204Ruger

Figured I’d make a post on my new 204. Thank you to Rick for providing me with information on his zero free bore reamer design.

Terminus Apollo SA bedded
Benchmark Barrel 1:11 finished at 23” Spiral Flute #4
Greyboe Eagle Pro Stock in Coyote Finish M5 inlet
Greyboe Bottom Metal
Trigger Tech Trigger
Wyatt’s Extended Box Mag w/factory BDL follower & spring
Leupold VX6HD 3-18x44
Nightforce UL Rings
Picatinny Rail
Comes in at 10lbs flat. Two tone Cerakote on the barrel. Coyote Tan and Flat Black.

Load work up has commenced and things are coming together nicely. Will post pics once I settle on a load. It’ll either be 39gr SBKs or 40gr Vmax. Both are shooting about the same.

Very nice. Should be a super shooting rifle. Yes keep us posted and photos of paper grouping and kills on critters.

WOW! That's a great-looking setup. As has been mentioned, pictures are always much appreciated whether they be groups on paper or critters in the field. Pats on the back for the good-looking build.

CG, well there my Canadian friend, looks like the project came to fruition in grand fashion! Nice job!

All the spec's look good, and the overall picture looks great too. Looking forward to seeing how she shoots, along with some field pics of your varmints of choice. I can almost see your grin from here, and glad I was able to assist in a small way. That rifle is gonna be a shooter!

Thank you fellas! Hopefully these winds subside over the next few days and I can continue shooting. Regardless, I’m most certainly smiling.

This was the very first group that I shot with it.

These are the last two. I was quite vexed with the 39gr group. The shot labelled #1 was the first. Then I put 8 into that cluster. My final shot was the one labelled #2. Regardless, I still need to do some minor adjustments. Probably seat a bit closer to the lands and see what the result is before I continue proceeding with chasing velocity.

CoyoteGettr wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2025 11:31 am Regardless, I still need to do some minor adjustments. Probably seat a bit closer to the lands and see what the result is before I continue proceeding with chasing velocity.

You're off to a good start, but keep in mind, accuracy always trumps velocity.

Rick in Oregon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2025 2:52 pm

CoyoteGettr wrote: ↑Tue Jan 14, 2025 11:31 am Regardless, I still need to do some minor adjustments. Probably seat a bit closer to the lands and see what the result is before I continue proceeding with chasing velocity.

You're off to a good start, but keep in mind, accuracy always trumps velocity.

Agreed Rick. The balance will be found where the barrel wants it to be.

Rick, my thoughts exactly, if they all go the same place, don't worry about the velocity!!! All three of my 204's (Savage LPV, Kimber Varmint, and MSR) all like Reloader 15 and H335, 39 gr Sierra! They will shoot the 40gr Vmax, but not as tight!! Want to try some AA2230, my MSR 223 likes this with 40gr Vmax!!

Nice looking rig you have and a good shootin' one to boot.

Jim White wrote: ↑Thu Jan 16, 2025 11:08 am Nice looking rig you have and a good shootin' one to boot.

Thanks Jim.

Well, I ended up coming full circle on load development. Turns out that I could have stopped where I started. I tried H4895, Benchmark, Varget, CFE223 and Reloader 10x. Primers were 205M, CCI BR4 and 450.

H4895 and 205M gave me the most consistent velocities.

I tried 40gr Vmax, 39gr SBK, 40gr & 35gr Bergers.

I started with brand new Nosler brass and it’s all into a fired and sized state now. I can run all four of those bullets to essentially the same degree of accuracy and point of impact. All of my testing was done with 10 round groups and it’ll do 0.6-0.7” with all of them and a mean radius of 0.23-0.28MOA. I ran up as fast as 3792fps with the 40s but accuracy was suffering and no amount of tinkering would rectify. The barrel is happiest at that 3600fps type of speed. I never tried pushing the 35s any faster. I might yet but, no real need.

Either way, I’ll load up some of each and decide on a pill once I start whacking coyotes this coming winter. My final pick will be based in on game performance.

The 35 Bergers have been reported as very "fur friendly" by members that regularly hunted coyotes.

skipper wrote: ↑Sun Mar 23, 2025 6:00 pm The 35 Bergers have been reported as very "fur friendly" by members that regularly hunted coyotes.

They are yes. I’ve thumped a pile of coyotes with them. Hides aren’t worth anything as of late though. Whatever thumps hardest will get the nod.