Has anyone had problems with Hodgdon Varget and the Hornady powder thrower!

[deesly1]

I absolutely was in a crunch last night to make some loads for my 5.56. However when I looked at my stash all I could find was Varget. I knew this was gonna be a problem considering the rotor and cup on the Hornady powder thrower was gonna jam and powder was gonna go everywhere. sure enough about 30 rounds into loading (Hornady LnL AP progressive) I had to clean the unit because of amount of powder being spilled. I love using H335 and H322, but I will never progressively reload with Varget again. If anyone has a tip for me I am all ears.

 

[Traveler]

Stick powder is the bane of many powder throwers. I use the Lee scoops for it, and trickle the last little bit.

 

[coopermania]

Buy yourself a Harrell Culver Powder Measure and all that will stop.
Good old local benchrest boys from Salem, Va.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...cx4OiuGowABEarinA&sig2=CTHZ_DsNaZHGe9UFs4Mk2g

 

[SOMDSHOOT]

I load everything by hand with the lee dippers as well. Only because I have tried several different powder measures and none of them seem to do any better than dipping the scoop and leveling off to pour the charge. I hear stories all the time about different powders getting hung up and having issues in a lot of powder measures and hoppers, so, I just keep on dippin' and scoopin'

 

[Pinecone]

Heck, for the price of one of those powder measures, buy an RCBS Chargemaster and have it dispense and weigh every charge.

Slower than the fancy measure, but faster then weighing every charge manually.

 

[coopermania]

I load everything by hand with the lee dippers as well. Only because I have tried several different powder measures and none of them seem to do any better than dipping the scoop and leveling off to pour the charge. I hear stories all the time about different powders getting hung up and having issues in a lot of powder measures and hoppers, so, I just keep on dippin' and scoopin'

Dippin and scoopin, that goes hand in hand with achieving suburb accuracy and low standard deviation between rounds.

 

[coopermania]

Heck, for the price of one of those powder measures, buy an RCBS Chargemaster and have it dispense and weigh every charge.

Slower than the fancy measure, but faster then weighing every charge manually.

Well I guess its for those that can, And for for those that can't that's why Richard Lee and others are in business. I shot benchrest a long time and for the guys that did there loading at the range during the match, most used Harrell's or other high end powder measures.

 

[Augie]

I've used a Redding benchrest powder measure for decades and it does fine with most powders,even the stick powders, very consistent charge weights.

 

[coopermania]

I've used a Redding benchrest powder measure for decades and it does fine with most powders,even the stick powders, very consistent charge weights.

Almost all of my dies are Redding and if there measures are built as well as there dies I am sure it is top shelf.

 

[Speed3]

Forget all that, I use a LEE thrower, omega tricker and a scott Parker tuned scale all for less than $200. A granular of varget will move it off zero.

I now it's manual but my ammo won't ever be the issue.

 

[jimbobborg]

I have a Lee powder thrower, I prefer stick and flake powders with it because the ball powders tend to trickle out of the sides of the thrower. It's actually pretty consistent with stick powders like IMR 4895 and Varget. I still have my pack of Lee dippers, too. They're good enough for less than maximum loads, and with a little practice are pretty consistent. I've been reloading since 1989, I have not blown up a firearm yet and I don't plan on it, either.

 

[Marauder]

My RCBS uniflow has been working well with Varget.

 

[Bolts Rock]

I use an RCBS Uniflow with micrometer drum and baffle to throw Varget. I get +/- .2gr and all three calibers I load with it shoot better than I do. The calibers are .223, .308 and .30-06. I will be getting a Culver at some point because the Varget loads are for precision. I'm considering progressive loading some .223 but if I do that it will be with a ball powder, either BL-C2 or H335.

 

[jimbobborg]

Where did you get the Varget? That stuff is tough to find right now.

 

[Speed3]

Where did you get the Varget? That stuff is tough to find right now.

I know of a friend sitting on 20lbs+ of this stuff...it's like gold.

 

[Traveler]

Trop gun shop in PA had some recently. Google it.

 

[Song Dog]

Heck, for the price of one of those powder measures, buy an RCBS Chargemaster and have it dispense and weigh every charge.

Slower than the fancy measure, but faster then weighing every charge manually.

Ditto on RCBS My RCBS Chargemaster very accurate sometimes just maybe .1 throw on stick powers IE IMR 40895 while 99.9999% on most all powders Varget etc