Prelim 204 Ruger Loads

[Hugnot]

.204 Ruger load development. .



A mild load of average velocity of 3670 fps with IMR 8208 & 40 Vmax bullets, CCI 450 primers. I have been using this load for several years & it has performed very well at up to 400 yds. As you would expect IMR 8208 is scarce and other powders need to be considered, CFE 223 is available & I have a modest stash of it that is used for .223 & 5.56 AR shooting. Some concerns are temperature stability at temperatures over eighty-five*.

Stats were run for only five rounds. I plan to work up a good accurate load that has velocities in the high 3700 or low 3800 fps range then after getting a good combo run the stats for ten rounds using a T value of 2.236. Looking at a bell-shaped curve this would give a low & high range velocity range at 95% probability that might be expected for some 750 rounds or more for next year's rodent ops.



The Burris 6.5-20X50 is a good cheap scope with a funny reticle.

 

[Reemty J]

AA 2520 with 39-40 grain bullet, 29.6 grains, excellent accuracy in 4 CZ rifles….3800-3900 fps totally knocks the manure out of a coyote, killed them from 35 - 610 yards, best load ever for coyotes, I prefer the 39 grain SBK, better BC than most 204 bullets.

 

[cantfixstupid]

I run Win 748 in my 204 with a 39 Gr SBK, its a one holer at 100 and 1incher at 300 on a calm day, I got some of the Hammer bullets going to give them a try in a week or so and its an AR15, what's not to love about that. Ruger did good getting this round up and running.

 

[Hugnot]

More.........

CFE223 loads, 40 H Vmax, 29.0 CFE223, .204R DogTown Brass, CCI 41 primer. Loads sized with Redding .204R body die, neck sized with Lee .204R collet die, bullets seated with Lee .204 seat die, & light crimp with Lee crimp die. McGowen #4 Douglas contour, 26 inches, 1-11 twist.





100-yard ten shot group, windy, gusts 7-10 mph. Group shot with Magneto Speed bayonet attached to barrel. Just point & shoot, no effort to compensate for wind. Target dot is .75 inches. Velocity average just under 3750. Good uniformity. Mean diffs between low & high (each end of bell shaped curve) are just under 28 fps with 95% probability (2.5 % each end - bell shaped curve). Next step is to round up all the Dog Town .204 R brass & load 300-400. The load shot well at 300 with all within 1 inch of center (less than 2 inches - watching for wind).

 

[Hugnot]

Should I get some of these if I need to shoot something bigger than a pop can? Would they stabilize in a 11 twist?

 

[RegionRat]

Should I get some of these if I need to shoot something bigger than a pop can? Would they stabilize in a 11 twist?

View attachment 394686

Hammer recommends a 9.5 twist with these.
They also have a 31 grain which only needs a 1:12 twist.

 

[Hugnot]

Looks like 9.5 twist vs. 11 twist.