.308 win - IMR4064 or Varget

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ferggie

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Wanted to get some feedback on which powder is preferred for a .308, IMR4064 or Varget? Which is more consistent with extreme temperature swings? Will be used with 150 & 168gr

Thanks
 
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A lot of folks use Varget. I use IMR4895. It's not temp sensitive. I did a test on it this weekend at the range. Depends on how big of a temp change you're talking about too. The only thing I've heard really is that Varget is hotter or milder from lot to lot on the powders, more so than others.
 
I have had good luck with both your listed powders in .30-06 and some limited use in .308 too. Varget will meter easier because it is a shorter cut powder than 4064. Varget is marketed as an "Extreme" powder that is insensitive to temperature, but IMR makes no claim to the same. (Note that IMR and Hodgdon are one and the same entity.) That does not necessarily mean that Varget is the better choice for you. It just means that Varget is formulated or treated in such a way that it may be more consistent under varying conditions. That's the way I take it at least. The way things are right now I would get what you can and go from there. If given the choice between the two, I would choose Varget. This is only because I load progressive a lot and like the way it meters over 4064.
 
i use varget in rem .260-120gr bullet,rem 7mm-08-120gr bullet and a rem .308- 165gr bullet with ex results. eastbank.
 
I use both but my 308 using 150 and 165 g bullets is better with IMR 4064.
But my 7-08 prefers Varget and IMR 4895 over IMR 4064.
 
Never used 4064. But I do like Varget quite a bit though. 4895 too. Neither have been very temp sensitive to my recollection. However, this is just my anecdotal memory - I don't have data to back it up.
 
Sorry. There ain't no free lunch.Only your rifle can tell you what it likes best. Load 'em both and see what happens. My .308 likes Re-15.
 
It's hard for me to get away from the IMR powders and I use 4064 in quite a few calibers. Just recently I found a very good load for the .35 Remington using IMR 4064 behind a 200 grain Remington Core-Lokt.
 
I have always used IMR4064 in the .308 and it works very well for me. I know Varget gets a lot of press for being very accurate, I just never tried it in the .308 or anything other than in .223 ammo meant for a bolt action rifle.
 
I use them both (Varget and IMR4064) for .308 and for 30.06. I also use IMR4895, RE15 and W760. Which is best? Only your rifle(s) know for sure. The best thing to do is load the various bullets you like to use with the different powders and find which are most accurate. I don't know of any other way to find out for sure.
 
+1 for IMR-4064. I use it in my 308 with 150 & 155 gr bullets. I've tried a few powders but Varget hasn't been one of them. I've only recently started reloading my 308 and haven't seen varget on the local shelf. I started with what I could find local - in small quantities. Sure, YMMV. I can't attest to the temperature (in)sensitivity
 
I had been using Varget due to the recommendations of nearly every shooter I spoke with. Good powder but I ventured off and grabbed some AA2520 "Camp Perry Powder" and my groups shrunk in all my 308 WIN and 30-06 loads. Why would this happen? I don't know. I've been using 4064 lately because that's all I could get and it works good.
 
Your rifle will tell you which is better, but with heavier bullets Varget might get the nod.
 
IMR-4064 with 165-168 bullets in a .308 Winchester is my go to powder and has always been since 1986 in a 20" Ruger M77 Ultra Light. I use IMR-4895 in my AR-10. Varget works very well for my buddy in his bolt rifle and it does meter more consistently than IMR-4064.
 
Varget is my go to powder for rifles, except for my .257 WBY. I've got about 12 lbs of it. I find it very accurate, especially in my .308.
 
Brass clean, primer pocket clean, neck size with Lee Collet die, 42 grains 4064 and a 168 Sierra Match King. Homemade Federal Gold Match :) Stuff will SHOOT
 
You may want to consider availability also. Good luck finding Varget in Western NC where I live. I can get IMR 4064 in every local store that carries powder everytime I go. I have went months without coming across Varget. I have had great luck with 4064 and it works well in the other calibers that I reload, .35, 30.06 and 308. My Savage FCPK in 308 will shoot 1/2 inch groups with 4064 behind a 168 grain nosler CC.
 
I've had about equal results with TAC, 4064, 4895, RE-15 and Varget. 3031 ain't a bad powder either As mentioned above you may have to use what you can find and I'm betting you can work up a good load with any of them. The 308 is the least picky round I load for. Almost any powder and bullet gives good results.

I like Varget a little better simply because it is less effected by temperature extremes. To be honest that is not a huge concern, but if it shoots just as well as the others why not use it. I may find myself having to shoot at extreme temps someday.

From about 30 to 80 degrees, temperature simply isn't a concern. If you are shooting near or above 100 you can find an otherwise safe load is over pressure. Once you get to zero and below velocity could be 150-200 fps slower than when at 80 with other powders. There will be velocity variances even with Varget, just not to that extreme.
 
I think temp sensitivity is over rated except in extreme extreme cases.

I did a workup with IMR4895 in my .308 when it was around 95. Got a good accurate load. Shot same load in below freezing temps, I believe it was around 25, so a 70 degree swing in temp, and my fps avg dropped a whopping 6fps is all. In my opinion, that's not very temp sensitive.

Edit: now I will note to, that I use magnum primers for my loads. Mainly because I use magnum primers for my 7mm mag and I don't want to get the two mixed up.
 
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