SmallCaliberCentral

I have a LRPV that I have been shooting 32 Gr Vmaxes but want to try 40 Gr. BT's. It shoots 32's in little holes but I want to try 40 Noslers for the boat tail and the extra weight, also I got 5k of 40 gr Noslers for $70. a thousand. Heres the problem I loaded the 40s with 4895, 10x, Benchmark and 2015. and none shoot very well. I loaded them @.0010 off the lands. I would really like some tips. I havent had this much trouble working up loads on any other 204 this is my 1st attempt at 40gr. do 40's like to jump more to the lands than 32's?

Neither of my Savage 204's cared for the Nosler 32 or 40 grain bullets, unfortunately.

MY LRPV HATED!!!!!! the 40gr Noslers..... but I shot a .278" five shot group w/ the 40 gr V-maxes!! It will shoot 32 Vmaxes, 32 SBK's, 39 SBK's, 40 Vmaxes all under 1/2 inch---and it even shoots the Midsouth cheapies well.

So yours just must not like the Noslers like mine. I would trade em for something that you have already found that it likes to shoot. -Dan

Like you I was all hot to shoot the Nosler 40gr BT, and worked with the same powders as you did (H4895, RE-10X, Varget). Best results I had were just over 1/2" sized groups.

My best load:
W-W Brass
Rem 7 1/2 Primers
RE-10X (24.0gr)
OAL 2.30

As soon as I switched to Sierra 39gr BK, I was way under a 1/2"...Of course, you've bought the bullets you are going to use and don't want to hear anything about switching bullet???

True, I dont really want to hear it but I see no point in shooting inaccurate bullets. I might as well save my powder. I have a couple of other brand rifles that shoot bug holes maybe one of them will like 40's if not maybe a post in the classifieds will do the trick.

Have you tried different seating lengths? Sometimes 204's just like to jump a little.

yes I have stepped back by .010" to .080" off the lands and accuracy never really changed.

just tried them in savage 12fv w/varget,win 748,ramshot tac .i'd be better off throwing them by hand. groups were1.5''+ @100 terrible".would gladly trade 88 bullets for any other bullet. 32,40 v-max,35,40 berger all shoot under.2 from this rifle.

yeah it sucks I usually have a lot of respect for Nosler, I wish I only had 88 I'd happily throw thwm away and cut my losses but I have 2919 of the little turds left I even tried them in my Kreiger barreled 204 and the best I could get was about 5/8" and its a 1\4" or better gun.

nofun 1 if i mailed you 81 nosler 40 grainers you would have an even 3000 little turds.3000 little turds equal one big turd. one big turd sounds alot better than TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND NINETEEN little turds

nofun1--I don't know how many different test loads you shot with the 40 gr. Nosler BTs to determine your rifle absolutely won't shoot them accurately, but, maybe you might find the magic load if you tried a few more different loads.

My Savage 12VLP has such a deep throat that I can't get bullets even halfways close to the lands, but it seems to like the long jump so why fight it! The overal cartridge length from the base of the casing to the tip of the bullet for the 40 gr. Noslers I reload measures between 2.390" and 2.393".

My Savage shoots the 40 gr. Nosler BTs pretty accurately. Remember to work your way up to the loads I list. They are safe in my rifle, but may be too hot for your firearm. I was using a load of 27.3 gr. of AA2520 up until I switched to a load of 27.6 gr. of H4895 last summer. The muzzle velocity for the H4895 load out of my rifle is right at 3,937 fps. I get 1/2" groups with this load. That's not quite as good as the groups I get with the 39 gr. Sierra, but it is good enough for potting prairie dogs.

Thanks for the help I have tried lots of different loads almost every load I have seen on the internet and in manuals. I tried 28.0 of 2520 with no luck 27.0 of H4895 which shoots one hole with 39 SBK's. Pretty soon it wont much matter because I will burn my throat out and have to start over with a new barrel.

nofun1--I think you might be right to just cut your losses on those 40 gr. Nosler BTs and stick with the 39 gr. Sierras. Like you mentioned, no sense burning up a good barrel on a bullet that isn't going to work for you.

nofun1

Just curious. What twist is your Kreiger barrel?

I don't have a whole lot of expertise with a Savage in 204 but I was shooting some of my test loads (that spread over a grain in .2gr intervals) just to see how they print. I was using H4895, Varget & RE-15, RP case and 7 1/2 primer.

Don't know which particular model it is but it's completly camofloged. that thing wouldn't hit a bull in the butt a 10 paces. It sure shoot the heck out of 26 grain Barnes though.

Jim