new .204 Ruger

T

triceratops3

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 27, 2010
738
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Northern VA
#1
Hi eveyone,

Im new here and this is my first post on here.

I'm going to be getting a Savage 12 flv chambered in .204. I'm mostly going to be using it target shooting from 100 to 300 yards and maybe the occasional 500+ yards just for fun. I plan on reloading because i already reload for my .308.

I have a few questions, 1. what should i do first, buy an assortment of factory .204 ammo from chaper than dirt and other places and test those loads then start reloading from what i learned there or should i buy a bunch of different bullets, some cases and primers, and a pound of powder or two and just work up all my own loads?

and 2. when i start reloading im not sure what powders i should try first. i've heard that people have had good luck with rl-15, h 4895 and imr 4064. I think id try one of these but not positive, i'd like other peoples opinions.

sorry about all the questions but im just not sure about what i should do. i appreciate all your help.

-thanks
 
#2
Re: new .204 Ruger

For powders I would go with Varget, Benchmark, or BL-C2. However, I feel the most important powder in reloading with the 204 is the one that has the smallest granule size. Trying to get large granules in that tiny neck can prove frustrating. But anyway, I always use varget in my Savage VLP with 40 grain bullets of your choice. It is a very very accurate load. You won't be able to go over 40 grain in the 1:12 twist because they will key-hole every time.

Don't bother buying tons of different stuff. Get some 39gr Sierra Blitzkings, winchester brass, CCI primers(match grade if you want), and powder like varget. You won't find a ton that will shoot better than that combo.
 
#3
Re: new .204 Ruger

What he said. Dont waste your money buyin factory loaded 204. You wont find it cheaper than $1 a rd. Spend it on brass bullets and powder.
 
#5
Re: new .204 Ruger

Do you have a chronograph? If so, I would buy a box of Hornday factory 32 and 40 v-maxes to use as a baseline of speed and accuracy. That will also give you pretty clear indication of whether you rifle will handle the 40 without keyholing.

I've had best results accuracy and velocity wise with IMR 8208. H335 also gives excellent velocity comparable to 8208 and shoots good groups.

A2230 is just slightly below them in velocity with 32's and shoots good groups. Benchmark can't quite reach the same velocity about 50-75fps less but shoots very small groups.

W748 is another overall excellent choice for both 32 and 40. TAC and BLC(2) aren't bad but not the best for me. Varget shoots very tight groups but lacks in velecity especially with the 32.

I've tried IMR 4064, but like Varget it is too slow even though the groups are good. I mostly use Rem 7.5 primers, but Wolf small rifle 223 does almost as well.
 
#7
Re: new .204 Ruger

Sounds like you don't intend to shoot coyotes, but through trial and error I found that nothing performs as well as the 35 grain Berger. They are one hole accurate, and drop varmints with minimal fur damage. Mine likes Hornaday brass, Rem BR primers (they are the thickest ones), 27.6 IMR 4895, and of course the Berger 35 grain.

I also had good accuracy with the 40 V-max out of a 1-12", but like I said for me there were not good because they would just splash on coyotes.
 
#8
Re: new .204 Ruger

I'm on board with Win 748--meters awfully well, and the 35 gr Bergers. I used the Nosler Brass and CCI small rifle and Win small rifle and get excellent accuracy with both. I've got 9 reloads on this batch of brass, and haven't annealed yet--probably should, I use the Forster bushing bump die, and don't move the shoulder much at all, but they chamber like butter.

My rig is a Cooper Jackson Game rifle---smokes coyotes well!
 
#9
Re: new .204 Ruger

My brother and I a few years back replaced our .223 Rem barrels off our match AR-15s and replaced them with White Oak Armament's .204 Ruger 26" in. barrels in 1:10 twist on purpose to shoot long range with the heavier 40 grain bullets at that time. So shooting the Hornady 40 gr V-Max.

We originally went with the reloading book data using W748. We shot that up so this summer I researched some and reloaded the 40 gr V-max bullet with 25.5 grains Accurate 2015. That brought up the speed and flatten out the trajectory of the bullet down range. This was based off a Sierra Bullets Accuracy Load but they used 25.6 grains of A 2015. Well I was worried about the pressure so I worked up from 24.5 grains and jumped up 2 grains at a time and shot them through the chronograph and checked the cases for pressure signs. I got to 25.5 grains @3650 FPS and I stopped there and no pressure signs. If I had to do again and will the next reload session I may back down the load to 25.3 grains of A 2015. When I was testing the group sizes at 100 yards was about the same. Also the tighter twist barrel has got to come into play.

Anyway I have shot the .204 AR-15 in our monthly long range F-Class and Long Range Tactical Matches from 100 thru 600 yards in the Lite Tactical Class for rifles shooting cartridges based off the .222 Rem and .223 Rem like .221 Fireball, .204 Ruger, and the .222 and .223. The Lite Tactical Class was started so those with those rifles can compete against thier weight class and the others can continue on with the heavier calibers back to 700 and 800 yards in thier class. The Lighter weight bullets usually past 600 yards really start to open up bad and on my brother's .221 Fireball we think his bullet is going back to subsonic before 700 yards and we had keyholing in his target.

Anyway I was pretty much shooting less than half minute groups from 100 thru 500 yards with my .204 Ruger but the group opened up too just about a minute at 600 yards. I tried 700 yards but got two hits on the target out off 5 shots. But 600 yards I would still think I would hurt a coyote out that far if the situation came up.

I was reloading Hornady 40 grain V-max, I had 400 cases of once fired Hornady brass and 800 rounds of Winchester brass and Accurate 2015. I didn't notice pressure signs out of both kinds of brass when testing and still haven't notice any yet during the matches. When I reloaded it was during the hottest time of the year here in Missouri and I was firing during 90F+ degree days then and the last match was in the single digits windchill and I believe was 13F degrees. I didn't have cold weather drop data but I had to dail about half minute up but I think I may have needed touch more and the wind was blowing up to 20+ mph and snow falling and blowing around. I was still peppering up the black ring in the center of the F-Class target pretty fair bur I was having to really work at it laying in snow prone and all the white stuff through my fixed 16X M1 Leopuld.

Anyway I really like shooting my .204 Ruger AR-15 alot. Hope you have good time with yours Triceratop3
 
#11
Re: new .204 Ruger

2010Crow.jpg
I use "heavy" bullets in my 1:12 twist Thompson/Center Contender in 204 Ruger. By heavy, I mean Hornady 45 gr. Spire Points over RL-15 which shoot very well in my gun. Thus far, they've accounted for a crow at 311 yards and a deer at 252 yards.
 
#12
Re: new .204 Ruger

thanks for all the information everyone.

I'm definitely going to buy reloading stuff right away instead of getting factory ammo. I think i'm going to work up some loads using blc2, w748 and maybe imr 4895 along with cci primers, and maybe some remington primers if i can trade some with a friend, topped with 39gr sierra blitzking and 35gr bergers with what brass i can get.
 
#13
Re: new .204 Ruger

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: triceratops3</div><div class="ubbcode-body">and maybe some remington primers if i can trade some with a friend,
</div></div>
No you can not trade primers with me! Haha just kidding buddy welcome to the hide!
 
#15
Re: new .204 Ruger

H4895 has been a fantastic powder for me in the .204
24inch 10 twist 0.1gr under max am easy getting over 3900fps with 39gr sieras with no pressure signs,nasty little pill for the rabbits we are trying to control.
w748 around 3820fps with 29gr.all the above is with a suppressor.
enjoy that .204
 
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