What rifle?

[truckerwalt]

i recently purchased a t/c .204 ruger used and found it seemed to have excessive head space--the primers had backed out a bit. i already have 2 other .204's so i asked my gunsmith if he had ever heard of the 20 practical. he said he had built several and had everything so that it would be a very easy thing to do. i had to buy a redding full resizing bushing die and already a big supply of empty .223 brass that i can easily now neck down to .204 cal. i see some .20 tactical loading data but nothing in print hardly for the .20 practical. i am assuming that i can use the tactical data as it is using the same case length and caliber--the only difference is the shoulder angle is slightly different. i know that i have to use caution developing loads for this rifle but i think i can get that part done without hurting me or the rifle. i just wanted to see if anyone here abouts might have some data/advise that i could consider using. the website that i got the info about this caliber from had very good groups and velocity using 32 grain bullets. i hope to use many other bullets before i get done playing with my new toy. i have 26 grain barnes, 30 gr, and 35gr and 40 grain berger bullets, 40 grain nosler, 40 gr. v-max bullets and also the sierra 39 grain bullets. i will try to post some of these loads as they develop and have them chronographed also. i haven't checked my twist rate on the 5R rifling barrel but having read your post i hope it is 1:10. this used rifle came home and i set about trying to clean the copper out and could not find any trace of copper in the bbl. after putting another 40 rounds thru it still no copper--60 rounds later there was a slight trace of copper i could hardly believe the small amount of copper to be found after 100 rounds. with 24 grains of H-4198 it clocked at 4043 fps with excellent accuracy using a 32 grain v-max bullet.

[truckerwalt]

The 204R CAN be a great coyote rifle out to 300-350 yards or so. The bullet of choice, however, is the 35 grain Berger MHP and shoots well in 1:12 barrels. As far as I know, you have to load your own, though. The 32 grain V-Max is awesome for rodents but is not a coyote bullet, not even close. Also, it has been pretty well established that a 1:12 barrel that shoots the 40 grain V-Max accurately is the exception, not the rule. The 39 grain Sierra BK would be another option, and a better choice than the 32 grain V-Max. Still nowhere near the performance of the Berger, though.

204R+coyotes=reloading

I realize a person can kill just about anything, with anything. It does not, however, make it a good idea or anywhere near optimal.

.204 39 grain sierra bullet, rem 7.5 primers and 25 grains H-322 made a group from my savage model 12 at 100 yards 4 shots in .188"

[varmit_master]

I love the TC venture 204 ruger 1@10. I can shoot up to 45gr if I want to. I going to buy me a another one one day. So I can can have another 204 ruger rifle so my boys will have one each. Plus I have have one to shoot 34gr too play around with.

[truckerwalt]

i purchased a t/c adventure used from cabelas with the winter camo. after shooting it a few times i realized that the primers were backing out a bit. my gunsmith said that it was probably within factory specs. i asked him if he had ever heard of a .20 practical. he stated that he had built several and that he had the reamer and everything he needed. i had the work done and this gun really shoots good and i have chronographed loads of 32 grains over 4,000 fps. it shoots really well with 39 gr. sierra bullets ahead of 23.5 gr. of h-322 and other loads including h-4198 and imr-4198. i checked the twist rate and came up with 1 : 10. it also loves the 40 gr. bullets ahead of 26 grains of ar-comp--i had one of those with 4 shots in .164". my .204 ruger savage model 12 likes 25 grains of h-322 and 39 grain sierras.