Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles .204 Ruger loads/velocity for handguns

Anybody have any velocities from shooting .204 in a 14 or 15" barrel T/C pistol?

Shooting the 204 Ruger out of a 15 to 14 inch barrel is not an overly exciting event. The velocity drops is about 28 % from a 26 inch barrel. The 204 shines out of a rifle length barrel. But it's your money and gun, go for it, it's no worse than a 30-06 out of a 14 incher.

That depends on the powder used....

I have passed on loads to others, for using SR 4759, Blue Dot ( and similar burn range) up to 4198.

These are powders that are completely burned in the shorter barrels.

yeah, they don't have the velocity potential in a 26 inch barrel, with slower powders...

but the faster burning powders, hold their own pretty well in 14 and 15 inch barrels....

1680 is another good powder to look at, or 5744...

consult some of the powders you might find under the 222 or 223 in cast bullet manuals.

the 204 can also shoot the 32 grain and 24 grain NTX bullets which will give a faster velocity, in shorter barrels with the faster powders...

just depends on how you look at it....