204 ruger 12 twist

[DLT]

Man that sounds low. What’s your barrel length?

26”,,,, again, new barrel, clean barrel and factory ammo.

 

[Tommie]

26”,,,, again, new barrel, clean barrel and factory ammo.

Wow. Sounds like Sierra is squibbing their load. That velocity is below factory-loaded 40 grain ammo. Kind of a waste.

 

[DLT]

Wow. Sounds like Sierra is squibbing their load. That velocity is below factory-loaded 40 grain ammo. Kind of a waste.

I know usually manufacturers fib on their mv. I also know a new barrel is on the slower side or the ones I have shot has been. Maybe when it get broke in and fouled up the velocity will be there

 

[17VLD]

Does anybody know the length difference between the 36 and 39 BK?
I'm just wondering if there's much to gain if you have a 12t droping to the 36 from 39
if the 36's were even available.

Great point, I'm sure the 36 is only slightly shorter than the 39. Not too much difference for a 204 shooter, stick with the superb 39. But I feel in a smaller case like a VarTarg and a 12 twist it might help quite a bit. Just my .02 As usual I'm overthinking what might be a great bullet. I often think what if 20 shooters had all the choices 22 shooters had...

Matt

 

[L.Sherm]

Great point, I'm sure the 36 is only slightly shorter than the 39. Not too much difference for a 204 shooter, stick with the superb 39. But I feel in a smaller case like a VarTarg and a 12 twist it might help quite a bit. Just my .02 As usual I'm overthinking what might be a great bullet. I often think what if 20 shooters had all the choices 22 shooters had...

Matt

I agree it would be better if Sierra offered the 36 i just don't think it would do much for stability. Choices are always a good thing.

 

[neckdeep]

39 Blitzking, unless you need some explosive short range work, then its the 32 vMax, to be fair I have never tried the 34 gr Dog town or Varmint Nightmare type HP's, but the 39 BK is the best long range bullet and the 32 vMax is plenty good for high volume varmint

 

[DLT]

Haha well you guys might be right. So I went today found a box of 40gr superformance along with the sierra factory rounds to get down the pipe and check for a little accuracy. Ran the Garmin the whole time. Both boxes were all over the place some as low as 3598 up to 3717. That’s anemic compared to the box velocities and none grouped to well. Savages usually shoot pretty well with decent ammo. I’m hoping that trend continues with this rifle. Also sever rounds of both brands had a pretty snug bolt close. Don’t know what that was about Weird

 

[searcher]

I've shot about all of the commercially produced varmint bullets from my .20. I use 12' twist Hart barrels which easily stabilize the 40 V-Max and the 39 BK's - being the heaviest bullets you will likely shoot with that twist. Those are what you want to shoot. The 32 V-Max and 35 Bergers also shoot equally accurate at shorter distances. My results with some of the other lighter varmint bullets are kind of sketchy.

 

[DLT]

I've shot about all of the commercially produced varmint bullets from my .20. I use 12' twist Hart barrels which easily stabilize the 40 V-Max and the 39 BK's - being the heaviest bullets you will likely shoot with that twist. Those are what you want to shoot. The 32 V-Max and 35 Bergers also shoot equally accurate at shorter distances. My results with some of the other lighter varmint bullets are kind of sketchy.

Thank you.

 

[Jrjones]

My 12tw 204’s have all shot 39gr bk the most accurate w reloader 10x. 40gr vmax was ok. Blitzkings are the most explosive as well as the tnt. Dogtown bullets from midway are good calling leads for coyotes also. Theres only 2 bullets my rifle are missing, the discontinued 45gr hornady sp & the 39gr sierra gameking sp that sierra wont make! Lol

 

[B23]

Does anybody know the length difference between the 36 and 39 BK?
I'm just wondering if there's much to gain if you have a 12t droping to the 36 from 39
if the 36's were even available.

I have some Sierra factory 204 Ruger 36gr ammo so I bullet a couple and weighed everything out as well as one from a factory 204R Hornady Superformance 40gr Vmax. Also measured a 39gr Sierra BK for OAL then lined them up and took a picture of them. Left to right is 40gr Vmax, 39gr BK and 36gr BK.

OAL for the two 36gr BK's I measured were .712 & .716 and both had an exact weight of 36gr measured on two different scales.

OAL 39gr BK .743 I only measured one

OAL 40gr Vmax .7545

Sierra 36gr BK loaded ammo loaded neck dia. .2265 and neck thickness for their brass, not sure who makes it, was .012

Hornady 40gr Vmax (factory loaded ammo) neck dia. loaded round .2255 - .226 the Hornady brass neck thickness was .0115

For reference my 20-222 loaded neck dia. w/Berger 40gr and necked down unturned Lapua 222 brass is .2305

The powder in both the Sierra and Hornady factory ammo, visually, looks to be the same powder or at least the same type. Appears to be a small ball powder with a shiny flake like powder mixed in with it. The Sierra charge weight was 28-28.1gr and the Hornady was 28.3gr I didn't take a picture of the powder but I saved it and can post one of the two powders together if anyone wants to see it.

 

[L.Sherm]

So .030 give or take on the 36vrs 39.
The Berger 40 is .680 OAL so in theory if a 39BK is stable in a 12 a 40 Berger should be.
Makes sense now why you read about 12's not shooting the Vmax being as long as they are.

 

[DLT]

I have some Sierra factory 204 Ruger 36gr ammo so I bullet a couple and weighed everything out as well as one from a factory 204R Hornady Superformance 40gr Vmax. Also measured a 39gr Sierra BK for OAL then lined them up and took a picture of them. Left to right is 40gr Vmax, 39gr BK and 36gr BK.

OAL for the two 36gr BK's I measured were .712 & .716 and both had an exact weight of 36gr measured on two different scales.

OAL 39gr BK .743 I only measured one

OAL 40gr Vmax .7545

Sierra 36gr BK loaded ammo loaded neck dia. .2265 and neck thickness for their brass, not sure who makes it, was .012

Hornady 40gr Vmax (factory loaded ammo) neck dia. loaded round .2255 - .226 the Hornady brass neck thickness was .0115

For reference my 20-222 loaded neck dia. w/Berger 40gr and necked down unturned Lapua 222 brass is .2305

The powder in both the Sierra and Hornady factory ammo, visually, looks to be the same powder or at least the same type. Appears to be a small ball powder with a shiny flake like powder mixed in with it. The Sierra charge weight was 28-28.1gr and the Hornady was 28.3gr I didn't take a picture of the powder but I saved it and can post one of the two powders together if anyone wants to see it.View attachment 1619138

That’s interesting and good info. They run slow in my rifle. Both factory loaded rounds. Hope it’s just them and not my barrel lol

 

[tjtjwdad]

In my three 204's all of them have advertised 12-twist barrels. The two Remington 700's shoot the Sierra 39gr SBK lights. The Hornady VMAX were so-so. The CZ527 shot both of them lights out so that s what I shoot primarily. I tried Berger 35gr but for the price at the time, the 39 SBK shot just as good and a mite bit cheaper. These day...I couldn't tell ya'. I've never shot 32gr bullets in my 204 but I have in my Vartarg exclusively, not issues with them.

 

[DLT]

Savage barrel???

Yessir bout all I shoot anymore, well, only actions anyway but this is a factory savage rifle

 

[denke900]

I got a new rifle and im rounding up components for it. It’s a 1:12 twist checked with a brush and rod. Years ago I had a Remington that didn’t have any trouble shooting the factory loaded 40vmax. Now I’m researching like usual and seems like some 12s would not stabilize the 40 grainer. I kinda hope to shoot this rifle at distance from time to time and know the 32s probably won’t cut it lol. I know 39 blitz kings will probably fly as it’s what I used to shoot. Any other recommendations that’s heavier than the 32 vmax that might work ? I want to be a killer but more often than not I play with target papers and shooting distance with rifles that I probably shouldn’t be. I got a bad habit of trying to make all my stuff be the best at every range both long and short. Thanks

I shoot 40 gr Hornady V Max 12 an 11 twist.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Hornady often uses a blend of powders in ammo. Wouldn't be surprised if Sierra didn't also, possibly same blend? BLC2/H335 ?

 

[DLT]

Ok just found some free time to play some more. I loaded r-10x with the 39bk. In this rifle I can’t reach the lands with that bullet. It did start shooting better, went up to 26gr of 10x. Velocity’s tickled 3,800. Primers starting to flatten but still rounded with rem. 7 1/2. Should be getting close to max

 

[Tommie]

Ok just found some free time to play some more. I loaded r-10x with the 39bk. In this rifle I can’t reach the lands with that bullet. It did start shooting better, went up to 26gr of 10x. Velocity’s tickled 3,800. Primers starting to flatten but still rounded with rem. 7 1/2. Should be getting close to max

The SAAMI 204 Ruger dimensions include Weatherby style freebore.