Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Bullets for the 204 Ruger?

To the 20 caliber reloader/shooters out there: I have experienced a problem with my 204 reloads using Sierra 39gr Blitzking bullets and I'm curious to find out if anyone else has had a similar problem and if so, any knowlege on the best or tougher bullet to use.

First, my load is 29.7gr BLC2 powder (published max is 30gr) with Remington 7 1/2 primers and the 39gr Blitzking bullet. I arrived at this load working up from a lower start point in 0.3gr increments and found that this load and my rifle (Remington 700 VS SF II) worked the best together. Total # of shots through this rifle is 1340 to date with probably 1100 of those being the above mentioned load. Cleaning of the barrel is performed after 20-40 shots using foaming bore cleaner, letting the foam have 15 or more minutes to work per can directions.

Now the problem - on occassion, the bullet when fired leaves a smoke trail, not a vapor trail, literally a smoke trail. The smoke trailed shots are not accurate. I placed a call to Sierra and made an inquiry and was told that what I was seeing in smoke was the vaporization of the lead from a cracked jacket. The most likely cause, I was told, was that my barrel was copper fouled or the barrel throat was rough or both. They recommended the use of Remington 40X bore cleaner to clear the fouling. Based upon this recomendation, I picked up the Rem 40X and gave the barrel a good scrubbing behind a double treatment of the foaming bore cleaner. I then took the rifle to my gunsmith and had him scope the bore to see the condition of the throat and barrel (wanted to clear my new found fears that my rifle was OK). He gave it a clean bill of health stating that it looked to be just now broken in well with the rifling starting immediately at the end of the neck. While at the gunsmith, he told me he had had a problem with some Sierra 55gr 22 cal bullets last year in his 22-250. He was getting complete disintegration of the bullets upon firing. He said he typically uses a different brand of bullet but with the shortage last year, tried out the Sierras that were available. This has me wondering if there is a problem with the Sierra varmit bullets?? What has your experience been out there????

I plan to shoot more of the Blitzkings with my clean barrel to see what I get, but I also think I will start working up some loads with other brands of bullets just in case the Sierra jackets are too thin. Would appreciate any imput on the different bullet brands that have performed well for others. I do want to stay with the 39-40gr bullet.

Well, first of all I certainly would believe what Siera tells you.

But, it's important to think about what they did NOT tell you.

While the combination of a rough bore, high velocity and a relatively fast twist MAY be causing those bullets to come apart in fight, here is another aspect.

Of all the platic pointed .204 Bullets out there- Sierria Blitzkings, Hornady V Max and Nolser Ballistic tips, the Sierras have the thinnest jackets. The Hornadys are the next thinnest and the Nolsers are the thickest- basically their Solid base design with a plastic tip.

Given your rifle barrels bore, it could be that Sierras are on the ragged edge and are some are comming apart in flight. I would bet that switching to Hornady 40g Vmax or Nosler BTs will solve your problem..

BTW, I have a CZ 527 Varmint in .204 and have shot all three slugs in my rifle. All three can shoot groups under .5 MOA with the powder charge they like. I have not seen any disintegration with the Sierras.

I would also think long and hard about applying some sort of bore conditioning material in the bore to make sure copper fouling is not an issue down the road.

Thanks, Jim, for the reply. I was looking for some info on the jacket thickness and this info reinforces my suspicions. I have Nosler and also some Berger 40gr on hand and I plan to give these a try.

CirB: I wish I could be of more help here to you.
My observations are that in my cadre of 5 (five) factory Varmint Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger they are all now using the Sierra 32 grain bullets!
They all shoot well indeed and none leave the "blue con-trail" that you notice behind your 39 grain Sierras.
Over the last 50 years of shooting I have only seen a handful of Rifle/bullet/load combo's that left this blue smoke trail behind the bullet.
One of those Rifle/bullet/load combos shot that bullet VERY well and one could follow the blue smoke trail right up to the target or the Rock Chuck that the bullet was headed for.
My friend that owns this Rifle used it for years on Chucks - it was in caliber 243 Winchester Ackley Improved.
The best (most accurate!) bullet in ALL my 204's was the Berger 35 grainers!
These are splendid bullets and very accurate and lethal on Varmints.
I had to quit using them though due to shortages of them and their cost.
I highly recommend you try this 35 grain Berger bullet in your 204 Ruger Rifle.
The Sierra 32's are nearly as accurate as the Bergers and out to 500 yards they fly as flat as the 39 grain bullets do.
Maybe give the 32 grainers by Sierra a try as well.
By the way which brand of Rifle are you experiencing this phenomenon with?
Best of luck to you.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I shoot 39 grain SBKs in a Savage with a 1-12" twist and have never seen any smoke trails.

I'll second the recommendation for trying the 35 grain Bergers. They're a much tougher constructed bullet than Sierra SBKs, VMax or Nosler BTs. For a Coyote load Berger bullets is all I'd use in a 204.

VG - The rifle is a Remington 700 VS SF II. Thanks for the info. I have some Berger 40gr that I am going to work up a load for and see what happens.

On thing to be aware of with the Berger bullets.

They may shoot tight groups in your rifle(and they may not) BUT one thing that is constant with them. Due to their HP shape they DO give up quite a bit of ballistic Cooeficient compared to Plastic pointed bullets.

The 35g is a good example. The Berger has a BC of .176 compared to an average of .220+ with most 32g plastic pointed bullets.

Most 40g Plastic pointed .204 slugs are .240 -.280 BC. The Berger 40g bullets are only.225- about the same as any plastic pointed 32g slug . This DOES matter in terms of wind drift and retained energy downrange. Run the numbers and the difference from 300 to 400 yards is pretty stark.

Velocity AND high BC bullets(compared to .22 cals) are what make a .204 work downrange. Take away the sleek bullets and you have a lesser carrtridge. Might as wll shoot a .223,IMHO.

CirB: I really enjoy the design, looks, feel and performance of my friends Remington 700 VS SF II's!
Of all the Remington Models I own I simply feel naked in that I don't own this model as yet.
I again wish you best of luck with your Rifle.
I have not tried the Berger 40's in any of my 204 Ruger Rifles as yet - be sure and let us know how they perform for you.
Wish I had a load for them to recommend for you.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Varmint guy

I am in a delima similar to yours...

I have 3 204's only 1 that I have reloaded for so far. My sps varmint sst fluted was shot with a little forearm relief and a crappy trigger and shot the 34 dogtowns better than sierra 39's, but only 4 groups fired. It now wears a pillar and glassed Hogue stock, and a jewell, I need to load some more ammo and test it more.

I have a VLS with load data, but no scope so she sits, and a 204 DPMS w/ 2# trigger, and seller got good groups using 40 gn bergers, which DPMS says won't work ( must just be a recommendation due to 12:1 twist?)

Curious if you have one load that works in all guns, or do you have to load each seperately/ found different powders for each or some?

Thanks

Allen

Allen: VG may have different recommendations but I currently shoot five .204's using just two loads. For coyotes it's the 35 grain Berger in front of 26.0 gr Benchmark. For varmints, I shoot 39 grain BK's over 25.0 gr Benchmark. There are other loads that work well--some maybe even slightly better but these two loads shoot very well in ALL my rifles. (Sixes or less for five shots at 100 yards.) Niether load is maximum but it sure simplifies my loading. I would not be afraid to stay with the Bergers for ground squirrels since you (I anyway) generally run out of ground squirrel before I run out of trajectory and wind drift. But, as Jim stated, the BC is much better on the BK's for colony varmints.

To the OP: I did have the 39 BK's start key-holing in my 12-twist DPMS upper and thought I was done with that bullet as well. Outside of maybe a more thorough cleaning, I'm not sure why they quit key-holing but they are shooting great in it again. I use Butch's then leave WipeOut in my barrels overnight (sometimes more than one time) until my patches are almost void of blue. Good luck.