SmallCaliberCentral

Mine is shooting well also. I believe it's because the new cartridge forced TC to get new equipment. The old stuff had loose tolerences.

BTW I'm not sure if you noticed my previous post on headspace. Mine shoots best with brand new Hornady cases. Resize them and with the exact same load groups almost double in size. Have you experience this with yours? I'm thinking it is headspace but have not fully isolated it yet.

Ethan

Greetings,

I also have an Encore in a .204. My first question to this forum was regarding flattened primers on Hornady factory loads with the 32 gr. VMax. GA responded with an answer to have a look at headspace. I read quite a bit about headspace on the bellmtcs.com website and posted more questions here. I ordered the guage to use my dial indicator to check headspace versus barrel to frame gap. I wound up adjusting my die to give me the recomended .001 clearance, it was in excess of .004. I also used the same tool to check exactly where the lands are at for this barrel which measured at 2.450. bellmtcs.com also has very nice trigger spring kits as well as oversized hinge pins and heavier locking bolt springs. The fun is about to start as I'm currently working on loads for this barrel.

Ethan: I can't answer your question about resized brass yet, as all rounds so far have been new Win. brass. However, the dies are set the same depth as when I sized all the new brass; so I wouldn't expect much change. I have a Bellm headspace gage and used it to set the dies before sizing the new brass. They are all reloaded now, but haven't had a chance to get to the range to shoot. Will let you know when I do.

I shot my first (and most accurate) batch of Hornady new cases without sizing. I then bought the headspace gauge and needed to remove material from my dies and shell holder to set the headspace correctly. I have not been able to duplicate the accuracy I got with those first 50 cases with resized cases. I need to pick up 50 more new Hornady cases and see if they shoot the same without prep that the first did.
I ran the experiment with Winchester cases trying both new sized and unsized and the best they will do with the same load is 3/4 inch.
Every load I have tried with this barrel has been under 1 inch so I am not complaining. It shoots.

The Sierra Bullets worked so great in my 22-250 I started out with them in the .204 Ruger.
I never could get the 32,39 Sierra BlitzKing to group well. The Hornady 32,40 Grain bullets did a little better. I tried 10x,BLC2 , H322 ,Benchmark.

What finally worked for me in my Savage Model 16 was the NOSLER 40grain and Varget Powder.
It gave me a 3/8 Grouping @ 100yrds.

Here is my load data :

Hornady Brass
Federal GM205M Primer
VARGET Powder 27.0g
Nosler .20cal 40grain Bullet
OAL 3.10 Stoney Point gauge (without 2.370)

NOTE: The OAL is longer than stated in loading manuals and it will not fit in the Savage Magazine.
It shows no signs of pressure and fouling is very low.
This is prob around 3600fps.

I started out with Nosler B-Tip 40 gr. and RE-10X for my Rem 700 VLS , but then switched to Sierra BK 39 and RE-10X started shooting .200 or smaller groups. Groups were even better wit the load for my Rem 700 ADL, all rounds were through the same hole.

P-dogs and Coyotes beware...


My Data:

Rifle: Rem 700 VLS
Scope: Leupold VX-III 4.5-14

Case: Winchester
Primer: Rem 7 1/2 BR
Powder: Reloader 10X, 24.6 grains
Bullet: Sierra BlitzKing 39 gr.
OAL: 2.340
Velocity: 3650 fps

Rifle: Rem 700 ADL
Scope: Leupold Vari-X-II 4-12

Case: Winchester
Primer: Rem 7 1/2 BR
Powder: H4895, 27.1 grains
Bullet: Sierra BlitzKing 32 gr.
OAL: 2.270
Velocity: 3850 fps

Ethan: Finally got the 204 Encore back to the range; first time since May!! Been fooling with a couple other guns, one being a new 17 HMR (my first). Anyway, I shot some loads with once fired Winchester brass and didn't experience the problem you were having with groups opening up. Using the same load criteria as posted earlier, shot 0.68" (yes, opened from 0.34" prior, but I can't shoot that well consistantly!). Hornady factory 32's shot 0.63" and 32 gr. V-max. reloads (27.3 gr. Benchmark, CCI 450, 2.35") also shot 0.63". I guess analyzing the data, my groups doubled also, but I attribute that to a VERY good day when I shot the o.34"!!!!

Forgot to mention, I also shot some 40 gr. V-max factory loads, and they are still terrible in my Encore at over 2" and keyhole!!! Blows my mind that the 39 gr. Sierra BK shoots so good at only 1 gr. less. Obviously, it has more to do with bullet shape than weight.

My Savage VLP likes 27.7 H4895,40 grn Vmax,WW brass.Remington BR primer.COL 2.250..

Rem 700 VSSF II
24.9 gr RE-10X
BR-4 Primer
HSM/Federal Brass
39 gr SBK
2.325 COAL
.3" 5 shot group @ 100 yds

Just joined the forum. Thanks for all the suggestions. I have just started shooting/reloading last year and shoot Prairie Dogs with my Father-in-Law in Goodland, KS.

Have had some great success with the following loads:

Kimber 84M Pro Varmint 22"
Sierra Blitzking 39gn.
Benchmark 24.5gn.
WSR Primer
HSM Case to 1.840
COL: 2.390

3x 5 shot average .570" group at 200 yds. Best .512" - 3451 fps
Wind:none Temp:80 Alt:6500

Remington XR-100 Rangemaster 26"
Berger Match Moly HPBT 40gn.
H335 26.0gn.
WSR Primer
HSM Case to 1.840
COL: 2.390

5 shot group .244" - 3482 fps
Wind:<5kts. Temp:77 Alt:6500

Note: also 5 shot group same bullet with
Varget 25.0gn. at 3104fps to .201" But I think it's too slow for 300+ range.

rem. 700 vls thumb hole, win brass, cci br-4 primer, 40 grn v-max, hogden 322 24.8 grains, 3508 fps, 3 shot .083" 4 shot .326" @100 yrds

Had my .204 since July and it took me 2 months to shoot it for lack of time. Anyway! this is what gave me the best accuracy.

Ruger M77 MKII,
"26 heavy barrel
Sierra BK 39 gr.
BLC(2) 29.8 gr.
CCI 450 Magnum Primers
Winchester Brass, Neck Turned
Case trimmed at 1.840
OAL 2.300"
5 shot group .295"
Velocity is 3978 ft/sec.

I could probably do better groups if I could get OAL longer, but they won't fit it my magazine. They opened up as soon as I shortened them.

Canis Latrans.

Tried 39g sierra bk with 25.4 gr of re10x.
5 shot group .613
tried 45 gr hornady sp with 24.6 gr re10x
3 shot group .214
This is too much fun

Got a ? for you.
Has anyone experimented with the bullet seat depth and how that affects velocity and accuracy? I sighted my NEF handy rifle in with factory Hornady amo then reloaded and set the bullet out 2.35 vs 2.26 spec overall length. The hand loads are shoot ~5inchs higher than the factory loads (don’t have any way to measure the speed). I’m not sure if it’s the bullet length or if the scope got bumped.

I’ve read that you should seat the bullet as close to the threads as your can, but am I sacrificing velocity? Should I go back to the 2.26??? I haven’t had time to really compare the accuracy of the 2 seat lengths but if someone already has maybe you can save me some time.