Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Found the node...

My 204 has always been finicky to load for. It shot so bad when I first got it that I was thinking of a new barrel. Someone here gave me a load with Bergers that worked pretty well, but the velocity wasn't there. I decided to give load development another whirl. Here is what a mere .1 grain difference did in this gun. (gun has always been very sensitive to changes in charge weight.)

Shot this awful five shot group at 100yds:



Increased charge .1 grain and shot this 3-shot group:



I was surprised when I walked up to the target to see that bughole, so I walked back to the bench, waited 15 minutes and shot two more into the same group.



Looks like I finally found the sweet spot! I cannot explain why this gun is so sensitive to charge differences, but it is.

From past experiences with different loads from very accurate rifles, I would suggest you shoot a few more groups before being too happy. I have had groups almost in one hole, and the next time out it shot almost an inch group. I have some 20 caliber bullets in 34 grain from Nosler, that occasionally shoot under .250, but was not consistent with a 20 TAC or my 204. I hope your results are as indicated in your post.

Yeah, I am taking it back out this weekend to confirm. This gun has always done odd things during load development. Not only do group sizes change, but the group locations move a lot across the target, more so than any other gun I have owned. I believe it is due to the sporter weight 24" barrel being whippy.

I'd have to go another few tenths up to test robustness, if pressure allowed.

A node that requires the charge to be gnat's ass right on isn't much of a node.

That is the weird think about this gun. Shot ok at 26.6, crappy at 26.8, even crapper at 27, then zing...groups went back the other direction at 27.1. No pressure signs, and I like shooting so back next weekend to comfirm. I need to rezero anyway as this group wandered quite a bit from my original zero.

What are the details on the rifle?

Just wondering, as I've had four .204's, three with sporter-weight 24's, and all have been very easy to load for, without such sensitivity.

This started as a M700 ADL. Converted to BDL and sits in a bedded Medalist stock. Rifle Basix trigger, Kahles Helia 4-12.

This gun has been finicky since days one, with multiple stocks and optics.

Tried 32gr Sierra, 32 Noslers, 32 Hornadys and 40 Noslers in the past with horrible results. The only thing it shoots is 35gr Bergers over Benchmark. I even tried factory Hornady ammo once as a test. No good.

I did notice that one lug isn't making good contact, but that is about all I can find wrong with this gun.

My 204 is a 700 that has been the biggest pain in the arse. I finally had to put over 5 lbs of pressure on the barrel after changing to a laminated stock. It would finally group. I can't verify this, but have read the reason for pressure to compensate for poor thread contact. I have had more trouble with Winchester brass and have put mine in the back of the safe.

I toyed with rebarreling, but this group makes me rethink things. Going to confirm this weekend. That being said, it has always been good enough for a coyote gun at reasonable ranges, but pretty poor as far as "varmint" rifles go.

You should try the 39 BKs and load for the throat.
Those were the only thing I could get a factory new M77 VTGT 204 to shoot one M O Varmint, because those were the only bullets with a long-enough shank to touch metal on both ends.

Then I had a new barrel (Ruger replaced it) and that one did the same. Then I had Greg Tannell do a 230 neck short throat and could shoot 32 BKs, 39 BKs and Berg 35s -- but it was still super brass sensitive, wild flyers with the tiniest defect in case wall thickness.

Dang! I've had a pretty easy time getting my .204 sporters (a Savage, Ruger Mark II and Rem. 700) to shoot with a variety of loads. Usually use TAC but Benchmark and others have done well too. In all three rifles 32's and 40's (and usually 26's and 35's) all have shot close enough to the same POI at 100 to use them interchangeably. In my experience it's an extremely easy round to get to shoot, and not sensitive to different bullets or slight differences in powder charges. In fact the same charges of TAC have worked in all three.

I'd be looking at the rifle rather than dinking around with tenth-grain changes in powder charges.

My experience exactly�...

Did you use the ADL magazine box for the conversion? The ADL boxes are taller than the BDL. You may have everything tight, but it would still allow your barreled action to move in the stock. Open your hinged floor plate and make sure your magazine box will move/wiggle with your action screws tight. If it wont' move I think that could be your problem. I had it happen to me.

Could very well be.

Could also be several other rifle problems, like barrel threads too loose in the action, a scope-base screw making contact with the barrel threads, the front action screw touching the bottom bolt lug, etc. etc.

But I sure wouldn't waste any more powder, bullets, primers and brass looking for the magic load.

Screw hitting the lug gets my vote.

Swapped out mag box during conversion. It has worn three different stocks, the current one was bedded and fit by Kampfeld.

It has also worn several scope and base combos. The lack of contact on one bolt lug seems to be suspect though.

Contact percentage?

I had a little dinky short barreled SS Ruger Mk 2 that I used as a coyote truck gun in .204. I picked a random book load of H-4895 (28 gr.) 32g V Max and Rem 71/2 primers and it got an honest to god 4050 fps over the chrony out of that short factory barrel and shot under 1/2 inch, hot,cold clean, dirty you name it. I was impressed at the way it killed dogs also, not the horsepower of my Swift but just as flat and accurate.-Muddy

Me...

Benchmark and 35 Berger gave you crap velocity?

Well, some cartridges are female, some rifles are female, but when BOTH are --