.204 Ruger

[fergi]

Thanks for your response Ray.

I purchased my reamer from the same source. I’d be interested in knowing how your new reamer works.

I sent my reamer back to Dave along with a dummy round using the 32 gr. Sierra seated out to touch the rifling to show him what my situation was. I had hoped to be able to use the 32 gr. Sierras in my gun. He put it on his comparator and said that he could see why people were having trouble using that bullet. He said that he could regrind the reamer with an even shorter throat (.040 shorter) and change the angle from 1.5 degrees to 2.5 degrees. Is this what you meant by a ‘sharp shoulder’?

If your reamer works, I’d like to know the dimensions so that I could chamber a barrel that shoots the 32 grain bullets.

Again, thanks for your time.

John

P.S. I should clairify that Dave did not recommend the 2.5 degree angle.

 

[RayfromTX]

I sharpened the neck/shoulder junction from a .125 radius to .060 radius to slow down the growth in the length of the brass.

Dave said he wouldn't recommend changing the leade angle to 2.5 degrees and I have heard others warn to not go there as well. I have no personal experience with it.

I had the reamer made with a .228 neck which requires a slight neck turn. I wanted to clean up the brass and hope it will buy me smaller aggs. I am one of those that is taking a great varmint rifle and trying to make it shoot to short range benchrest standards. It is already closer to that than I initially thought possible.

I think the 204 ruger is more accurate than conventional wisdom says it should be. It seems to just want to shoot small. I smile everytime I take it out.

 

[fergi]

I'm really interested in how your new reamer works for you Ray.

Please keep me posted.

Would you care to share what action and barrel you're shooting?

John

 

[RayfromTX]

Savage target actions

Pacnor select match 11twist polygonal

One has the 6 oz accutrigger and the other has a 2 oz Jewell trigger.

Both have the Shehane tracker 1000 stock. Both wear the zeiss conquest 6.5-20x50.

 

[fergi]

Remington 7-1/2 Primer

I just switched from Federal 205 Match primers to Remington 7-1/2 Benchrest primers and it made a noticable difference. My groups went from two "bugholes" spaced at .5 to .75" to one ragged hole at .375 to .4. I have not had a chance to vary the power charge to optimize this new load combination but I'm certainly encouraged.

John