Varget for '06?

[Newtosavage]

Found an '06 yesterday I couldn't pass up. I'll probably use it for a donor action for a .280ai build later on, but until then, I'd like to shoot it a bit as an '06.

I have mostly Varget on hand, but also a little H4895 and IMR 8208 XBR. Hodgdon lists them all for the '06, although they are the only ones who do. Varget shows up on some manuals for the lighter bullets.

I have 150 GMX, 165 GMX and 168 TTSX on hand. Would you even bother trying Varget with any of those, or do I need to go pick up some H4350 or something else?

 

[doverpack12]

I’m in the process of working up a hammer 166 sledge load with IMR 4166 which is pretty close to Varget because I couldn’t get enough H4350 in the case without extreme compression. Don’t have much to report on yet, started in the spring then it got hot and now bow season opens Saturday so focus is other places for awhile.
My previous load with this rifle was H4350 and 150 ETip, worked really well since ETips came out, just liking the hammers so trying to switch over

 

[Newtosavage]

I plan on working up some test loads to try out tomorrow. Of the powders I have on hand, Varget seems the most useful, and it's what I am using in my 7mm-08, so it would be nice to use the same powder for both. Even if it works better for the 150's than the 165/168's in the '06, my shoulder will probably be happy with that result in a 7 lb. rig. LOL

 

[UtahJimmy]

I load 125g Accubonds over Varget in my 06 with fantastic results.

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[Newtosavage]

I load 125g Accubonds over Varget in my 06 with fantastic results.

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That sounds like a dandy deer load. I had a great 125 NBT/Accubond load worked up for a .308 I used to have. My wife and daughter enjoyed shooting that one and it would cloverleaf with a good shooter.

 

[NMframed]

I also use Varget in a 7mm-08. It’s my 12 year old sons rifle so I load a light recoil load with 38 grains of Varget and a 140 grain accubond. It’s the most accurate light recoil load I’ve found for that 7mm-08

 

[Newtosavage]

I had no reason to worry. After a nice long leisurely trip to the range, the Varget did great. Or maybe it was the Savage '06 that did great. I guess they both did great.

168 TTSX's produced a group at 100 I could cover with a dime over 50 grains of Varget, going 2780 fps. I could probably wring out another 50-75 fps. from that 22" barrel with H4350 or 4831, but why bother. You can see the 49.5 grain load was right there with the 50's. That's a good sign.



165 GMX's did almost as well, at 3/4" traveling the same speed.



150 GMX's "lagged" behind with just a 1" 3-shot group. LOL Funny thing is the 150's were only 2830 fps.



I'm not even going to bother trying anything else after what I saw today. Glad to know I can run the same powder in my '06 and 7mm-08.

I looked back at my '06 data from a Tikka I used to own. I had a very accurate load with that rifle using 165 SST/Interbonds over Superformance. But even it was only 2820 fps. and that was a slightly longer barrel.