An unlikely combination

[cjclemens]

Like many of the other members of this forum, I tend to be a relentless tinkerer.  I can't leave good enough alone and the quest for perfection is endless, but I digress.

I have seen widely mixed reviews on the Barnes Varmint grenades bullets, which is what prompted me to buy some to try.  I picked up a box of .243 62 gr. bullets and loaded them with a near max charge of Winchester 760 powder.

Yesterday, I had the chance to try them in my brother's Ultra Varminter, which is bone-stock - still configured as it came in the box.  To my suprise, the largest group was right at 1" at 100 yards while the smallest was about .75."  I certainly had not expected this kind of performance from the VG's, especially when used in the H&R.  I guess the moral of the story is that you really don't know until you try it.

[Graycg]

Amen Brother!
   Just like the old adage about Marlin Microgrooves won't shoot cast bullets....until you try it for yourself!  Good for you!

regards,
 Graycg

[LaOtto222]

I am glad you found them to work for you. While I have not tried a 6mm Grenade, I have tried a 36 grain .224 version. I have not done a lot of testing with it, but what little I did, I was not happy with the results. For one thing they are long for their weight. Being light I thought they would work in a 22 Hornet, but that was a disaster. They would not stabilize with the slow velocity and twist rate that I had. I did not work with them a whole lot in 223, but what little I did, not good there either, but they did not key hole at least. For one thing I could not find any published data for a 36 grain bullet in a 223, so I used 40 grain data. When it comes to guns and reloading - nothing surprises me. While some get great results from a certain powder or certain bullet; still others get miserable results with the very same load, in the same make of gun. You just have to try some thing to see if it works. Just a word of caution; stay within reliable published data. Do not use powder that is not listed from reliable sources or use a bullet of a different configuration than the data you have. Example: do not use data for a lead core bullet and substitute a solid copper bullet, even if they weight the same. Let the people that get paid to develop loading data take the chances. Good Luck and Good Shooting

[cjclemens]

The length of the bullet is the key to how they behave.  For example: the 36 grain version is about the same length as a 50 grain lead bullet, so 1:12 twist should work if you can push it fast enough.  The 50 grain VG is about the length of a 68 grain lead bullet, so 1:9 should work (again, in theory).  The length of the bullet determines largely how it responds to the rifling.  Also, it is extremely important to pick a load that is suitable for that weight bullet and slowly work up from there.  That being said, the VG's seem to respond better the faster you push them.  Between the bad reviews and the rumors of lead bans, I just decided that it's never too early to consider alternatives and was lucky enough to find something that worked well.  I still prefer my Sierra Varminters, but if something happens that keeps me from using them, I have another option available.

Remember:  Safety first!  Load carefully and shoot straight!

[GrampaMike]

Software tells me the following info:

.224 Barnes 36 gr VG

9" Twist needs MV of 1442 fps
12" Twist needs MV of 3307 fps
14" Twist needs MV of 3943 fps

.243 Barnes 62 gr VG

10" Twist needs MV of 3682 fps

Don't know what would get the Hornet with 12" Twist up to 3307 fps.