Reloading New Brass Vs once/twice.... fired

[204foxguy]

I have loaded up some ruger 204 new brass, shot @ 200 yards groups were very good 3/8-1/2".
I want to repeat these loads.
After loading the bass a few times the Groups seem to have opened up 1"-1 1/4 ".
As the brass has been fired a couple of times should one go up like .1 (one tenth) in charge, trying to get a better release of the Bullet from the brass neck's grip? I am assuming that the Brass is getting a little work hardened and takes a little more to get it moving forward and released from the neck of the brass? I have never anneled brass and I'm thinking that that may be the Cure 2-3 firings annel the brass to get it softer. If i have this all wrong, please help set me Straight- I like the small groups!!!

Would cleaning the Inside of the Necks(carbon removal) help this? ( i do brush the Insides of the necks before reloading) Any Ideas??

Thanks, I do like the Ruger 204 - H4895 - SBK 39 gr's...

[sharps45-120]

More info needed, Are you full length sizing your brass or neck sizing only. Are you cleaning the brass & how are you doing it. Sonic cleaner or a vibrator / tumbler?? I would suggest you neck size only as this should give you the best group accuracy & use a sonic cleaner to remove any internal case residue. I would not increase my loading as yet until all else is checked out first. I would also check to make sure all rings & mounts are still tight. I use a flash hole deburrer & uniformer on all new cases so I have uniform ignition. I trim all cases & deburr inside & outer case mouth. I assume you are doing these steps or most of them. I use to shoot with a Hunter class match rifle group & we weighed all the cases when new after sizing, trimming, deburring flash hole & necks. We set aside the largest consistent weight group & loaded these only for our match score shots. all the rest we sold or set aside for hunting ammo. This method works best on new brass, slightly used cases 1 or 2 times would work in all likelyhood. Try this & see how the groups are. Also check your bullet seating depth. Try adjusting it out slightly with 5 or 10 rounds at a time to save wasting ammo & expense. I shoot 3 shot groups as it saves ammo & I seldom get more that 2 or 3 shots at a critter "if" I miss. I usually use a piece of careboard as a target with a 1/4" black dot from a marker pen. The smaller the target you cen see thru your scope the tighter you will hold your grouping. Also heavy construction paper works well with snall dots. Is your shooting bench rock solid. I have a portable one that has loosened with age & I found my groups opening up. I used a pair of ratching straps, one on each side & tightened them up & my 204 Ruger group shrunk to under 1/4" center to center at 100 yards. don't want to overload you with info, only wishing to help you get a tight group. I do this with any rifle I wish to shoot. My 270 WSM shoots .443" at 100 yards & it is a Factory Winchester MDL 70 with a Thumbhole stock & fitted & bedded to it. Try a thumbhole stock sometime if you haven't as yet. I think you will fall in love with them as I have. If you wish to discuss it by phone # 541-908-3757, e-mail jerry.ballew@yahoo.com Hope this helps some, Good shooting.

[Jim White]

Good info, especially the shooting bench/position part.

I'm presuming you have your scope cranked all the way up on high power. If so do take note of eye-relief because with some scopes it is more pronounced w/groupings with others. On that line ligting conditions that vary from session-to-session can cause issues as well as parallax (even a little).

Occasionally I have the same issue myself but I've come accustomed to checking all the preliminaries it rarely peeks occurs, unless the conditions especially if reflective light/mirage is present.

HTH

[204foxguy]

More info needed, Are you full length sizing your brass or neck sizing only. Are you cleaning the brass & how are you doing it. Sonic cleaner or a vibrator / tumbler?? I would suggest you neck size only as this should give you the best group accuracy & use a sonic cleaner to remove any internal case residue. I would not increase my loading as yet until all else is checked out first. I would also check to make sure all rings & mounts are still tight. I use a flash hole deburrer & uniformer on all new cases so I have uniform ignition. I trim all cases & deburr inside & outer case mouth. I assume you are doing these steps or most of them. I use to shoot with a Hunter class match rifle group & we weighed all the cases when new after sizing, trimming, deburring flash hole & necks. We set aside the largest consistent weight group & loaded these only for our match score shots. all the rest we sold or set aside for hunting ammo. This method works best on new brass, slightly used cases 1 or 2 times would work in all likelyhood. Try this & see how the groups are. Also check your bullet seating depth. Try adjusting it out slightly with 5 or 10 rounds at a time to save wasting ammo & expense. I shoot 3 shot groups as it saves ammo & I seldom get more that 2 or 3 shots at a critter "if" I miss. I usually use a piece of careboard as a target with a 1/4" black dot from a marker pen. The smaller the target you cen see thru your scope the tighter you will hold your grouping. Also heavy construction paper works well with snall dots. Is your shooting bench rock solid. I have a portable one that has loosened with age & I found my groups opening up. I used a pair of ratching straps, one on each side & tightened them up & my 204 Ruger group shrunk to under 1/4" center to center at 100 yards. don't want to overload you with info, only wishing to help you get a tight group. I do this with any rifle I wish to shoot. My 270 WSM shoots .443" at 100 yards & it is a Factory Winchester MDL 70 with a Thumbhole stock & fitted & bedded to it. Try a thumbhole stock sometime if you haven't as yet. I think you will fall in love with them as I have. If you wish to discuss it by phone # 541-908-3757, e-mail jerry.ballew@yahoo.com Hope this helps some, Good shooting.

I am currently using Norma Brass- I have not weight sorted, but the cases are the same length and have been chamfered inside and out.
Cleaning Brass- i use 0000 steel wool to clean the exterior Neck area & then brush the Interior with a Nylon brush.
Sizing- i use a redding body die to size the case & bump the shoulder back .002.
I use the Lee collet die to size the necks.
I'm seating the Bullet to the Sierra COAL as that is the OAL that produced the Original small group size. Sierra 39gr Blitz King's

Thanks- I was wondering if a Sonic cleaning would help with a consistant Bullet release from the Case?

[sharps45-120]

I neck size my brass at only about 3/4 of the way down the neck, only to hold the slug securely. I leave 1/4 so it gives a case neck and chamber fit I prefer. i do not bump back the shoulder at all unless they start to become a tight fit before reloading. As to the sonic case cleaner, Hornady claims it will leave the cases like new in & out. I do not get lube anywhere near the case mouth opening. As to cartridge O.A.L. loadied length, as long as the loaded rounds fit in your rifles magazine I would not be concerned with seting them further out. I havd even "smoked" some of my loaded bullets with a blown out match then inserted it in the chamber to see how far out it can go before the ogive hits the lands / rifiling. This gives you a Max. length to stop short of by a few 1/1000 - if your magazine doesn't stop you before that. Magazine length & Rifiling contact are the only restraints in my opinion, as long as the bullet is still snug in the neck. My cell# is 541 908-3757 if you wish to chat about reloading problems or whatever, West Coast time, Oregon, U.S.A. God Bless & happy shooting.