Need a Starting Point on the 204 KM77VT Target Rifle

[the_right_reverend]

Since The Base has stopped selling reloading supplies the local dealers have got very proud of thier limited Supplies.....
an average of $29.00 a pound over all I have decided to eat the Hazmat Fee on the powder and go with having it shipped in...

looking around the forums I have decided to start with the Hornady V-Max and Nosler Ballistic Tip in 40 gr using Hornady and Nosler brass all are now inbound from Powder Valley....... Any shooters with the a Ruger Target rifle I would welcome little input what works well for you as a starting point ..... So we can work up the next order

How is Gander mountain on prices, got one of them about 1 1/2 dirve or am I better off with letting UPS do the leg work??


r

[jo191145]

Howdy Reverend

First off, Do you know your new rifle is going to shoot the 40gn pills? Have you tried 40gn factory ammo with good results?
Just a rough uneducated guess on my part but I'd say only 20%-25% of factory tubes group well with the 40's. That might be a generous percentage at that. I have some tubes that throw 40's like buckshot out of my coach gun.

[the_right_reverend]

I group under 3/4 inch @ 100 yd with Hornady Varmint Express 32 gr and Winchester Super-X 34gr.... under less then ideal range conditions...... thats the extent of the local ammo supply. thought we would give a few 40's a try......

once the darn target stops blowing back forth in the rack i should get some nice groups

[jo191145]

OK Just didn't want to see you order a couple thou of the 40's and then find out some 204's will not digest them properly
The wind has been pretty brutal up here in CT lately too.

[joghotrod]

I have a rifle just like yours and it loves 27.7 grs. of H 4895 behind the 39 SBK's. Oal of 2.3 and CCI BR4 primers.

One day I was out shooting at the range and a spider crawled across the corner of my target. Bad mistake, I shot him and when I went down to see the target, all I saw was a hole with spider guts all around it. This was at 100 yds.

Jimmy

[race4hills]

The load I use is almost exact like joghotrod's but with 27.5grs for my Ruger 77 VT. Kills pds out past 400 yards with no compaints from them.

[bythebook]

I have the same gun. I have been using 32 grain V-Max and 31 grain of BLc-2 with CCI450 primers. THIS IS OVER MAX but 2 of my guns like it and my best group with the Ruger is .168 C to C for 5 shots at 100yds. This was early one AM and a windless morning so it is not the usual but not too far off. Chrono at 4125 fps the same as factory ammo from this gun. AGAIN THIS IS .3 OVER MAX. so work up to it.