Anyone have favorite 204 Ruger loads they’d care to share?0

40 gr BT over 27.5 gr H4895 lit by a BR4. Or 39 gr BK over 28.5 Varget.

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Dis one!


Surprisingly good in the wind...

Tagged.

If I call 80% of my shots as fliers my rifle shoots assume. So far I’ve only tried 32 grain Hornady’s and two suggested loads in the Nosler manual. I see in th Gack Book Mule Deer got ~1” groups ( I don’t recall but I assume 3 shot groups).
I’m going PD shooting early September. If I can’t get better than that that rifle stays home.

First group I shot was 2” - 3 shot group. Second pattern was 2” wide and 3” tall - 3 shots (the next 5 shots fell inside that pattern.)

Ok, I’m using cheap reloading dies - you know buy a set of dies and get a box of bullets free. The bullets are seat just off the lands. I’m using good bench rest techniques. H335 & Varget. I have several powders in this burn range but with these results. I wonder if I’m stroking my spoke.

I have a box of 40 grain Hornady and a box of 40 grain Nosler varmint bullets ordered. I plan on ordering some spendy dies. But I wonder, is the barrel the problem? I bought this rifle at a former bench rest shooter’s estate sale. He was my best friend. But I never saw him shoot that 204 even at PD’s, I wonder why???

I want to good shooting 204. I’m on a quest.

I like Winchester Brass- Redding Bushing Die and Benchrest seating die-- Benchmark and H-4895 primer does not seem to make much of a difference--my Current 204 XR 100 will shoot a wide range of charges with the same results 39 Sierra 3 shot @ 100 less than .3 . I posted targets BUTT I can seem to find them on my puter

Never fooled much with the 32 grain this particular rifle will NOT shoot 40 VMax less that 5/8" my previous XR would

Good Luck

Jim

I re-read Brian Pierce’s article in current (August 2018) Handloader article. I’m going for better dies first. I looked at a new barrel but dies first.
I got load’s of H4895, a favorite of mine. I think I have an unopened pound of benchmark. More bullets after dies.

32gr nosler-- 26.2 benchmark--good lift factor
39gr Sierra---24.8 Re 10--good long distance load
35gr berger--27.4 H-4895---good coyote load
all with Rem 7 1/2 primers
My three rifles have used these loads since the 204 came out and I have shot hundreds of prairie dogs with them.

Bugger: Every one of my 8 (eight) 204 Ruger Varmint weight Rifles shoots the wonderful 35 grain Berger bullets the best (accuracy wise) - sadly they are a little expensive and rather hard to come by here in SW Montana.
I switched to the just a tiny bit less accurate 32 grain Sierra Blitz Kings for my all around Varmint and predator Hunting.
They are a bit cheaper and much easier to find.
They are also instant death on all manner of Varmints and predators - from Ground Squirrels to Prairie Dogs to Rock Chucks and Badgers to Coyotes!
I highly recommend that you try the Sierra 32 grain Blitz Kings.
Best of luck to you.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have some Benchmark and Varget on the shelf. Will be picking up some 32 grain V-Max and 39 grain Blitzkings and will be grabbing a pound of H-4895. Should be able to find a combo with that.

Still wanting to try a 40 grain Ballistic Tip. They don't have the B.C. of the Blitzking but I have had such good luck with .224 Ballistic Tips it is only right to try a 20 caliber BT.

Hear good things about TAC as well.

I have Winchester and Hornady brass. The Hornady brass has thicker necks. I’ve been keeping them separated. Been thinking a bushing die and benchrest seater like Hippy is using them I’ll go with only one brand of brass.
Hippy, what size bushing are you using?

I like 27.9 gr. of IMR8208, Hornady brass, Rem 7 1/2 primer, and Berger 35gr. bullet.

Bugger,

All the groups for varmint rifles in GUN GACK are 5-shot, unless otherwise noted. Dunno where you saw .204 groups in the book are approximately 1", as the results listed are for four rifles, and the 23 handloads vary from .48" to 1.12".

The most accurate load in the GACK data (which is for my present .204) is the 35-grain Berger with CFE223. Unfortunately, the 35-grain Berger's a hollow-point, and the ballistic coefficient is lower than for various 32-40 grain plastic-tipped bullets. Which is why I don't use the Berger much for varmint shooting: Despite the small 100-yard groups, it doesn't group as well at longer ranges due to wind-drift--and I primarily use the .204 for 300-500 yard prairie dog shooting. Many hunters, whether after varmints or big game, forget that 100-yard accuracy isn't always the best criteria when the rifle will be used at longer ranges.

Which is why my favorite .204 bullet is the 40-grain Hornady V-Max. It has the highest BC of any bullet that will stabilize in the standard .204 1-12 twist, expands very well at longer ranges, and drifts less in the wind. While several powders work well with the 40 V-Max, Ramshot TAC is most accurate in my present rifle, and also worked very in all but one of the other three rifles listed.

TAC also meters very easily through the relatively small neck, and I've found that's desirable when cranking out lots of PD rounds, since even some of the smaller-granuled extruded powders often clog up in the neck when using a powder measure.( If CFE223 shot as well with the 40 V-Max in this rifle, it would probably be my first choice, but it doesn't.) Have also tested the TAC load at hot and cold temperatures, and its very stable.

In fact, the reason TAC's usually among the first powders I try with any .204 is due to the overall excellent results obtained with it in the second .204 I owned, the Ruger 77 Mark II listed in the data. By the way, all the rifles listed were sporters, not heavy-barrel rifles. I tend to reserve heavy-barreled rifles for shooting at 500+ yards, with heavier, higher-BC bullets.

I thought the 39 Blitzking had a higher B.C. than the 40 grain V-Max.

Have I been mislead?

Most bullet manufacturers list a single BC, even though it changes with velocity. This is partly for the convenience of shooters, most of whom don't understand the concept.

The two bullets are very close in BC, but my range-tests show the Hornady does shoot a little flatter and drift a little less. And it should, because it's a little longer.

Plus, it's a LOT cheaper than the Sierra, and in my rifles has shot just as well, or better. :-)

I got ya.

Did order some of the 40 V-Max the other day. Hoping my Ruger UL will shoot them alright.

Hey John, just out of idle curiosity, what length are you loading and are you fitting to the throat?

As for dies, they might be okay even if "cheap." All depends on if you are getting seated concentrically. Another thing you might want to look at is how your cases are fireforming. If they are fireforming where one side bulges out at the base of the case, you have brass issues -- plus you might have a big, fat chamber. I went through all this and it wasn't fun. Fireformed round brass would shoot screamers. FL sized round brass, shot okay. FL sized or new crooked brass shot all over the paper.

Dave,

From what I recall (may check it later) am seating the 40 V-Maxes to the same length Hornady uses in their factory ammo. Hornady ammo has shot well in most of my .204's, so I figured why spend time and components dinking around with seating depth?

My handloads are usually in previously fired brass, neck-sized in a Redding bushing die with the expander-ball removed, to make sure the cases are nice and straight.

I see you've mentioned dies a couple of times. Others have mentioned working to get straight cartridges assembled.

How is the runout for your ammo?

I'm not used to consecutive barrels with different contours shooting the same loads nor having different bullets of the same weight settle on the same powder and charge, but it happened to me with the .204. My previous barrel was a PacNor 1-12" 3 L&G 24" remington varmint contour, the current is the same but it is a fluted sporter (not magnum) contour. I worked up loads for the heavy barrel, shot it to death .. to where bullets were keyholing .. had it rebarreled, probably with the same reamer, definitely by the same gunsmith, repeated the load workup, and wound up in the same place. So ... results .. all loads use WW brass and Remington 7-1/2 primers ... 32 grain Nosler or Hornady, 28 grains of H335, 39 grain Sierra or 40 grain Nosler, 27.5 grains of Varget. The 40 grain vmax wouldn't stabilize in the first barrel but does in the second .. and I'm back at 27.5 grains of Varget for it's best accuracy. I have not tried the speer 39 grain TNT or the Sierra 32 grain blitzking but given what I've seen, I bet I know what they'll shoot best with, at least in my gun.

Tom

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.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/galleries/13058869/204-group

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 .