Tell us about yourself...

[hogan]

First off, I have been lurking here for a few months after I finally bought my 204.
I am from Viroqua, Wisconsin in the center of trout heaven.
Originally from central Iowa, I moved to Wisconsin in 1993 and retired a month ago at age 60.
I retired early so I could pursue the things I enjoy, hunting and fishing. Recently took up coyote hunting again so my hunting season never ends. I owned a 22-250 yrs ago which I sold out of need to buy groceries.
Recently I had been struggling with making up my mind about which critter glitter to buy, another 22-250 or a 204. My brother made up my mind for me by selling me a rifle he had just won at a pheasants forever banquet. A Mossberg MVP varmint in 204 Ruger. I have never been a big Mossberg fan but the price was right and it flat out shoots.
Just received my dies and a funnel small enough to fit the 20 ca. neck. Still playing with different loads and will keep you guys updated with load info.
I look forward to swapping stories with everyone.

Hogan

[Bill K]

Well welcome Hogan.. You will really enjoy your 204 R. Various loads are shown in the 204 R load date and also on the Hodgdon Data site.. A very good powder to work with in your rifle/cartridge is CFE 223 along with the 32 grain Nosler, Hornady tipped bullets especially. For a lot of general varmint shooting, the 34 grain Midsouth varmint nitemares as a very good buy and will allow you plenty of shooting, with some lower bullet cost. Looking forward to you posting results on your find. Bill K

[ShortMagPirate]

Hello,
Another new guy. Long time Ruger fan and shooter, but I've never owned a Varmint rifle of any caliber. Looking to pick up my first, a Savage in .204 Ruger.
Looking forward to learning as much as can about shooting little teeny bullets at little teeny critters!

[Bill K]

Welcome ShortMagprirate first off. You will enjoy the small calibers. The 204R will get you started just fine. However, in time you must add either/or both a 17 and another 20 cal. i.e. the 20 VT or SCC. A couple of them with the 204R are just all in order, it seems. Looking forward to your posts and photos of the firearms and pictures of some varmint/critter hits. Bill K

[Gamikatsu]

Hello!

My Name Is Edward. I'm just North west of Pittsburgh, single father of two girls (full custody). I am a Lifelong shooter, hunter, AVID fisherman, and tournament Pro Staff Catfisherman for my local Bait Shop. We fish for Trophy class Flathead catfish in the Ohio River and surrounding tributaries. As far as shooting experience, I have been shooting BB guns since i was 5, Hunting since i was about 12, and I have always been a precision shooter. I was into archery, but a shoulder injury keeps me from doing such. I currently reload, and absolutly LOVE it. I have a Forster Coax press, RCBS scale and case trimmer. I use Forster Ultra Micrometer bullet seating die, and hornady full length die on .30-06. I will very soon be loading for the .204. I have in the past loaded for .223, .22-250, .243, 7mm mag, .30-06, and .300 WM. We will see what the future holds! I am really looking at getting a Rem 700 Sendero in 7mm mag, my LGS has a 1990's era Sendero, in GREAT condition, and i want to use that to get into 1000 yard shooting.

Well, Thats about it for now. Thanks!

[Jim White]

It sounds like you have a wealth of experience reloading and I'll be looking forwarding to reading about it. There is a wealth of help and knowledge here especially for the 204 but others as well.

Welcome,

Jim

[VANAMAL]

Thanks for the add and all the wonderfull info. Im a gun nut and ill be buying my first .204 soon. Still a little confused with models and scopes but enjoy learning all i can. I have a cz 452 in 17 hmr.3-4 lever action rifles, several shotguns, 4 1911s in 45 acp,and some other stuff. Im thinking rem 700 sps,cz 527,savage 12,or tikka t3 varmint for my first

[Jim White]

Those that have the ones you mentioned rave about them so you probably won't go wrong with any of them...Jim

[fuzznose]

Name is Joe. I picked up my Savage left-handed Model 11 XP Trophy Hunter Package in .204 Ruger this morning. Have not yet taken it to the range as it needed to be cleaned. However, first thing I did was ask questions about inserting and removing the bolt, since this is my first bolt gun. When I got home, I pulled out the manual and read over that. The manual describes 3 different release mechanisms - bottom release, hinge-bottom, and side release. I'm guessing that since the box magazine drops from the bottom, obviously a bottom release. This will be primarily a benchrest gun, as I don't hunt. It came with a Nikon scope already attached, as well. I probably won't be at the range before the next few days, as it's a busy time right now. You'd think when you were retired, you'd have all the time in the world, but my weeks are pretty full.

[jsh]

Hello folks.
I have lurked around here a bit tinkering with a MGM 204 encore barrel. It is hardly broken in, about 100 rounds through it now. I doubt there will be another hundred put through it. I got the bug and got it bad. Got a new unfired take off for my LRPV. Before I got it swapped out I ran across a lightly used 204 barrel for another savage, small shank. It was a 223 and had not made me happy.
The Encore barrel I acquired from an older gent that had health issue and he went back to his 17 Hornet. He had another bolt gun that was chambered in 204 as well. He gave me a bunch of 204 brass and a pile of 17HH brass, around 1500 between the two, he doesn't reload so it was all once fired.
I finished the break in on the Encore barrel and it kind of sat.
I had been playing an informal 22rf benchrest game for a couple of years. Heavy, light heavy and sporter classes. I had plenty of ammo but other guys didn't, so that dried up. I just couldn't seem to be happy shooting match grade 22rf ammo at paper for what replacement cost was. So I kept a few 22rf rifles and swapped the rest off.
That was the beginning of my jump into sub calibers for the most part. Traded two Winchesters for a CZ 527 in 17 hornet. Then swapped into a 22 hornet as well. That in turn brought me back into the 204.
I still shoot IHMSA, but not near as much as I used too. Still have all the "tools" for that.
Tinkered with some long range center fire, another savage,308 F/TR. F class is really taking off, even around here.
Also shoot a bit of informal trap.
Play the bullseye game as well.
I find that thing called a job interfears with my hobbies.
I load or have loaded for right around a hundred different cartridges at some time or another.
I am also a bullet caster.
I have a bad weakness for revolvers.
Somone once said only accurate rifles are interesting. I would have to agree. But I am a sucker for a deal,along with giving a mistreated diamond in the rough a good honest home. Who in their right mind would buy a Remington 788, rebarreled and single fed in 444 Marlin?
Before you ask, yes I did a bit of research and it left the factory as a 44 mag in it original form.
Another oddity, was the 8mm-06 and a 30 Luft built on commercial Mauser actions. Lol,and before that was a Navy arms Enfield in 45-70.
What can I say, I don't have any adult supervision.
Jeff

[bloc]

Hi! My name is Brian and my on-screen identifier is bloc.

I've been shooting for over 60 years (pistols, revolvers, shotguns and a variety of CF and RF rifles). I'm a reloader and have been since I was 10. My first CF rifle was a .32-40 Win, my second a bastardized/butchered Mod. 98 8mm Mauser. I did not reload for the .32-40, but self-taught myself to load the 8mm with the old Lyman 310 tong tool and an old Pacific scale.

Since retiring, my passion has become shooting ground squirrels and my GS rifles include of a couple of RFs (.22 CZ and .17 HMR Anschutz . . . the latter being a surprise gift from my bride on the occasion of our 50th anniversary), a couple of .223s (Stevens 200 with Boyds stock and Rifle Basix trigger and a Savage LRPV) a .225 Win (yes, a .225, with a 1:14 twist) and a .243 Savage LRP.

Which brings me to my new Savage .204 FCV. I've mounted a Nightforce SHV 5-20 scope on it and I'm presently working up loads for it. So far, it hates 32 grain VMax and BTs, but loves 35 Bergers and 39 SBKs.

Can't wait for next spring and those pesky ground squirrels!

[Jim White]

Pardoner, you're one of the first that I've heard that your 204 didn't like 32 grain pills. Mine also like the 35 Berger & the 39 SBK.

Jim

[Bill K]

Had the same thought on the 32 grain bullets. Never heard of a 204 or any 20 caliber, that did not like the 32 & 39 grain bullets. And as you, Jim, stated the 35 grain Berger. With the right powder combo, all those will usually shoot very nice groups. Wonder how many loads combinations were tried, before giving up on the 32 grain. Bill K

[bloc]

Good question Bill. I fully expected the VMax to shoot well, and was disappointed. The 40 grain VMax is great in every one of my .22 CF rifles.

Below are (some of) my records, and I now notice I only have one in which I used the Nosler BT. I'll need to revisit that. (It pays to mine the records we so carefully keep . . .).

32 VMax 28 H4895 (3) shots 0.43 in Too Hot
32 VMax 27.2 Benchmark 5 shots 1.40 in
32 VMax 22.5 IMR 4198 5 shots 1.11 in
32 NosBT 23.2 LT-32 5 shots 1.05 in
32 VMax 23.2 LT-32 5 shots 1.07 in
32 VMax 27.5 H4895 5 shots 1.48 in
32 VMax 27.5 H4895 5 shots 1.47 in

35 Berger 22.2 IMR 4198 5 shots 0.60 in
35 Berger 24.4 Benchmark 5 shots 0.70 in
35 Berger 28.5 Varget 5 shots 1.31 in
35 Berger 22.0 IMR 4198 5 shots 0.34 in

So now I'll need to load some of those NBTs!

Thanks.

Brian

[Bill K]

Brian. Just out of curiosity what twist is your rifle ? Could it be a 1/14 by chance. I have gone to a 1/11 in all my 20's, and it just seems that works fine with 32-39 grainers. Bill K