Published .204 Ruger recipe 40 grain 3900 FPS?

[Tommie]

Just curious. Last I heard, 3900 FPS is advertised but not actually achieved with factory ammunition. I’m sure plenty of people have hit that velocity with 40 grain bullets using handloads. But is there any published (as in loading manual) data which hits this velocity?

 

[RegionRat]

Lots of 32 gr published load recipes hit those speeds, but I can’t recall any in the 40 gr weight claiming it.

 

[Bangs OH]

Most factory .204R barrels come with a 1:12" barrel twist rate, which is a bit too slow to stabilize .20 caliber, 40 grain bullets anyway. I've squeezed 3780 fps from 39 gr. Sierra Blitzkings in a 12-twist 26" barrel, but accuracy seems to taper off at any speed faster than that.

 

[xswanted]

I’m getting 3700 from a 39 Sierra with H4895 in a 17.5” barrel.

8208 will also achieve this speed.

In a 24” barrel these loads are usually around 3850.

 

[titus123]

25.1 grains H322
40 get. VMax
CCI 450
Average velocity- 3745 out of a 1-11 twist Walther Lothar 26" barrel. With 4- 5 shot group average of .366"

 

[brokeasajoke]

Sierra lists the 39gr and cfe223 at 3900fps. With 2 red caution asterisks. I wouldn't go that far in my gun.

 

[varget204]

H-4895 will easily get 3900 fps Out of 26" barrels,with 40 grain V-max

 

[searcher]

I think this is in the range where one ponders "loading" and "re-loading". I'd consider 4,000 a max load with minimal brass life and wouldn't want to use it on a hot day with any powder. Thats just me.

 

[JSH]

Go to a long barrel. Buddy built a 20P 30” and does what some say is unobtainable.

 

[Frankm]

My 26” barreled 204 did 3875 w 29 grs of blc2. It was 50-75 FPS faster than Varget and shot slightly better. (.4-.5 moa vs .6 moa)

it is a full boogie load so work up.

 

[drover]

When the 204 first came out I was skeptical about the advertised 4000 fps claims with the 40 gr bullets but I went ahead and bought one anyway, a Cooper Varminter with 26" barrel. To my dismay I found out that around 3750 was the best that could be achieved with the 40 gr bullets. I ended up selling it but a few years later I tried scratching the 204 itch again and bought a Tikka but it gave about the same results - around 3750 fps I sold it and gave up on the 204 and went back to my 223 which gives 3750 with 40 gr bullets and availability of brass and components are generally much easier to find and less expensive.

drover

 

[searcher]

Go to a long barrel. Buddy built a 20P 30” and does what some say is unobtainable.

I agree with the long barrels. I use 26" tubes and would consider nothing less than 24". Going longer than 26", to me, always seemed a bit sketchy in respect to still using the fast powders that work so well in the .20. I'm curious as to bullet he used, powder and velocity. Any recollection?

 

[SpikeDiesel]

30g of BLC-2 and a CCi 450 will get you real close with a 39g SBK. Works fantastic in my CZ 527 Varmint. My realized velocity was much different than this chart (3850fps) as every rifle is different.