Been playing with a Sav. 204 and was not getting groups that were to my liking. I tried the 32 gr. Sierra and the 39 gr. Sierra and have been doing most of the load work up using the 39 as I was told most have had good luck with it.

Tried 3 different powders. Nothing really made a whole lot of difference. Found that CCIBR primers wouldn't completely seat in the primer pocket so tried some WSRs and found they solved that problem. No difference in group size though. Restocked and pillar bedded so that wasn't the problem. Tried another scope, no change. 100 rounds and I was getting frustrated.

Groups were kind of spread all over the place with two occasionally touching. I have been loading about 5 thou. off as this has produced usually the best groups in most of my other rifles and others that I have messed with.

The following groups were typical of what I was getting, notice the windage variation.






Then yesterday mostly because I tried everything else I could think of, I shoved the bullets into the case about 30 thou and tried them. The windage variation was gone and all I had was an elevation problem. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........



So I brought the bullets back out some to about 17 thou off, effectively cutting in half the adjustment I just made, and the following is the group.



I tried another three and the following is the second group at that adjustment.



I am guessing the long throat has something to do with this. It really doesn't matter to me as long as I have it figured out

I have always loaded out to or close to the lands and have been rewarded with exceptional accuracy. It don't always work that way.

Jim

what powder are you using .............

IMR 4895, this loading is at 27.3 gr. using WW brass.

Jim