SmallCaliberCentral

Last Thurs I was back in Il getting the house ready to sell, and I brought my 204 Ruger along to try at my old range with some shooting buddies. I bought 50 rnds of Fiocchie 40 gr 204's to get her sighted in and just to try her out, it's been killing me since I got the gun to get out and shoot her even with store bought ammo . It was a cold misserable day with winds ranging from 15-20 mph, but I got her sighted in pretty good with the store bought stuff, even with the winds, and store bought ammo I managed a few groups under an inch @ 100 yrds. Boy is she fun to shoot there's no recoil at all, after you pull the trigger and it goes boom, you don't loose sight of the target, thats new for me. Well to say the least Im impressed with the rifle and caliber, so today I went on a shopping spree, I ordered my dies, and a Hornaday modified case. I've been reloading since 1976, but I've never neck sized so I thought with this gun I'd try it, so I bought a set of Lee Collett dies, and a Hornaday FL size die, as I figure every few loadings Im gonna have to bump the shoulder back. Im also going to set the bullet 0.020 back from the lands to start and experiment from there. The powder I have on hand is Varget, 748, and H335, from what I've read those are all good powders for the 204. I have'nt got my bullets yet but from what alot of you guys seem to like is the 32 gr Vmax, and I beleave the 39 gr Nosler. So if you guys have any recomendations useing Varget, 748, or H335 Id sure appriciate it. Also I should mention I don't hunt anymore since I lost my Springer to cancer years ago, when she died it just took it all out of me, but I love going to the range and punching tiny 5 shot groups in paper, and shooting steel at range, so my loads are gonna be geared more for target work. I can see a real love afair growing for me and this little rifle.
Thanks
Paul

Congrats on the new gun...I haven't met a soul who didn't love shooting the 204. There a lot of fun to load for but from my experience with my Savage 204 and from what I've read and heard .020 from the lands might be a stretch especially with the 32 gr(that's what I shoot) I'm around .060 from lands. It'll still shoot great with some work but that's the fun part.

Wow, thanks for bringing the coal to my attention, Im so used to shooting a 223, and 308, I didn't think about that. I had so much fun shooting that little son of a gun, and thinking about all the toys that gonna come with this gun that I've been in la la land too much,I better get my head out of my butt and think about what I'm doing.
Paul

I did the same thing, got my modified case and started checking COAL. Your gun may be different but in mine to seat bullet .020 from lands I would have had less that .1 bullet into the case. I guess I wasn't comfortable with that what are your thoughts. Also my Savage is giving me a .6 moa groups with 28 gr of imr 8208 xbr, that's about as good as I can ask for my shooting ability

Hi. It's the 39 grain Sierra blitz king they seem to like. My 204's are 1-12 and 1-10 twist and after testing different bullets & powders I settled on 35 grain Berger's for all my 204's & didn't look back. They shoot just great with CFE 223, H335, IMR8208, and mostly VV133. On COL or as I measure to the ogive, on my Kimber & Remington if I tried reaching the lands I would not even have the bullet touching the brass. So, I load with about .130-.160 jump to the lands & they shoot just fine, sub 1/2 inch moa at 100 yards, have shot in the 2's. I think you might be real happy with the 35 Berger's. Best of luck to you
Jim D