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Share information about reloading the .204 Ruger.
acloco
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.204 Ruger Guns: 12FV, 12BVSS -S
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Post by acloco »

jo191145 - yes, all new, factory brass was used.

Whistlepig - failed rounds blew up, just past the chronograph. Round #16 made it to target, but the rest blew up. So, do I count this as my first (and only) one hole group?
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jo191145
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Post by jo191145 »

acloco wrote:
Of note, the data, well...is just that...data.

I think, some of the targets show a lot more promise than the data.
acloco
Just to be sure you know I wasn't besmirching your data. What I meant in my post was it is 3am I was tired and sick and I went into data overload. I got pretty dizzy just trying to look at it all.You sure did a lot of load development there ;)

I'm not sure about anyone else but I always see more promise in the groups on the target than in the actual size. Maybe thats why I never stop tweaking things. I've been told I tweak to much and its true.

I'm quessing you have a little tweaking in your future before the hamsters wake up. Good luck and Good shootin
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Savage VLP + NF 12x42 + 35 Bergers = .
acloco
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.204 Ruger Guns: 12FV, 12BVSS -S
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Post by acloco »

LOL!....no besmirchment taken. I understood what you typed.

You are in data overload? HAH! I have the targets.

There is actually several powders and bullets that should work well....as in VERY well.

The only disappointment in the lot was AA2460 - look at the FPS - little variation from top to bottom. I used CCI450 primers, that should have lit the fire with that powder. As a side note, that was a new bottle of AA2460.

Forgot to add....my Savage 12FV in 223 made the trip to the range also. I purchased a 1K lot of Nosler 69 gr HPBT bullets from Nosler's website - because they were on sale - $123 for 1000 bullets - delivered to my door. THAT is cheap. Previously, I have been ecstatic with the Sierra 69 gr BTHP's....I was amazed...the Nosler's shot BETTER than the Sierra's. One ragged hole!!!
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jo191145
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Post by jo191145 »

I looked at the 2460 data. Your weren't by any chance very ill the day you loaded them up were you :)
25.6grs= 3941fps
27.5grs= 3913fps
Do I have that right? Was your chrono frozen solid?
Clarification, Verification and Validation please :)

I've bought 1lb of AA powder in my short reloading career. It was AA 2015. Accuracy was not horrible but I noticed quite a bit of half burnt powder kernels in the barrel. In the interest of public safety I will not divulge what I did with most of it.

I have produced quite a bit of unexplainable phenomenons with my 204 but that takes the cake.
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Savage VLP + NF 12x42 + 35 Bergers = .
acloco
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.204 Ruger Guns: 12FV, 12BVSS -S
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Post by acloco »

jo191145 - Look at the AA2460 40 grain data as well. 3567 - 3740 spread....over two full grains.

I am a bit on the anal/meticulous side when reloading..especially when working up groups. Make a mistake and through it all out the window.

Cases were numbered/color coded by powder/bullet group...and I only did this in the 15 or 20 cases that I was working with for that powder/bullet group.

So...even if you dumped 100 cases in a pile, I would just seperate by Sharpie color on the case and arrange in order of amount of powder.
acloco
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.204 Ruger Guns: 12FV, 12BVSS -S
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Post by acloco »

My conclusion....well...there really is never a final finale'....correct? My Savage 12FV can shoot several flavors of powder/bullet combinations. Probably load the remaing pounds of the various powders with the good loads...and then sock in a bunch with H4895...as I have 16 pounds of it.

Please, work your loads up for your own rifle......

The highlights - my rifle seems to prefer, in no order of preference:

30 gr Berger HP under 28.7 to 30.6 grains of BLC2
30.2 3961 1.2x 3@0.3 33.36465195 SD
30.3 3944 1.2x 3@0.3 3982 AVG
30.4 4037 1.2x 3@0.3 1113.2 VAR
30.5 3966 1.2x 3@0.3
30.6 4002 1.2x 3@0.3
Note - I would probably push the 30 grain Bergers a little more, if there is room in the case for a touch more powder.

32 gr Hornady VMax under 24.1 to 26.0 of REL 10x
24.6 0.6 3 touch
24.7 0.6 3 touch
24.8 0.6 3 touch
24.9 0.6 3 touch
25 0.6 3 touch

32 gr Sierra BK under 27.1 to 28.5 grains of H4895.
27.1 3923 0.4 36.15853979 SD 73.73086192 avg group SD
27.2 3946 0.4 3950.6 AVG 4033.4 avg group AVG
27.3 3902 0.4 1307.44 VAR 5436.24 avg group VAR
27.4 3999 0.4
27.5 3983 0.4
27.6 3991 0.4 24.19586742 SD
27.7 4055 0.4 4038.4 AVG
27.8 4052 0.4 585.44 VAR
27.9 4041 0.4
28 4053 0.4
Note - My rifle did not like pushing the 32 BK's faster than 4057 fps...bullet did not make it to the target.

The 32 gr Hornady/H4895 5 shot group has the statistically best showing of the entire lot. A 16 for an SD with a 274 variance over five tenths of a grain is very good.
32 gr Hornady VMax under 27.1 to 28.5 grains of H4895
27.6 4030 0.75 16.55777763 SD
27.7 4022 0.75 4044.8 AVG
27.8 4063 0.75 274.16 VAR
27.9 4062 0.75
28 4047 0.75

32 gr Hornady VMax under 26.1 to 28.0 grains of Benchmark
26.6 0.5
26.7 0.5
26.8 0.5
26.9 0.5
27 0.5
27.1 0.4 1 flyer opened group
27.2 0.4 to one inch, rest under 1/2
27.3 0.4
27.4 0.4
27.5 0.4

32 gr Hornady VMax under 25.6 to 27.5 grains of H322
27.1 4006 0.5- 32.97028966 SD
27.2 4020 0.5- 4050.6 AVG
27.3 4067 0.5- 1087.04 VAR
27.4 4064 0.5-
27.5 4096 0.5-

35 gr Berger HP under 24.4 to 26.3 grains of H322
24.4 3591 0.5- 33.61904222 SD 67.42645994 avg group SD
24.5 3545 0.5- 3595.4 AVG 3675.65 avg group AVG
24.6 3619 0.5- 1130.24 VAR 4546.3275 avg group VAR
24.7 3579 0.5-
24.8 3643 0.5-
24.9 3639 0.5- 29.2615789 SD
25 3606 0.5- 3641.6 AVG
25.1 3615 0.5- 856.24 VAR
25.2 3664 0.5-
25.3 3684 0.5-
25.4 3700 0.4- 15.55120574 SD
25.5 3682 0.4- 3708.4 AVG
25.6 3717 0.4- 241.84 VAR
25.7 3718 0.4-
25.8 3725 0.4-
An awesome SD/VAR number...and great group for the 25.4-25.8 range.

39 gr Sierra BK under 26.6 to 27.5 grains of H4895
26.6 3745 0.5 14.1336478 SD 38.27740848 avg group SD
26.7 3748 0.5 3760.2 AVG 3792.2 avg group AVG
26.8 3762 0.5 199.76 VAR 1465.16 avg group VAR
26.9 3785 0.5
27 3761 0.5
27.1 3803 0.75 26.12584927 SD
27.2 3797 0.75 3824.2 AVG
27.3 3829 0.75 682.56 VAR
27.4 3821 0.75
27.5 3871 0.75


40 gr Hornady VMax under 23.1 to 25.0 of REL 10x DONE 2/6/07.
23.1 0.75 4 under 0.5
23.2 0.75 4 under 0.5
23.3 0.75 4 under 0.5
23.4 0.75 4 under 0.5
23.5 0.75 4 under 0.5
23.6 0.75
23.7 0.75
23.8 0.75
23.9 0.75
24 0.75
24.1 0.5 3 in 1 hole
24.2 0.5 3 in 1 hole
24.3 0.5 3 in 1 hole
24.4 0.5 3 in 1 hole
24.5 0.5 3 in 1 hole
24.6 0.5
24.7 0.5
24.8 0.5
24.9 0.5
25 0.5


40 gr Hornady VMax under 24.3 to 25.7 grains of Benchmark
24.3 3362 1x 3@0.25 50.48326455 SD 80.12473609 avg group SD
24.4 3377 1x 3@0.25 3430.8 AVG 3510.6 avg group AVG
24.5 3467 1x 3@0.25 2548.56 VAR 6419.973333 avg group VAR
24.6 3480 1x 3@0.25
24.7 3468 1x 3@0.25
24.8 3476 0.5 4@0.3 17.58863269 SD
24.9 3500 0.5 4@0.3 3499.2 AVG
25 3486 0.5 4@0.3 309.36 VAR
25.1 3507 0.5 4@0.3
25.2 3527 0.5 4@0.3



40 gr Hornady VMax under 25.5 to 26.8 grains of H335
25.5 3569 0.6 13.87948126 SD 42.12499918 avg group SD
25.6 3566 0.6 3561.4 AVG 3598.466667 avg group AVG
25.7 3534 0.6 192.64 VAR 1774.515556 avg group VAR
25.8 3566 0.6
25.9 3572 0.6
26 3551 0.6 26.32869157 SD
26.1 3573 0.6 3590 AVG
26.2 3594 0.6 693.2 VAR
26.3 3604 0.6
26.4 3628 0.6

40 gr Nosler SP under 28.1 to 30.0 grains of BLC2
28.6 0.5 0.5 group
28.7 0.5 one flyer
28.8 0.5 same
28.9 0.5 same
29 0.5 same
29.1 0.5 0.5 group
29.2 0.5 one flyer
29.3 0.5 same
29.4 0.5 same
29.5 0.5 same
29.6 1x tight group
29.7 1x L/R stringing
29.8 1x
29.9 1x
30 1x
Titegrupes
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So....?

Post by Titegrupes »

Which bullet, powder, weight coimbination do you like the best so far?
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acloco
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.204 Ruger Guns: 12FV, 12BVSS -S
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Post by acloco »

This only applies to my rifle, but just about anything behind the 35 grain Bergers groups very well. I just don't like the $19/100 price of these bullets.

In all honesty, any of the bullets shoot well in my rifle. I do not have a favorite powder yet, will need to do some field testing first.
TD-Max
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Post by TD-Max »

Acloco, a couple quick questions from a newbie:

1) You stated the 40gr Vmax primers were marginal. Is this curable with a tougher primer, or indicative of pushing the limits?

2) Have you any interest in testing the 39bk with XMR2015? This is what Sierra lists as a good accuracy load.
acloco
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.204 Ruger Guns: 12FV, 12BVSS -S
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Post by acloco »

TD - I am using a tough primer - CCI small rifle magnums. I just have to back the load off a couple tenths.

Would ALWAYS like to try another powder! LOL!

I have the remainders of one pound jugs of all the powders in the test...and two 8 pounders of H4895 and an 8 pounder of Benchmark.

So, it is going to take quite a bit of time to go through this much powder.
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