Bud...........39 grain SBK and 29.5 grains Accurate 2520 is supposed to be 3800-3900 in a 25.6" barrel on my CZ.......havent checked it though, but it sure knocks the soup out of a coyote....or badger.
204 ruger 1 bullet for all your hunting .
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If this helps anyone, shooting a Thompson Center Venture with a 1/10 twist and a 22 inch barrel I achieved 3857 ,in that range checked several times with a Pro Chrono Plus at only 50 yards,they're were variations in fps by a span about 20 feet less in a couple of the shots fired. temp was 90 degrees.This was with a factory loaded HSM round,39 grain Blitz king with a BC of 0.287,and a HSM rating of 3857 feet per second.I killed one,and only one coyote with that round at a solid 500 yards. My go to in Ohio is still Hornadys 24 grain NTX,so far no disappointments.All in all for drt results and longer ranges, I feel this round is king for coyotes.Handloaders can have a field day with this round.
I can reload 39 grain SBK for roughly $9.16 for 20 rounds (if I am doing the math right) hard for me to buy 24 grain NTX's for $23 for 20 rounds, sound interesting, but I have a solid load and 1100 bullets to reload with..............
6MM06AI
Well-Known Member
24 in savage, verified with magneto speed
I don't have time or patience,or skills to reload,wish I did,so top factory loads is my go to,great success,with ,HSM,Hornady,and Black Hills,also Fiocchi a sleeper in the factory ammo loads.
I know a killed a bunch of stuff with a 39gr bking and RL10. First bullet ever loaded for my 204. If I was going to shoot factory. I would shoot HSM 35gr or 40gr Berger. I have a bunch of the 39gr bking on reloading table. Have any of ya loaded the 45gr sp in 204? I dont know for sure. But my 1@10 should shoot them. May load up some shoot a few hogs.
Hornady makes an awesome 45 soft point with a high bc 0.245,at a quarter mile it's pushing over 325 pounds of energy with a drop of -36 inches,enough steam to DRT a coyote IF you can hit em,I did once so far with my 204. But not with that round.A 1/10 twist will handle it easily.
dwinmeade
Well-Known Member
I shoot a Thompson Center Dimension platform, using 5 different barrels/calibers, one being the 204 Ruger. Being new to the 204, I bought several 32 grainers, the 39g Sierra and the 40g Hornady, and started using various Hodgdon powders I had on hand. I couldn't find steady 1/4" groups until I happen to pick up a box of 35g Bergers and a bottle of RL10x. THE GROUPS SHRUNK BIG TIME...from +/- 1/2"-1" to 1/4"-1/2".
I'm now shooting nothing but the 35g Berger, pushed with 25.0g of RL10x. Most groups are under .2000", me being the biggest factor in group size.
I'm not a big woodchuck shooter, but I got one on the way to my shooting bench one day. I was working on the 243 barrel (it also shoots 1/4" groups) that day...dead woodchuck (not 204 Ruger dead), but dead none the less.
The combo of the 35g Berger/RL10x works so well, I sold all the other 204 bullets and stocked up on the Bergers.
I'm now shooting nothing but the 35g Berger, pushed with 25.0g of RL10x. Most groups are under .2000", me being the biggest factor in group size.
I'm not a big woodchuck shooter, but I got one on the way to my shooting bench one day. I was working on the 243 barrel (it also shoots 1/4" groups) that day...dead woodchuck (not 204 Ruger dead), but dead none the less.
The combo of the 35g Berger/RL10x works so well, I sold all the other 204 bullets and stocked up on the Bergers.
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That's a great round,I use HSM factory in the 35 Berger Maximum Velocity Flat base, never leaves a coyote anywhere but DRT.3829 fps ,with bc of 0.179 can buck a little wind also.I also shoot a Thompson center venture, and it is definitely a shooter,handles any bullet weight well,a rarity nowadays.1 in 10 twist.
It is interesting how the factory loaded ammo has advanced in the last few years . New powders , bullets and tighter tolerances in manufacturing all add up to better offerings then we have ever had before . It was at one time if we bought a rifle ran some factory ammo and got an inch and a half group at 100 yards we thought we had some thing . Now we buy a rifle and some ammo go out and if we don't get a half inch group at 100 yards we think some thing is wrong with us our rifle or maybe the ammo combination . I'm sure not complaining just amazed with it all .
My go to round in Ohio out to 300 yards. Nothing has ever not been drt with it, it's a screamer at 4400 fps.In my rifle at 300 yards 3.2 drop, coyote groundhog all DRT,not even a tail twitch.
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matt_3479
Well-Known Member
Been using 39gr blitzkings as they are so deadly. Just switch to 35 gr bergers this year to hopefully save some pelts
