Favorite Loads

Share information about reloading the .204 Ruger.
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OldTurtle
Senior Member
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:42 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Savage mod. 116 and Custom .204 AR
Location: East Central MO

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by OldTurtle »

In reviewing the previous spread sheet on loads, I see very few that load with Winchester 748 for the .204. As this is the primary powder I use for my .223s, it seems more natural to adopt it to the .204 as well.

Does anyone have any good info on loads for the 45gr Hornady with W-748?

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jo191145
Senior Member
Posts: 1064
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2005 7:23 pm
Location: Central CT.

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by jo191145 »

Judging by your group I'd guess you already found 748 works very nicely in the 204.
If your simply looking for load data try the Hornady data at the 204 Load Data link at the top of the page.


Good Luck and let us know what you find.
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Savage VLP + NF 12x42 + 35 Bergers = .
fredbeer
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:40 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: none

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by fredbeer »

This load is sweet in new Savage 12 FV

35 Berger
24.5 gr 10 x
oal 2.270
Rem brass & 7 1/2 Br primer

5 @ 100 .31
ghostsmoke55
New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Dec 21, 2007 2:55 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Howa 22inch barrel, Ruger light rifle 20inch barrel

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by ghostsmoke55 »

Ok, my favorite load for the Howa 22inch barrel, is Ramshot X-Terminator @25.5 grains and using winchester brass and Federal small rifle primer. Speed is 3650 using the 39 grain blitz king. Very accurate. At 100 yards you could cover the holes with a dime. Three were in one ragged hole and two just kissing. Anyway you could cover with a dime easily. I tried this load because a friend recommended it to me. He was right on about the accuracy. Will be out New Years morning to see if the coyotes like it. Ghost
terrible_204
New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 5:39 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington XR-100

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by terrible_204 »

Hello all i have a few good loads for my remington XR-100.

hornady brass
fed. 205 primers
25.1g of H-322 powder
TL 1.840
OAL 2.300
40 grain hornady v-max is so far my best load (see pic)

i have also had good groups with 28 grains of varget,24-25 grains of benchmark all with 40 g hornady v-max . i am working up some loads with IMR 4198 and the 32 grain hornady v-max .

4 shots went into the same hole the 5th was my fault pilot error :wall:


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WrzWaldo
Senior Member
Posts: 745
Joined: Mon Dec 18, 2006 10:34 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington XR-100 / Savage-Douglas-Richards

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by WrzWaldo »

Welcome to the aboard terrible_204!

That's impressive for an XR-100 shooting the 40 V-Max! I may have to give that load a try.

What distance was it shot?
terrible_204
New Member
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2008 5:39 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington XR-100

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by terrible_204 »

Thanks Wrz Waldo ,was at 100 yards on a very calm day at the local range...ya i have been reading that some 1-12 twist barrels dont like 40 grainers and above but mine seems to like them. i would like to try other brands but they are hard to come here in canada 20 cal not to popular here yet :cry: but i cant complain with the results so ill stick with hornady.
YoteSmoker
Senior Member
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:20 am
.204 Ruger Guns: CZ 527 Varminter
Location: Aurora, Colorado

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by YoteSmoker »

Here's what works best in my CZ 527 Varminter:

32 V-Max
27.3 H322
WW Brass
Fed 210M
2.325" OAL (about .015 shy of magazine OAL)
*Consistantly puts 5 in .3s @ 100 yds

I have another load that works well with the 40 Ballistic Tips with H335 but my notes/targets are at home. I will report this info soon and accurately (no pun intended).

* I did not get good groups in load testing either the 32 Ballistic Tip or 40 V-Max in this rifle.

* There is very good information/data that GreyMist recorded from his load development with various powders/bullets in his CZ that I used as a starting point in working up loads in my gun.
YoteSmoker
Senior Member
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:20 am
.204 Ruger Guns: CZ 527 Varminter
Location: Aurora, Colorado

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by YoteSmoker »

Correction: Pet Load is with Fed205M primers; not 210s
YoteSmoker
Senior Member
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:20 am
.204 Ruger Guns: CZ 527 Varminter
Location: Aurora, Colorado

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by YoteSmoker »

Found my favorite 40 grain load:

40 Ballistic Tip .239/.137 26.8 H335 WW Fed205M 2.250”
Kiwishooter
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:34 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Kimber Pro Varmint .204 & Bushnell Elite 4200 4-16 x 40

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by Kiwishooter »

Rifle: Kimber Pro Varmint, 22 inch fluted medium weight varmint barrel
Bullet: 39 gr Sierra Blitz King
Powder & Weight: Hodgon H4895, 27.7grs (book maximum)
Case: Sellier & Bellot
Primer: Federal 205
OAL: 2.290 (longest length that will comfortably fit my magazine box).

Velocity: 3873fps average for 5 shots.

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This load needs a little more fine tuning (runout is still causin me some serious grief, it is the Lee shell holder, not aligning my cases properly in the seating die).

Regards,

Michael.
Dogkiller
New Member
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Feb 04, 2008 2:01 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Ruger Hawkeye Stainless, Ruger Target
Location: Utah

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by Dogkiller »

Ruger Hawkeye 20 inch barrel, Leopold 3.5-10 VXIII

32 gr. Sierra
30 gr. BLC-2
OAL 2.30
Fed. 205M

39 Gr. Sierra or 40 gr. Berger
27.5 gr. VV-540
OAL 2.30
Fed. 205M

Will have velocities soon.
Redhouse
New Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:05 am
.204 Ruger Guns: SPS Varmint

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by Redhouse »

SPS Varmint. About 125 round of 39BK and 32Vmax, nothing to write home about but BLC-2 looked sorta promising. Benchmark was universally 'BLEH!'. I use Varget almost exclusively for my .223 and was hoping to find a load of that for the 39's, as there's often a fair wind blowing and figgered the heavier bullet/BC would help there.

Lo and behold, I switched from Win brass to Rem and found a good'un. Cept I forgot to mark down my OAL, I know it was more than 2.20 and am pretty sure it was 2.275 :wall:

39BK
27.9gr Varget
BR4 primer
Rem brass

Not quite 1 hole, but <.5" @ 100M. Still some more confirmation to do, and testing with 27.8 and 28.0gr but I'm very certain this will be my 'go to'. Chrono'd just under 3700 so right at Hornady manual speeds.

Oh, and howdy all, from Alberta. Been trolling/reading since late last year, finally signed up today. /wave
YoteSmoker
Senior Member
Posts: 123
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2008 3:20 am
.204 Ruger Guns: CZ 527 Varminter
Location: Aurora, Colorado

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by YoteSmoker »

Kiwi- Might want to pick up a Redding #10 shell holder, very tight tollerance. Will also let you know if you didn't get a primer seated correctly.
Kiwishooter
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:34 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Kimber Pro Varmint .204 & Bushnell Elite 4200 4-16 x 40

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by Kiwishooter »

YoteSmoker wrote:Kiwi- Might want to pick up a Redding #10 shell holder, very tight tollerance. Will also let you know if you didn't get a primer seated correctly.
Hi YoteSmoker,

Decided to stop stuffing around and get serious so I ordered a Redding competition 's' type neck die set with .224 bushing and also a Redding #10 shell holder from Sinclair International and they arrived yesterday. I have a range session on this Sunday, so I'm set to do some reloading tonight.

I previously owned a set of these for my 6 x 284mm and It could shoot 5 shot 1/2 inch groups at 200 yards.

Cheers,

Michael.
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