The box shows a published speed of 3900 fps. I always get a kick out of putting the stopwatch to factory fare.
Shooting a 22" CZ .204 through the lie detector, my rifle didn't quite average 3600 fps. I may have a "slow" barrel but...300 fps slow!? Even 200 fps less would be S. L. O. W.
Over the years I've noticed this especially with select Federal and Hornady loads.
I've got an identical CZ American, and it's slow, too, at least with factory ammo. It shoots great and still kills coyotes, so I'm not too upset about it.
The accuracy thing with 40gr. VMaxes is nothing new. Go back to some of the very first posts on
www.204ruger.com and you'll find that a large percentage of rifles don't shoot that bullet very well. The 1-12" twist is marginal, at best, for stabilizing a lonnngggg bullet like that one. The Sierra 39gr. Blitzking is shorter and more forgiving for a factory twist. There's a picture of the three heavier bullets (Sierra 39, Hornady 40, and Nosler 40) that shows the differences in boattails and ogives, and you can see why the Hornady is "iffy". (I supplied that photo).
