I have a .204 Savage that I have shot around 1500-2000 rounds out of. The glass is a Leoupold VS3L 20. Lately my targets look terrible-4" at 200 yd! The gun use to hold an easy 1/2" group at 200. I have never bumped the scope or gun and I shoot the same hand loads as I always have. 27.1 grs rl15 40 vmax rem71/2. I have checked the screws on the scope mounting several time and re- torqued the stock. Nothing jumps out at me.
204 problem
- Thread starter edw
- Start date
TheOtherZilla
Pull my finger
I had an issue with my 204 , Savage 12, a few years ago.. Turned out my Leoupold scope needed some TLC. I replaced it with anothr loopy and accuracy came back. Send the other off and had it gone through.. So I suggest trying a different scope first. Cleaning is a good idea. I try very hard to get the copper out if I shoot it a lot and I do shoot it a lot in summer.. I start with Wipe Out and finish with Montana Copper killer.... You can also use Kroil and that bore paste to really clean it up.
Ledd Slinger
Silver $$ Contributor
That's about when my last 204 Ruger barrel started going down hill. I shot a lot of rounds on hot sunny days in gopher fields and that did her in. You can try tuning in a new load. Or maybe get lucky and find the accuracy again by extending the bullet seating depth and chasing the lands. Cant hurt to slap a different scope on it for verification either. Otherwise it might be time for a new pipe.
All good advice....I had a similar experience with my 17 rem. and my .204 where groups all of sudden opened up. I found that the throat
in the rifle was worn out. On the 17 rem. I changed to a different powder and heavier bullet which give me slower velocities
but got some accuracy back. I got another year of shooting sage rats with it. I finally put a new barrel on it. When the factory
.204 groups opened up I went ahead and put a new 20 practical barrel on that rifle as most .204 factory barrels have a throat
that way too long to begin with. You may want to check the throat for wear as hogpatrol mentioned.
in the rifle was worn out. On the 17 rem. I changed to a different powder and heavier bullet which give me slower velocities
but got some accuracy back. I got another year of shooting sage rats with it. I finally put a new barrel on it. When the factory
.204 groups opened up I went ahead and put a new 20 practical barrel on that rifle as most .204 factory barrels have a throat
that way too long to begin with. You may want to check the throat for wear as hogpatrol mentioned.
There are no free lunches, with the 204 being a perfect example of that. When it first came out all you read about was how it mirrored the 22/250 loaded with a 50 gr, as far as drop and drift, and it does pretty much but the 204 also mirrors the relatively short barrel life of the 22/250. Especially if it is run a little hot, as often happens when shooting PD's and ground squirrels.
When I got my first 204 Cooper I borescoped it after about 1500 rounds and was dismayed at the amount of erosion, especially in comparison to my 223's which had been used pretty much under the same conditions as the 204. The 204 powder charges are near duplicates of 223 powder charges when using the same weight bullet but the powder is being forced down a smaller hole and will cause erosion faster. That is one of the reasons for the popularity of the smaller 20 caliber cartridges even though they are not generally a factory offering.
drover
When I got my first 204 Cooper I borescoped it after about 1500 rounds and was dismayed at the amount of erosion, especially in comparison to my 223's which had been used pretty much under the same conditions as the 204. The 204 powder charges are near duplicates of 223 powder charges when using the same weight bullet but the powder is being forced down a smaller hole and will cause erosion faster. That is one of the reasons for the popularity of the smaller 20 caliber cartridges even though they are not generally a factory offering.
drover
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17VLD
Gold $$ Contributor
Remember also that the grooves and lands are like a 17 cal only .0015" deep.That is why James Calhoon championed the 19 caliber,because the lands are twice as deep like a 22centerfire or 6mm.So yes they do erode faster,love my 17's and 20's but that is one of their shortcomings.
Matt
Matt
I never had good targets with 32s when it was younger but when guess I could try them again
TheOtherZilla
Pull my finger
I couldn't get a 32 or a 40 to shoot worth a crap in my Savage. But 39 Sierra's are great
You never gave us the twist rate? assuming it's a 12 twist my Savage factory 204's after a few thousand rds. would have trouble with the 40's but the 39's and 32 shot fine up to 6k or more, 1moa or better. But only one afternoon on a hot day in a good dogtown will overheat the rifle to shotgun patterns. Do a 20$ test first, get a factory box of Hornady 32's and you will get 1moa or better @ 100 , if not look at the scope.
Try R-10 or X-Terminator, they work for me with smaller 32 gr. pills.
Try R-10 or X-Terminator, they work for me with smaller 32 gr. pills.
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Exactly my point. Well stated.
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