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freebore and magazine legnth

skyfishskyfish Member Posts: 1,068 ✭✭✭✭
edited December 2008 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
I bought a new fun gun, a Howa 204 Ruger Varmiter, heavy barrell. The problem I have is that the throat is to long. If I load .010-.030" from the lands, the catridge will not fit in the mag. If I fit to mag, then I'm about .100" off the lands. Can this material be trimed off the front of the magazine? I have not seen how this gun shoots, just bought it and loaded some ammo, some mag length, some single shot. When I get to the range I'll find out if accuracy suffers greatly or not.
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Comments

  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ignore the distance to the lands. How's that for a simple answer?

    Work with the length that will operate through the mag, and find the powder/charge/bullet that that rifle prefers at that length. Once your as accurate as you can get that way, than you can think about considering altering your seating depth (longer or shorter) in small increments (.010 steps) to tweek the harmonics of the barrel slightly.

    Setting to the lands was a valid technique when shooting fat lead chunks out of military blackpowder guns with large funnel shaped throats, and the last I looked the 204 didn't qualify on any of those points.
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  • mrbrucemrbruce Member Posts: 3,374
    edited November -1
    .100 seems a long way to jump a bullet.
    What bullet are you shooting, and have you checked the twist rate ?
    Keep in touch about the range time.....
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  • skyfishskyfish Member Posts: 1,068 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    40 gr Hornady V-max, I hope to get to range on Friday. Been working or very windy. If I get to range I'll post results.
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  • CryptoChiefCryptoChief Member Posts: 100 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    TAKE YOUR RIFLE TO A REPUTABLE SMITH AND HAVE HIM/HER LENGTHEN THE MAGAZINE. THEN YOU CAN LOAD THE PILLS TO WHAT EVER LENGTH YOU NEED TO. I'VE HAD LONG THROAT PROBLEM WITH PRACTICALLY EVERY SHORT ACTION REMINGTON I'VE BOUGHT IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS. I HAD THE BARREL SET BACK ON TWO AND THE MAGAZINE AREA EXTENDED ON ONE. EITHER WAY, IT SOLVED THE EXCESSIVE "JUMP" PROBLEM. NOT ALL RIFLES SHOOT BAD WITH A LONG THROAT BUT, PERSONALLY I'VE NEVER OWNED ONE THAT SHOT WELL WITH THE EXCESS JUMP. 22 THOUSANDTHS OFF THE LANDS IS ABOUT THE MOST I'VE EXPERIENCED WITH ANY ACCURACY FROM MY RIFLES. BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE OF BULLET DESIGN MORE THAN ANYTHING. MOST EVERYTHING ELSE IS AGAINST THE LANDS OR LESS THAN 10 THOUSANDTHS OFF.

    FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.

    CC
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  • skyfishskyfish Member Posts: 1,068 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Went to the range on Friday, only had two hours before dark. It didn't seems to matter, .100" off lands or .030" and loaded single shot. I didn't get to work up to the higher loads, ran out of light. Im the last 30 minutes I rushed a little and the barrell warmed up, then the grouping opened up. Using RL-15, Hornady 40gr V-max, Federal Std primers, and new Winchester brass. I only worked up to 26.6 grains of powder, but the barrel was a little warm. 26.2 shot better, sub .5" group of 4 with one that went to .70". More range time will tell if its me or the gun.(I'm betting me) I'm going to try and smoke the brass and just set the shoulder back a touch. Also at 26.2 grains had a few sooty cases, I'm guessing too low of pressure?

    Had fun and went to the gun show in Des Moines on Friday night after that, even took the wife to the gun show. Probably why I didn't buy that Bushmaster with 24" barrell. Really didn't need it anyway.
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