204 Ruger standard twist is 1-12". How and why?

[foxguy]

My model 12 savage will not shoot 40s they key whole.
But it is a death machine with 35 bergers

What Powder and Primer does your Savage M12 like with the 35 gr Bergers?

 

[wholman]

Its ben so long since I shot it I don't remember.
Primer is ccibr and 450 I no one load shot good with 8208
but did not have a crony at the time. When I get to the cabin tonight
I will look at my book.

 

[JayCutright]

They wanted to set things up so the gun smith's and barrel makers will get plenty of business

 

[ourway77]

I have a Thompson Encore 204 ruger 1-12 twist shooting factory 40 grain fiocci ammo the bullets are printing side ways on target will not stabilize

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I have a Thompson Encore 204 ruger 1-12 twist shooting factory 40 grain fiocci ammo the bullets are printing side ways on target will not stabilize

I had a bunch of handloads in 40, 39 and 32 going sideways outa my 204.. Bore scope said barrel was fried.. New barrel, tight groups again

 

[ourway77]

Bore is in perfect condition barrel has not been shot in many years I bought it used and the person said it shot VG with light bullets He seems to be an honest person I am trying to find 35 grain bullets to try.

 

[17VLD]

Like the OP I used to wonder why gunmakers and bullet makers lock onto something and don’t change much if it sells as is.Like SS427 mentions speed with the 32 was their marketing goal.Back in the day when all you could buy if you wanted some type of 20 was a 13 twist barrel and the superb 33 V-Max I had Greg Tannel build me a 20 Tactical improved it shot the 33 into tiny groups and killed coyotes very well,but like most of us I always wanted more....better b.c. and more bullet weight,along came the 40 Berger.It was short enough to work in my 13 twist and is extremely accurate and boy howdy does it hammer coyotes at 4000fps.When and if the 13twist gives up it with get an 11 twist,still shooting well as this rifle is just used on coyotes and the occasional rock chuck.Having always admired what the 40 V-Max did to distant pd’s with my 20BR,I have always wondered why Hornady hasn’t chosen to offer a 36 grain V-Max version as it would split the difference perfectly between the 32 and 40.Just think about all the smaller cased 20VarTargs and the guys at sea level with 12 twist 204s that would benefit from such a bullet.Dont get me started on what would happen if Savage offered a factory 9 twist 204 and then Hornady offered a 48-50 grain V-Max.Look how long it took Savage to offer a 22-250 with a nine twist a good idea,why did it take so long?
Matt

 

[Bangs OH]

Another strange “twist”: My then-new Remington LVSF would shoot the 40 gr. (V-Max) fine. After a couple hundred rounds, I got keyholes. Never bothered trying anything heavier than 39 SBKs in subsequent .204Rs.
Oh yeah.....don’t get me started on the ubiquitous slow-twist (1:14”) .22-250, either. I was forced to buy a Savage just to get a 1:12, to stabilize the 53 gr. V-Max!

 

[varget204]

A lot of people shoot 32 grainers at 4000 + fps,the factory loads are supposed to be 4225 fps,that why 1 in 12" was the go to twist,Not all 1/12 will shoot the 40's,most 1/12 Savages will. To be on the safe side you need 1 in 11" for the 40's.Anything one can do,w/32 grain bullets,You can do A Lot Better w/39 or 40 grain bullets,after about 225-250 yards,a 32 grain bullet at 4200 fps is Slower than a 40 grain bullet at,3800- 3900 fps at 250 yards.

 

[moorepower]

A lot of the factory 1-12 barrels are NOT really 1-12 barrels. There lies the issue. The HF Rugers and many Savage rifles, not all will measure 1-12 or slightly faster. They shoot the 40 grain bullets very well. I recall a magazine article where they were doing load workups with Sierra 32 grain bullets and could not work up to a max load or they blew up. Many of the factory 1-12 bullets are actually close to 1-13. I measured a Savage at 1 11.5

 

[North Fork]

I have a XR 100 it likes the 39 gr sierra and 40gr Berger bullets the best