Varmint Grenades

[bearpaw]

Has anyone shot these Barnes bullets (Varmint Grenades) at 4000+ fps in .22 centerfires. I was wondering if anyone has experience with them and knows if there are any problems with them breaking up at high velocities.

THANKS 

[sisu]

I have the 40 gr 223 ready to go for this spring. Tried to use them last spring but we were blown out of Montana with snow, wind, sand, hail, lightning...
They pattern nice on my target

[MtnMuley]

I haven't personally put them past 4K, but have had them in the 3800 range.  I couldn't get them to group as well as the V-max's, and didn't see much difference with the final outcome with them either (animals).  I have friends that say they've had them break up on them though, but don't know what FPS they were shooting.

[bearpaw]

I have the 40 gr 223 ready to go for this spring. Tried to use them last spring but we were blown out of Montana with snow, wind, sand, hail, lightning...
They pattern nice on my target

Nice to hear about the pattern, I was wondering about that too. How fast do you think you are shooting them.

I was going to try them in a little faster gun!

[sisu]

I have the 40 gr 223 ready to go for this spring. Tried to use them last spring but we were blown out of Montana with snow, wind, sand, hail, lightning...
They pattern nice on my target

Nice to hear about the pattern, I was wondering about that too. How fast do you think you are shooting them.

I was going to try them in a little faster gun!

About 3310 ft per second.
BTY because of their shape compared to my Hornady V-max loads that I also use. I try to only shoot these out of my Weatherby, it has a slower twist than my Tikka.

[BlackRidge]

I havent pushed mine nearly as far as 4k, but down towards the 3,400fps range, they've performed very well

Haven't gotten to shoot as many as I'd like though, or messed with different recipes, mostly due to the great consistancy of vmax and nosler CT bst's

[Lowedog]

I haven't personally put them past 4K, but have had them in the 3800 range.  I couldn't get them to group as well as the V-max's, and didn't see much difference with the final outcome with them either (animals).  I have friends that say they've had them break up on them though, but don't know what FPS they were shooting.

I found them not to be nearly as accurate as V-max's also. 

[jackelope]

My 22-250 while I've never chrono'd it I assume is pushing 4k and it shoots bugholes at 100 yards and I've never seen any issues with them coming apart. With that said I've probably only fired 40-50 rounds with those bullets so that's probably not saying much.

[bearpaw]

I haven't personally put them past 4K, but have had them in the 3800 range.  I couldn't get them to group as well as the V-max's, and didn't see much difference with the final outcome with them either (animals).  I have friends that say they've had them break up on them though, but don't know what FPS they were shooting.

I found them not to be nearly as accurate as V-max's also. 

I picked up some 40 v-max's to try and was thinking of trying the Varmint Grenades too. Thanks for the info guys, I think I will get a small box to try first instead of the large box.

[Lowedog]

I was shooting the 36gr Grenades out of my .223 fyi.

[AWS]

Haven't worked with the 36gr VGs but have run som 62gr VGs through my 6mm/204 and they are very accurate but have left softball sized exits on double lunged coyotes,  55gr NBT Lead Frees are proving to be a better pelt hunting bullet.



AWS

[bearpaw]

Thanks Lowedog and AWS, maybe I should get a box of 36's and 40's?

AWS, that is exactly the kind of hole I want in a coyote,  the greenies have ruined the fur market anyway.

[jackelope]

I was shooting the 36gr Grenades out of my .223 fyi.

Mine are 36's too.

[Jamieb]

One of the guys I shoot sage rats with every spring got some loaded .223 ammo with 30gr varmint grenades, Somehow he gets to test bullets for barnes before they release them to the public. Those little varmint grenades are supper explosive, I could hear the "pop" when a bullets would hit target and parts flew in every direction. IMHO one of the best small critter bullets.
I wouldn't use them on anything lager then a prairie dog but smaller critters are turned to red mist.

[carpsniperg2]

Now don't get me wrong, I like Barnes bullets a lot! But I stopped shooting them for years, because of a mess up in the box of varmint grenades that I bought. They were ordered from cabelas. When I started reloading with them and seated a few just fine. Then grabbed about the 4 bullet, and put it in the case neck. It fell threw the neck into the case Thought the case neck was not sized right so threw it aside and grabbed the next one. Same thing happened  Pulled out the calipers and there were 20cal bullets mixed in with 22 cal bullets Barnes and cabelas got a few words after that. I guess I was not the first person to get one of the recalled boxes This was about 6 years ago.

[bearpaw]

Thanks jackelope, jamieb do you think those 30's will be released soon? I wonder if they will stabilize well, they must be pretty short?

A heavy load must get you pushing 4500+ in the right gun....   

[bearpaw]

Barnes .224? 36 grain Varmint Grenade bullet exploding upon impact on a small seedless grape at point blank range. Velocity was 4483 fps. Bullet was fired from a 25? barrel chambered in .22-250

Watch the video:  http://www.barnesbullets.com/information/high-speed-video/

[Ray]

They were always sold out and V-max always seemed to make the sage rats blow up good and red. 

[MuleySniper]

I was shooting 32 grain V max's from my .204. I don't recommend them if you plan on saving the pelt I greased a yote this year from about 150 yards, spined him and basically blew out a large grapefruit size hole out of his back. I've never tried the grenades. I've always been particular to Hornady varmint loads.
MS

[bearpaw]

I have never loaded anything smaller than a 50 gr in my gun. I usually shoot Sierra 52 gr HPBT's. On a good day I have held a .625 group, but usually more like .750 to 1.0 and it's me not the gun. Gun has a match grade shilan barrel that is barely broke in good. A friend has shot under .5 with it.

This load sounds interesting, (from another forum) I just got some v-max's, so I might try working up to it, but don't want any bad pressure signs so may not get that hot. It looks like the loader was getting a good group and no doubt that load would be devastating to a yote or prairie dog. Any of you guys tried anything like this?

Load 3188 in caliber .220 Swift 
       
Bullet Hornady V-max 
Bullet Weight 40 grs 
Powder IMR 4064 
Powder Weight 43.5 grs 
Primer WLR 
Brass Make Winchester 
Barrel Length 26 (inches)
C.O.L 2.725 (inches)
Velocity 4625 fps
Group 100 yds  .4 (inches) 
Submitted By 98 220 swift
Gun Info  VZ-24 with 26'" barrel 1-16" twist
Comment Pressure signs in my rifle

[MuleySniper]

Holy cow that's smokin! If you load em up, let us know how they shoot for ya.
MS

[MtnMuley]

My Swift barrel is worth too much to me to be shooting those velocities.   I'd like to see the impact of a yote though!

[bearpaw]

I'm thinking you wont want to shoot too many right after the other....  

[Bofire]

  In my 22-250 at 3600 55 grain VMax, I got so much damage on coyotes it was ugly. 4 inch holes. I am a caller so almost all shots are under a 100 yards. I shot some with VMax that blew guts out and 10 feet away. I use Hornady soft points now in 223 and 22-250 55 grain.
Carl

[bearpaw]

In this day and age the bigger the hole the better....hides aren't worth saving. 

When I used to do a lot of yote hunting for hides, I took it pretty serious (1 winter I averaged $91.00 for my dogs), my favorite gun was a .257 WTBY and I used two different loads depending on distance of the shot. I did have to sew some pretty good holes at times, especially if I screwed up and shot a yote at less than 300 with the 75 HPBT. By using these two loads as noted, I was able to hold dead on any coyote out to 400 yards. Would loved to have had a B&C reticle for the longer shots... 

<300 yards - 100 Gr Spitzer, 60.5 Gr 4350, 3150 fps
>300 yards - 75 Sierra HPBT, 70.5 Gr 4350, 4000 fps

[Lowedog]

Dang!  That would be nice to get $91 for a hide still!

[bearpaw]

Dang!  That would be nice to get $91 for a hide still!

Fur was in style in those days (late 70's early 80's), but the huggers made out fur to be unfashionable and ruined the market, I doubt we will see prices like that again.

[sisu]

Dang!  That would be nice to get $91 for a hide still!

Fur was in style in those days (late 70's early 80's), but the huggers made out fur to be unfashionable and ruined the market, I doubt we will see prices like that again.

What is funny about the "greenie" thing is they believe their Euro friends are alike. I am not a worldwide traveler, but the little over seas experience I've had I noticed Euros like their fur & leather. Not to mention red meat, fowl, pork, etc.

The bulk of the bunny buggers are American, Canadian, British, etc. Where are the rest of the countries?