Reloading for the .204

[Cal Sibley]

Like a lot of shooters I suspect, I'm waiting to see how the .204s shoot. I have its big brother, the .222Rem. Mag., and it's a tack driver. The .204 may well be the same. However, not too many shooters seem to be posting their groups so the rest of us are in the dark as to the .204s grouping ability. Maybe some of you guys could post your groups and help the rest of us out. Thanks a lot and best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[scooterman27006]

ditto cal - i have a new 77 with the heavy barrel and after putting a scope on it tried factory vmax 32 and 40 grains in it and i was amazed that it shot pretty good - reason i was surprised is because i have a 700adl and encore barrel both in 204 and they wouldnt shoot the factory stuff worth a crap but this 77 did great so far - but i am not going to spend that much on factory ammo so - i am going to try 4 different powders with 2 different bullets and i will post what i find and hope others will do the same -

[scooterman27006]

ok here is my findings on what i have tried so far - i just left the bench few minutes ago - as far as the gun - its a ruger 77vt mkII stainless 204 caliber-- as far as grading how it shot - i dont know how to do it like a pro so i will use best good fair poor - simple but it get the message across- all were using once shot hornady factory once fired brass and 205m primers-- now 1st load hodgdon 322 -- 27.5 gr with 32gr v max and 2.27 col was fair---- AA2230 -26gr- with 40gr berger and 2.26 col a little better than fair ---- Varget 27.0 gr with 40gr berger and 2.26 col good --- 748 -27gr - 32 gr vmax and 2.30 col poor---- 748 -27gr- 40 berger and 2.26 col was fair - the plan is to use VARGET with 40 gr and play with the col and the powder amount will post back shortly-- i sure hope this helps a few

[BILLY D.]

HEY SCOOT

HAVE YOU TRIED REM 71/2 PRIMERS YET? I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT THEY SEEM TO BE THE BEST CHOICE FOR SHOOTING IN THAT SIZE CASES.

I HAVE A 17 REM THAT SHOT MORE LIKE A SHOTGUN THAN A RIFLE AND HAD BEEN USING FEDERAL, WIN, CCI PRIMERS. SO I CHANGED OVER TO REM 7 1/2'S AND THE GUN SETTLED RIGHT DOWN AND STARTED PRODUCING GROUPS INSTEAD OF PATTERNS.

I ALSO NOTED THAT A LOT OF ACCURACY LOADS FOR THE 222 & 223 ARE BUILT AROUND REM 7 1/2'S. I DON'T MEAN TO THROW MORE CRAP INTO THE QUANDRY BUT YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT THE PRIMER.

TO ME GOOD AND FAIR? EQUATES TO REALLY SUX WHEN IT COMES TO PERFORMANCE. I ALSO FOUND OUT R-15 AND IMR 4064 WORKED BETTER IN MY GUN. ALSO DON'T OVERLOOK H-4895.

OF COURSE NOW YOU ARE PROBABLY SAYING, YOU SOB, THATS 15 MORE COMBINATIONS TO PLAY WITH. BUT PLAYING AROUND IS WHAT LEADS US TO THE PERFECT? LOAD, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO CHANGE THE POWDERS AT LEAST TRY THE PRIMER CHANGE.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD SHOOTIN'.

[scooterman27006]

billy buddy no name callin will come from scoot and i appreciate the suggestion - the only reason i used the 205m is because thats what they were using with all the loads i tried and as far as the combinations - well that just means i get to shoot more - the only time i dont enjoy shooting is when it seems like i am backing up - i started out with a rem 700 adl in the 204 and it really sucked but i think it may have been the 50 gr stuff i was playing with in it - now i know then i didnt- so i bought a barrel for the encore in 204 and it didnt do any better - well the last gun show we had- my dad and i priced two guns at one cost from a fella and we dickered around there and he took my offer and my dad ended up with this ruger - it sure looks like it will shoot and it did with factory 40's under an inch i would say - but dad says he aint payin 15 a box for them lol so its up to me to "gitterdone" with the 32 and 40 and whatever powder it will be - i feel like im getting close especially if there are fellas out there that have loaded 400 rounds - thats means that they found something worth shooting and i figure with a little time and a lot of powder i will too--billy i got to say this also - this gun may shoot ok now with the best so far i have found but i have this problem now -- few weeks ago i bought a 40x 22-250 from a coworker and it is the shootinest -if thats a word- thing i have ever laid my finger on and i am getting to where if a gun wont keep it in a small small dime at a 100 then i dont want it - my dad says i am ruined for life but i dont think so - say do they make a lot of calibers in that 40X lol

[BILLY D.]

HEY SCOOT

I JUST NOTICED SOMETHING. WHAT PART OF NORTH CAROLINA ARE YOU FROM? MY SON AND HIS FAMILY LIVE IN MOORESVILLE.

THE 40X IS A GREAT RIFLE AN THE 22-250 IS NO SLOUCH AS A CARTRIDGE. IT WON A FEW BENCH REST MATCHES UNTIL THE PPC'S HIT THE STREETS.

I HAVE TWO 22 AND A QUARTERS. BOTH ACKLEY IMPROVED. ONE HAS A 1 IN 14 BARREL AND THE OTHER A 1 IN 8. I ONLY SHOOT 75 & 80 GRAINERS IN IT. WITH 26" BARREL YOU CAN REALLY REACH OUT AND TOUCH SOMETHING. I JUST FINISHED IT A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND AM STILL EXPERIMENTING? WITH IT. I HAVE A SCOPE COMING NEXT WEEK SOMETIME, A SIGHTRON 6X24 MIL DOT. THEN WE CAN PLAY AT 1K YDS. I'LL BE GOING THROUGH LOTS OF POWDER, BULLETS AND CAPS NEXT WEEK.

I DON'T HAVE A 204 BUT I HAVE BEEN DROOLING OVER THE 19 CALIBER CALHOONS. I JUST CAN'T MAKE UP MY MIND WHICH ONE. JUST WHAT I NEED, ANOTHER GUN.

WELL KEEP IN TOUCH AND POST YOUR RESULTS. HOPE YOU FIND SOMETHING THAT SHOOTS FOR YOU.

[scooterman27006]

billy i am just north of mooresville - not even an hour away - small world sometimes - i will post my findings good or bad - either way - my dad always tells me - boy keep pecking cause you are making wood

[BILLY D.]

HEY SCOOT

FOUND SOME ADDITIONAL INFO FOR YOU. WAS OUT AT THE RANGE TODAY AND A FRIEND SHOWED UP WITH GUESS WHAT? THOMPSON ENCORE IN 204 RUGER. USED LOAD DATA HE PILFERED FROM A SITE. SO WE BUILT UP SOME LOADS. AND YES WE LOAD AT THE RANGE.

MOST OF THE LOADS WERE AROUND AN 1" LOTS IN THE 7'S AND A FEW REAL STUNNERS.

THE KEY TO THE BEST LOADS WAS THE OAL.

OK HERES THE SITE http://www.geocities.com/graymist44/...04.html/200531

THERE ARE PLENTY OF LOADS TO LIKE IN THERE.

GOOD SHOOTIN', BILL

[scooterman27006]

at last at last ok if you have read all my other post on my experience with 204 ruger in 3 different guns/barrels - an encore barrel and a rem adl didnt have much luck but my dad and i bought a ruger 77 varmint in 204 caliber and i have tried several powders primers loads bullets and the combination that lead the best group in this 77 is : 28.5 gr of varget with a 40 gr berger using 205 m primers and 2.275 case overall length - at a 100 yrds you can cover it with a dime easily and it will do it with 3 five shot groups so this is a keeper i believe and i will say this --cci br primers showed very similiar results with 28 gr varget but didnt group as tight but very close - also i will add i never got much of a group until i really started up the higher end of the powder levels - im not sure but 28.5 is not compressed but close and in this gun the brass needs to be 1.84 and no more - needless to say i am going to back up and retry the encore barrel with higher powder and 40 gr - none of these guns would shoot the 50 gr in any bullet and i read somewhere that 50 would not shoot in these 204 barrels - I sure hope this helps someone that is trying to find a load

[reb8600]

Originally posted by scooterman27006
i will say this --cci br primers showed very similiar results with 28 gr varget but didnt group as tight but very close - also i will add i never got much of a group until i really started up the higher end of the powder levels - im not sure but 28.5 is not compressed but close and in this gun the brass needs to be 1.84 and no more - I sure hope this helps someone that is trying to find a load

Here is a link to some data from the manufactures. According to the hodgdon data 28.5 gr. is .4 over max with a 40 gr.vmax bullet, but I dont see one for 40 gr. berger but the 35 gr. max is 29.0 gr.
http://www.rugerhunting.com/204_data.php