"Fist full of dollars" and 204r bbl length

Hi. The reason I used the Clint Eastwood movie title was because recently, that's the way I felt.
Here I was, visiting my LGS, emailing him, and calling a couple of times over the period of the last month. I have purchased quite a few rifles from him, he knows me by name and is a super guy. Has always given me a super deal. Throws in cartridges, powder etc with the deal. However, my recent requests for him to find me a Savage in 204r (with all the Savage p/n, etc) have been unanswered. I know they are out there and almost bought one from Buds, with free shipping. I felt like yelling "PLEASE take my money!!" I PREFER to spend my $ with locals.... There is a shop in Jacksonville, FL that advertizes heavily on the radio. They say they are 'one of the biggest gun stores in the USA, with over 7000 firearms in stock', and they do INDEED have a LOT of guns. I called and when asked if they had a Savage M12 in 204r, they just said: "nope". I asked ANYTHING in 204r? "Nope". Not even a "we'll see if we can get you one....". So, after all this craziness and hording ends, I'll remember where I want to spend my $. Seller's market at the most extreme....

So, I went to a different shop nearby. Nice young man behind the counter. I asked him if he could get me a 204r. I gave him the model # I was most recently researching and in 10 minutes, a Model 12 was on the way.
At first, I was looking at a Model 25, since my M25 in .17 Hornet shoots so sweet. However, I have a couple of Model 12s and really like them.
So my question to the folks here.... Will the 26" bbl of the M12 offer much additional fps over the M25's 22" bbl????
I have a Oheler 35P, but don't use it much.

I've stocked up on bullets, powder, and have some nice dies, including a nk sizer. All I need is the rifle. Also accumulated 200+ rounds of factory 204r. It seems to be everywhere around here......
thanks in advance!

ron

I'm kind of new to the .204, I've got a Savage 12FV & am just starting to work with it.
I'll be interested in your findings as to bullets & powder.

Hi Frank. I'll post my findings. If it shoots 1/2 as well as the rest of my Savages, I'll be thrilled. I spent quite a bit of time trying to find some brass to reload. The supply seems to have dried up. I have 200+ factory rounds and wanted some empty hulls to load up some HBN coated bullets. I pulled a few factory loaded bullets today, and the bullets (Nosler), are being coated as I write this. I'll replace them back into the brass and check the 'reloads' versus the factory ones. Being retired, this kinda stuff keeps me out of mischief... ha ha
Since the shop where I bought my rifle has a LOT of 204 ammo at a good price, I'll just buy more of that. I just hate shooting uncoated bullets.
This M12 will get a Vortex Viper 4-16X50mm. These are nice scopes. Fantastic warranty, though I've not had any failures, of any kind.

Hopefully, this will be the last caliber I'll need to reload for. I DO have a Savage B Mag on order. The LGS has 3 on order, one for stock, one for his wife, and one for me! ha ha

ron

The 204 is a fun little round. We use for targets prairie dogs, and coyotes. Love it. I really like nosler 40 grainers with vit. N133 powder. H4895 also worked well with hornaday 40's. I did experiment with the barnes 25 varmint grenade, can't remember the load, it was hot, but fast. 4500fps on my chrono.

My 204r LRPV likes reloader 10x and 39g blitzkings I like this round although it can be a challenge to get the seating depth right long throat,short bullets. There is a free forum similar to this one and talks only about the 204 checkout 204 ruger.com or ruger hunting .com good luck

I have had good luck in mine with RL15 and 40gr. V-Max's. On a calm day they made one ragged hole at 100yds off the bench. Very fun round, but way too wind sensitive for my tastes to use too often in the field.

Varget and 40 grain Vmax also works well.

Thanks for all the replies. Here in Florida we are fortunate (??) that we don't have PD or GH. The only pests we have are coyotes, Armadillos, and crows. We also have a problem with gators, but of course they are 'protected'.
So, my new 204 won't get a whole lot of rounds shot through it at any given time. I have a private range, and am retired, so I'm never in a big hurry. ha ha
I guess that's another reason all my Axis rifles shoot so darn well.
I was lucky (I guess) to find 100 new, Hornady cases last night for a good price., So I now have over 300 which will last my lifetime.

BTW, went to a local Gander Mtn today. Gosh, they have a ton of ammo. Must of had 8 different 22-250 loads, 220 Swift, .17 Rem, and even MORE .17HMR.
No 22lr though. There were a LOT of folks looking for just that caliber..... ah well......

ron

I have 2 204's both with 26 inch barrels. As far as wind, I shoot in our egg shoots and don't have too much trouble hitting an egg at 200 to 225 yds, and on a jug at 300 to 350 yds. the other year I was shooting it with a 10 to 15 mph cross wind. I had to hold on the left edge of the jug and tried my 223 and had to hold several inches left of the jug. I haven't had any trouble with my 204 in a low wind. If it gets too bad I move up to my 243 or 6mm br.

maxi

Thanks for those links.

Folks one last question about the M12.... My other M12 has the laminated wood stock. This new one has what is referred to 'tupperware', gotta love that term!
Just wondering if the recoil pad comes off like the Axis rifles? I plan to reinforce mine with 'allthread' and fiberglass, as I did with my Axis models. Weight doesn't bother me. This will be a bench/treestand toy..... Just trying to get everything ready.....
thanks

ron

Yes it should. On all of my 12FV models, the recoil pad has 2 small holes to access the Phillips screws. The pad will like to stick and drag on the shaft of your screwdriver, so i normally put some oil on the screwdriver before insertion to minimize any potential damage to the pad, and then of course clean the oil off the pad after I am done.

If your 12FV has the wider forend on it (some do) That stock is actually not nearly as bad as most of the sporter model tupperware stocks. The wider ones seem to have thicker plastic and more cross supports in the forearm. Both of mine that wear that stock are 1/2 MOA shooters with factory triggers and barrels.

Boots, thank you for the info! The forend on my Axis rifles wasn't too bad. On the 7-08, I added some weight and epoxy there mainly to help with the recoil. That and the reinforcement of the grip/buttstock area really helped. I since did the grip/buttstock mod to all the axis rifles.
Funny, when I got my Model 25 Walking Varminter in .17 Hornet, I was very surprised to see the plastic stock was MUCH more rigid than the Axis models.
Once the triggers are reworked those 'Wally World' guns shoot reallllly well.

ron

Anytime.

I have yet to find a Savage that wouldn't shoot at least MOA out of the box. A couple would just barely do it without trigger mods or stock stiffening mods, but for the money Savage's are great shooters.

I have handled a couple of the 25WV's and I can't say that those stocks seemed any better. The first one was a 222 Rem at the 2012 NRA Show in St. Louis, the other was a 17 Hornet at a local shop. Just picking them up and resting them on my hand when shouldered made the forends touch the barrels. Maybe its just me, I dunno.

Boots, maybe you're just superman! ha ha
All my rifles have bipods attached. I have a private range and a great shooting bench. When I first shot the .17 HH, I was surprised that the second 2 shots didn't even hit the paper. It wasn't until shot #4 that I realized the first three were in the same hole.
Admittedly, this was at 50 yds just to get it on paper....
It took me a long time to find a load my Rem 700 Varmit (.243) liked. Tell me about the 223WSSM. Looks terrific! Are your AI cartridges rechambered standard rounds??
ron

Well I sold the 223WSSM some time back. (All the non-bold calibers in my signature are ones I no longer have). It was a fun round and had potential. Was fast and flat, but due to the case length I had to run it as a single shot. fgw_in_fl has that barrel now and reports to me that its a real shooter once he worked up a better load than I had for it, but with my undeveolped load it did 5/8" @ 100 and killed a couple pdogs out past 300yds for me last spring when I was out west.

Both of my AI chambers are rechambered factory Savage barrels. The 243AI is a real screamer for me shooting a 58gr V-Max at over 4000fps and 100yd groups normailly around 1/4 to 3/8 in. It can go faster, but this is a good accuracy speed for that barrel and so I stick with it. The 22-250AI is a recent barrel and I have not worked up a load as of yet, but while fireforming with some loads in new brass that I made for a standard 22-250 it was shooting around 5/8 to 3/4 @ 100 so it should do great with a load made for it.

I recommend AI chambers for most rounds if for no other reason, added brass life and minimized trimming. My brass life has near tripled and trimming has been cut by 75%.

My real fun one is going to be the 6WSM. I have yet to shoot it as I am compiling data for loads, but a 105 A-max at 3650-3750 is not out of the question. I have high hopes for that one. Too bad barrel life will most likely be short, but sacrafices are sometimes necessary in the interest of speed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bootsmcguire

Well I sold the 223WSSM some time back. (All the non-bold calibers in my signature are ones I no longer have). It was a fun round and had potential. Was fast and flat, but due to the case length I had to run it as a single shot. fgw_in_fl has that barrel now and reports to me that its a real shooter once he worked up a better load than I had for it, but with my undeveolped load it did 5/8" @ 100 and killed a couple pdogs out past 300yds for me last spring when I was out west.

Both of my AI chambers are rechambered factory Savage barrels. The 243AI is a real screamer for me shooting a 58gr V-Max at over 4000fps and 100yd groups normailly around 1/4 to 3/8 in. It can go faster, but this is a good accuracy speed for that barrel and so I stick with it. The 22-250AI is a recent barrel and I have not worked up a load as of yet, but while fireforming with some loads in new brass that I made for a standard 22-250 it was shooting around 5/8 to 3/4 @ 100 so it should do great with a load made for it.

I recommend AI chambers for most rounds if for no other reason, added brass life and minimized trimming. My brass life has near tripled and trimming has been cut by 75%.

My real fun one is going to be the 6WSM. I have yet to shoot it as I am compiling data for loads, but a 105 A-max at 3650-3750 is not out of the question. I have high hopes for that one. Too bad barrel life will most likely be short, but sacrafices are sometimes necessary in the interest of speed.

---

By the way, that 223wssm I got from Boots put 5 - 69gr Nosler cust comps thru one hole. After that I got bored since I ran out of OCW loads to try.
Hey OP - have you tried that guy in Daytona? The big place that advertises all over the state.... Give me a moment... It'll come to me.

This guy...

http://www.floridagunexchange.com/

Lemme know if you want I should put out feelers here in central east coast. (Melbourne to Vero)
Frank in Fla

Hi Frank. Iffn I was in the Daytona area, I'll stop there. Several of my buddies who live there, love the place. I have read some pretty negative thing on-line as well. I'll make up my own mind when I get there. My boss has a big house in Daytona and several empty condos. He stopped into FGE last year and bought a nice Rock River AR. He showed it to me later and asked: "is this any good?". He's NOT a gun guy but has a bunch in the safe for his guests when they visit his big farm here in Wellborn.....
If you happen to come across a CZ or Rem rifle in .221 FB, please let me know. I have an XP-100 in 221, but I have a problem with my wrist. (magnum-itius) ha ha

ron

Boots. Did you do the rechambering to AI? All of my rifles have very low round counts and as I mentioned, we don't have PD here (darn it!) ha ha.
I have a pretty modern shop and if I come across a 'project' rifle in 223, 243, 22-250 etc, I thought about the AI mod. I know you can rent the reamers and guages. Might be a fun project. However, I should probably get a Savage, since the bbls are easier to change! I have an XP-100 in .221 FB that I can't really shoot anymore due to wrist problems. Just hate the thought of making a 'rifle' out of it, but they do have a great action...... Needless to say, the 7-08 XP is out as well. The LGS don't want to trade as they are not 'common' guns.......

ron

No, currently the two barrels in AI that I own were not done by me. I actually picked them both up here in the classifieds. I have had others in the past that were ordered new as AI chambers. I am slowly saving up nickels and dimes and buying tooling pc. by pc. to be able to do it myself. I am a machinist by trade and have the skill to do the work, just not the equipment personally.

As for your pistols, if you want to part with them I would put them up in the classifeds here and either trade them to another member or sell them and use the funds to buy your self a Savage or two. A XP100 in 221FB would probably be a lot of fun. I may have to get around to getting one one of these days.

Boots, tnx for the reply. Actually, I have tried to sell both XPs. However, I'm just not interested in giving them away.... ha ha
My new M12 (204R) should arrive tomorrow, I've got a new scope, bases, bipod, brass, bullets, brass, etc, just awaitin'....
OK on being a Machinist. Although I'm educated (??) as an Electrical Engineer, I love to build stuff, both mechanical and electronic. I have build a lot of my reloading stuff. Neck turner, 'Stony Point' type guages, runout tools, etc. Before I retired from IBM, my office was next to our Model Shop. Row after row of Bridgeports, CNC, WaterJets, 3D machines, etc. You just can't imagine what they threw away every week as 'scrap'. I have a huge billet of Ti that they cut one small piece off of, to make a prototype part and because that didn't work out, they pitched it..... ah.....and they wonder why they were losing $......

ron