fredbeer--Back in the summer of 2004, a well-known coyote hunter from Idaho shared his bullet information with me that he uses in his Tac 20. The last season he used the Tac 20 as his primary gun, he fell just short of the century mark with 96 coyotes. He put up 73 (good fur) and out of that he had 9 that didn't just fall in their tracks. Six were spinners and three were runners. Here's the information he provided for me:
He load tested and used the 30 gr. FBHP Berger, the 35 gr. FBHP Berger, 40 gr. BTHP Berger and the 50 gr. BTHP Berger. He settled on using the 35 gr. FBHP Berger. His most accurate load was running at 4,204 fps average over a 10-shot string. He said this bullet put the coyotes down and did not ruin the hides in the process.
His take on the 40 gr. BTHP Berger was that while his best load ran 3,990 fps average over a 10-shot string, he felt that this was a very good bullet for someone who did ADC work. He said it puts them down hard, but it will mess up the fur unless you pick your shots well.
He said the 50 gr. BTHP has an outstanding BC of .294 and he tested it at velocities between 3,450 and 3,700. His pet load ran 3,619 fps average over a 10-shot string. He said this bullet will totally devastate any coyote or wolf you shoot with it provided bullet placement is proper.
I began testing loads with the 35 gr. Berger on August 12, 2004. I tested only three different powders with the 35 gr. FBHP Berger, which included Reloder 10X, BL-C(2), and H4895. I figured if about 4,200 fps whacked and stacked the coyotes out of a Tac 20 with the 35 gr. FBHP Bergers, then 4,200 fps or so should work just fine out of my .204 Ruger. By August 17, 2004, I had a load worked up using H4895 and that's the load I still use with that bullet today. My load is a
VERY HOT LOAD giving me right around 4,225 fps at the muzzle. This is a load that I don't shoot in warm temperatures any longer
I think Hodgdon lists 28.2 gr. of H4895 as the max load for the 35 gr. Berger. My muzzle velocity with 28.2 gr. of H4895 was right around 3,900 fps. I know a couple of .204 Ruger shooters who have had extremely good results using 28.0 gr. of H4895 with the 35 gr. Berger.
I didn't continue using BL-C(2) because I had read reports that it is temperature sensitive and on my first trip to the range testing these three powders, the Rel 10X and H4895 just seemed to be better choices for me. As I mentioned, H4895 came out as my powder of choice, not only for the 35 gr. Berger, but for most of the bullets I shoot out of my Savage 12VLP.
My load is still shooting very nice groups and I try to sight my rifle in to be 1 inch high at 100 yards. Here's a couple of test targets shot at 100 yards from a concrete bench with my bipod for a front rest and a rabbit-ear sand bag for the rear rest. The first target was shot on November 4, 2004.
The target below was shot on January 20, 2006. I had been out coyote calling in early January that year and when walking back to the pickup my left leg went down into a badger hole and I fell extremely hard and fell right on my rifle and scope. I carry a cardboard box in the back of my pickup with an 8½" x 11" sheet of paper with targets on it and I set that out at 50 yards and shot three shots and did not even hit the box!!! I had to finish up the hunt that day with my Lilja barreled .17 Remington and did manage to kill the only coyote we called in after my little accident. Anyway, I took the scope off the rifle, got it inspected. The rear dovetail mount ring had moved just a slight bit as a result of my fall. I use Burris Signature rings and that is probably what saved my scope from a nasty dent or other damage. I got the dovetail mount back in place, reinstalled the scope and did my best to get it bore sighted and headed out to the range to do some final sighting in. I set up the box at 50 yards and after three shots, I figured I had the scope about where I wanted it and set my target up at 100 yards. My first shot at 100 yards was low and to the right. I adjusted the windage and elevation and fired three more shots. That target is below.
By the way, I no longer use the dovetail mounting system on any of my rifles.
Good luck on your quest to find a good load. Keep us posted on your progress.
so work your way up. For some reason or another, none of my rifles like the 40's. Didn't try very hard though with the 35's doing so well.
