Erich,
have valued your input for a decade or more.. don't see you post much, but when I find a post of yours, I always read it...
I like your off the beaten path or think outside the box attitude...
For once here, I'm going to have to deviate and disagree with ya on RL 7 in the 204...
My excuse is I burn a lot of RL 7, in various cartridges.. guess you don't see load data for it, because the 204 coincides with the release of RL 10, when RL 7 is considered old school, and is not part of the latest and greatest product line...
Its more flexible than 4198.. and less picky...
I run it in the 22.250 with 40 gr ballistic tips and V Maxes, 33.5 grains giving in the 4200 fps range...
push it beyond book load data around in the 223 with the same bullet, it will push that to 4000 fps....the brass nor the rifles I have to seem to care less...
and they are always accurate...
I used it a lot when I have a 204 barrel on a Ruger 77, with the 32 V Max along with the 24 gr NTX..
That barrel was replaced, with a heavier profile barrel in 20 Practical, only because of brass availability... I have 10 lifetime supply of 223 brass that is range pick up stuff...
That rifle has shot tons of 32 V Max with a case full of RL 7 and gives up nothing to the 204..
Use RL 10 load data, don't start at max, and just work up, to see if your rifle gets fussy, but I don't think you'll find it doing so.
RL 7 is a forgiving powder and it lets you know when it is getting close to max pressure without having to worry about no warning...
its curve flattens near that point instead of spiking...
RL 7 should give plenty of good service in the OPs 204... it has done so on both the 204 and 20 Practical barrels on my Ruger..
