204Ruger

So far all that's gone through it is factory Hornady 32 grain Superformance, but will be picking up reloading dies soon. Does anybody have a decent recipe for a gas gun? Barrel is a 24" Shilen 1-in-9".

Nice looking AR. Thanks for sharing the picture. We have quite a few members with ARs. I'm sure they will offer some suggestions. Sorry, but my AR is a Sig in 223 so I don't have any loads that I can share with you.

You might try starting around 29.0 grains of CFE 223 with the 32 grain bullet. Work up from there and see how it works with the pressure curve on your AR, for feeding/cycling. If all is well, you will find around 29.5 will work very well for you, in your 204 R chamber. Bill K ( You might also check out Hodgdon's Data site, for more loads and powders )

I have the same barrel on the AR I built this year. I'm in California so my stock is quite a bit different but I won't have to register it as an assault rifle. I've experimented with probably 20 different combinations of bullet/powder but keep going back to 28.5 gr. of BL-C(2) and 32 gr. Hornady Zmax with Remington 7-1/2 primers. I seat the bullets for a total length of 2.250 so they'll feed thru the magazine. I have to full length size the brass each time or I have problems with the bolt not closing enough and then it's stuck-been there more than once. I've also used 30.3 grains of CFE223 and 32 gr. Zmax bullets with pretty good results. I shoot the Zmax primarily because of the price as I shoot several hundred each year at squirrels. I'm trying out some lead free Barnes Varmint Grenades because I'm being forced to by the state but they shoot pretty good considering they're only 26 grain. For these I use 24 gr. of IMR 4198. I didn't take the chronograph out this morning but hope to remember it later this week when I go back out. I'll report back later. Randy.

Randy. I have had better results with the Nosler lead free varmint BT's, at 32 grains than what I could do or get with the varmint grenades. You might give them a go. As to your case's sticking, you should, if you have not, purchase a small base die for your 204R. as is needed for the 5.56/223 case's going through a AR. That small amount of expanding, at the base, will cause those rounds to not go to full battery, when chambering and cycling in a AR. Just a thought . Bill K

Thanks Bill. I'll give the Noslers a try next time I order bullets. I use a small base die for the 223 but haven't had a problem with my regular size 204 die so far. I'll try to post a couple photos of this mornings target using the 26 gr. Barnes. I thought I was ready to shoot my 5 shot challenge target but for some reason my warm up shots with my favorite load were straying all over the place.