SmallCaliberCentral

Well, I started shooting ground squirrels (in California they are referred to as ground squirrels, not rats - because all the rats are in the Legislature :lol: ) back in the mid 60's with a Ruger M-77 Round Top in .257 Roberts rechambered to A.I.. Then I walked into the local Gemco Store (like an ea...

As the fellow posters above, I just bought a Bell & Carlson Tactical Medalist M40 Style Series 1000 (SKU# 1000) stock for a new new build on a bare Remington 700 SA action (Brownell's has the bare short actions for sale again at $370). These stocks are direct replacements for many Remington mode...

I too was a doubter, it's the cartridge that breaks all the rules: It's too long, it's too skinny, it needs to be a shorter fatter case, the neck is wrong, it uses a large flash hole, yada, yada, is one of the most accurate cartridges I have ever used - period bar none. The wind? Last April I shot r...

I'm with Rick. Generally anything negative that I have heard comes from people with no first hand experience. "oh the .204, thats a barrel burner" "oh the .204, that gets pushed around in the wind!" "oh the .204, can't kill coyotes with that" And now.. "oh the .20...

I used this product for experimentation www.pufflon.com/newfront.html My main use was in mild loads of Varget in .45-70 loads with 350 grain cast bullets. It worked well in my 1886 Browning reproductions and also Siamese Mauser. Groups were consistent and quite good but the main difference was barre...

I'm waiting on a 204 barrel, 26" blued, from Jim Briggs at Northland Shooter Supply in Minnesota. I ordered my gauges from Brownell's yesterday and should have the barrel in the next week or so. I'm rebarreling a Savage that is currently a 223 Rem on a long action with single shot follower. I ...

That's why they invented powdered metal core bullets - for military steel target applications. No ricochet, no penetration, just a splat and puff. Any of the lead free bullets from Barnes, Hornady or Nosler will lessen damage to steel targets.

well lately i've been smacking those pesky dirty disease carrying starlings with my .17 HMR with the Hornady 17 grain vmax. The feather explosions are fun if you hit them right. The pieces go flying....wing here, head there etc. Il shoot them lengthwise if possible for the best feather flying resul...

Nice post and pictures. Now if the Savage action and the Criterion barrel I ordered in Jan. of this year ever come. I can reference to this. Thank you Sand Rat Given that Criterion is a division of Kreiger that barrel should shoot well. Let us know how it does. If you are using the Savage Precision...

I use Winchester brass exclusively these days after having too much trouble with Hornady - it all went into the scrap barrel. Because I load in 1K lots there is no economically sound reason to spend twice as much for premium brass in a hunting rifle, even one that shoots .2" to .3" 10 shot...

Wrangler: I'm not a Savage fan by any means as many know here, but THAT post my friend, is an excellent dissertation on proper use of the gauges and barrel changing. Well done sir! :D (And by the references to setting points and valve adjusting, I know we're from the same era.......my wife refers t...

Pick up a set of headspace gauges, GO and NO GO from one of the manufacturers, I use Pacific Tool and Gauge purchased direct - do not mix brands of gauges, both the GO and NO GO have to be from the same manufacturer. Do not use brass for setting headspace - it isn't exact enough or designed for the ...

I recommend the .204 Ruger. Where I shoot (I guess you could call it hunting) the wind can blow in the 20-30 mph range, but the .204 bullets seem to be less prone to deflection, maybe because of their small area, maybe because they move so fast the wind doesn't have time to deflect them as much. The...

I explored a few preliminary loads for the .204 Ruger using the 50 grain Berger HPBT bullet. There is no way this bullet can be successfully used in any 1:12" twist factory barrel. I used a Pac-Nor 1:8.5" twist barrel on a rifle built on a Savage Dual Port Precision Target Action. Accuracy...

There isn't any sense in chasing dead-on OAL with commercial bullets and reloading equipment. If measurements are made with a dial caliper and a comparator, pressure on the slide can change the reading depending on the "feel," too heavy and they are short, too light and they are long. A ra...