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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044 |
What is your favor load in the 204 Ruger? My go to load is the Sierra 39 gr BlitzKing, 26 gr's of Hod 4895, Rem 7.5 Primers, Win Cases.
A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 893
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 893 |
32 gr. Nosler Varmageddon,30 gr. BLC(2). Super accurate in my 700 Rem.
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,803 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 42,803 Likes: 1 |
I was using H 322, and a 32 grain V Max and the 24 grain NTX from Hornady...super accurate... but I retired my barrel and rebarreled to 20 Practical due to brass availability...
I have thousands of 223 brass...
use H 322 in the Practical.
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 15,895
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 15,895 |
Bea, have you tried CFE223? Based on a recommendation of a friend I've just loaded some 39 grain Sierra's and will test them later this week.
There are 2 rules to success:
1. Never tell everything that you know.
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 32,044 |
I have a pound but haven't tried it in either the 204 or 223
A Doe walks out of the woods today and says, that is the last time I'm going to do that for Two Bucks.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,456 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,456 Likes: 2 |
I have two. Start with Winchester brass and Remington 7-1/2 primers.
For all of the 32 grain bullets I've tried, best groups have come with 28 grains of H335.
With all of the 39-40 grain bullets I've tried, best groups came with 27.5 grains of Varget.
Best load tested is the 39 grain Sierra with the Varget load.
Tom
Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.
Here be dragons ...
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 Likes: 1
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 Likes: 1 |
27.0 gr IMR 4895 and your choice of bullet.
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,532
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,532 |
I use 27.5 H-322 with the 32gr. bullets in my .204s. They work pretty good. Coyotes die, prairie dogs fly, crows explode.
I've used Benchmark with good results, too.
You can roll a turd in peanuts, dip it in chocolate, and it still ain't no damn Baby Ruth.
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Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,138 Likes: 10
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 60,138 Likes: 10 |
I've played around with a bunch of powders and bullets in several .204's. Don't have ONE favorite, but among my favorite loads are:
26-grain Barnes Varmint Grenade and 29.5 grains of Ramshot X-Terminator, for just about 4300 fps and tiny groups. No real need to use this except in areas where "non-toxic" bullets are required, but it really works!
Any 32-grain plastic-tip and 29.0 grains of TAC, for 4000-4100 fps from 24" barrels, the velocity depending on the bullet. If the wind's not blowing too hard this is my everyday prairie dog load. Dunno how many PD's this has sent skyward in four .204's, but the pieces would probably stop a 3/4-ton 4WD even on level ground.
On windier days I use 40-grain Hornady V-Maxes and 27.5 H4895 for a little over 3800 in my present rifle. This bullet drifts less in the wind than any other 39-40 I've tried in the .204.
Have tried CFE223 with 32's and 40's, but it doesn't provide the velocity of TAC with 32's, and doesn't shoot as well as H4895 with 40's, at least in this rifle. But the 35-grain Berger shoots super-accurately with 29.5 CFE, so gets some use now and then, just because....
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
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Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 241
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 241 |
27.5 grains of AA2520, Fed 205 Match primers and 39 grain Sierra BK. If there is a 204R that doesn't perform using this recipe you have an anomaly! (Oddball for those of you in RioLinda) GHD
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,561
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,561 |
My load. A 100 yard target. A victim from 311 yards. Another victim from 252 yards. Taken from out one of my bedroom windows.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 13,401
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 13,401 |
I just picked up a 700 VTR and a bunch of Hornady 40 grain Vmax superperformance Ammo. I assume Hornady brass is good stuff?
“There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.” ALDO LEOPOLD
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 24,451
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 24,451 |
IMR8208 works for me.
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,522
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,522 |
futuaris nisi irrisus ridebis
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Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 360
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 360 |
So far, best 5-shot group out of my new RAPredator has been 7/8" with 39gr SBK's, 27.5gr RL15 all in the only .204 cases that can be found, Hornady's. To be fair, have not shot any rounds from fire-formed cases, yet.
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6,576
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 6,576 |
25-1/2g Re-10x + Berger 35g
"...One Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All"
JeffG
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 290
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 290 |
28 gr of IMR4064 and 32gr z-max hornady brass cci400
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 13,401
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 13,401 |
Hornady brass just as good as Rem or Winchester?
“There are some who can live without wild things and some who cannot.” ALDO LEOPOLD
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 378
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 378 |
"Winchester" hasn't made their own brass in many years now, they buy it on a least cost bid. Depending upon their standards, may be, may not be good.
I'm a firm believer in the theory of " If it bleeds, I can kill it".
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,782
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 6,782 |
My cooper seems to like everything I have tried...
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