When I bought my 204 ruger. I bought enough stuff to last. 2 different brands of powder. RL 10 and H4895. I have 9 cans of RL10. 4 cans of H4895. Remington srp match. When I could find them. I bough what Berger bullets I could find. In 35 gr and 40 gr. Even fount some 30 gr berger used to make. Locally u can still get RL10. Mine has a 1@10 twist.
204 ruger
- Thread starter maddysdad
- Start date
Enjoyed the 204 while I had it. Problem was lack of brass. Id go 20p next time.
I don't have a lot of experience with ground hogs with a 204R. What little I have had, it works fine. I run straight 12x power scopes on my 204 rifles because that is all I need to get the distance I am going to use the 204 for on PD. Basically out to 300 just put on the dog and shoot. The further out may require to hold on topside if on all four feet.
The real issue is going to be components. Brass might be harder to find and is not readily converted to like 20VT, 20 Practical and 20 Tactical. Bullets and powder are shooter's choice and availability as well as barrel twist.
If you can get a good supply of brass, I would give serious consideration to a 204R if you are interested in another 20 caliber gun or getting into the 20's. They have there place in the varmint world.
The real issue is going to be components. Brass might be harder to find and is not readily converted to like 20VT, 20 Practical and 20 Tactical. Bullets and powder are shooter's choice and availability as well as barrel twist.
If you can get a good supply of brass, I would give serious consideration to a 204R if you are interested in another 20 caliber gun or getting into the 20's. They have there place in the varmint world.
Fern
Silver $$ Contributor
the spreadsheet on the ruger forums was before I got into the 204 game but I tried recreating it post by post but after couple pages I never continued.
I put a 11 twist PN barrel on mine and I am half way through the break in procedure.
These 5 shots were fired with a cleaning after each one and if barrel continues shooting this way I will be very happy.
These were 40g vmax and standard federal primers. I did use 8208 for break in but this powder is reserved for this rifle. In the factory barrel I could never get them to group like this (pulled the one off shot) Granted I was the second owner of the rifle so don’t know history on the original barrel.
I have 400 pieces of brass which for me should be a enough but am always keeping an eye out
Only thing I need is a target rich environment to put this baby to use
I put a 11 twist PN barrel on mine and I am half way through the break in procedure.
These 5 shots were fired with a cleaning after each one and if barrel continues shooting this way I will be very happy.
These were 40g vmax and standard federal primers. I did use 8208 for break in but this powder is reserved for this rifle. In the factory barrel I could never get them to group like this (pulled the one off shot) Granted I was the second owner of the rifle so don’t know history on the original barrel.
I have 400 pieces of brass which for me should be a enough but am always keeping an eye out
Only thing I need is a target rich environment to put this baby to use
Attachments
DLT
Silver $$ Contributor
Is it just a shorter freebore ? The “ match “ chamber
Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
No, the TK match chamber tightens up all the dimensions, smaller neck dia, shorter FB to reach the lands. Here's the reamer I had PTG make for my 11T rat rifle:
For my reamer, I used a .230" neck. Loaded round neck dia runs .228" and has given me what could be called "match accuracy". If I was to do it over, I'd not change a thing. Only caveat is that once done, it's not advisable to shoot factory ammo in this chamber, only handloads developed for it.
Fern: Lookin' good there, buddy. Once broken in, that should be one fine shooting rifle.
B23
Gold $$ Contributor
I know the factory chambered 204's have a lot of FB. The CZ 527 204 Ruger I used to have a 32gr Vmax nearly was falling out of the neck before you could touch the lands and the Tikka I have now is nearly the same way. Fortunately, they still seem to shoot pretty well with all that FB and jumping them so far but I'd never have one chambered with a SAAMI spec reamer. I think somewhere around .030 FB or less would be plenty unless it was a fast twist build and you were going to shoot the much longer Berger 55's but generally most don't build 204 Ruger's to shoot the 55's.
It would be nice if one of the bullet manufactures would show a little interest in 20 cal bullets and make a mid 40's high BC bullet. Maybe even something like a new LF 45-ish grain bullet with a BC somewhere between the 40gr Vmax and 55gr Berger would be nice but until someone like Hornady creates a new 20 cal cartridge like say a 20 ARC and promotes the hell out of it I think we're stuck with, as my daughter used to say when she was little, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit kind of deal on 20 cal bullets.
Nosler at one time seemed like they were going to get in to the 20 cal cartridge creating world with a 20 Nosler that had potential to be a sweet little hot rod .204 but for whatever reason it fizzled out and was grounded before it really ever took flight. Kind of a bummer because per the specs it had potential to be a really fun cartridge that would have fit in a wide variety of different build configurations from AR's to bolt actions even the smaller Howa mini would have fit one well.
It would be nice if one of the bullet manufactures would show a little interest in 20 cal bullets and make a mid 40's high BC bullet. Maybe even something like a new LF 45-ish grain bullet with a BC somewhere between the 40gr Vmax and 55gr Berger would be nice but until someone like Hornady creates a new 20 cal cartridge like say a 20 ARC and promotes the hell out of it I think we're stuck with, as my daughter used to say when she was little, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit kind of deal on 20 cal bullets.
Nosler at one time seemed like they were going to get in to the 20 cal cartridge creating world with a 20 Nosler that had potential to be a sweet little hot rod .204 but for whatever reason it fizzled out and was grounded before it really ever took flight. Kind of a bummer because per the specs it had potential to be a really fun cartridge that would have fit in a wide variety of different build configurations from AR's to bolt actions even the smaller Howa mini would have fit one well.
chuckshooter
Silver $$ Contributor
I load for four 204's. two run 10x and 32 vmax. one runs cfe223 and 40vmax and the last one is running RL15 and 40vmax. when I rebarrel the last one, I will not use rl15 anymore.
as far as my reamer print goes, it's a PT&G "match" .050fb .232 neck.
a side note: these hardly leave the safe anymore. I would rather take vartargs and .020 tacticals. that being said, this coming year, I have vowed to take at least one step child on every shoot. 204, 223, 22-250, 22br. 220swift 6dasher with 70tnt's. but probably only one per trip.
as far as my reamer print goes, it's a PT&G "match" .050fb .232 neck.
a side note: these hardly leave the safe anymore. I would rather take vartargs and .020 tacticals. that being said, this coming year, I have vowed to take at least one step child on every shoot. 204, 223, 22-250, 22br. 220swift 6dasher with 70tnt's. but probably only one per trip.
Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
I get that, Hal. All of my rat rifle powders were purchased a while ago, most all prior to the bogus 'pandemic' brought to us by our buddies at the CCP. I just looked at some of the price tags, and they were all priced at $25/ea.
At $70/lb., I'd rethink shooting colony rats with the stuff too!
chuckshooter
Silver $$ Contributor
I'm a lucky man, in the since that I have many varmint rifles to choose from . A typical shoot for me, I take eight rifles in four double gun cases. When I get home, it's time to do a round count, clean rifles and put them back in the safe, over and over again I would be putting the bigger cartridge rifles back in the safe unfired. So if I'm not going to shoot them, why take them. I just found I have more fun with the smaller cartridges, less recoil, less powder, less heat and most importantly, they get the job done.
Just to clarify my style of shooting, I'm talking about high volume colony shooting (sage rats, PD'S), where a typical day is between 500 and 600 rounds, when I go rock chuck shooting, I'm lucky to shoot a hundred rounds in 3 days and on a trip like that, I will take a 6 mm ackley and a 220 Swift only. So, I'm sure others will have different cartridge choices depending on their needs and style of shooting.
chuckshooter
Silver $$ Contributor
I don't have too many more years where I can keep up this pace of shooting, but while I can, I am shooting my kids inheritanceI get that, Hal. All of my rat rifle powders were purchased a while ago, most all prior to the bogus 'pandemic' brought to us by our buddies at the CCP. I just looked at some of the price tags, and they were all priced at $25/ea.
At $70/lb., I'd rethink shooting colony rats with the stuff too!
Kittitas George
Gold $$ Contributor
I shot a good sized rock chuck at about 200 yards, he was laying down, nose towards me. I couldn't believe how high and far that little bullet launched him. I don't remember the load, that was about 10+ years ago. The rifle was a Cooper, that is all remember. Oh, that log has been good for a few more since then.
Jrjones
Silver $$ Contributor
Ive shot 204r since it came out. Like it more than most varmint cartridges. Ive had 3 different rifles. My r77 varmint TG has been a stone cold killer. All 3 of mine have done very well w h4895,benchmark and reloader 10x. If i cld only have one load it wld 24.6gr 10x w 39gr sierra bk. Although not as accurate as sierra the cheap speer 39gr hp tnt had been extremely explosive. Last few chucks i shot w that splattered. The 20 cals are hard to beat. Ive since got a cpl rifles rebarreled to 20-222. Havent shot my 204 since!
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