Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 22-204 Ruger

That may be an option, as my 1:12 twist .223 will shoot 60 gr. Partitions accurately (i.e. 1/2" @ 100 yds). The reason for going with another barrel and 1:8 twist is to shoot even heavier bullets at hogs, etc. I'm still exploring options until I find a combo that I feel comfortable with. While I'm at it, may as well get the biggest bang for the buck...

Thanks for all your help.

DF

The seating die is the easiest of the bunch. The Hornady seating die with the sliding sleave is just about universal.

I use the same 224 seater to load 223, 22-204 and 22-250. That works with most of the sizes 6mm seater for 6x45, 6mm-204 and 243, 25 cal seater for 25-204 and 250 Sav.

Also Hornady will make a Custom FL sizer for around $110 no set up fee. Check with Lonnie Hummel at Hornady, they made my first 25-204 FL die. The Hornady taperred expander ball is first rate, I cal take 204 to 25-204 in one pass with a Redding I have to do it in two.

erich

My point was, most of the available options have already been covered. There's not a hell of a lot new under the sun. You have to size the brass and seat a bullet.

It's tough to beat an inline bullet seater for concentricity. The OP already has an arbor press. Have the smith run the reamer in a blank and you're golden.

I had just a plain ass Redding 204 Ruger neck die honed out to .244" to cover neck sizing, which is all I ever do anyway, as I keep the brass segregated for each barrel.

IME, I've never had to full length size a .378 sized case from a bolt gun with sane loads. But just in case, I had a Redding 204 body die opened up to accept a fired case in case I need to bump and squeeze. The other option, which you did, has been covered as well, open up a Type S full length die, and get the appropriate bushing(s).

IMHO, there's three options, because of the boltface, shoot a 223, go 223AI and just buy the factory Ackley dies, or go to the 22-204 and modify the dies you want to use......you're not splittin' the atom.....

aalf and erich,

Great info and a bunch of help, guys.

Thanks,

DF

DF: Don't understand why you wouldn't go with a Wilson seater since you already have an arbor press? Takes me about 15 minutes to do a Wilson seater. And I'm a slow/steady type at the lathe....

If you're paying to have this done, using a 'close' standard Wilson die (222, 223) is even easier.

If you're intent on a 7/8X14 die, a Newlon blank is a good way to go.
http://newlonprecision.com/

Al,

Now you've gone and done it.....

I've been avoiding the Newlon blank suggestion, as I didn't want to get into the hardening, coating, finish vs resize reamer, etc, etc, etc.....

Lee 204 Collet dies would work too.

Change neck sizing mandrel to 22 caliber. Done.

Change seating stem to 22 caliber. Might have to open up the die slightly to get the 22-204 to fit, but it'd be easily done even at home with a hand drill and hone if one wanted.

Save money and have what you want.

The Wilson seater is an option that's not off the table. I'm looking for a .222 or .223 Wilson seater on Ebay. None there right now. I've picked up some, like .220 Swift, at good prices. One of those acquired cheap enough would be OK for the smith to ream with the same reamer.

I've also considered a .204 Hornady seating die with a .224" sliding sleave. That and a tricked out Redding FL type "S" sizer would probably work. I'm looking for the most buzz for the buck, but want something I won't need to be replacing.

DF

Yeah..but I'm like that.

Follow up report on the .22-204, Model 7 project.

A Redding tech told me this PM that their Type "S" FL bushing sizing die will work one caliber above and one caliber below the stated cartridge, as long as the ctg. body remains the same. He said I could use a .22 cal bushing and a .224 expander in the .204 die without having to open the die neck. Those dies sell for around $47.00 and I don't have to buy the more expensive Competition die.

A Wilson blank seating die with .224 stem sells for around $35.00 and the smith can ream it when he chambers the barrel.

I'd studied a lot of reloading die options for the .22-204 and feel this combo represents the best bang for the buck.

I've seated an assortment of 75 gr. bullets into .204 cases to see how the rounds look. The bullets were seated to where the bullet shank/boattail junction is even with the case neck/shoulder junction, with only the boattail hanging down into the case body. With high ogive bullets, it is my understanding that the .060 freebore will be perfect. With some of the less sleek, lower ogive bullets, I may have to seat them a bit deeper.

A Forum member sent me a 1/4" aluminum block to replace the factory mag block. I cut the factory part out this evening and am JB Welding the new block in place. He had it all cut to fit. I just glued it in place. That give around 2.57" of mag space. I don't think I'll need more than 2.45" COAL, but if I do, the space is available. Many thanks to the pard. who helped out.

Now, I need to craft a new follower, as I think the chrome, stamped factory part will have too much fore/aft motion to be effective. I'm lookig for an old model milled .308 follower from a 700 or model 7 that I can cut to size. The only thing, those larger .308 length followers use a different magazine spring. Any suggestions?

Getting interesting.

DF

With the Redding Bushing die be sure to order the stem for the 224 cal expander as the threads on the 204 stem are too small for the larger expander ball. The Hornaday seater for the 223/222Rem Mag with the sliding sleave is the way to go for a seater, no mods neaded.


Erich

A 6BR shooting the same weight bullet (to 65-70gr or so) as 22BR will push it faster. Also 6-250 and 22-250. A 22-204 should be the same but I haven't done anything with mine yet and actually found out. But the 204 is about as good a case as you could want with a .378 head size. It's a natural for 22 caliber, or 17 or 6 or 25.

The 223AI is a real good cartridge that performs way better than many would think. The only people who don't know this are those who've never used it. The same powder capacity as 222Mag but isn't stuck using Rem brass. The 204 case holds about another 1gr. more powder than either of those and there's a choice of headstamps....Lapua was supposed to have started selling it a couple years back.

With 22-204 dies are no problem. Redding bushing dies accept a larger neck. My necksizer is a Redding Comp .204 die with .22 sized bushing. Seater is a .223 Comp die with the slider reamed to 22-204 when the barrel was chambered.

With the 223AI I've shot a ton of stuff with 50's at 3800+ which is 22-250 territory, using only about 27gr powder. The 22-204 should at least equal that velocity and feed through a 700 action with no tweaking. I'm hoping for another 50-75fps more than the 223AI. It's a win-win considering less powder/heat/barrel wear compared to larger case cartridges.

Erich,

The Redding tech told me yesterday that the .224 expander has the same threads as the .204 expander, that one could use the same stem, just swap out the expanders. Hope he's not messing up. Any way, I'll proceed accordingly and if there's a problem will get with them and will post.

I have an .222 RCBS comp seater with the window and sliding bullet guide. I looks like it would work with the .22-204, but I've read some stuff about that not being a good design. So, I'll do the Wilson custom seater. It will be interesting to use both seaters and measure runout.

DF

I've read that .223AI loads are a good place to start with the .22-204. With 75's what powders to you guys think will be the best performers? I've heard H335, TAC, among others. Ball C has been good in my .223 with 65 gr. Gamekings.

Which of the 75 gr. bullets would be the best choice for hunting hogs, etc.? Some target bullets are OK for hunting, others, maybe not as good.

I'm using Hornady brass. Is that a Norma product, or who makes it? It seems to be pretty good stuff, although I haven't spent any time weighing cases or checking for water capacity.

DF

erich,

Guess what. You were right. The Redding tech was wrong. Redding may need to hire you to do their tech work...

A .224 expander button won't fit the decapping stem on a Redding .204 Type S FL bushing die, the threads are different (like you said). I just got off the phone with Russ at Russ Haydon Shooting Supplies. He robbed another die and is shipping the .204 sizing die with .224 expander assembly. I already have Redding .244 and .245 bushings which will work. I also bought a blank Wilson seater with .224 seating stem. The Redding expander didn't look like it was designed to expand .204 necks to .224, so I bought a K&M expander for around $20.

Russ Haydon isn't the least expensive supplier, but surely one of the most helpful and knowledgeable with an impressive inventory of dies and parts. Some of the other suppliers have nice listings, even with modest discounts off retail, but with a lot of their stuff on backorder. I'll do business with Russ again. And, it's not but a very few dollars more to receive top notch, expert service and have your items in stock. What a deal...

Thanks,

DF