Oh .204Ruger! How Do I Love Thee!

I'm sighted in about 2" high from 140 to 170 yards, which puts me 2" low at 305 and about 4.75" low at 340.

I never "Zero" my guns. I sight in at maximum height and then check for consistency at several distances.

This is from the last time I shot for a group, at 100 yards. OnTarget says it's .368 inches. Yep, it's only 3 shots but the gun does it time and time again.

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I have one in a Savage and absolutely love it.

I am shooting Hornady factory ammo out of it right now saving up brass to reload. I noticed with the 32 grain that it is very, very accurate but I will get a flyer every now and then. I also have shot the 45 grain and again very accurate but with less flyers.

Have you tried the 45 grain and if so what were the results.

The energy that the 204 produces is amazing. It works pretty effectively on pigs too.
 
I've never used 45s. My gun liked factory 40gr ammo pretty well but I went to 32s when I started handloading. I have a box of Sierra 39s I'll try next. I hear of stability troubles with 40gr in some factory standard twist rate barrels do I suspect the 45s might not work.
I'm a "light and fast" type guy so I'll never know. ;)
 
Brian

I started reloading my 204 in 2005. I have not fired any factory loads. I made a decision to use light bullets right from the get go. I used four powders, 4198, 748, H335, and BLC-2. I used 30 Bergers, 35 Bergers, 32 Sierras, and 32 vmax.

The best 5 shot groups recorded were as follows:

Berger 30 .381"
Berger 35 .320"
Sierra 32 .372"
Vmax 32 .580"

I found out one thing that is pretty much contrary to all my past experience loading for accuracy. The faster the 204 goes the better it shoots. All four of the above powders gave almost immeasurable differences in group size.

I have used Sierra bullets since the early 70's and prefer them simply for that reason, all things being equal. I got a deal on 748 and BLC2 so that's what I use. Bench rest primers of almost any variety also worked best.
 
What speed do you get with the W748 and 32s? I've been meaning to try it because QuickLoad thinks I can exceed 4,200 but I've never gotten around to it.
 
Good shootin', fella.

I'm still hesitant on buying one due to two factors:

1. Can they really be accurate enough to use for benchrest shooting to 600 yards?

2. Being such a small bullet, can they handle bucking the wind?

I know it's a cartridge mainly designed for varminting. I'm still leaning on a .260Rem instead. Yes, yes, I know. I'm probably comparing apples to oranges.
 
speed

I'm ashamed to admit it but at the time I was working up loads I was fighting with my chrono manufacture trying to get them to repair mine. I, of course, had heard about the factory stated speeds on their ammo but experience told me that information was worthless. At the time I had also heard that ammunition was being loaded with some type of bulk powder that was not available to hand loaders. Duplication of factory speeds was near impossible.

I don't know about quick loads but a few years after I settled on my load I did run it through my new replacement chrono and the average of 10 shots using 748 was 4185 fps. That load was not showing any signs of excess pressure. I believe I could have increased the charge by at least 1.5 gr. without trouble.

I bought the 204 to shoot everything the size of a house cat and smaller. It's a single shot Cooper with a less than high quality 3-9 Fujinon scope. The scope was purchased as a brand close-out for $199.00.
 
Once you go to the 39BK or 40Vmax, you will never go back to the 32gr. The light bullets have no advantage over the heavier ones, especially beyond 200yds.

If you're wanting to buck wind with the 20's you need the 55gr berger, you have to have a minimum of 1/9 twist for those though.

I use 8208 XBR in my 204 and in my 20 practical, it meters nice too. I get 3880fps in my practical and 3865fps in my 204, both with the 39BK's or 40Vmax.

My load for the 32's was 28.6grs of 8208 XBR in the 204, 3950fps.
My load for the 39/40's is 27.3grs of 8208 XBR in the 204, 3865fps.

Remember if you are going to stay with the 32Vmax, buy the Zmax, they are half the price for the exact same bullet. Also start low as many chambers can be tighter or looser :)
 
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300 yards??? That is up close and personal compared to shooting prairie dogs in Colorado where 500 yards or more is the norm!

Loved my Custom Shop Remington 10x in .220 Swift!

For 300 yards I would use my Springfield M1A1 Super-match with iron sights for that!:D
 
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