Varget vss Benchmark in 223 & 308

[Chappy]

I have been using W748 in the above calibers.  It shoots well and meters well, but I notice differences with pressure/temperature - MN deer season is fine, but MN summer target shooting shows flattened primers.
I tried some Varget and it shoots well and is supposed to be temp. insensitive, but it does not meter as well and max loads are often compressed, which I prefer to avoid.
I read that Benchmark is supposed to be accurate, temp. insensitive, and be a smaller grain / better metering powder that does not use compressed loads in these calibers.
I know I just need to get some Benchmark and experiment.  But I was wondering if any of you have used this powder in your loads and how it went.  I shoot Speer 125 gr. TNT & Speer 165 gr. boattail bullets, CCI 250 primers, in my 308 model 700.  I shoot Speer 50 gr. TNT bullets with WSR primers in my 223 model 77.  I shoot 55 gr. Win. FMJBT bullets with WSR primers in my AR.  Thanks in advance for your thoughts and opinions.

[james]

Varget is my favorite.  I wish I could find it locally in 8 lb. containers.  Its my best load in 120 gr 6.5 x 55,  165 gr Sierras in the 308 and 55 gr Sierras or Remingtons in the .223.  I can get a little more accuracy in the 223 with 50gr TNTs when I use IMR 4198 but I haven't shot it when it was extremely hot or cold.   I am using Win. brass and primers.  I haven't used Benchmark so I will watch this post too.

[Val]

I've developed a very accurate load for my 223 using benchmark. I have not tried the load in extreme temperature variances because I live in Southern California.

[Jim n Iowa]

I have tried Benchmark in my 223 using a ladder load for 60 hp It turned in the 2nd best groups tied with X-terminator, then 748, and last was IMR 3031. The best was TAC another Ramshot powder meters fine. These were used in a Sierra 60 g hp. I will try the same this week with Hornady 60 g hp using the same powder / combo loads. Have not tried Varget in 223 yet, but the Ramshot line has my attention for now.
Jim

[Iowegan]

Hey guys, It's not just the outside temperature you should be concerned about. Your chamber will heat up after a few rounds have been fired. This will add to the temperature swing, especially in an AR where rapid fire is normal. No matter what the outside temperature is, three rapid fire rounds will heat up the chamber to over 150 degrees. The brass case conducts heat very well and transfers the heat to the powder. This makes the powder burn faster in all cases, but not as dramatic with Varget or other "extreme rated" powders.

I learned this lesson while shooting prairie dogs. My favorite W-748 load is a tack driver but after 3 rounds fired in a few minutes, the cases were getting hard to extract. Next trip I used Varget and had no signs of over pressure. My book load of 26.5gr of Varget under a 55 gr Nosler BT is awesomely accurate.

If you have the Speer #13 manual, look at page 719. It is a temperature vs velocity chart. Unfortunetaly, it only goes up to 100 degrees but does give a good indication about the effects of temperature changes.

[MnMike]

I live in Mn too. I use Varget for .223. I don't use compressed loads for my Contender. It works fine summer or winter. My 7-30 barrel likes 748  in the summer. It is cr*p in the fall/winter (when I want to hunt). I also use Varget for that now, The groups are a bit bigger, but consistant over a wide temperature range.

mike

[trotterlg]

I get good groups with my 17 Rem with AA 2520, and it meters well, Varget is as good but it is hard to get it in the tiny little case mouths.  Benchmark is a lot faster than either one, so I am not too sure it would be a good choice.  Larry

[Hounddog]

I've used Benchmark loads in my Howa 1500 Varminter Supreme that give under .75 at 200 yds with both 40 and 50 grain VMax bullets.  After a recent PDog hunt when  a friend let me try some bullets loaded with Nosler Ballistic Tips, I can't wait to set up and test some new loads with both the 40 and 55 gr bullets with Benchmark.
I've got a new press set up on the way so I hope to get started next week creating a series of test combinations to try.
I found Benchmark to be very consistent throughout the day.  When we started shooting it was a cool 55 degrees and by the time we stopped it was 90 and at no time did I experience any change in accuracy, extraction or performance.

[Chappy]

Thanks everyone for the replies.  Iowegan: You make a good point about temps and pressures rising do to rapid firing.  I too have had difficult extractions using W748 at the range.
I bought three pounds of Benchmark and have shot nearly two pounds of it.  It is as available and about the same price as Varget in the stores around here ($19.00 - $24.00).
Benchmark looks just like Varget, but it's only about 1/4 the size of Varget.  Benchmark meters GREAT in my Lyman 1200 and my RCBS uniflow power measures.
Benchmark is far cleaner than W748 and a little cleaner than Varget.  I have never seen my AR come home so clean after shooting 150 rounds.
I shot many Benchmark 223 and 308 rounds in the rifles listed in my first post.  So far, I am very impressed.  Where I often lost velocity when I switched from W748 to Varget; when I use Benchmark, I equal or exceed W748 velocities.  All my loads were about one grain under max as per the 2006 Hodgdon manual.  Benchmark accuracy is fine and probably exceeds the capability of my hunter/sporter rifles.
I'm going to play with some more loads, but I see an eight-pound can of Benchmark coming home in the near future.
On a side note: I tried using some WLR primers in the place of CCI-250 primers in some of my 308 loads.  To my surprise, the WLR seemed to be a hotter primer.  They resulted in slightly faster and more consistant loads over the chrony.  Target results were about the same for both primers.  Thanks for putting up with the long post.  I hope it was of interest to some.

[Chappy]

Val:  Since you have the silver dolphins on your reply, I assume you are / were a submariner.  I was a sonar tech on the USS Simon Bolivar, USS Sea Devil, and USS Batfish in the 1980s.

Anyway, I would be interested to hear more details about your accurate 223 load.  Thanks!

[Hounddog]

Val:  Since you have the silver dolphins on your reply, I assume you are / were a submariner.  I was a sonar tech on the USS Simon Bolivar, USS Sea Devil, and USS Batfish in the 1980s.

Anyway, I would be interested to hear more details about your accurate 223 load.  Thanks!

Val,
  I too am interested in your accurate load using Benchmark.  I have an 8lb can just waiting to go as soon as I get all my cases prepped.
  Congrats on the dolphins, My last command (retired in 1996) was as C/MC of NSGA Groton, we did all the crppy boat installations on the east coast and med.
Wayne

[Lloyd Smale]

I use and like both of them.