204 ruger and 40G VMax

SKScanuck

SKScanuck

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Damn, I have used WC735, IMR4895, varget and IMR 4064 with Sierra 39g BK and get good groups. No luck at all with 40g Vmax.

Anyone have a good recipe for the bullet and powders above?
 
I loaded up some 40 grn hornadys and they shoot ok for me. Im using W748 in them. I like them alot but the 32 grns are my best group so i load alot more of them than i do the 40s. I usually load a couple hundred 40s for winter time for dogs.
 
SKScanuck said:
Damn, I have used WC735, IMR4895, varget and IMR 4064 with Sierra 39g BK and get good groups. No luck at all with 40g Vmax.

Anyone have a good recipe for the bullet and powders above?
Click to expand...

Starting load 24.4 gr H322 and CCI small rifle primers. Work it up from there and see where you do. My finished load is 24.8 and reasonably accurate. But now I have to mess with COAL and neck tension to see if I can tighten it up a little more.:)
 
I will be trying some Berger 40 gr. bullets this spring. Mostly i use 32gr. Sierra and Hornady bullets. The Rem 700 sps varmint i had would not group 40 gr Hornady factory loads, going to try them in the Tikka soon.
 
I use 40gr Bergers and have great groups with H4895 and IMR8208XBR. Also not bad with RL-10x. I have a Tikka T3 stainless. Goes about .4 for 5shots.

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Sorry to say this. Some barrels with a 12 twist do not stabilize the 40gr Hornady. Other barrels do with a 12 twist.
 
40 gr.bullets

I load the 32gr Sierra BK's as well as the 39gr.BK's... I am sure most people will agree that the heavier leads will shoot OK !!!! But for paper punching the lighter leads are the best......A coyote at 200 yds still loves to receive 39grs. of screeming lead and a dime at 100 yds loves 32grs. TBG.
 
The 40 gr bullet is really hit or miss with a 1 in 12 twist barrel. IMHO, the .204 performs best with 40 gr (and heavier) bullets with a 1 in 10 or 1 in 11. These are hard to find in a factory barrel, though, with only TC offering that twist last time I checked.
 
Time to share the embarrassment....:redface:

I did mange to get three in a 0.5" hole on Sunday (39g SBK's) and was quite happy. The pic for this is below but you have to see the 40gVmax first....

Then this is my results with the 40GVmax

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and

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After I shot these, I put one 39g SBK in the chamber and put it a little over a half and inch away from the nice group of 3 that I mentioned above. I should have stopped at 3, but still a good group.

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These were two weeks ago with the SBK's

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I don't think this is very good advertisement for me selling/trading these on the EE...f:P:2::slap:

Anyhow, I will be getting some more 39g SBK's and the Hornady in 32 g to try out, (in a 100 box) :)
 
Good shooting pal.:redface: You got the names of the guys that shoot the 40gr. on this thread. You could sell the bullets left over from this learning experience.:cool:

I must report that T/C has made a mistake with their advertize twist rate. It is not a 1 to 10 but 1 to 12 twist rate. Email them if you like.

I just ordered a Benchmarck Barrels barrel with a 1 to 11 twist rate. This will be use on a project with a cartrige like a 20-222R. Now if I could find a cheap CZ, Tikka, or Sako in .223.
 
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SKS, what gun are you shooting? My SPS with the 1-12 twist also grouped the 40gr Vmaxes poorly. It shoots much better with 35gr Bergers and 32gr Vmaxes-although the speeds are much slower than published data.
 
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