Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 204 Ruger reloading help

I have looked everywhere I know to look for load data for the 204 Ruger using 39gr Sierra bullets and Alliant 10X powder. Can someone help me with the min/max load for this powder or point me to the webbsite with this info.

I have already been to Alliantpowder.com and they do not show the 204 that I can find. I have also been to Accurate reloading .com, and the Reloaders nest.

Thanks

Max load for the 39gr. Sierra is 25.1 grains.

Pullit---keep me appraised of this one.......I just twisted up 60 rounds with 40gr v-maxes. Two with different charges of BL-C2, and one with Benchmark........

2MG,

V-max 40's have been fickle for a lot of folks...I'd be interested to see if they work for you....

Pullit,

I've got 25.1 on my side as well....That combo you're using should drive tacks....

-Greg

That's what I have heard. Will be interesting........

Thanks
I have a friend that told me the "magic" load is 24.6 gr of 10X with the 39 gr pill, and a CCI 450 primer. I hate to seem scared to take his work but wanted to see just how close to max that was.

This post by Hunter01:
"Here are the results of what a 39 gr. Sierra with Reloader 10x can do. See 5 shot group from my Cooper MT. I shoot 26.5 gr. and it shoots great. It clocks out at 3886 fps out of my 26" barrel."

got me to thinking is 24.6 really mild or is this really hot. Sound like this one may be hot. I will say this, he did post a picture of a great group.

Pullit,

My brother just bought a Cooper .204, after barrel break-in he wanted to shoot the Hornady 40 gr. V-max's. He loaded up 35 rounds with H-4895. I loaded up 9 rounds with Rel 10-X at 24.8, 25.0, 25.2 set .02 off the lands. The 25.0 shot the smallest .204 group I had ever seen, like .25.

His Cooper .204 has a LOONNNG throat,over all length for loaded rounds is 2.41. It appears to me in shooting Hornady 40 gr V-maxs in several rifles that the closer to the lands you get the bullet the better they shoot. The .204 was designed to be long throated more so than other varmit rounds.

The lighter .204 bullets seem to perform best somewhere between .04 and .06 off the lands. Of course with any rifle, every application of bullet and seating depth is different.

Thanks for the info, I am going to roll some up hopefully today.

If you get a chance, try some BL-C2......

Go to the Sierra website. They have all the loading data you need.

Enjoy!
John

Thanks I will give Sierra's site a look see.
Welcome to the fire and thanks for the heads up.

Stroke
I went to Sierras website, and I must be dumb but I can not find and reloading data. I can find the bullets and the BC and SD but nothing on powders ect. can you or someone else point me in the right direction.

Thanks

See "Last hunt in Central Texas" post and look at groups I shot with 39 gr. Sierra using 10X powder from my Cooper .204. Used 26.5 gr. and wasn't high with pressure at all yet. Group shot was 26.0 gr. I upped it to 26.5 and it clocked 3880's. Shot great, cases weren't sticky or cratered. Start lower, of course, and work up to see how it works for you. Good luck.

Pullit,

Go to rugerhunting.com

At the top of the page they have "Reloading data" from all manufacturers...
I'd recommend this as it is already gathered for you...

-Greg

I didn't have any 10X but IIRC 27.5grs of TAC shot fast and accurately in my 204 Kimber.

Just throwing out another option.....

Great guys thanks for the info. I have 30 rounds loaded and ready to go to the range. I am just waiting for a day when the wind is not blowing 15 to 20 MPH. I hope that will be tomorrow.
I am looking for speed and accuracy out of this round but accuracy more than speed.

I will give Rugerhunting.com a look see.

Thanks once again.

Also try www.204ruger.com
They show some loads under the sierra heading with 10x.

pullit-- If you haven't found the Sierra reloading data yet, here is a direct link to that information:

.204 Ruger reloading data from Sierra

My best load with Reloder 10X and the 39 gr. Sierra bullet was 24.8 gr. using WW brass and Remington 7� primers. My velocity at 12 feet from the muzzle averaged anywhere from 3,805 up to 3,860 fps and groups were tight. Here's a group shot on June 7, 2005:



Another group, but this one shot on June 12, 2005:



I ran out of that one pound of powder and could not find any powder from the same lot. The next Rel 10X I bought took 25.5 gr. to equal the velocity of the first lot of Rel 10X is used. Since Sierra list 25.1 gr. as the maximum load, I used the rest of that lot of Rel 10X as fertilizer for my flowers and switched to using a stiff load of H4895 for the 39 gr. Sierras.

Here's a target shot with H4895, Rem 7� primers and WW casings. This load is slightly over the max listed for the 40 gr. V-Max bullets in the Hodgdon reloading data, so work your way up slowly if you use H4895 with this bullet:



There are many .204 reloaders who are still having fabulous luck with Reloder 10X, but stay safe and work your way up slowly.