Reasonable expectations with like components

[SShooterZ]

Hi all, been awhile since I spent some time here in the small caliber world. Took a little hiatus from shooting/hunting but now that my son is starting to feel the addiction, I've been spending a lot more time at the range and in the reloading room. I'm starting to get back in the groove but have some questions I'm sure the experienced minds here can expound on.

Long story short, I have a Savage 12V that I rebarreled with a Pac-Nor Savage prefit in .204R with 11 twist in varmint contour. This was about 5ish years ago. In using a combination of Fed205, Winchester SR, AA2015, Varget, H322, etc, I just couldn't get the darn thing to shoot bugholes like I would expect from a premium barrel. I had better groups from the factory Savage barrel before I roasted it.

Fast forward to this weekend, somewhat on a whim, I loaded some rounds with RL10X w/ Rem 7.5 primers and 39gr SBK, all of sudden I was punching the same hole over and over. Along multiple charges as well.

Well, low and behold, I have a short supply of 39gr SBKs. I do have a ton of 40gr Nosler BT and 40gr Hornady VMax. Following published loads, would it be a reasonable expectation that should see some similar accuracy, with tweaking of course, from these bullets using the same RL10X and Rem 7.5 Primers? Or am I back at square one? Frankly I don't mind waiting until I find some 39s but I think I'm going to give these 40s a whirl and see what happens. Just curious what the group thinks in regards to a switch like that.

[Bill K]

Trying them is the only way to find out. More than likely, they should do as well, but you will not know until you try and do some tweaking/ladder testing.

[Rick in Oregon]

Yup, go shoot 'em and find out. With your 11T barrel, the 40's should do much better than any factory 12T barrel could do. One less thing to fret about.

[Bayou City Boy]

For a definitive answer, shooting them with a safe and sound load in your rifle to determine accuracy trumps 10,000 internet opinions.

-BCB

[moorepower]

You can’t always pick a powder that you want the gun to shoot, and then saw it doesn’t like bullet S, H, N or B. My .204 much prefers a slower powder and it makes a huge difference in accuracy for “my” gun. 8208 to be exact. The 1-11 “should “ do better with the heavier bullets of all types. Results as always will vary with your barrel

[Bayou City Boy]

The OP has a load that shoots well in his barrel, and he's looming at changing one variable.

If you introduce more than one variable at a time, then you have to sort out which variable might have brought about a change. Or was it a combination of variables?

KISS is a good motto for some things...............

JMO -BCB

[moorepower]

I missed the 10x part. I would also quit while I was ahead. The harder a round is on the throat the less I want to waist the barrel on load work

[coyotespotter]

If you have kept track of your cbto you could try seating other bullets the same for load development. Premium barrels tend to be less fussy, so you just may need charge adjustment(pressure/velocity difference in bullet types) if you have a solid jump worked up. Or use the bullet change to practice load development technique.

[SShooterZ]

I wish I could quit but I’m low on the 39 SBKs. Truth be told, I was starting to wonder if I didn’t have a problematic barrel. Always heard nothing but great things about Pac-Nor and I was excited to get an 11 twist to ensure it would should anything. It took me a lot longer to get there than I thought it would but alas, it made me smile greatly this past weekend when it could cover 5 shots with a dime at 100 yards. Now I’m going to try the same components with a different bullet and was wondering if I could expect the same success. I guess I knew in my heart that all bets are off when you change a recipe, but I’m hoping I can get either the Nosler or Hornady 40s to shoot as well. Going to load up some rounds with different charges and find out.

I seriously can’t tell you how happy I was when it started spitting pills into the same hole. I really thought I might have a stinker of a barrel. Turns out she just has particular tastes.

[Bill K]

[

I seriously can’t tell you how happy I was when it started spitting pills into the same hole. I really thought I might have a stinker of a barrel. Turns out she just has particular tastes. [/quote]

As some have mentioned, just change one thing at a time, when you play with other components, that way you know if it is working and as accurate as what you had, prior.