Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles RL15 or Varget In The 250 Savage?

Anyone use either or both in the 250/3000?

Load data/velocities?

Thanks.

I didn't clock them but 34.6 grains of RL15 was very accurate under 100 grain Interlocks. I used RP brass and Fed 210M primers.

Hornady's data suggests about 2900 fps with a 24" barrel.

The only load I have in my notes from either powder is 35-Varget-100 Hornady Interlocks at 2684fps out of my M77 Ruger.
35.5 jumped velocity a bit too much and primers were too flat for my tastes so work up. I've had better velocity from other powders(2910fps with H4895), but none have matched the accuracy of the above load in this rifle.
I use 36-RL-15 with the 87 Speer Hot Core in the old 1-14 twist M99R. I haven't clocked it but it shoots well in the old rifle and is reliable on whitetail deer.

Tried RL15 in some pre-1960 Savage 99's with 1 in 14" twist. Did okay, but H4895 did lots better generally.

Same here. H4895 is what keeps my 1952 99 shooting.

BP...

I went old school with 4064. It gave better groups than Varget and '15. All pushed 100 TSXs 2900+ witout pressure signs.

I too tried RL-15 and Varget in my 99EG (1:14 twist)...34 g of IMR 3031 under 75g V-max was my most accurate.

34.5 of R-15 with the Hornady 100 gr. SP in a T-C 26" sporter stainless...twist is 1/10.

Doc

Doc, what speed?

Thanks for the replies thus far gents... I've had only one 250 and that was twenty years ago before I got a chronograph. I always ran 4320 in it (1-10" Ruger 77 RSI).

RL15 has shown some promise in the two 250's I have but I have had better luck with other powders. But here is what I have.
Savage99, 22in. barrel, R-P case, CCI200 primers.
87gr Sierra and Speer, 36gr RL15, 2886fps, fair groups under 2 inches. Considered max for this rifle.
100gr Rem. 35gr. RL15, 2724fps. 2 inch groups, not bad for 1 in 14 twist. Max.
85gr Nos. Btip, 35gr RL15, 2866fps, groups run 1 to 1.5 inch. Not max but close, 36gr gave 2926fps but groups opened up.

Rebarreled Sav. Mod 11, 24in. barrel, R-P case, CCI200.
85gr Nos. Btip, 36gr. RL15, 3111fps. groups ran 3/4 to 1 1/4 inch. About max, tried 37gr. but felt it was to hot.
100 Nos. Btip, 33 to 35 gr. poor groups all loads, 35gr gave stiff bolt lift and ejector marks.
75gr Horn. VMax, 37gr RL15 3277fps. 1 inch groups. 38gr. RL15 3382fps. 1 inch groups. but bolt lift got sticky as barrel warmed up with this load, probably need to back off .5 gr.

Brad, I have worked up loads with both RL 15 and Varget in the past for my M99A 20" bbl with a 1:10 twist. Nothing remarkable so I went back to H4895 loads. Here are the best results for RL 15 and Varget all in R-P cases with CCI200 primers.

Varget
36grs 87gr Sierra SP or Speer SP 3010fps
36grs 90gr Sierra HPBT 2977fps
34grs 100gr Sierra SP 2825fps

RL 15
36grs 87gr Sierra SP or Speer SP 3095 fps
36grs 90gr Sierra HPBT 2997fps
35grs 100gr Sierra SP 2930 fps

I purchased a new batch of H4895 a few weeks ago and loaded up some cases with the most accurate bullet in my M99A..Sierra 90gr HPBT. Worked up to my old load of 34.5grs. Velocity right at 2916fps which is less than RL 15 and Varget produces but shoots tight groups and 1st shot out of a cold bbl is where the scope is sighted in. When I go to 35 or 36 grs groups open up. Just wish 90gr Sierra was a dependable deer/antelope bullet.

I bang out 5/8" - 3/4" five shot groups with the RL15 and 100 grain Hornady load I mentioned. No accuracy issues here.

Of course H4895 has been outstanding too, but that wasn't the original question.

Brad-during the summer of 06 I did some work with a friends 250AI. I found IMR4350 to work very well with the 120 Speer for fire forming.

Then I found R15 to work very well with the 100's and 110's for hunting loads. If I were to be starting with it again I'd try R15 for and then I'd also take a look @ R17 just to see what it'd do.

You been thinking of putting a new 250 tube on your Montana?

Dober

Do you see any difference in accuracy between IMR and H4895? I have the former but not the latter.

I haven't done a bunch of A-B comparisons with those, but I can say they both work quite well in the 250.