.204 Ruger loads

[Huntsman]

I've been reloading this ctg for a year now...man oh man what a finicky round I'm currently using H335(24.0grs) 40gr V-Max bullet,it flies but my groups are over 1.5" @100yds???? It could be the weather? My selection of powder? My rings & bases are tight!
At 200yds I'm still hitting the target but they're 7" to the left. I have confidence hitting a 'yote out that far,but I'd hate for the shot to not be a clean one...or should I care it's only a 'yote
The rifle I'm using is a 26" Hvy bbl T/C Encore,Does anyone have a sweet or magic load for this ctg?
Thanks in advance,

 

[Jamie]

how does it shoot with factory ammo and what scale,dies,and prep work do you do ?

Jamie

 

[Jamie]

IMR 4064 26.5


IMR 4895 26.8

try these in your gun they have worked well I a good friends rifle(RemingtonVarmint) with the 40gr Vmax

Jamie

 

[Huntsman]

Never shot factory out of it.
I use all LEE stuff except my trimmer which is a Lyman. I use a dial guage and measure every round. I was just reading on another site and they said that H335 is a favourite in the lighter 32gr. And most powders used for the heavier 40gr bullet were H4895 & IMR 4064.
I'll check out some powders next trip to Edm.
Thanks,

 

[Huntsman]

I'm looking into Hodgdon's Benchmark too as it performed equally in both 32 & 40gr bullets.

 

[aulrich]

Shoot some factory first (hornady stuff both 32's and 40's), some 204's don't shoot the 40 hornadys well, so this will be a test, you might have a dud barrel especially if you can't get the 32 grain hornady factory stuff to shoot under an inch.

I have not found the 204 to be finicky at all I have gotten sub MOA groups from all the bullets I have tried. 32 and 40 hornady 39 sierra , 40 nosler and 35 berger, and this with a handi.

For gophers go first to the 39 sierras genarally one of the more accurate bullets and it give a better long range trajectory VS the 32's, I use h4895 with that head.

I have used bl(c)-2, varget and H4895, with H4895 getting the most work.

 

[prosper]

Varget, 4895, RL-10, WW-748, 4064 - all good choices. All offer varying levels of accuracy, but all have been better than 1.5" for me. So far, the best has been heavy charges of Varget

 

[300ultramag]

huntsman: check out www.204ruger.com it is devoted to the .204 ruger exc. info on this site. i own a savage model 12 FLV in .204 and it is the most accurate rifle i have ever owned. loading 35 gr. bergers behind h4895 powder and br4 primers chronographed at avg.3900 f.p.s. it will easily group .375"-.500" 5 shots.send me a pm and i will send you my loads that i developed.