204 ruger criterion match chamber

[B23]

That is what the published data is for Remington. My smith alerted me to the fact that something they are different. So I measured the two I had. The VSSF II measured 13.5T and the VLS measured 9.5T. Once I found that out I started shooting the 39/40's in the VLS and the accuracy improved dramatically. Never would have guessed they would have been that different than what their spec called for.

Yeah, that's a significant difference. I've measured the actual twist in quite a few factory barrels over the years and generally they're off by around .5 from what factory spec claims but a 2.5 difference is significant. Probably explains why some factory barreled 204's shoot the 40's real well while others don't.

 

[jepp2]

Yeah, that's a significant difference. I've measured the actual twist in quite a few factory barrels over the years and generally they're off by around .5 from what factory spec claims but a 2.5 difference is significant. Probably explains why some factory barreled 204's shoot the 40's real well while others don't.

Pure speculation on my part, absolutely no know facts. My VLS was a much newer rifle (8 years maybe?). And I would think that Remington got complaints about not stabilizing the heavier bullets so they changed the twist rate to 10T but no need to change the published specs.

 

[B23]

With Hornady openly telling people their 204 40gr ammo is generally marginal at best in a 12tw and there being so few other options for factory 204 Ruger ammo it has never made sense to me why any gun manufacture would make/sell a 204 Ruger with a 12tw barrel and except for one company I can't think of anyone the makes a 204 Ruger with anything but a 12tw.

So jepp2 you may be closer to the truth than you know.

 

[varget204]

I have 2 Criterion match chamber 204's, a LT Varmint & a HV Varmint,they shoot Bugholes

 

[HillbillyLongRifle]

Get the Match freebore. Why start out with .100 freebore when you can start at .035 and let it burn!

 

[HillbillyLongRifle]

I have chambered several 204s with zero freebore and they work extremely well with all bullets 32-40 grain

 

[GAnderson]

does anyone use the 32 grain with the 1-11 twist in the 204 match ?

The 11 twist will handle the 32gr bullets just fine...and the short freebore will be good for the 32gr as well. 11 twist is probably the best compromise for all bullet weights from 32-45gr for sure and possibly even 50gr bullets. Some 12 twist barrels marginally stabilize 40gr bullets...this is why the 11 twist seems to be the "go to" twist nowadays.
And I'm not just saying this because of the 11 twist barrels I have for sale. Others will chime in and agree about the 11 twist.

Gene

 

[B23]

I used a Hart 11tw barrel on my 20-222 and couldn't be happier. If I were ever to put a new barrel on my Tikka Compact 204 I'd use a 11tw barrel on that too.