Trouble with 700 VLS

[abouwer]

I just bought a 204 Rem 700 VLS. Its terrible! I have a 243 in this same gun, and it will do half the group size of the 204! I do EVRYTHING! Im new to the 204 but not reloading, and when i say everything, i mean it, from neck size to brass weight. I changed primers, powder, bullets, but this junk will do around an inch at 100. Can they do better, the gun, the 204, the combination?

[skipper]

A 204 should be able to put a whole box of ammo under a dime at 100 yards. Some rifles take some time to settle down and start shooting right. Other rifles don't like certain bullets, especially the 40 gr. bullets. Otherwise your rifle should be capable of sub MOA groups, pretty much, right out of the box.

You didn't mention what bullet, powder, primer and brass combination you're shooting. How many bullets do you have down the tube? Another thing the 204 likes is a really clean bore. They tend to build up powder residue right at the throat that is particularly hard to clean. You have to scrub pretty well in the throat area. Another thing you might want to check is your scope mount. Tell us some more about what and how you shoot.

[Rick in Oregon]

Skipper is right on target, but you also didn't mention if the rifle is stock or has been properly bedded and free-floated with the trigger attended to also.

Even with the best handloads, if the rifle has a stressed receiver or if the forearm wood is touching the barrel, it won't shoot for crap.

Tell us more about your loads, seating depth, and the rifle particulars.

[abouwer]

Its Free Floated, Bedded, and i adjusted the trigger. Im using Bencmark, and did all loads from minimum to max, with both Hornady 32, and Nosler 40 grainers. I also did min to max loads with H4895. Im using cci450 primers, but i also tried winchester standard small rifle primers., and the bullets are seated just of the rifling. Maybe im just too impatient, maybe it needs to settle a little. I have never had a VLS so bad though, i even tried factory 32 Hornady, and they struggle to stay under 2 inches.

[jo191145]

I would go to your best gunshop (most stocked) and buy one box of every factory ammo available. Shoot one five shot group from each box. If none of them makes you smile at least a little its the gun.

The 204R is one of the most accurate cartridges I've yet to find. I have two custom 6 BR tubes and I still trust my factory Savage 204 barrels to out perform them both at 200 yds. I do have more expierience with the 204 as opposed to the 6BR but I think that still says a lot for the cartridge.

I can make my 204 shoot larger groups than a 6BR but when I finally get it right the 204 shines nicely.

[glenn asher]

If you were to go back to the very first few pages of this forum, you'd see we all had some issues with new guns, when the .204 first came out. We almost always said to give it a couple of hundred rounds to let it settle down. Sure enough, later on, the questioner would come back and say that things had settled down and good things were happening.

That seems like a lot (it IS) but that's kinda what we were seeing from the rifles at that time. Give it some more time, push some more bullets down that pipe, and don't get too excited yet. If it still won't shoot after a couple hundred rounds, send Remington a note and see what they recommend.

Oh yeah, and try some Federal 205M primers, they seem to go with Benchmark like beer goes with chili.

[operationsnsc]

Try my loads listed in the reloading section, with a powder charge reduction first. Barrel break in procedure (first time I ever tried it on a gun) for me revealed a noticeable change in accuracy after 50-75 rounds. Even after I had it bedded. Note: I can't get anything up to and including a 40 grain bullet to touch my lands, but it's probably a good thing because this drives the pressure up and I've already got pressure signs. Be careful. This is also the first gun I've ever used JB Bore Paste on and used it in the break-in process, and evidently it didn't hurt. If you can find someone who owns an $800 bore scope you could have them examine the inside of the bore at least to put your mind at ease. My chamber looks like a chalk board that's been climbed by a cat.

[Red]

Can they do better, the gun, the 204, the combination?

As others said, the 204 can be quite accurate. Although I've found it to be a little bit more finicky to load for than the 223. Might be that you just have not found the right combination yet?

On the other hand, I had a 22-250 VLS that simply would not shoot well. Could be the gun or the barrel as was finally determined in my case.

[Bergcrane2]

I'm with Glenn on this one. It took almost 100 rounds for my VSSF II to settle in. I panicked the same as you. Just keep shooting until the barrel breaks in.

[willyp19]

I have the same rifle, and I experienced the same problems as you. I tried Sierra 32 gr BK, Nosler 40gr BT with different powders...Would not group worth a CRAP!!! After do some reading on this site, and talking to some of the people on here. I bought some Sierra 39 gr BK, and right away there was a change in results!!! First I tried load combos with H4895, Varget, then Reloader 10X and it was MAGIC...!

Load that worked for me was:
WW Brass
REM 7 1/2 Primers
Reloader 10X
39 gr Sierra BK

Don't give up, you'll just have to find the right combo like I did.

[Bergcrane2]

I have the same rifle, and I experienced the same problems as you. I tried Sierra 32 gr BK, Nosler 40gr BT with different powders...Would not group worth a CRAP!!! After do some reading on this site, and talking to some of the people on here. I bought some Sierra 39 gr BK, and right away there was a change in results!!! First I tried load combos with H4895, Varget, then Reloader 10X and it was MAGIC...!

Load that worked for me was:
WW Brass
REM 7 1/2 Primers
Reloader 10X
39 gr Sierra BK

Don't give up, you'll just have to find the right combo like I did.

WOW! You're shooting almost the exact recipe as me! Shoots great huh?!?!

[Frank]

DITTO Willyp19 & Berg on their 204 load... 39gr Sierra, RL10X powder(around 25gr + or -), Fed 205 primer & I use Winchester Brass. Dead nuts accurate at a chrono'd 3660 fps from my VLS...

BTW, there is another post in the reloading section where someone put a spread sheet together of all the accurate loads posted & the 39gr Sierra came in #1... And is the same results I had after 700+ rounds & dozens of loads. This bullet & powder are tops in the 204.

My own load testing also showed the 32 gr bullet shot semi decent, However, NO 40gr bullet shot worth a darn for my liking. Forget that bullet in other words. I shot hundreds of them.

Also, friends and I own several VLS's and all shoot Exceptionally well, so am surprised, no actually shocked to hear of your troubles with it. But hey?? Very frustrating for sure!

Hopefully you'll get it resolved & shooting great for you soon.

All The Best
Frank