204 powder suggestion
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Wayne Huff
Active Member
Varget is great and so is Benchmark in the 204 ruger
300 Weatherby Mag
Active Member
CFE 223 shoots best in my 204 with 39 grain Sierra and 40 Berger. 1-12 twist
Same experience in my 204. Better than Benchmark, Varget or 10X.
I have a lb of Benchmark and 8208 if u cant find any around. We use TAC powder with 32's with good results....
Hugnot
Well-Known Member
Like as seen above, a big variety. I like IMR8208 especially when the temperatures are over 90*, no shade, and the sun won't quit. My 20's have 11 twists and I prefer the 40 Hornady VMax but 32 grains bullets having plastic tips are OK.
A2520 29.5 grains, 39 grain SBK with BR4 primers, Hornady brass......speed with tiny little groups, CZ Varmint rifle 1-12". 6 coyotes this summer 40 this winter from 75 yards to 400+ most are DRT.....my nephew shoots 8208 with 39 SBK that groups well also. I would love to try some exterminator but hard to get know....
BWB
Well-Known Member
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- Feb 20, 2013
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I have most of the powders listed by everyone else, and I keep going back H4895. Running it with the 39BK's and 40Vmaxs. 27.0 grains has always game me great speed and no pressure. Sounds like I might need to try some 8208XBR but why change something that works? HAHA
65WSM
Well-Known Member
I have been developing loads for 32 gr bullets (I have 3 different Nosler, Sierra and Hornady) for a 24inch Shilen barreled AR-15 Upper. I want to run at pressures that will be kind to the barrel (I have worn out two .204 Ruger barrels) and allow longer brass life (Nosler cases). Enclosed is a starting point from Quickload. Most handloaders are recommending powders that are too slow to burn adequately in the barrel. My goal is to fill the case to nearly full and actually burn the powder in the barrel. I can tolerate slightly slower powders in my 26 inch barrels but here I need fast powders. My quickload does not have LT-32 or LT-30 in its repertoire but those are also candidates I am pursing.
65WSM
Well-Known Member
Here is a Sierra update that is useful:
65WSM
Well-Known Member
If you are handloading the .204 Ruger for a long barreled bolt gun and can seat the bullets out futher than 2.22 or 2.25 OAL you can get some of the listed powder charges in the case, but in chamber or magazine limited rifles, much of the published data doesn't fit in the case. AR Comp is claimed to be temperature stable and is the velocity leader in loads I have chronographed. Hodgdon H-322 should be temperature stable, (it is made in the same French owned Australian plant formerly ADI) like Benchmark, IMR-8208, H-4895 and so on. My experience with H-322 is that a case full disappoints in the velocity and standard deviation. I have focused on the Rem 7 1/2 primer for the .204 Ruger, on the recomendation of an experienced friend. It is about 15 fps hotter than the CCI 450 primer. Remember, nitrocarburize barrels and shoot coated bullets. No naked bullets.
CFE 223 and CCI 400-450 or Rem 71/2
Freddy Phifer
Member
I use the 32 gr Hornady with 26gr of Varget. Extremely accurate if you keep the velocity in this range.
65WSM
Well-Known Member
The attached Quickload shows for a 24 inch barrel, 32gr V-Max, 27.5gr of Varget will fill the case 106% (in other words you will never get this much in) producing 3733 fps (well down the list of velocities) at 49K psi. Why Varget is not the best powder for this application (better with 105gr Hybrids in my 6mm Dasher) is that only 91% actually burns. It may be accurate in your barrel but have you tried powders that might actually more completely in the barrel?
