204 ruger

[maddysdad]

given groundhog hunting what are your faverate loads with this round.also would you concider this round a 400 yard groundhog cartrige for quick kills

 

[Ledd Slinger]

39gr Sierra BlitzKing with RL15, BLC-2, or IMR 4895.

And yes, 400 yards is no problem if you can call the wind correctly

 

[JB10]

Im using 35gr bergers with H4895. Can not get eather one right now. If i had to pick different components at this time wound be 32gr nosler or hornady. Dont know about powder. I did try 32gr varmageddons with benchmark. Shot good with little load work up but the bergers shot better faster so i just stuck with them. Taken it to 300 yards.

 

[Tommie]

Just finished another day of PDog shooting with a .204 Ruger. 40 grain VMax with near max charge of CFE223 at 3780 FPS. I cannot imagine a ground hog surviving a solid hit at 400 yards.

 

[maddysdad]

thank you

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

If you can find some run Imr 8208, it's worth it. The Sierra 39 or the Speer TNT.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

given groundhog hunting what are your faverate loads with this round.also would you concider this round a 400 yard groundhog cartrige for quick kills

The longest shot i've made was 412 yards on a coyote, the round was a 204 35 grain match varmint flat base Berger @3829 fps ,it's ballistic coefficient is 0.262,this is a factory load my HSM Trophy Gold,he made it 10 yards and drt,this was lasered with a Halo rangefinder,I can't believe you'd not get good results on a gh if one can hit them at that range.That Berger has great wind bucking ability.

 

[Jeff]

My 40x 204 loves 10X with 39 SBK
ground squirrels at 400 are in trouble.

 

[long40shot]

I second the 39bk over 10x. Also I'd consider a 40vmax over H335. Then, I wouldn't be afraid of using a 32vmax over Benchmark.

 

[Schism]

I've had good luck with 35-40 grain bullets over Benchmark in my 204's. I've never shot a groundhog but this combo with tipped bullets such as Sierra BK and Hornady Vmax are great on prairie dogs out to 400 and a bit beyond.

 

[rmeyerwy]

 

[Rick in Oregon]

given groundhog hunting what are your faverate loads with this round.also would you concider this round a 400 yard groundhog cartrige for quick kills

I'll just add that I field four 204R rifles, along with my pet 20VT, mostly for ground squirrels. My 20VT has nailed rockchucks past 350, so it seems completely logical that a 204R with 30% more powder/horsepower would certainly be a solid 400 yard performer on any chuck, east or west.

Cooper M38 VR in 20VT. Can't remember the range, but the pic speaks for itself.



So the short answer to the above question is a solid "YES".

 

[drop_point]

I've had great luck with H335, Varget, BL-C(2) and 39 gr Sierra BlitzKings. I am planning to try CFE223 and see no reason it shouldn't work great as well.

 

[jpx2rk]

N133 and 40g's work well together too.

 

[Fern]

Love my 204 and a 223 40g turns p dogs inside out at 425 yards and can’t imagine my 204 would do same or more
Getting ready to ship mine to pac nor for new barrel

 

[SecretCode]

If you can find some run Imr 8208, it's worth it. The Sierra 39 or the Speer TNT.

Sierra's ran better with 8208 and Speer's ran better with benchmark. RL10x with 32 trainer's vmax's or varmageddon's. Good call on the Golden Bottle .

 

[Majday]

I also run 8208 in my 204 with 32 zmax. Knocks chucks out at 300 no problems. Never taken past that but have laid yotes down at same range and 1 at 410. I wouldn't hesitate with chucks to 400+ or groundhogs as you stated

 

[RabbitSlayer]

32vmax in 204 just stomps PDs at 400. I suspect 39 gr on a chuck will be no problem.