Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles 35 Whelen and Varget

Anybody worked with this combination that would care to share their results?
Been thinking about trialing this for a couple of years, as everyone who has worked with Varget seems to fall in love with the stuff.
I bought a pound earlier today and will run it thru my Whelens in my continuing search for the perfect load.
FWIW, I trialed RL15 and experienced pressure spikes in certain combinations, tho' accuracy was very good.
My "go to" load has been a 250 gr Hornady SP over 4064, but I shot several whitetails during the early 90's with a 200 gr bullet over 3031.
I like to have a project or 2 underway. Varget is on deck for 2010.

LoadData has 35 loads for the 35 Whelen using Varget.

If you would like to see them PM me your email and I'll send them to you.

I think you are on the right track!
I am going to try 51-55 grs of Varget and the 250 gr Speer next week. I was very happy with IMR4320 but I can use the Varget in my prairie dog rifles and I think it will be fine in the 35 Whelen also.
whelennut

I went to the range today and shot a 5/8" group at 100 yds. with 54 grs. Varget and the 225 gr. Nosler Accubond.
I changed the powder charge to 55 grs and the group opened up to 3/4" at 100 yds. Wind was 13 mph and temp about 66 degrees.
Next step is to break out the Chrony!
Life is good.
whelennut

Got to the range yesterday afternoon with some 250 gr Hornady SP loaded over 55 gr of Varget. I got a 5 shot group that ran about 1.5 inches.
Also trialed 57 gr under the 225 AB, and was disappointed in the results but......
I had 3 more loaded over 60 gr that produced a group just a hair under an inch. While this was a warm load, there were no obvious signs of excessive pressures. I plan to work this a bit more, as well as get an accurate reading on the pressures & velocities.

I've been hunting with my Welen exclusively the past five years and have pretty much settled in on 58 gr Varget under a 225 TSX at 2600fps. Seated way out in my rem 700 (a very long throat)in Rem brass and 9 1/2 primers. It will shoot five into an inch at 100.

I run either the 250 hornady or speer over 58gr of Varget for 2600fps. Most reloading sources stop at 55gr but I worked my way up and did not see any pressure signs until I hit 60gr and 2650fps. I backed off to 58 and got great accuracy and will easily live with lower pressures and a loss of 50fps.

I can't think of a better powder in the Whelen than Varget.

I can seat the 250's out to 3.600" which is just under magazine length and I am still not hitting the rifling.
No wonder the 200 gr bullets shoot 2.5MOA
whelennut

My 35 Whelen AI shoots 3/4 MOA with 225 Accubond and 60/Varget at 2700FPS and mild pressure... Note my rifle is the 40 degree improved version. That said, 60/Varget is listed as a max load with the 225 AB at 2800FPS in the standard Whelen.
Best of luck,
Rex

I tried Varget in my Whelen and was not impressed with the results. My go to powders are IMR 4064 with 225 gr. Sierra Game King and IMR 3031 with Hornady 200 gr. RN, accuracy with those powder/bullet combinations is excellent.

Perhaps H-4895.

I tried Varger out of my former Ruger No.1K1A (Stainless/Walnut. I reached a velocity ceiling, I could add more powder but I wasn't able to in raise my velocity.

H-4895 have me superb accuracy, low SD's, and speed.

I loaded H4895 with 200gn bullets in my Whelen, but when I switched to the 225gn Accubond I switched to Varget. I'm two grains under Nosler's data (58gn) but even so it seems to knock the snot out of game. I keep meaning to try some loads with 59 and 60gns and see how she goes.

Nine years after the original posting and I am still a big fan of Varget. In addition to superb performance out of my Whelens, it has proven itself as a great powder in my 300 Savage. Took a Newfoundland bull moose with this rifle last September. The Savage has a Redfield peep site that was more appropriate for the sideways rain that day, so the Whelen stayed in the cabin.
As I am dealing with some shoulder issues, I recently loaded some Varget under 85 gr TSX's to trial in a 270.
A 250 gr Partition over 55 gr of Varget took a very nice 8 pt whitetail on the last day of the season last fall. The hunter was a friend visiting from S Africa using my Rem 700 CDL. He also shot a red fox that day, essentially cutting the critter in two. Overkill is just right.

57.5 gr Vargay with a 250 Partition gives me a little over 2,500 fps in a 1:12 22" tube.