Favorite Loads

Share information about reloading the 204 Ruger.
kenbrofox
Senior Member
Posts: 363
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2008 9:36 am
.204 Ruger Guns: remington vls 204
Location: lancashire UK

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by kenbrofox »

bow shot,
You shouldn't miss many critters with shooting like that, exellent.
wtdew,
How are you getting along with your ruger? It's been a while since you posted. bow shots post has reserected this thread. Did you sort the trigger? if not Timney make an easy fit one for rugers, quite cheap when compared to the likes of Jewels. Cheers,Ken. :D
' Pay it forward buddy '
User avatar
bow shot
Senior Member
Posts: 778
Joined: Fri Jul 24, 2009 8:04 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Rock River Arms AR-15 Varminter
Location: Central NY: infested with liberal wack-jobs and their damage

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by bow shot »

Thanks kindly 'brofox. It was a "steaming great" learning experience, with much self-induced agony getting this one dialed in (see the concentricity and 32 gr vamx threads). Now if I can only get back behind the gun!!

'Couldn't have come that far without the great contributors here...
wtdew
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 11:01 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Hawkeye Left hand .201

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by wtdew »

Well, I got the Ruger .204 rifle back from my smith and he did a great job on the trigger. It is now 2.5 pounds with no creep and just what I wanted. I watched him do the job.

Groups were not much better so I took the gun back to him last week for a bedding job and picked it up about three hours ago. The wind is around 30 mph here so this is not going to be a day to try for groups. I came in to get a drink (water) and saw this thread had come up... and I am putting the scope back on.

If all goes well, and the wind will die down, I am going to try to shoot day after tomorrow.

I'll be back...

Dew
JDB
New Member
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Apr 23, 2010 7:43 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Savage VLP 204 w/ Konus Pro M30 8.5X32x52
Location: Boise Idaho

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by JDB »

wtdew wrote:Well, I got the Ruger .204 rifle back from my smith and he did a great job on the trigger. It is now 2.5 pounds with no creep and just what I wanted. I watched him do the job.

Groups were not much better so I took the gun back to him last week for a bedding job and picked it up about three hours ago. The wind is around 30 mph here so this is not going to be a day to try for groups. I came in to get a drink (water) and saw this thread had come up... and I am putting the scope back on.

If all goes well, and the wind will die down, I am going to try to shoot day after tomorrow.

I'll be back...

Dew
Sounds like the weather in Idaho right now, 65 and sunny with 25-35MPH winds comming in from the NW gusting to 45.
wtdew
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 11:01 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Hawkeye Left hand .201

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by wtdew »

Success! The bedding did the job. I shot two loads of Ball C Lot 2 and Berger 25 grain match and the V-Max 32 grain Hornady. Several groups of less than an inch at 100 yards and two or three that can be covered with a dime. (.7 inch) I have a friend that says when he gets a Ruger 77 the first thing he does is to bed and float the barrel. Even before he shoots it. I think he is right. The smith said more or less the same thing.

I know I am going to like this rifle. I have a rather large amount of Ball C Lot 1 powder. That is correct Lot 1... the very first that was released years ago. I am going to try it and see if it shoots as well as the Lot 2.

Stay tuned!

WtDew
GO-FASTER
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 10:58 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington R-15 204
Location: Oregon

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by GO-FASTER »

just got a new CZ 204 and this was my second load test ,should of loaded 5 shots my cold shot was the one out of the group
40 g. v max
27.5 varget
rem. 7 1/2
2.325"
Image
wtdew
New Member
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 11:01 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Hawkeye Left hand .201

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by wtdew »

Go Faster

How did the first group look? I have a friend that has brought me his CZ .204 to work up a load for him. I have the 40s but don't think I have any Varget.

Dew
GO-FASTER
New Member
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon May 03, 2010 10:58 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington R-15 204
Location: Oregon

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by GO-FASTER »

wtdew wrote:Go Faster

How did the first group look? I have a friend that has brought me his CZ .204 to work up a load for him. I have the 40s but don't think I have any Varget.

Dew

IT WAS .5" oal was 2.300"
User avatar
Tokimini
Senior Member
Posts: 428
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2010 8:21 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington 700 SPS with a Shilen barrel
Location: Victor, NY

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by Tokimini »

I'm new to reloading for my prized .204 (Remington 700 SPS with a Leupold Mark AR scope) and I would like to thank everyone for for all the superb information that has been posted. I'm consistantly getting 3/8" three shot groupings at 100 yards with Hornady 40g Vmax factory ammo and hope to improve on that with my own loads. I'm going to load both 39g Sierra BK and Hornady 40g Vmax and see which one my gun likes best.
User avatar
Trent
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 11:26 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington 700 SPS Varminter
Location: Columbus, GA

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by Trent »

Ok, I am going to try and make a contribution to the team here. I noticed that the link for a download-able document back in 2007 (page 4) is long since broken. I am going to attempt to recreate the document and will eventually update it with all the loads since page 4. Currently this is only up to page 4 though and I will update it throughout the week as time permits. If anyone sees any problems please let me know. Cheers. :lol:

For me being a new .204 loader and trying to work up loads, all this info has been invaluable. Thank you for all those that have posted their info.

These are Excel spreadsheets that I am storing on KeepAndShare dot com. (free online document storage that I have been using for a few years)

Organized by bullet weight
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/2580584 ... m-19k?da=y

Organized by bullet brand
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/2580585 ... m-19k?da=y

Organized by powder type
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/2580586 ... m-19k?da=y

Organized by primer
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/2580587 ... m-19k?da=y
User avatar
Trent
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 11:26 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington 700 SPS Varminter
Location: Columbus, GA

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by Trent »

Now updated through page 6. :wtg:
User avatar
DoubleUp
Senior Member
Posts: 146
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 5:36 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: 204 Ruger

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by DoubleUp »

Trent, I can't get the links to open. Don't know if others are having the same problem.
User avatar
jo191145
Senior Member
Posts: 1064
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2005 7:23 pm
Location: Central CT.

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by jo191145 »

DoubleUp wrote:Trent, I can't get the links to open. Don't know if others are having the same problem.
Neither could I.
Fortunately Microsoft offers a FREE Excel viewer.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... 3f669dbc3a

Whats better than the price is it actually works :lol:

Very Nice Work Trent :wtg:
Image

Image
Savage VLP + NF 12x42 + 35 Bergers = .
User avatar
Trent
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Nov 29, 2010 11:26 am
.204 Ruger Guns: Remington 700 SPS Varminter
Location: Columbus, GA

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by Trent »

Thanks jo191145!

This is an excel spreadsheet so you'll need Excel or an Excel viewer like Jo mentioned.

Actually, DoubleUP... try this. It is in a PDF file. Most people should be able to open a PDF. I guess I have been using Microsoft Office for sooooo long that I just assume everyone else uses it too. :doh:

Sorted by Bullet weight and brand.
http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/2581701 ... m-12k?da=y
User avatar
DoubleUp
Senior Member
Posts: 146
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 5:36 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: 204 Ruger

Re: Favorite Loads

Post by DoubleUp »

Trent, thanks good work. Actually I use Excel all the time myself, but I think there might have been something wrong with this site last night when I was made the post. Don't have any problem at all now.
Post Reply