204 testing

[65WSM]

I have tried the Hornady 40gr V-Max and 40gr Nosler B-tip at 300 and 400 yards at the range on still days. I can't find anything wrong with these bullets but I have chosen to use the 39 gr Sierra because it claims the highest BC. I have not tested the BC to verify this. I have made the 32 gr bullets go fast. 29 gr of IMR 8208 will make 32 gr Sierras go more than 4300 in my 26 inch barrel. I have focused on the 40gr bullets because they are slightly more wind resistant.

I have tested VV N-530, N-540, IMR 3031, 4895 and 4064, H-335, Reloader 15 and have found that IMR 8208 is the most consistant. The Vihtavuori powders are fast but the SD is greater than with IMR 8208. Hodgdon says that IMR-8208 is the best powder they have ever tested. That covers a lot of recipes. See the article:
SHOT Show Report: Chris Hodgdon Sets the Record Straight Regarding IMR 8208 XBR « Daily Bulletin


The target group is Hornady V-Max (HBN coated) in front of 28.6gr of IMR 8208 at 300 yards. Turn the target so the nickel is upright.

 

[BrentM]

Nice. I have several groups at .75" at 300 on calm days but with factory ammo. I hope the new loads will shoot as well, but hoping for better. We'll see. My 204 only has a 20 or 22 " barrel so I doubt I will see much increase in speed.

 

[tinytree]

mine liked H335 with the 40g vmax. really the only thing that hasn't shot good for me is the 30 gr hornady factory stuff. it was screamin' fast, but wouldn't shoot less than about 1 3/4 at 100. i finally rounded up some 39g sbk bullets, but have kindly been waiting to see if i could find some remington primers before i load any of them up.

 

[65WSM]

Why Remington primers? When I compared the mass of 50 of each of the CCI BR2, CCI 400, Fed 205M, Regular Fed 205, Russian Wolf and Remington small rifle primers, the Federals were the most uniform and Remington the worst. The CCI BRs were almost as good as the Federal Match Both "match" primers were measurably more consistent than the regular primers. In both cases the average mass was the same for regular and "match" primers. This tells me that the amount of priming mix, the "pellet" is the same for regular and match primers. I used a Laboratory Balance at a Biotech Lab that has its own room. Note that both Federal (Minesota) and CCI (Idaho) are owned by Blackhawk.

The bench rest boys use 205Ms, end of story.

It is hard to beat the Nosler brass. They are sorted and the outliers discarded. They also can be annealed. I use the Forster Shoulder Bump Neck Bushing Die.
I use the Wilson seating die that was cut with my chamber reamer.

 

[tinytree]

the word over on the 204 forum is that the remington 7 1/2 is made with a thicker cup, and will show less overpressure signs than any of the others. it is pretty much accepted as the "only" primer for the 204 over there. i have always used fed primers, and have got the best groups with them on countless occasions, in many different cartridges. that being said, i have a box of winchester small rifles that i have been using for 223, and they are really "smashed" with very nominal loads in the 204. at the moment, i am finding NOTHING at any of my local haunts, and only found more winchesters at the last gun show, so i guess i am waiting it out, at the moment!

 

[tinytree]

i am definitely itching to try some nosler brass! but again, at the moment it is my slowly diminishing stock of hornady, or nothing!

 

[BrentM]

I will see if I can find some 7.5's and try them out. I don't recall what my Hornady book was using for primers but I have had good luck with Fed Match so that I was use. Not real scientific about it ha ha.

The only primer I had that was FLAT as the one with 33 grains of super. 32 seems fine. Hope to test some more tomorrow.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

I will see if I can find some 7.5's and try them out. I don't recall what my Hornady book was using for primers but I have had good luck with Fed Match so that I was use. Not real scientific about it ha ha.

The only primer I had that was FLAT as the one with 33 grains of super. 32 seems fine. Hope to test some more tomorrow.

I also use pretty much nothing but Fed Match in rifles, pistols etc not so much

Let us know what you find Brent, I'm looking forward to it.


t

 

[65WSM]

Remington primers have a "thicker" cup?

Please note that the thicker material is soft brass. That does not mean that they can take more pressure than other primers. The Russian Wolf primmer seems to have the toughest alloy if you want to take more pressure. The CCI 400 primers are slightly oversize and the most difficult to seat. CCI markets a primer to the "AR" fraternity, I think it is called 450 that is tough.

The .204 Ruger was designed way overbore to provide spectacular velocities without even coming close to the pressures of competitive varmint cartridges. The result is longer barrel life compared to .22-250, .17 Remington, .220 Swift, .224 WSSM. I use only HBN coated bullets so I do not produce the published velocities without exceeding the powder charges shown.

The .204 Ruger is a fast twenty caliber cartridge. I am currently assembling a .20 PPC. The .20 PPC has at most one more grain of capacity but I have chosen it for a longer neck. I hate the short neck of the .204 Ruger. It is not sufficient for partial sizing and centering the bullets in the chamber. I already have a Wilson sizer, seater and a Redding full length bushing die on hand.

If you want a fast twenty, build a .20 BR or .20 Dasher. I have nitrocarburized barrels on my twenties. You may be able to wear out a .20 BR barrel in a thousand rounds.

 

[BrentM]

I didn't get to the store for primers before I headed out to shoot. It was windy today and felt like a waste of time. I am breaking in a new 260 so I decided to make the best of it.
My final work up for the day was 27.5 grains 4064 and 32 grains super. Went .095 off the lands and the loads seemed good.

Here is are the results at 200 yards, best I could do with the conditions.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

That 4064 is looking pretty dern good!


t

 

[BrentM]

Finally shot these loads through the chrono.

4064 was 3800 fps
super was 3600
4895 was 3700
Re-shot the Hornday and was getting 3650.

4064 is hands down the best of this group for powder choice. I was hoping for a bit more speed but it is not bad considering the short barrel on this model 110.

 

[Outlaw6.0]

I'd say roll with it


I'd forgotten about this thread, thanks for following up.



t

 

[BrentM]

LOL, me too. I had put the rifle away with so much other stuff going on. Decided I needed to get out and see what loads did FPS wise. I have a lot of 4064 so I will run with it.