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Old 09-14-2018, 10:05 PM
L Rivard L Rivard is offline
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Default .20 cal 32 gr Speer Lead Free Bullets

This post is both a solicitation for advise and a warning to others. Last fall I saw an ad for the above mentioned bullets at an attractive price. As I have in the past shot thousands of .22 cal Speer 50 and 52 gr bullets at ground squirrels with complete satisfaction, I foolishly bought a couple thousand without trying a sample first. Long story short, they shoot for crap in my barrel. Like 3 to 3.5 MOA. So far I have tried three different powders, and varying seating depths, as well as sorting bullets by overall length and ogive to base length. Both dimensions vary up to forty thousands. My best single group to date was 1.5 MOA for five shots at 100 yards. This was with 28 grains of Ramshot TAC, bullets sorted base to ogive to two thousands, jumping about eighty thousands.
I consider half inch groups acceptable for my use. I have easily reached this with 32 grain Noslers and 40 grain Hornady lead based bullets. Any ideas of loads to try to salvage these Speers?
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Old 09-14-2018, 10:34 PM
17tbs 17tbs is offline
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Default Twist rate of your .20 cal?

Number one, twist rate may be your culprit. If you can, then push them FASTER it may improve the faster you pudh these.
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  #3  
Old 09-14-2018, 11:19 PM
L Rivard L Rivard is offline
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Default .20 32 GR Speer Lead Free

Barrel is an eleven twist. The 28 grains of TAC shows no sign of excess pressure so I will try a little more powder Monday.
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Old 09-15-2018, 12:06 AM
dungheap dungheap is offline
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Patience, coupled with a fair amount of trial and error, could well resolve your issue.

You didn't say what caliber you're working with, hence it's impossible to offer any suggestions.

I would say, though, that if your rifle shoots well with other 32gr bullets, there should be light at the end of the tunnel somewhere with the lead free ones.

Or, there will likely be a heck of a deal offered to us Saubier-ites for a bunch of bullets you don't want to use.
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Old 09-15-2018, 02:54 AM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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Default .20 cal 32 gr Speer lead free Bullets

If you are talking about the 32 gr TNT lead free, hp's by Speer, I have been using some in the 20 SCC, 20-223ai and 204 R and they have been working pretty well, Accuracy is not as good as the Nosler tipped or Z-max or v-max, but they shoot a good average of 3/4 moa for me. I would just try some upper end loads of A2200 and CFE 223, which is what I load in these cartridges. Bill K
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Old 09-15-2018, 03:39 PM
jds jds is offline
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Sounds like the same ones that I got a deal on at our local gun show awhile back. Mine are a HP design, lead free. I got a bag of 700 or so for -- cheap. 40 bucks or so.

I got home and started weigh/checking them, and they varied +/- 2 grains. That's quite a bit on a 32 gr. bullet. I split them into three different weight groups, and went and grouped them with my basic load of BLC. Best I could do was I think 1 1/2 inches. Put ten of em in a couple inches. I don't really think they'll do much better than that. I believe these are probably 2nds.

I'll use them up on short range squeaks, -- unless you want them to go with yours. jd
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Old 09-15-2018, 03:57 PM
L Rivard L Rivard is offline
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The cartridge involved in this issue is the .204 Ruger, sorry for not stateing that up front. And no, I sure don't want any more of them.
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Old 09-15-2018, 06:27 PM
17VLD 17VLD is offline
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Default I thought it might be a 204...

Seems like all that jump might be a cause of some of the trouble you are having.
I wonder how they would shoot in a zero free bore gun.The eleven twist doesn’t sound like a factory twist.Is it a custom,maybe you need a dedicated smaller 20 for the 32s and just shoot 40s in the 204.Just a thought.Build a 20 VT for all those 32s and have at it.
Matt.
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  #9  
Old 09-15-2018, 07:26 PM
L Rivard L Rivard is offline
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Yes 17VLD, this is a semi-custom barrel, a Criterion. I can't get real close to the lands with these 32s and keep enough bullet in the case for field use. However, I have tried about a twenty thou jump, (hard to really tell cause the bullet shape varies so much) and they shot worse than the bigger jump. I don't really think building another rifle just to shoot poor bullets is a good idea. Remember, this .204 R shoots 32 noslers into my half inch specification. Still, any excuse for a new build merits consideration.
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Old 09-15-2018, 09:53 PM
elalto elalto is offline
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Hi,

Just out of curiosity, how do the bullets compare as far as length goes? I find that the smaller diameter bullets get real long when lead-free.

Thanks,
Marcos (elalto)
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