New guy stumbling around in here. I’m just getting back on board the shooting tiny critters long ways off game after 15 years of taking care of what others considered should be my priorities. While searching for a short action Remington 700 mostly for parts for a 260 Remington custom build I came across a VLS in 204 Ruger at an SPS price. A glance at the 20 cal’s numbers caused me to forget all about the bolt face size until after posting the winning bid. A cheap (compared to H-S) B&C stock arrived before the gun. It’s off at the local witch doctor’s for flush stud cups, skim bedding, ring lapping, and a do what can be done with the factory X-Mark PRO. I saved the Vari-X III 6.5x20 50mm AO from a failed Model 70 Varmint .243 project years ago and hope I finally will have something worthy to put it on. While not the reason for my 15 year layoff I will still never be able to get that Winchester out of my thoughts. I don’t know if I was the victim of just a crappy factory barrel, tolerance stack-up, or what but that gun just would not shoot less than 1 1/2†100 yard groups. I probably gave up too soon but I got disgusted and sold it at a huge lose.
While waiting on the gun, all the new reloading junk (starting from scratch again – NEVER go in together on shared equipment that will not live under one roof!), .20 cal cleaning stuff, and all the other support doodads to show up (I got a “thank you†note signed by Frank R. Brownell today) I have dreamed up a few what if’s concerning reloading and a wildcat.
Nearly 20 years ago I worked up two .44 Mag loads for my 14†Contender using new factory primed Winchester brass, 2400 powder near the middle of Speer’s listing, Speer 200 grain JHP, and 240 grain JSP projectiles with no crimp and had both grouping about ¾†at 100 yards from bags and using a 2X Leupold. I never saw how the 240’s worked on deer but the 200’s worked very well at disassembling the local groundhog. Having loaded all the new factory primed brass I duplicated the load with Winchester primers though resized with a standard RCBS die. The groups for both doubled in size. Firing the remainder of the originals on the same day brought back the original groups. With the only real difference being my size die I thought about partially sizing the case with the die touching only one bullet diameter down from the mouth of the case leaving the rest of the length effectively fire formed to my Contender chamber. Other than possibly testing the strength of the Contender’s extractor does anyone know from experience if this might work to get me back to the really nice groups?
Also near twenty years ago I bought two bricks of inexpensive and on sale American Eagle .223 50 gr. FBHP to feed a new Mini-14 but after trying them in both my 14†and 21†Contender barrels I felt it be a waste using them to melt the Mini. I don’t remember the exact numbers but groups with this factory ammo were excellent in both Contender’s and much better than I had been told to ever expect from the Mini. I see the 204 Ruger listed as available from TC and was wondering if any of the 204 fans here have worked with it in the 14â€Âor 15†TC? If the .204 works as well as the .223 I may have to trade out of that Mini-14. My first Contender was a 10†Hornet that hooked me on the little buggers forever. The noise was painful even with 2 layers but the low light visual effects alone made it worth the price. My second barrel was a 14†.22LR with Match chamber that confirmed the accuracy potential of short barrels. I had the 2X Leupold zeroed at 50 yards but it shot CCI Mini-Mag HP so well that it forced me to become much better at estimating distances and I started keeping a cheat sheet with the gun listing clicks to dial up at 25 yard increments out to 200 yards. On a still day I had no problem making 4†round plates ring at 200 yards just by dialing up the number from my sheet. Going back and forth from the various yardage settings for the Leupold was always with the desired results so long as I did my part. Now if I could only figure out how to read the wind…
My last (this time) brain fart is I have already seen described how relativity easy it is to neck down 222 Mag and fire form it into 204 Ruger. However while I have seen several flavors of new 204 Ruger brass available nowhere have I seen new 222 Remington Magnum brass still being offered. While I’m sure it’s not impossible to transform 204 into the standard 222 Mag, I would like to keep the reduced body taper and shoulder angle of the 204 changing only the neck diameter for a .224†bullet. I’m thinking running a tapered expander through the 204 brass necking it up then having a reamer and dies made up to match the resulting shape. You folks know of anyone playing with what would be I guess a 222 Remington Magnum possibly Improved?
Enuf already. When I get the new toy cranked up and broken in I’ll be back to dumb you to death with more of my nonsense. You’ll have a nice day.
RoadKill
