204Ruger

A nice night for testing. I was loving the 3 shot group so I got greedy and sent a flyer on the 4th. I think this will work for my hunting load. I am really liking my new bolt handle.

Nice setup. That is some good shooting, what is your load?

New Nosler brass, 28 hr 8208XBR, 35 gr Berger bullets. I should have just shot 3 shots.

Just curious, but have you checked for a carbon ring buildup just at the end of your chamber's throat? Happened to me years ago and I didn't even know it until my wife called me to dinner while I was cleaning my rifle. Just so happened that I had started a wet patch into the chamber where it just starts to get tight at the start of the lands and grooves. When I came back about an hour later I withdrew the patch to put some more Hoppes #9 on it. It was completely black from carbon. I had been getting clean patches before dinner so I was confused. Broke out the JB Bore Paste and gave that barrel a thorough scrubbing. Groups tightened up dramatically, especially noticing those fliers disappeared. Since then I have always been on the lookout for the dreaded carbon ring. It's a group destroyer! I know the 35 gr. Berger bullets are capable of producing some fantastic groups.

NO I have not. That's not a bad idea. I have noticed that this rifle shoots better when it has some fowling. I am one to try and keep things clean.

I will give it a good once over next time I clean it. I am probably being too picky anyway. This is a hunting load, and 90% of the shots in my part of KS are under 100 yards. BUT! I want it to be as good as I can get it. The load and the rifle will always out perform this human.

Something else you may want to try is to lower the powder charge from 28gr. to 27.9. That made a difference in my rifle as the target shows.

Its amazing what .1 gr of powder difference makes! Do you think using new brass will create uneven next tension? I have not done anything to them, just loaded and shot. Nosler custom brass.

I'm not sure if that would happen with Nosler brass, but I suppose it is possible. Several years ago I had an old benchrest shooter advise me to either dip the mouth of the brass in black graphite or the bullet. I do the neck of the brass because once a bullet is dipped in graphite it becomes hard to hang on to.........leastwise it is for me. It seems to help with consistent bullet release. He had learned this from a relative who worked for PMC and this is what they used to do with their commercial ammo.