204Ruger

we are full time house hunters but i still stop at sporting goods stores on our travels and check, so in Glasgow Montana last summer i staved of starvation for another 245 shots finding a lone pound of CFE223, this is the second time I've found a treasure, in early 2021 in Ponderay ID at a North 40 I found 600 Nosler 32 gr non leads which really helped me stay legit in Ca last spring, too bad i never saw a game warden.

I need to try it sometime

CFE 223 was THE powder that got me my best groups. BLC-2, IMR 4895 and Vihtavuori N130 has also worked well. I was only able to find a pound too, but am on the lookout for more. I have a couple of pounds of Pro-Varmint that I haven't tried yet, but will soon.

Good luck.

CFE 223 has been my best powder in the 204R and a few other cartridges I use very often. But the way powder supply is, I will use what I have left very cautiously on some for serious critter/paper shooting.

I will find and use some of the odd ball powders I have around, with some to spare the CFE 223 and use those for some of the plinking around on rocks and silly stuff. But like some of you, always on the look out for some of the powders that I really like.

Just picked up a pound of CFE 223, haven’t loaded any .204 with it yet but it sounds like it’s a good powder.

I was gifted by my son 8 lbs of CFE223, found my best load so far which was 29.5 grains shooting the 39 gr SBK seated 2.000 BTO , shot 3 shot groups for load testing, then when a touching cloverleaf was my best group I loaded 10 to get an average speed for my Kestrel, it was slower than expected at 3722 but shoot all ten into one jagged hole with Magneto speed bayonet on barrel. rifle is a Savage 110 varmint barrel with a bell & Carlson target stock. It out shot my H4895 load which is good because I only have 5 LBs left & my .223 fullbore & 6BR love that powder.

bigdaddyWSM wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 1:24 pm I loaded 10 to get an average speed for my Kestrel, it was slower than expected at 3722 but shoot all ten into one jagged hole with Magneto speed bayonet on barrel.

Finding a "Sweet Spot Node" at a lower than desired speed is very common for the 204 Ruger. If you're putting ten shots into one ragged hole, I wouldn't be doing much more load development, other than varying seating depth. You were gifted your rifles favorite powder, bullet, case and primer combination. What a nice girt!! Time for a beer and a cigar.

Agree, enjoy the grouping you are getting. My 204R does very well with CFE223 also. Always remember a slow accurate bullet trumps a fast inaccurate one.

bigdaddy, way to go buddy!

Some of us spend beaucoup bucks on components trying to find that pet load, and it appears you've stumbled onto yours without any fuss whatsoever. It might be time to buy a lottery ticket the way your luck seems to be running....I know I would.

As Bill K alluded to, speed matters not if the accuracy is not there also. A PD, ground squirrel, chuck or coyote is not impressed with a 4,000+ fps miss, but a solid hit with a bullet traveling at 3,700 fps is sure to be noticed!

Bill K wrote: ↑Fri Apr 26, 2024 6:37 am Agree, enjoy the grouping you are getting. My 204R does very well with CFE223 also. Always remember a slow accurate bullet trumps a fast inaccurate one.

I'll take a slow hit over a fast miss any day