.204 ruger load data

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bryce13

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i am reloading 26gr barnes varmint grenades and 32gr nosler spitzers for a .204. I have imr 3031 powder and am wondering how much to put in. I asked the guy at our local shop and he recommended the powder so i bought it but now i can't find any data for it (bastard). Just wondering if anyone knows or if i should go buy some powder with data for that bullet.
Any info is greatly appreciated thanks.
 
I have developed loads with 32gr Sierra with the following
IMR 3031 23.0 gr. 3,782
IMR 3031 26.2 gr. 3,935 (Max)

I have not loaded the 26gr Barnes, but I would use the above load data as a starting point aswell
 
Bryce
The Nosler manual list 4198 as the best they tested for 32gr bullets. 3031 is a similar powder and I do see data for in with 35gr Berger bullets with 26.1gr being max. You could start at 24.5gr and work up, 1/2 gr at a time. Or if your powder's seal is unbroken perhaps buddy will trade you some thing else for it. I have a great 32gr Vmax load with Win 748 powder. 204 seems to be very easy to load for. Both of my rifles like the loads at factory spec for over all length. FS
 
I have used 25gr of 3031 under 32gr Vmax with good results.
check out 204ruger.com for info on most powders and bullets.
or go straight here:
Code: 
http://www.204ruger.com/204_data.php
 
Most Barnes bullets require Barnes data. They don't list IMR3031 on their site, so you'll have to contact them and ask if they have the data for their bullets. Fortuntately, a Varmint Grenade isn't a solid copper bullet(they fly differently than lead cored bullets)
Hodgdon doesn't list IMR3031 either. Their manual might have data.
Nosler's sight has 32 grain data. No IMR3031 though.
All of it just means that IMR3031 wasn't tested in the .204.
 
bryce13 if you can chuck some data my way I can do a Quickload prediction for you. For an accurate prediction I will need:
1) Bullet length for Barnes (QL does not have it)
2) Case Capacity: (weigh a fired case ((leave fired primer in)), fill with water level at case mouth and weigh again a few times for avg.
3) Brass overall length.
4) Barrel length.

Here are some results I got for Nos32's with Win brass:
Run at summer temp of (70deg f)
Nos32's .647" Avg OAL.
Win Brass 33.3 Grn H20 Avg

Step Fill. Charge Vel. Energy Pmax Pmuz Prop.Burnt B_Time
% % Grains fps ft.lbs psi psi % ms

-10.0 96 26.10 3812 1033 40182 7680 97.4 1.039
-09.0 97 26.39 3852 1055 41614 7743 97.8 1.024
-08.0 98 26.68 3893 1077 43091 7803 98.2 1.008
-07.0 99 26.97 3934 1100 44623 7858 98.5 0.993
-06.0 100 27.26 3974 1122 46215 7908 98.8 0.978
-05.0 101 27.55 4014 1145 47863 7954 99.1 0.964 Node 2@.966ms for 26" Barrel.
-04.0 102 27.84 4054 1168 49581 7996 99.3 0.950
-03.0 103 28.13 4093 1191 51360 8033 99.5 0.936 ! Near Maximum !
-02.0 104 28.42 4132 1214 53209 8065 99.7 0.922 ! Near Maximum !
-01.0 105 28.71 4171 1237 55131 8092 99.8 0.908 ! Near Maximum !
+00.0 106 29.00 4210 1260 57128 8114 99.9 0.895 ! Near Maximum !

You will notice that you run out of powder room before you get to max loads at around 29grs IMR3031. If you want to run compressed loads you can get a little more speed. If you have a 26" barrel I think you will find good accuracy around the 2nd node at .966ms which is pushing 4000fps so that pretty good. The 1st Node at .882ms is past max load of 29grs and can't be done because of pressure, and more then a 7% compressed load.

Start around 26grs and work your way up while looking for pressure signs. I have played with the Nos32`s some and found the Amax32`s much more accurate in my rifle. I`m now on to Berger 40grs`s although I think their too heavy for the 1/12 twist barrel. (Please note that Quickload makes predictions on the lot of powder they had at the time which can be subject to lot to lot variation, making the predictions off. Always start low and work up while looking for pressure signs.)

If you want to send me the measurements via private message I can see what QL can do.
 
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