204 accuracy question

wadevb1

wadevb1

New member
Last year I purchased a new 204 LVSF that didn't shoot. Remmy took it back and lapped the barrel. Accuracy barely improved. I ordered a new Lilja tube and shipped everything to Clay Spencer.Action blueprinted and proper bed job requested. The good news is I got the call today saying the rifle is done. During my conversation Clay stated that the 204 isn't the most accurate round due to the powders available. Clay stated the powders don't burn clean and accuracy suffers after five rounds.

My experience with my first barrel,(stock) wasn't all that positive. I mentioned that many guys post excellent long string slow fire groups. Clay stated he wasn't aware of such reports but based his opinion on rail gun tests. Clay builds some accurate rifles and I hope he is off on this.

What has been your experiences.

Thanks in advance,

Wade
 
I've got a Rem 700 SPS (tuned by Hill Country Rifles) and a DTech AR-15 in .204. Both will shoot 5 shot 100 yd groups of around 0.5 inches with 35 gr Berger bullets. A lot of powders will work and you will probably hear about them but I have had my best performance with BL-C(2). Loads produce velocities of about 3750 fps with moderate pressures. I usually shoot with about 1 minute between shots.

If I were you, I'd shoot some more after the action trueing and rebedding before I decided about this rifle. I have been told and my experience confirms that the .204 is an inherently accurate round.

Good luck.

Pat
 
My first 204 was a Remington Rangemaster. I was very dissapointed with the accuracy at first and was looking for someone to put a custom barrel on it but decided to give it another try.
I scrubbed the barrel and removed all traces of copper, used Flitz and JB compound to clean it further as this was the last resort to get results.
It worked, now this is the second most consistantly accurate rifle I own, right behind my 40X in 6BR.
It seems to love the 39 gr. SBKs and 40 gr. Vmaxs, both will shoot well under a half inch and has attained my longest shot on a PD with any rifle.
This is my go-to varmint gun.

Moral of the story;
Don't give up on a factory barrel until you've exhauted all possible causes of inaccuracy, you may save yourself several hundred dollars and thats alot of ammo.
 
The old barrel is gone. Lilja 3 grove with minimum spec chamber is screwed on a fully blue-printed reciever with bushed firing pin. I put two hundred rounds down the factory tube before giving up. Factory barrel was broken in properly and maintained with a cleaning of Butches Bore shine, Sweets and Wipeout. I tried everything.

I never reloaded for the 204 as I have two 22PPC's and a 300WM with a turn neck so I just wanted a rifle where I could throw factory ammo in and go. Problem was the gun would shoot an honest four inch group at 100 yards with proper shooting form. I had Neil Jones adjust the trigger down to a crisp one pound.

The comments from Clay Spencer just had me second guessing staying with the 204. I'll order some inline dies for it now since I have a custom tube. I'm already sitting on Benchmark, Varget and BL-C from my PPC's.

If accuracy stays SUB-MOA til 75 or so rounds as reported I will be satisfied.

Thanks,

Wade
 
wadevb1


I am sure sorry to hear your bad experience with the 204. I think it is a wonderful cartridge. Both myself and my shooting buddy have Savage Model 12 FV (that's the plain ugly black synthetic stock with blued barrels) and they both will shoot 1/2 inch 5 shot 100 yard groups.

We both consistently hit ground squirrels out to 220 yards. Nothing has been done to these rifles except for shooting handloads. I can't tell you how many shots it takes before the accuracy breaks down but I can tell you we have shot ground squirrels for many hours and if I miss it is not the gun. It is my fault.

I wish you the best of luck with your new setup and hope you get back a tackdriver.
 
I'll feed her some match prep handloads after break-in. I'm sure I'll be minute of crow at 300 yards. I'll report back with some groups.

Thanks.
 
I'm not the brightest bulb in the box but it sounds like your smith is full of it. The powders that "work" in the .204 are also optimum in a variety of different chamberings. Not burning clean? Come on...

Sounds like the gun had some issues as the chambering is NOT the issue nor is the powders available.

Don't make me start posting targets now...grin...
 
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