.204 ruger

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Anyone reloading this cartridge yet? Factory ammo is almost impossible to get here in Newfoundland, so I have to load it. Having very poor results with reloader 10x and 40g nosler bullets.

so far have used berger, sierra and nosler bullets, seems to like IMR 4064 powder, but nothing works well with RL10x, also tried several different powders with the noslers, with no success.

32g sierras and 4064 seems to be the best so far. (Using NEF .204 bull barrel)
 
MY Remington's all about the Varget and Sierra 39grs.

It likes em HOT, too. Have had satisfactory results with 10x as well, especially with smokin hot loads, but varget is still the winner.

I have a keg of 4064, but haven't tried it in the 204.

I've also been meaning to try WC-735 surplus
 
todbartell said:
could be the rifle and not the handloads
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I wouldn't quite jump to that conclusion yet. There are a lot of variables that haven't been tried yet. The 204 is gainin a reputation as a picky eater, so it may take some expirementation
 
definately not the rifle, with the 4064 and 32grain sierras, and 35 grain bergers I can get quarter sized groups, thats good enough to wack a 'yote any day of the week.

I'm not finished with the 10x just yet, have not tried any really hot loads yet.
 
When I was starting to load for mine, a lot of people with experience in the caliber told me to buy H4895 and not to bother with anything else. I tried it and its magic. With 35 gr Bergers over that powder I'm getting 3/4" five shot groups. Rifle is a Rem 700 SPS with barrel cut to twenty-two inches and glass bedded. H4895 is one of Hogdon's EXTREME series of powders so is not temperature sensitive. That's nice whether its -20 on a coyote stand or +40 in a gopher patch.

triggerpress
 
triggerpress said:
When I was starting to load for mine, a lot of people with experience in the caliber told me to buy H4895 and not to bother with anything else. I tried it and its magic. With 35 gr Bergers over that powder I'm getting 3/4" five shot groups. Rifle is a Rem 700 SPS with barrel cut to twenty-two inches and glass bedded. H4895 is one of Hogdon's EXTREME series of powders so is not temperature sensitive. That's nice whether its -20 on a coyote stand or +40 in a gopher patch.

triggerpress
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I'm curious what velocities you're achieving. Have you put any over a chrony?
 
Yes H4895 seems o be a winner for me too with 35 grainers and up, I did some light bullet work with blc-2 and got decent accuracy results. But the 39 sierras seem to be almost universal with thier accuracy,unlike the 40 Hornady which if you gun's rifling was not quite 1 in 12 shoot like crap.

One thing I am very surprised about is that the it seems no one has found a good load for nosler head yet. It's not as long as the 40 Hornady so it should not be a stabilization issue. It could actually be a dud of a design which surprises me seeing it's a Nosler product.

I have a box of so I'll see what I can get out of them.

One other thing is I think reloader 10 is more for the ligher heads I only ever bought 1 box of 32's so I have not tried that powder yet, but go to www.rugerhunting.com for all things 204 there is lots of info there to go through.
 
triggerpress said:
When I was starting to load for mine, a lot of people with experience in the caliber told me to buy H4895 and not to bother with anything else. I tried it and its magic. With 35 gr Bergers over that powder I'm getting 3/4" five shot groups. Rifle is a Rem 700 SPS with barrel cut to twenty-two inches and glass bedded. H4895 is one of Hogdon's EXTREME series of powders so is not temperature sensitive. That's nice whether its -20 on a coyote stand or +40 in a gopher patch.

triggerpress
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I have also recieved this advice. Unfortunately It's not readily available in my neck of the woods, I have some ordered through a local shop, I'm just trying to make do with whats available right now.
Just had the trigger polished on the NEF, that may make a difference in the grouping also.

Thanks again for all the replies....
 
I've given up on buying powder locally. And I'm in Edmonton. Wholesale is perpetually out of stock on EVERYTHING (useless...) P&D usually has some in, but they're a lot overpriced on powder (prices OK on pretty much everything else though), and I'm not spending a day driving around looking for powder when I can just order it from Higginsons. 3 days later I have all the powder I need. Plus they have surplus powders too :)
 
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