SmallCaliberCentral

My local sports store (a big chain store FYI) has a coupon for buy one box of ammo and get the next 1/2 off. The only .204 Ruger loads they have are the Remington's (32gr accutip boat tail IIRC) and 32gr Hornady VMax's.

I shoot a Remington 700 VTR and the only factory load that I can get close to 1" groups is the Federal 32gr. This gun hates 39gr Federal's and Hornady's - disgusting 3" groups. 34gr Winchester's and 32gr Hornady's usually come in around 1.5-2" groups.

I have never shoot the factory Remington's but was wondering if anyone else has before I plunked down $30 for two boxes.

Thanks!

7's&8's: I shoot almost all handloads, but as you're not getting much traffic on this post, can only offer that a writer friend gave me 100 rounds of Remington factory 40gr Accu-Tip loads, and they shot much better in my 12 twist Sako 204 than I had imagined. All groups went under 1" @ 100 yds if that helps you make a decision on the 32's.

Sorry I can't offer more experience here on factory stuff. Hope the 32's work for you, as 32gr handloads shoot excellent in both my 204's; a 12 and an 11 twist.

I bought one box of these when ammo was scarce as hens teeth & there was no reloading components available. They shot as well as the 32gr Hornady stuff in my 700ADL. Of course your rifle may not like them but the 32's shoot real good in about 95% of the factory 204's. If nothing else you can re-sell the brass & come out close to even or just keep it to reload. HTH

Thanks - I'll give them a try. Hopefully I can get to the range before the white stuff starts flying around here and let you all know the results!

I had tried out the Remington 32 and 40 gr accutips back when I bought my first 204 and was only shooting factory fodder. The 32 gr accutips were just as accurate as rhe 32 gr V-max's in my VLP. The 40 gr accutips on the other hand were pretty horrible at about 2" to 3" compared to about an inch at 100 yds with the 40 gr V-max. I think I still have a couple of boxes of those factory 40 accutips from 2 years ago. I'll have to try them out in my BTVSS as it does like the 40 V-max.

I believe (and I could be mistaken) that the AccuTip bullets are made by Hornady and are merely relabeled from the V-Max name to AccuTip. With that in mind, my old Savage 12VLP shot the 32 gr. Hornady V-Max factory ammo very accurately once I got the barrel broken in. Half-inch three-shot groups were the norm. However, during the first 50 or so shots down the tube, the 32 gr. V-Max had me worried. Accuracy was in the 1" to 2" range, but it settled down and shot very accurately with that factory ammo after a thorough breakin.

Silverfox wrote:I believe (and I could be mistaken) that the AccuTip bullets are made by Hornady and are merely relabeled from the V-Max name to AccuTip.

I thought this to be true when I looked at the ballistics of both the Hornady and the Remington. They are identical.

It seems that every gun likes a different load. What one may shoot, another may not. It's all trial and error. Get a bunch of boxes and have a day at the range.