Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 204 Ruger loads

MD

Thanks for the correction. I apologize for miss-quoting, I’ll look at Gack book again. Could be there’s a second page of loads? Also I appreciate the knowledge that these are 5 shot groups.

I think I may have found an issue. I recently Dyna - bore coated the barrel. I’m thinking it needs more than ten rounds break in. I bought a box of 50 Hornady loaded ammo. (Rare for me - factory ammo that is). Also I bought a couple hundred 40 grain Hornady and a hundred Nosler 40 grain bullets.

I still have a couple hundred 32 grain bullets I’m going to keep trying. I found some of my friend’s loaded ammo - to try.

Math man

I have not seen my machine for measuring run out years ago. I’ve lived in 10 foreign countries, and 14 states and lots of my stuff went down the street. For varmint shooting I decided I’d never have the time to measure and straighten loads, thus the better dies being ordered.

I’m determined to have a decent shooter. Rebarreling will come next if nothing else works.

Problem with that is you don't know your loads aren't straight now.

MD

Thanks for the correction. I apologize for miss-quoting, I looked at Gack again, boy I was wrong, I must be have recalled loads from something else? Also I appreciate the knowledge that these are 5 shot groups. I use 3 shot groups sometimes but 5 shot groups are much better indication of accuracy, in my opinion. Glad you did that.

I think I may have found an issue. I recently Dyna - bore coated the barrel. I’m thinking it needs more than ten rounds break in. I bought a box of 50 Hornady loaded ammo. (Rare for me - factory ammo that is). Also I bought a couple hundred 40 grain Hornady and a hundred Nosler 40 grain bullets.

I still have a couple hundred 32 grain bullets I’m going to keep trying. I found some of my friend’s loaded ammo - to try.

Math man

Ive moved a lot. I sold my lathe and gunsmith equipment, gave up my FFL, in ‘85. I’ve lost a few smaller items. I dont want to spend more bucks on things I used to have, I stopped using such things when I quit shooting for score. For varmint shooting I decided I’d never have the time to measure and straighten loads, thus the better dies being ordered.

I’m determined to have a decent shooter.

I’m betting I need to break in the Dyna Bore.

Bugger,

I'm old enough to forget stuff pretty often myself!

Might also mention that the same rifle shoots lighter bullets extremely well too, in fact a little better than the 40 V-Max. The load I've been using some lately is the 24-grain Hornady NTX (lead-free) with enough TAC to get 4400 fps! It averages .49 for 5-shot groups at 100, and though it's obviously not as good at longer ranges as the 40 VM, it's deadly out to 300+.

The rifle also does very well with the 26 Barnes Varmint Grenade and 32 Nosler Lead-Free Ballistic Tip--though it prefers Ramshot X-Terminator to TAC with the Barnes. (Just did an article on lead-free bullets for Handloaders, the reason for testing those three bullets!

Mine for years 27.7th H4895 40gr vmax fed 205m

Of course you’re right. I don’t have a bore scope either. My range finder sucks. I keep buying scopes and keep buying more rifles, instead of taking care of other “needs”.

I have that same ailment. Keep putting off a chrono.

Did find a new Pro Chrono in box w a remote reset and dragging azz on buying it. I am sure it will be gone before I commit.

But if you’d like to help a poor shooter you could always send cash. But I might spend it in another Rifle there’s several rifle-cartridges that stil I don’t have despite my continuing efforts.

After putting 20 rounds through the rifle I just shot a five shot group 100 yards. .728” it’s just posted in image gallery but I don’t know how to get it here with my I-phone.

The load was 21 grains IMR4198 and 32 grain Hornady V-Max loaded with my old set of dies. Now I feel that I can develope a PD load. I’ll be using the spendy dies.

Bugger......just use the max load for TAC listed in Ramshots data and the 40 gr V max if your gun will shoot them

I use 32 gr ballistics in one rifle that wont handle the long V max

Tac can be bought as cheap as any , meters like water , pours into the little necks like water , burns very clean , and packs a de-coppering agent

speed is right up there with anything else

what more do you need ?

Thanks, that will be my next load I'll try. I have most of 2 containers of 8 lb each of TAC, (I like TAC).
(I'm having health issues so I'm a little slow on testing. Shooting that last group was about the limit for me that day.)
I have bought some 40 grain bullets, including 40 grain Hornady and Noslers.
Since this 204 will likely be used on PD's, accuracy is highly important to me.

Iv,e found good 204 rifles to be highly non fussy about what they will shoot , except a few will just not stabilize the 40 gr V_Max

I have 3 factory 204s and one will not shoot the 40 grainers

Which manufacture’s rifle did not shoot the 40 grain bullets?

its a Ruger 77 predator , but one of the other rifles is a Ruger 77VT and it shoots the long V Max lights out.....


its just luck of the draw , supposedly the factory 1 in 12 is marginal , so many rifles shoot the 40 gr good , some dont


the Sierra 39 gr and the Nos 40 gr ballistics are shorter and do not have that problem

sdgunslinger,

Actually, the factory twist isn't really marginal for the 40 V-Max. The rumor that it is started due to the many on-line rifling-twist formulas, which use only the bullet's overall length for their calculations.

But plastic-tipped bullets stabilize easier than other spitzer boattails of the same length, because the tip is so light compared to jacket material. The late Don Miller, the guy who developed the formula most twist calculators use these days, proved that out after he developed the formula.

The JBM twist calculator factors in the length of plastic tips, and calculates the 40 V-Max should stabilize down to 0 degrees Fahrrenheit at sea level in the 1-12 twist, and of course will stabilize even better at warmer temperatures and higher elevations.

I suspect the reason some .204's won't shoot 40 V-Maxes very well is they just don't "like" them, for any of several reasons.

my 204`s shoot the hornady v-max 32 gr. so well ,I have never loaded any 40 gr bullets . one 204 rifle rides in my truck year around does just fine with the 32 grain bullets for the last 5 or more years ?

The PD shoot was last week ended Sunday. So I have a bit of time to work up loads.

Got a new 204 last week .playing with 8208 looks very good . 40 gr v-max and 10 twist .