SmallCaliberCentral

I've been working out of state for most of the month and haven't had the gun out lately. Turkey season has gotten in the way also. Soon I'll be testing out some of your suggestions.

Thanks
Greg

Fat, I'm having keyhole problems in my new Savage (see "Keyhole help" a few threads below). Long story short - mine keyholes all reloads and not factory loads at all. I haven't found the why yet. On the subject of cleaning and fouling, I can't believe how much fouling comes out of my gun. ...

Finally got a chance to go to the range at the crack of dawn yesterday. I spent nearly 3 hours last week cleaning the barrel until I couldn't get any solvent to show anything. I can't imagine there being any way to have more than just an insignificant amount of fouling in the darn thing. The first g...

Doesn't someone use the 39BK in their factory ammo? That would be an elimination. Maybe it was American Ammo? I know I tried some, and it was slow and loose, but it was a factory loaded 39 BK. On edit: duh, it's the Federal ammo that uses it. I think maybe the American ammo did too, but I'd have to...

Michael, "Savage 204".......I see (now) said the blind man! I've heard somewhere that barrel manufacturers (and I'm thinking Savage in particular) can leave machining marks in the barrels when their cutters or whatever they use get worn and I had wondered if this may be my problem. I did n...

E.Tn. Have to agree with the other poster that copper fouling is the prime suspect with your rifle key holing bullets. Long story short, shooting partner and friend had the same issue with his 204 Savage. Piercing primers, bullets key holing, groups opening up. What we found, rough spot in bore abo...

I appreciate all the feedback guys. I now have somewhere to start looking. I'm still waiting for some decent weather to test some of these ideas.

Greg

Thanks again Rambler, I'll keep that in mind. I hope I can trace the problem to my reloading and correct the problem there. It's a little early to give up as I've only shot the riflew about 85 times. I'd sure like to get some good weather on my days off to test a couple of things though. I'll keep y...

WrzWaldo wrote:

Two boxes of Hornadys didn't have a single keyhole

Which ammo 32 or 40 grains?

1 Box each. I have a box of 40's and a box of Winchester 32's I"ll try next .

Just got the gun out of the safe and inspected the crown with a loop and the crown is perfect - not a scratch or anything. Rambler - The gun has been cleaned with powder and copper solvent after 1 - 5 shots as per the Savage recommended break-in. A thourough cleaning always after each trip to the ra...

I'm going with the muzzle crown theory, it's pretty daggoned rare for a rifle to keyhole with all loads, unless there's something wrong with the rifle itself. Still, I'd mike the Sierras and see if they're undersized, just in case......... Glen, I mic'ed about a dozen each of the BKs and Bergers an...

jo. The Hornady unfired factory cases are about 1.830" and after firing and neck sizing most come out around 1.840". No cases have even gotten near 1.85". If I can get some good weather I'm going to try the Bergers and 27.0g-27.6g H4895 in 0.2g increments and a box of factory Hornady ...

jo, I looked at the crown at the range with the naked eye. Nothing jumped out at me. I'll get the loop out in a little bit and give it a close look see. Barrel was fairly clean - only about 85 shots have been fired with no more than 5 shots between a cleaning with Hoppe's #9 and Hoppe's copper solve...

If the crown were the problem, wouldn't the factory loads keyhole also?