.204 Varmint Grenades

Bambob · #1 03-27-2008, 01:01 AM

Midway and Midsouth both have the 26g Varmint Grenades in stock as of today. You 204 shooters ought to be able to hit 4500 fps with these. It will be interesting to see if they will hold together long enough to get to the target. I ordered some to try in my 5mm Mag. CF conversion.
Bob

gube · #2 03-27-2008, 05:18 PM

Will probably be almost a year before we see them in Canada.

Quarter Round · #3 03-27-2008, 09:53 PM

Keep me posted on the results of the varmint grenades. I have the 5mm conversion also and would like something for starlings that has rapid expansion.

Bambob · #4 03-28-2008, 06:10 AM

Quarter Round
Natchez notified me today that they have shipped them. I hope to have them within a week and weather permitting, have some initial data within about 10 days. We'll probably have to use powders on the fast end of the range to get enough in to optimize velocity. I'm hoping for more than 2800 fps as I've done more than 2650 with the 32g VMax. Of course, in the end we'll just have to load them to the velocity where they shoot well.
Bob

GLWenzl · #5 03-29-2008, 02:01 AM

I think they will be juuuust right for the 5mm Mag!!! (I hope)

I got up to around 2675 fps using moly coated 30 gr cast bullets and #9 which shot real nice... For some reason I shot the 32s around 2250 fps???

Quarter Round · #6 04-16-2008, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bambob

Quarter Round
Natchez notified me today that they have shipped them. I hope to have them within a week and weather permitting, have some initial data within about 10 days. We'll probably have to use powders on the fast end of the range to get enough in to optimize velocity. I'm hoping for more than 2800 fps as I've done more than 2650 with the 32g VMax. Of course, in the end we'll just have to load them to the velocity where they shoot well.
Bob

Have you had a chance to shoot the varmint grenades yet? Give us a report.

Bambob · #7 04-16-2008, 09:38 PM

Due to wind, weather and other stuff, I've only shot 3 groups with the new bullets. The velocities were: 2640, 2668, and 2700 fps with 6.6, 6.7, and 6.8g of "special blend" powder. The 5 shot groups were: 2.723, 0.889, and 1.639 at 100 yds. If you just measure the best 4 shots in each group, they were: 1.201, 0.647 and 1.092. These tests were done with new Schroeder brass & Rem 7 1/2 primers. I haven't done any "terminal effects" tests yet. I think they may be an o.k. bullet for their designed purpose. They are of course, not a bench rest bullet. These bullets are almost as long as a 32g VMax so they should have a pretty good B.C. for their weight.
I had always thought N-110 powder should be a good 5mm powder just from where it sits in the "powder burn rate" chart. Wrong! It's way too slow. It might be o.k if you could stuff about 10g in the case. It has a "burn rate" more like 4227 which is also too slow. More later.
Bob