need to start at the start. That is closer to the lands. The op is .080" off right now. I've loaded scenars a lot closer than that myself.. The op's loads and shooting seems to be consistent, which is great. At this point, arguing which one is better is a moot point, as he needs to shoot more, like I said in an earlier post. More groups and more shots per group, will tell the real story..

Beretzs,
When you mean shorter, you mean longer COAL and closer to lands?

Not necessarily.

This was along what I was thinking. I wouldn't worry about the seating depth.

Buy/borrow a chrono and see what you can't see without it. Shoot the same loads in groups of 3, and compare the second groups to the original, consider the new velocity data, and go from there.

All that said, I'm a generic load fan. If it's at MOA or under consistently, and it will do it from different rifles, I'll take that load over two different .5 MOA loads for two different rifles.

Yup, missed that BSA

Aside, to the OP, do yourself a favor - in the age of $100 chronographs please ask for one for Christmas. It's one of the most important tools in safe handloading, and is a huge part of the overall load equation:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1022289790?pid=919444

Great suggestion Brad.