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204 loads needed

I just bought a new savage lrpv in 204,This is my first twenty and I'm not sure where to start.what weight bullets will the savage shoot and what powders.I am looking for accuracy before velosity.
 
shooter1970,
Check out 204ruger.com. Anything and everything you might want to know about the 204 is right there. They are a friendly group and are eager to assist others that share a common interest in the 204.

Bub
 
As far as bullets go, my vote is for Berger. I've shot the 35gr and the 40gr and they are the most accurate thing that's gone down the barrel. If you want to shoot tipped bullets 39gr Sierras have worked out better for me than either of the V-Max. This seems to be the norm but I have a friend whose Savage shoots the 40gr V-Max very well.

Benchmark gets my vote for powder. I've heard of people getting very good results with 10X, H4895, W748 and others. I quick search on this forum will give you a truck load of information, especially the page on 20s.

My personal load is a 35gr Berger over 26.5gr of Benchmark in Nosler brass with a Remington 7 1/2 primer.
 
I too am shooting the LRPV. I have had excellent luck with the 39 grain Blitzkings and 25.5gr of Benchmark. I have paper and field tested it with excellent results.

Matt
 
Tarbabi
what kind of groups are you getting from the LRPV? I am going to use AA2015 to break the barrel in then will go to benchmark,Have you tried any of the midway dogtown 34gr's?
 
Here is a 3 shot group in a 25 mph sw wind. I have not tried the Dogtown bullets yet. I have heard mixed reviews so far though.

105Group.jpg
 
shooter1970

You've been given some great advice so far.
I just ordered my fifth Savage 204 tube. The first thing I'll do during break in is shoot both 32 and 40 gn factory ammo through it.
This will tell me which weight bullet it prefers.
Depending on those results and my previous experience it will shoot either 35 or 40 gn Bergers.
The 39 bk's might work well too but usually the Bergers win.

The Benchmark and Berger combo is usually real nice for accuracy.
Don't get your hopes up on the dogtowns for accuracy. So far their results have been lackluster.
 
26.2 gr. Reloader 10, 32 gr. Vmax, Fed small rifle match, 2.265 COL. Remember to work up to any loads listed. Worked well for a 700 Remington producing a couple of 3 shot groups in the 3s when driven properly.

Tarbabi:
Your pic is a little fuzzie for me. Is that an .105 or .185?
Nice group in the wind.

1kstr
 

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Woody--tarbabi's group is approximately .204", center-to-center on the two holes furthest apart. For it to be a .105" group or even a .185" group it would almost have to be one elongated hole. JMHO

Most of the .204 Ruger shooters I know have excellent luck with the 39 gr. Sierra BlitzKing bullets. The 35 gr. and 40 gr. Bergers are mighty fine bullets in most .204s if your barrel will stabilize the heavier 40 gr. bullets.
 
Silverfox:
This Remington also shot the 39 grain sierra's almost as well as the 32 gr. Vmax. Could shoot either one on the prairie dog town.

On target had it at .200. Just wondered the measuring methods used or if I was missing something. I want him to measure my next rifle league results, that is for sure.

1kstr
 
Shooter, I have 2 Savage model 12 VLP's in 204 and, if my guns are any indicator, you should be very happy indeed. My first shows a strong preference for the 32 grain Sierras while the other prefers the 39 grain Sierra. The Sierras seem to outperform the Honadys in all of my rifles and the same is true of the 204. My best groups have been with BLC-2 andRamshot TAC powders. I don't do anything special at all to the brass and use Hornady dies. I consistantly get 5 shot groups that go sub 1/2" at 100 yards with many closer to the 1/4" mark.:)
 
Shooter, I've had my 204 since they came out. I found that if your looking for an accuracy load, try 27gr of Win 748 ball powder. It gives me a Vel. of around 3600 ft/s with a 39gr Sierra Blitzking .02 off the lands and that load shoots in the low 2's out of my Ruger #1 at 100 yrds.
 
My stock 12FV with SSS recoil lug and VLP stock loves 26.5 gr of benchmark behind 35 bergers seated at 2.260 with BR-4 primers. I bet you will find the sweet spot for your gun with .1 of a grain up or down with that. I have shot a number of groups at a quarter inch with this load and gun.

Recently beat a group of 19 really good shooters with custom barrels, including a 6mm br shooter with a NF 12-42X, in an informal 300 yard shoot at clay pigeons, then clay pigeon pieces, then the closest to a 1 inch bull on the back of the range business card. I missed by a quarter inch with that load. The action has not even been bedded yet. Sure love the .204 Ruger.
 
my savage thin barrel loves 27.8 gr of benchmark and 32 gr bk/ cci br4s and hornady brass seated at the rifling. with my homebrew of accuracy trick it will one hole without too much trouble.:)
 

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