Macca, your friends 204 barrel

[Tony Z]

Grant i shot Mark's 204 barrel today. He told me he didn't have much luck with it before he pulled it and sold it to me on usedguns. He told me he was a good mate of yours so i knew this had to be a dodgy deal

Anyway i used his cases to keep it relative. He said he used 2206H and Vmax? pills, neither of which i have much time for. I went with 39 SBKs and CFE 223 which i have had good results with before, just like i have had with BLK.
All i did to the barrel is inspect the chamber, throat and crown before setting it into one of my T3 actions. The cases showed up to 3 grains weight spread but i shot them randomly to again keep it relative.
The results were shot at a 100 yards because heat and mirage is awful up here this time of year. Some of the errant shots are due to boil. The Bergers not so, the barrel clearly dislikes secant ogive bullets. The shot pattern and POI shift is rather extreme as the pic shows.
A bullet and powder change clearly shows a different potential within this barrel with the 12 shots combined at around a half inch in ordinary conditions and as is typical with both the CFE powders, the accuracy window is wide. Luckily i accumulated a lifetimes supply of both. At some point when the rains start i will get to 200, 300 and 400 yards with a refined load and will post up the results. Never had a 204 Ruger, so it will be interesting.

[macca]

It certainly doesn't like the bergers.
Glad it shows some potential with the Sierras.
Be interested in your thoughts on the 204. Sold mine and can't see myself revisiting the 20 cal area.
I hope the rains come soon. When it's late up north it seems to keep us dry down here as well.
Happy shooting.
Cheers

[Tony Z]

Grant I have a couple of 20/222s where both show great accuracy potential, but not with the 40 Vmax. The 32 Vmax works OK but the 39 and 32 SBKs out perform most any other bullet including the Berger in my testing. The real difference is at longer ranges where the 39 SBK really shines in the wind and this is why i am trying a 204 Ruger to gain a few fps.
I use a lot of other Vmax bullets in 6mms and 30s etc and they work really well. The 75, 87 and 110 Vmax are awesome bullets. The 20 cal versions for me just don't impress. At a 100 maybe, but at around 300 and beyond, not up to the task for what i want. So i am not surprised at Mark's disappointment when he tried them at 300.

[Tony Z]

Grant i shot Mark's barrel yesterday at 300 yards. Not much mirage but a stout right to left breeze. I held right edge of the disc and top of the black dot. Three shots, you can see the pin marks if you look closely, went 35mm. Great elevation just a little wind strung.

[macca]

that works.
Now the smoke has cleared here,for the time being at least, I may be able to get my rifles out of the safe.
Cheers