Best 204 powder?

[ktm300]

I just started reloading for my 204 ruger and was wondering which powder to use. The chart gives a few different ones to use and the guy at the store says Benchmark is the way to go. I'm shooting a Savage 12FV with a 1 in 12" twist at about 200m. Using Seiarra 39g bullets.

What do you guys use for this set up?

 

[Cummins4x4]

Had good results with Varget for accuracy and velocity, still testing H4895 and BLC/2. My 204 likes loads pretty warm which seems to be the case for most of them.

 

[204saskman]

Ya same here varget and w748 with berger bullets. But i have good luck with varget under max loads by about .4 grns or so with 32grn bullets.

 

[deadeyes40]

the locals swear by varget,i do not own a 204 yet so cannot comment from personal experience.

 

[B-78]

I have had really good results with H4895 and 35gr Bergers for use year round. For shooting gophers spring and summer I use 40 gr Vmaxs and BL-C(2). I've got a bunch of rounds loaded with IMR XBR 8208 but have to wait until my back yard range is not under water to try them out. Most guys I have talked to that have tried the 8208 seem to really like it.

 

[GRiNGo]

I've loaded for 3 204's and 10x was pretty good but H4895 was just a little bit better with 35 to 40 gr sierra and bergers.

 

[CZ_Silhouetter]

I've tired Benchmark, Varget, W748, IMR 4198, and Vihtavuori N133 and 560. With many different bullets from Berger, Barnes, Serria, Nosler, and Hornady. I've also played with several different primers and found like others that the 204 likes to run hot and using magnum primers cut my groups in half. If you want to only get one or two kinds of powder I would go for the N560 and Benchmark as they have shot the best groups for me with the 40/39gr bullets. Vihtavuori has there loading manual on there web site if you want to check out the loads they recommend.

 

[Fassteel]

I just started reloading for my 204 ruger and was wondering which powder to use. The chart gives a few different ones to use and the guy at the store says Benchmark is the way to go. I'm shooting a Savage 12FV with a 1 in 12" twist at about 200m. Using Seiarra 39g bullets.

What do you guys use for this set up?

I use varget for my 39gr bullets, 28gr for the CZ varmint and 27gr for the HS Precision.
Since those loads were developed IMR has introduced 8208 XBR a powder than many who have tried it feel it is the best they have used for 204 Ruger. FS

 

[Got Juice?]

H322 here. Seems to work well with both .40 gr Vmax ,and 32gr Varmint Grenades in a Savage LVRP Synthetic Stainless HB with target accutrigger.

 

[dead meat]

I`ve been using h322 and 10x with 32gr. bullets. Will be trying 40 gr. Bergers as well as varget. Will have to try 4895 also.

 

[ktm300]

Thanks guys, that's some good info. Lots of you are using varget. I might give that a try.

 

[204saskman]

Thanks guys, that's some good info. Lots of you are using varget. I might give that a try.

I started with W748 and went to varget as there was no w748 around for a while. And varget is good for lots of other calibers.

 

[CV32]

H4895, W748, a few others. H4895 is usually my "go to". Picked up some of the IMR 8208 XBR to try; hearing good things.

 

[killswithkimber]

I shoot 39g blitzkings and 40g nosler ballistic tips both infront of 26.7g of H-4895.You can cover the groups with a dime and the velocity is good to!

 

[Breaker61]

Varget should work good, works well in my 223. Like any powder in a bottle neck cartridge, a powder that fills at least 90% of the cartridge case with the bullet seated will usually give you the most accurate load. Good Luck and work up a load with any new powder.

 

[Dean2]

8208. Others work too but this one rocks in all my small caliber stuff.

 

[GRiNGo]

Here is my first 5 shot load with 204 and 8208xbr. Looks good! Squares are 1/4".

 

[ktm300]

I loaded some today. Used IMR4895 w/ sierra 39g, oal 2.260". just tried a quick test at 50m (too cold to run up to the 100 mark!). Three shots within .5.

 

[6mm Shooter]

Hands down RL-10x with the 39gr blitzking.

 

[KDX]

Thanks guys, that's some good info. Lots of you are using varget. I might give that a try.

I wouldn't discount Benchmark because so many say Varget. Benchmark was designed for accuracy with small calibers. Varget was the first of the 'Extreme' powders and many liked it and never tried anything else.

Benchmark

As the name implies, this Extreme Extruded propellant was developed for precision cartridges. As such, it is ideally suited for benchrest and small varmint cartridges like the 6mm PPC, 22 PPC, 6mm BR, 223 Rem. and 222 Rem. Additionally, it performs superbly in the 204 Ruger and with light match bullets in 308 Winchester. With small, easy metering granules, competitors will love how it flows through progressive presses.

Varget

The first of Hodgdon's revolutionary Extreme Extruded Powders, VARGET features small extruded grains for uniform metering, insensitivity to hot/cold temperatures and higher energy for improved velocities over other powders in its burning speed class. Easy ignition and clean burning characterize other features that translate into superb accuracy, higher scores and more clean, one shot kills. The perfect powder for competitive Match shooting 223 Remington and Heavy bullets. Outstanding performance and velocity can be obtained in such popular cartridges as the 223 Remington, 22-250 Remington, 308 Winchester, 30-06, 375 H&H and many more.