36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Discuss all aspects of Ammunition and Reloading here.
User avatar
300RUM
.22 WMR
Posts: 148
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:25 pm
Location: Mountins
Contact:

36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by 300RUM »

While I was doing some load development at the range with my pope gun this week a mate brought along his Ruger 220 swift laminate job to do the same. The main focus for him this time round was the 36gn barnes varmint grenades I gave to him for Xmas. Now right from the outset I had no great expectations with regards to accuracy with these pills at all. I can't remember reading anywhere of someone commenting on their accuracy.
Before I left home I did a quick calculation on the probable velocity of this projectile. When I came up with a figure of between 4600 and 4700fps my jaw dropped with disbelief! That was the theoretical but I expected finding the right powder that could do this would be harder in reality. We started out loading one round at a time with each powder load and running it over the chrony. We eventually worked our way up to this velocity without too much sign of pressure.

Image

To say we were stoked is an understatement! We actually achieved an average higher than this but that just happened to be what was on the chrony when a cease fire was called so we could take a picture.
About then I was saying, who gives a s**t if this load doesn't shoot, we're gunna get right up close to something so I can video the crap being blown out of it!
After reaching this comfortable working load it was time to load a few up to shoot a group (pattern?)
Well bugger me! The look on our faces when this was the resultant 100yd group!

Image

The wind was gusting across the range making things difficult but even so, shooting between gusts my mate managed to put down several 0.6 moa 5 shot groups with these pills.
We both had grins on our faces for the rest of the day that ya couldn't remove with a cricket bat.
Even though these pills have a lousy ballistic coefficient, running them through the ballistics program still shows a pretty respectable trajectory.
With them being a lot more wind sensitive than my usual 30+cal varmint rifles this will still be a very interesting load to try out on critters on the upcoming shooting trip though!
User avatar
trevort
Spud Gun
Posts: 12710
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2006 9:21 pm
Favourite Cartridge: Tater
Location: Melbourne

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by trevort »

I'm very keen to see some pizza shots :D
User avatar
MISSED
Moderator
Posts: 8377
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 12:23 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 20 PPC
Location: YASS

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by MISSED »

300 RUM what powder and charge were you using for that. :shock: Pretty keen to give em a go in my swift :D
User avatar
James270
His Holiness
Posts: 801
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:57 am
Favourite Cartridge: 270W
Location: Yass

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by James270 »

MISSED wrote:300 RUM what powder and charge were you using for that. :shock: Pretty keen to give em a go in my swift :D
I was wondering how long it would take for you to jump on this thread mate. The only problem would be finding a still day to try them out, but I will be a good mate and volunteer to give you a hand to try them out.
User avatar
MISSED
Moderator
Posts: 8377
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 12:23 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 20 PPC
Location: YASS

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by MISSED »

Iam sure you will mate and the sooner the better :D :lol: :lol:
tikka
.223 Remington
Posts: 404
Joined: Fri Sep 21, 2007 3:48 pm
Favourite Cartridge: spud gun!!!
Location: Hunter Valley

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by tikka »

That's friggin fast. Rabbit vapourisation :D
User avatar
300RUM
.22 WMR
Posts: 148
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:25 pm
Location: Mountins
Contact:

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by 300RUM »

MISSED wrote:300 RUM what powder and charge were you using for that. :shock: Pretty keen to give em a go in my swift :D
Yeah the load is 42.5 of 2206. Not 2206H. (all the obvious warnings apply). My mate has enough of this powder left for the next hunting trip but we'll have to work out another load in the future. Probably with 2206H. We stuffed around with seating depths a fair bit which had a sizable affect on velocity and pressure but made little difference to accuracy.
Oscar270 they are sensitive to wind but no more so than a lot of the other smaller varmint cals.
Just another tip if you're using collet type dies, at these speeds consistent neck tension seems to make large variations to velocity. Once the cases were sorted though, that solved any of those problems we had. All in all I think a very cool result in the end.

Cheers Brett
User avatar
MISSED
Moderator
Posts: 8377
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 12:23 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 20 PPC
Location: YASS

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by MISSED »

Thanks for that 300 rum think I have a tin of 06 here.How bad was the pizza.
User avatar
300RUM
.22 WMR
Posts: 148
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:25 pm
Location: Mountins
Contact:

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by 300RUM »

MISSED wrote:Thanks for that 300 rum think I have a tin of 06 here.How bad was the pizza.
The first try out on critters won't be for a few weeks yet.
If have a different gun to ours it might be worth working up your loads somewhere other than in front of your chrony too. We didn't have any explode on leaving the barrel but mate they must be close. Once your max loads are hitting paper at 100yds you should be safe.
I learnt that the hard way using 110gn Vmax out of my 300winmag. One shot = 130 bux!
Cheers Brett
User avatar
MISSED
Moderator
Posts: 8377
Joined: Sat Dec 22, 2007 12:23 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 20 PPC
Location: YASS

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by MISSED »

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: one good thing mate haven`t got a chrony.I have got a Ruger but a mk1.Will start at a mild load and go up .5 at a time.
Cheers Mate
User avatar
300RUM
.22 WMR
Posts: 148
Joined: Thu Sep 07, 2006 6:25 pm
Location: Mountins
Contact:

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by 300RUM »

MISSED wrote::lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: one good thing mate haven`t got a chrony.I have got a Ruger but a mk1.Will start at a mild load and go up .5 at a time.
Cheers Mate
Nah bugger wasting bullets going up .5 gn at a time. 1gn will give you plenty of warning if you're starting mild. They're light pills. With heavy pills you might want to go in .5gn increments.
User avatar
James270
His Holiness
Posts: 801
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:57 am
Favourite Cartridge: 270W
Location: Yass

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by James270 »

300RUM wrote:Oscar270 they are sensitive to wind but no more so than a lot of the other smaller varmint cals.
I didnt think they would be mate but some of the breezes we have had around here lately would make the "Roaring Fourties" look like a mid summer zephyr.
User avatar
kjd
Site Admin
Posts: 4424
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:27 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 223Rem
Location: Picton
Contact:

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by kjd »

oscar270 wrote:
300RUM wrote:Oscar270 they are sensitive to wind but no more so than a lot of the other smaller varmint cals.
I didnt think they would be mate but some of the breezes we have had around here lately would make the "Roaring Fourties" look like a mid summer zephyr.

Ahh don't you love the Southern Tablelands chill you to the bone winds? Probably not right now but in 2 months time that wind is going to SUCK!!!!
User avatar
James270
His Holiness
Posts: 801
Joined: Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:57 am
Favourite Cartridge: 270W
Location: Yass

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by James270 »

kjd wrote: Ahh don't you love the Southern Tablelands chill you to the bone winds? Probably not right now but in 2 months time that wind is going to SUCK!!!!
They suck now mate. This year they have been that hot and dry you have to take a camelbak with you when you get out to open a gate.
User avatar
kjd
Site Admin
Posts: 4424
Joined: Thu Jul 06, 2006 6:27 pm
Favourite Cartridge: 223Rem
Location: Picton
Contact:

Re: 36gn Varmint grenades + 220 Swift = FAARRK

Post by kjd »

Does it settle down of an evening?

I've always found that the winds settle down of an evening down there. Dunno what it is but generall the wind dies of a night.
Post Reply