SmallCaliberCentral

Has anyone experimented with driving the 50gr Berger as fast as possible to stabilize in a 1-12 twist barrell?????
I'm shooting an Encore and the 50's keyhole everytime. Would really like to shoot them and try to extend my range.
If you have tried this please let me know what loads you used.

Casey: The 50gr Berger's require a 9 twist to stabilize. Your 12 twist will never shoot them well with any load. Try anything in the 30 to 40gr weight, and you'll be set.

Casey,
The 50 Berger will not extend your range, even with a 9" twist barrel. The velocity loss between a 50gr and 39gr bullet is too much to overcome the very, very slight BC increase of the 50gr bullet. If someone would make a higher BC 45-50gr bullet them it might be worthwhile. All my 204R's and 20BR's now have 1 in 11" or 12" twist barrels and use the 39gr Sierra BlitzKing for long range shooting.

I have a box of 100 ready to try, but am wondering why everyone always says you need a 9 twist to stabilize them. (I understand that this may be proven fact because someone has tried several different twist rates.) My .204 has a 10 twist Shilen select match barrel, ordered that way specifically hoping to shoot anything from 32-50 grain bullets. I have a box of 45gr Hornadys to try also.

[quote="BabaOriley"] but am wondering why everyone always says you need a 9 twist to stabilize them. quote]

Because Berger recommends a minimum twist of 9 inches.
Your 10 twist just might stabilize them enough to work. Maybe even work well.
IMO a bullet can still be unstable and not keyhole. The normal 12 twist is just on the ragged edge of stabilizing the longer 40gners. Add in the manufacturing variables that might decrease twist to 12.5" and we find why many 204's do not shoot the 40's well.

I just found a 24" McGowen 11 twist Sav prefit in magnum contour. Not really a target barrel configuration like I would prefer but the price was right. A cancelled order someone decided they no longer wanted.

I decided to throw some obstacles in its way. I grabbed up all the components that will not shoot in my Savage tubes. 40 V-Max, CCI-br4 primers, N-140 and fireforming some unprepped Win brass. (Did run the brass thru a FL die to remove the dents. Slight chamfer added also)
Shot an Audette Ladder at 200yds. Tried five shots of the node at 200. Right around .5moa.
Next time out I tried switching primers at 100yds. (Too dark to see anything at 200)
CCI-br4 = .500
CCI -450 = .255
Rem 7.5 = .427

Inconclusive of course but I'll try the 450's again. Maybe some Fed205 match also.
Most of my 12 twist Savage tubes probably would have given me 3 moa with such a load. All factory 204's should come with an 11 twist just to stabilize the 40's IMO.

Let us know how the 50's do out of your 10 twist.

the 50 gr burger does not add much with 295 bc last summer there was talk of a 400 plus bc for long range it is the frist thing on my christmas list