SmallCaliberCentral

hi chaps my tikka 204 has a 1 in 11 twist and loves the 40 grn bergers.are any of you shooting the lighter bullets 32 or 26grn with this twist rate. if so any recipes to try.thanks mike

Seems to me I have read where others on this site, have a 11 inch twist and they shoot the 32 grainers just fine. I am sure some will chime in shortly. Bill K

zx10mike--I bought a used Savage 12VLP in .204 Ruger that has a 26" stainless steel 1 in 11 twist three groove super match grade Pac-Nor barrel on it. I have never fired any bullets lighter in weight than the 32 gr. V-Max bullets. I don't think a 1 in 11 twist barrel is going to cause the 26 gr. bullets to blow up on you unless you really pound a bunch more powder in the casing than is prudent.

On, April 8, 2010, my first trip to the range I had 4 rounds loaded up with 28.5 gr. of IMR 8208 XBR in new WW brass using Remington 7½ primers and 32 gr. V-Max bullets coated with hBN. I seated the bullets .010" off the lands. Here's the 100 yard target shot from a concrete bench using a rabbit-ear rear bag and my Harris 9-13" swivel bipod for the front rest. These are the only 4 shots I have taken with the 32 gr. bullets out of this rifle. I prefer the higher BC bullets, but killed lots of prairie dogs and a few coyotes with the 32 gr. V-Max back when I first bought my Savage 12VLP.



I know you didn't ask about heavier bullets, but I'll tell you my story anyway. On that same range trip, I also fired four rounds of 40 gr. V-Max coated with hBN and used 26.8 gr. of IMR 8208 XBR. Bullets were seated about .015" off the lands. I used new WW brass and Rem 7½ primers.



I also tried 27.2 gr. of H4895 with these 40 gr. V-Max bullets seated to the same depth, same primer and new WW brass.



Now I had some brass formed to this rifle's chamber so on a subesquent range trip I tried 5 rounds using the 35 gr. FBHP Berger bullets coated with hBN. I used fire formed WW brass.



I also tried the 5 rounds with hBN coated 39 gr. Sierra BlitzKings and 27.4 gr. of IMR 8208 XBR and that worked just great.

thanks for the reply chaps looks like its worth a play.a fat bloke who can't ride a motorbike but can eat curry put the idea in my head.will let you know how i get on.

I have a 1-10 pacnor barrel chambered in 20 TAC. It shoots 32 and 40 gr. VMAX quite well. The 40's have an edge, but the 32 will shoot in the high 2's and 3's.

Is there a reason for you wanting to shoot lighter bullets mate?


Steve.

no reason outher than faster = more splat factor.my 40 pet load runs at 3150 fps from my 22" barrel.

I shoot a 1:8.5" twist Pac-Nor barrel in .204 Ruger on a Savage Precision Target Action. It shoots the 26 grain Barnes Varmint Grenade and 32 Nosler BT Lead Free under .5" both to the same POA with 25.2 grains of RL-10x. Runs around 4110 fps. Also shoots the 50 grain Berger HPBT's under .5" with Varget.

zx10mike wrote:no reason outher than faster = more splat factor.my 40 pet load runs at 3150 fps from my 22" barrel.

Are you sure your speeds are correct, they seem very very slow to what they should be?

Steve.

yep sadly i was getting 3600 ish.i shortened the barrel from 26 to 22" and changed batches of rl15 and now it shoots 3150 average.i do prefer the shorter barrel tho.