Author Topic: Tried the Win Varmint Pak (Read 863 times)

Longcruise · « **on:** April 25, 2004, 05:41:28 PM »

Well, Handi has been promoting this ammo for the .223 for months and after having a pak of it sitting around for three monts I finally tried it

Shot 4 five shot groups and let the barrel cool between groups. Overall average for the four groups was 2.13". Two groups each had one flier. I don't normally discount fliers, but each of these were the first shot in the group and each followed a minor scope adjustment and each went high and left. If those two are not counted, the average is 1.63"

I know that a lot of you guys do mucho better with your .223's but this is about as good as this rifle has ever done. Not the greatest and probably wont make a prairie dog gun but will be just fine for a yodel dog unit :grin:

The pak says "high velocity, 3600 feet per second". I ran two of them over the chrony and came up with 3149 and 3314 :eek: Even so, that's plenty fast enough. All of the emptys ejected nicely.

Fired the last 12 rounds at 200 meters picking random objects of about 5 inches in diameter on the backstop. Hits ran about 70% once the scope was dialed in and misses were by a hair.

This gun has had the full treatment: firelapped, chamber polished, forearm floated and washered! I'm done messing with it and may not even bother to reload for it anymore since the Win pak is inexpensive and shoots as well as it does.

My best group today came when instead of resting the forearm and hinge on the sandbags, I rested it on the palm of my hand and rested the back of my hand on the bags. The satisfying thing about that is it more accurately simulates field shooting and that is what is important to me.

Might, maybe, get a .270 barrel for this gun since I'm all set to load for it and have previously given my Ruger .270 to the son in law. If a .270 barrel will shoot at least this good it's plenty accurate for my typical big game shots.

handirifle · « **Reply #1 on:** April 25, 2004, 05:52:17 PM »

Longcruise
Sorry it doesn't do better

, but glad it makes the rifle usable. :grin:

My new Ultra 223 absolutely hated the Value pak ammo. But then again so did my sons rifles untill I put several hundred rounds through them. Now one of them will shoot 3/4" inch with it all day long.

My Ulta has about 40 rounds through it but so far it loves the Hornady 35gr V-Max bullets handloaded. Less than 3/4" for 3 shot groups.

I haven't had time to try too much else in it. Had a few hand loads but I'll keep at it. I want to be able to use a heavier bullet for longer shots in it too.

One last thing to have looked at on your .223 barrel is the crown. Should be free to have it looked at and about $35 to re-crown if necessary. I feel your pain on the effort cause I was about to give up on my sons rifles till I tried the Win stuff. Just lucked out. It is VERY discouraging to not get decent groups. A 1 1/2" group would be GREAT on barrels like that, but 2 and 3" are discouraging, believe me I know. Almost gave up on Handi's completely because of that. I don't want to own a rifle that's not accurate.

Paul5388 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 25, 2004, 08:03:16 PM »

Longcruise,

I have been getting pretty good accuracy with my synthetic .223 using 12.0 gr Blue Dot with a 55 gr Rem HP (around $7.50/100 at Midway). You don't normally think of Blue Dot as an acceptable powder for rifles, but it has been turning in some very good low recoil results. The velocity is around 2600 fps depending on which bullet you use and the groups are running around 1" at 100 yards.

I have a thread posted here http://forums.handloads.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1739&PN=1 that includes targets I shot with reduced loads.

olredhead · « **Reply #3 on:** April 26, 2004, 03:23:30 AM »

LONGCRUISE sorry about your problems. My new 223 standard started out not liking anything but the 50 gr. win supreme which of course is very expensive (for me). Would shoot 3 shot MOA but UMC and value pacs would spread to about 3+.
Flitzed the chamber and barrel, now getting decent, 1.5" from
the value pacs. All this at 75yds. Thinkin back I wonder how many of my problems were due to my own inexperience with a new rifle.
I haven't done a trigger job yet but believe when that gets done
the rifle will shoot, probably better than I can.
Really hope that with more ammo run thru yours it will come around.

josebd · « **Reply #4 on:** April 26, 2004, 08:02:58 AM »

mine is not accurate either,sent it in they recrowned and did trigger work to 4lbs., i,ve tried everything and its not as accurate as it should be,going to get rid of it.

RonO777 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 26, 2004, 03:33:00 PM »

My 223 does good with the value pack ammo. I shoot a 4"X6" metal swinging target I can hit it 9 out of 10 shots at 150 yards. I just havent backed out to the 200 yard line with it.

Ron

Ditchdigger · « **Reply #6 on:** April 26, 2004, 03:45:35 PM »

Mine does not like anthing except a 40gr moly Vmax over 26.5 grs. of H335 and match primers. Usually they are about .55" at 100 yds.,but it would be less except for the first shot. It's always about .25" low and to the right. The molys perform best after about 15 to 25 of them have treated the barrell. After that the 40 B.T.s Noslers will shoot as well untill the moly is taken out. Digger

Maine Woods · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2004, 03:05:55 AM »

Hi Longcruise I also have a 223 handy rifle , I shoot the 45 Gr. Win bulk packs. I had simalar groups to yours but when I moved my rest point further out past the sling stud, right where you would normally have your hand. Presto ! I think this is only due to a more easy to hold steady location ( thats where you allways see the by pods mounted ) Just my thoughts.

ccy465 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2004, 11:41:27 AM »

I get my best groups, including the Varmint Pack Ammo, when resting the action on the bags and not on the forearm. The Varmint Pack ammo does not give me the best accuracy in my rifle but it does give under and inch all the time.