SmallCaliberCentral

Shot the best group ever out of the .204.Shot a 5 shot group measuring .076 out of a Savage 12 VLP at 100 yards today.Just got into reloading earlier this year thanks to this site.
Used:


Sorted Hornady brass COAL 1.84
Sorted Hornady 40gr. V-max
27.4 gr. H4895
CCI BR4
OAL 2.260

About gave up on the 40s the best I could get was 1/2 moa at 100 yards with 26.3 gr. of H4895.26.3 gave the best groups out of the shooting ladder thats why I did the most testing on it.After not getting anywhere went back over the targets and noticed that 27.4 had all holes touching but one flier.Played with seating depth and seperated brass and bullets by wieght .Uniformed the primer pockets,deburred the flash holes and only necksized the brass after first firing to keep it fireformed to the rifle and I'm getting great results.


Also been testing some 39 Sierra Blitz Kings with H4895 and the best I could get out of this rifle was in the 3s ,and they performed well seated farther out at 2.30.Going to try them with some Benchmark and see how that goes see if I can get better consistancy.Thanks for the great site

Great shooting pathmaker.

Yes Savages can print zero's, occasionally anyway. Shoot some more of that load and let us know how you do. Not to many people raving about the 40 V-max but it comes down to what the rifle likes and doing your homework. You get an A+

Welcome to the forum

My 12V goes under an inch at 300 yards, with the same powder...but CCI450 primers.

Thanks for the complament jo191145 it pays to lissen more then to speak around noliegable people.I thought it was odd myself that the 40s preformed so well in this rifle, through my readings it seemed the 39sSBKs and 35 bergers shined.We'll be able to put another man on the moon with the most complicated and largest machines in the world but we struggle to put a small piece of copper and lead a few 100 yards down range ,because we don't fully understand barrel chemistry and harmonics of a single piece of metal.

acloco 1/3 moa at 300 is amazing may I ask what bullet and seating depth your using in your 12V ?

40 gr VMax with H4895 and CCI450 primer.

Seating depth is in the load book...will post tomorrow...it is late!

pathmaker, That's some pretty good shooting. with the load you came up with. ( nice going ) I'm working on a load with the 40gr. berger right now. With 27gr's. of h4895, setting at 2.264. I tested this last week end, ten shoot's i could cover with a dime out of my 12fv. at 100yds. But i'm stell working on it to see if i can get make it a little better yet.

Great shooting skills Lee C. It take good shooting disapline to achieve such tight group with so many rounds.Good luck with your quest on the 40 gr. bergers.Interesting to see how close the seating depth is compared to the VLP that I have.Makes one wonder if the Savages fancy that paticular depth?

Went to the range today and found some interesting findings.Once I fouled and warmed the barrel the 5 shot groups from the 40 V-Max's with 27.4 gr. of H4895 grouped pretty consistant, with the largest out of 10 groups being .271 down to .178 ctc. respectivly.A little over .100 th of an inch seems to be near consistant .Should beable to shrink the .100 with a bedding job done to the action being it has none.Would like to test these loads with the same primers acloco is using ,CCI 450 primers maybe thee differnt brasaince of the primer well create great results. On a side note I've found a range with a 200 yard setup so I'll be testing some at 200 yards .Thats where the .204 ruger realy shines

The 39 gr. Blitz King over BenchMark ladder consieved three good testing areas.Starting at 24.1 gr. to 25.7 gr. the best being: and going in order,

Three shot test groups:
24.9 gr. .221 ctc.
24.7 gr. .234 ctc.
25.5 gr. .287 ctc.

From earlier testing I found the rifle likes a seating depth of 2.300 for the 39 Blitz kings so thats what I went with.

Well back to the reloading bench ,I've got the .076 target hanging on the wall in front of the bench to show myself the fruits of my many hours of research and labor of love to the sport .Thanks to everyone here

Pathmaker - do you have a chrono?

At 27.4 of H4895, my 12FV is kicking the 40VMax/H4895/CCI450 at 3831-3839 fps. 27.5 is in the 3851-3875 range.

I have a rem 700 thumbhole vls and i shoot h4895 27.5 gr and the 40 grain v-max with similar results i love that load as well. I shooting 3762 fps how about yours?

I like what the 40's do to prairie dogs at 300/400/500 yards. Kersplat!!

No chrono yet ,looking at some though very interested in the accumulation of data from one.Thanks for the info on the 27.5 gives me an idea where the fps are at for the 27.4.

Dont have PD's here but would like to see the .204 ruger nail the brain cavity of a groundhog using 27.4 gr's of H4895 pushing a 40 V-Max , I wonder if it would be Kersplat or POP!

Hmm...funny you mention that question.

The answer...Seperates the body from the head. You will find the head to the right and forward of the body about 12 feet.

acloco your POI must be a smig to the left for the head to eject to thee right, the head must do quit a bite of airtime to go that distance

LOL! I will make the correct adjustment!

That was my fps with a 26 " barrel so you can go from there