New gun troubles

[DLT]

I’m going to start by saying I bought a new savage model 12 fv in 204 ruger. I cleaned the gun before ever firing it and while I was at it I measured the twist, it was 1:12 like I suspected. It has a Mickey Mouse non accustock that was bowed/warped and touching on the left side so I addressed it with a hone and sand paper till I was satisfied it was off the barrel although still flimsy.

I bought 1 box of Sierra 36gr loaded ammo and 2 boxes of 40gr hornady superformance ammo just to get some rounds down the pipe as I tried to break the barrel in.

As I was shooting and cleaning I was running the Garmin just for kicks as it’s been many moons since I had a 204 ruger. Velocity was hovering around 3700 for both loads and accuracy was 1.5” to 2” no matter which ammo I used or how many rounds between cleanings I went.

Today I went to foul it back up and shoot groups to see if it would come around as well as try just one 5 shot group with 32vmax using 28gr of varget, thinking surely i could make it do better than the factory offerings with hand loads, well it didn’t and my fps was bad slow compared to noslers data which claims 3,937 I was running 3700 again with a medium load of varget and the lighter 32 vmax. My groups looks like a shotgun pattern with no rhyme or reason. No verticle stringing or horizontal. I can swap out the stock for a hs i recently purchased but the bad low velocity has me scratching my head. I have not bore scoped it simply because my friend who owns one has the flu and I’m not taking any chances on catching it. What could be going on ? I’m a pretty good shot from the bench and the 204 is an accurate round to begin with. Has me a little puzzled.

I’ll add the scope was just fine on the last rifle it came off of and it does track. Don’t guess that means it’s holding zero though.

Here is a 5 shot 50yd target after the stock swap. Not good. Rifle has 42 rounds down it now

 

[tstowater]

Don't know what the answer is but I have a Model 12 in a 204 that has shot a small mountain of prairie dogs. The gun historically have shot very well. I have been using H322 with 32 grain bullets, but Varget should be a good choice. Trigger? Rings and bases? Good luck.

 

[Alguapo]

Is this a new or used ? Savage built the 12 FV for Cabelas and stopped doing it several years ago. I bought several that all have been pretty dang good shooters. Back in the day you could buy them for about $429 and at Christmas for about $319. A few of them got turned into 20 Practicals.

 

[DLT]

Trigger is fine it’s lower than most accutriggers I have played with. Rings and bases are tight

 

[DLT]

Is this a new or used ? Savage built the 12 FV for Cabelas and stopped doing it several years ago. I bought several that all have been pretty dang good shooters. Back in the day you could buy them for about $429 and at Christmas for about $319. A few of them got turned into 20 Practicals.

This is a new rifle but bought at a pawn shop. Stock had a some little markings on it from standing on the shelf. Owner said he had had it for some time in there. Made out like at least a couple years. Box sticker does plainly state… CAB 12FV 204 RUGER. Was the 12fv only a cabelas exclusive gun ? He had 2 in there new in the box

 

[Steve Donlon]

My reloading book 2024 Annual Manual, says with a 32 gr. V-Max 29 grs. of Varget is 3798 fps and 27.5grs. of H322 is 4030 fps. with 24" barrel. The barrel is still new. I think I would try some H322 to see what happens.

 

[DLT]

My reloading book 2024 Annual Manual, says with a 32 gr. V-Max 29 grs. of Varget is 3798 fps and 27.5grs. of H322 is 4030 fps. with 24" barrel. The barrel is still new. I think I would try some H322 to see what happens.

Maybe Nosler is exaggerating unless I looked at it wrong.

 

[L.Sherm]

I would be trying a little faster powder and maybe primer if the faster powder didn't wake it up.

 

[DLT]

I would be trying a little faster powder and maybe primer if the faster powder didn't wake it up.

Ok I will. I just grabbed the first powder I could reach when I looked in the book and seen varget. Still I thought it would have shot better than it did. Is R-10x suitable for 32-39gr ?

 

[Schippergreg]

Make sure that the front base screw isn’t bottomed out on the barrel.

 

[DLT]

My reloading book 2024 Annual Manual, says with a 32 gr. V-Max 29 grs. of Varget is 3798 fps and 27.5grs. of H322 is 4030 fps. with 24" barrel. The barrel is still new. I think I would try some H322 to see what happens.

I have 2 lbs of it and it’s nowhere to be found. It wouldn’t hurt to load some

 

[20 TAC]

Agree with the suggestion of a faster powder. 8208 and even Benchmark have been great in the 204 for me. Would be interesting to see if groups shrink once you get the 32’s moving around 4,000 fps

 

[DLT]

Make sure that the front base screw isn’t bottomed out on the barrel.

I will do that

 

[DLT]

Agree with the suggestion of a faster powder. 8208 and even Benchmark have been great in the 204 for me. Would be interesting to see if groups shrink once you get the 32’s moving around 4,000 fps

It just hit me as weird, I was on limited time this evening and wasn’t even going to hand load today but I figured I could set my dies up and since I had got that done might as well load 5 for fun. Hopefully I just picked a bad combo instead of a bad barrel. Noslers data does say 3937 with 28gr but it’s way off from mine. I know barrels and chambers and bullets are different but that’s significant I think

 

[L.Sherm]

Noslers data does say 3937 with 28gr but it’s way off from mine.

This is why "pet" loads aren't so "pet".

 

[DLT]

This is why "pet" loads aren't so "pet".

True.

 

[Lone Hunter]

It just hit me as weird, I was on limited time this evening and wasn’t even going to hand load today but I figured I could set my dies up and since I had got that done might as well load 5 for fun. Hopefully I just picked a bad combo instead of a bad barrel. Noslers data does say 3937 with 28gr but it’s way off from mine. I know barrels and chambers and bullets are different but that’s significant I think

I have always found Nosler gets more velocity with less powder than other manufacturers in their data. I say this in reference to their load data but find it very different with a chronograph. Sierra and Speer have always been very close on the velocity side.

 

[JB10]

With the 32gr vmax try some benchmark. It worked good in my rifle. Way back when i worked up the load i did not stick to it. I wanted to shoot the 35gr bergers. They were good groups with benchmark but was better with H4895. I stuck to that powder but cant find it last few years. I did not want to work up a new load so.... i built another rifle. 20p. I use 40gr vmax with N133. My 35gr bergers are 3,880 fps from a 22 in barrel. I wanted some speed but more concerned about accuracy.

 

[20 TAC]

It just hit me as weird, I was on limited time this evening and wasn’t even going to hand load today but I figured I could set my dies up and since I had got that done might as well load 5 for fun. Hopefully I just picked a bad combo instead of a bad barrel. Noslers data does say 3937 with 28gr but it’s way off from mine. I know barrels and chambers and bullets are different but that’s significant I think

Not necessarily suggesting you use this load, just stating as reference that I load 28 grains of 8208 for about 4,000 fps give or take. 3900 with 28 grains of Varget seems quite optimistic on Noslers behalf.

 

[46and2]

I’m going to start by saying I bought a new savage model 12 fv in 204 ruger. I cleaned the gun before ever firing it and while I was at it I measured the twist, it was 1:12 like I suspected. It has a Mickey Mouse non accustock that was bowed/warped and touching on the left side so I addressed it with a hone and sand paper till I was satisfied it was off the barrel although still flimsy.

I bought 1 box of Sierra 36gr loaded ammo and 2 boxes of 40gr hornady superformance ammo just to get some rounds down the pipe as I tried to break the barrel in.

As I was shooting and cleaning I was running the Garmin just for kicks as it’s been many moons since I had a 204 ruger. Velocity was hovering around 3700 for both loads and accuracy was 1.5” to 2” no matter which ammo I used or how many rounds between cleanings I went.

Today I went to foul it back up and shoot groups to see if it would come around as well as try just one 5 shot group with 32vmax using 28gr of varget, thinking surely i could make it do better than the factory offerings with hand loads, well it didn’t and my fps was bad slow compared to noslers data which claims 3,937 I was running 3700 again with a medium load of varget and the lighter 32 vmax. My groups looks like a shotgun pattern with no rhyme or reason. No verticle stringing or horizontal. I can swap out the stock for a hs i recently purchased but the bad low velocity has me scratching my head. I have not bore scoped it simply because my friend who owns one has the flu and I’m not taking any chances on catching it. What could be going on ? I’m a pretty good shot from the bench and the 204 is an accurate round to begin with. Has me a little puzzled.

I’ll add the scope was just fine on the last rifle it came off of and it does track. Don’t guess that means it’s holding zero though.

Here is a 5 shot 50yd target after the stock swap. Not good. Rifle has 42 rounds down it now
View attachment 1619410

Years ago I bought a 12fv from cabelas. I messed around with it for a while.

Decided not to waste any time on it. Now the only thing left is the action and bolt.

Call James at Northland shooters supply, he'll get you straight on a good accustock and barrel.