reloading questions

[bucksnort06]

Which dies are recommended for loading up the 204. Should I get the FL sizing die and seater as well as neck sizer or just a FL sizing die. I was think maybe Redding or Lee dies. Also I heard H335 is good powder for the 204. I plan on loading 35 grain berger for coyote hunting! Thanks guys for any help.

[WrzWaldo]

Welcome to the 204ums!

H335 will work in the 204 but two of my favorite loads consist of RL-15 and BL-C(2).

You can find many of the forums favorite loads here!

As for dies. I like Redding and the Hornady "New Dimension" dies. A neck die is a must have if you want to stretch brass life. You can get by without a neck die if you fiddle with the depth of stroke on the FL size die. If you will be loading for an auto-feeder (AR) or someone else's rifle you will need to FL size!

WW

[Lee C.]

The forster and redding dies are both good.

[skipper]

There are dies and then there are good dies. I won't buy a seating die unless it has the micrometer dial on top to control depth. It's just easier to achieve the results you want and repeat the same results without having to adjust the whole die up and down in the press. With that said, there are good and bad micrometer top dies. I initially bought the RCBS Gold Medal Match seating die with Micrometer depth adjustment and the neat little loading window on the side of the die. Nice idea, but it just wouldn't seat bullets straight in the case. My Total Indicated Runout was around .014 for a lot of rounds and I was never able to beat .003 very often. That die sits on the shelf collecting dust now.

The Redding Competition series and Forster Ultra dies with the sliding sleeve represent the best value in seating dies. Yes, they cost a little more but they are well worth it. My Redding Competition seating die with micrometer top is hard to beat for controlling run out and the micrometer top lets me repeat the same seating depth each time I screw the die into the press. Since I can bottom the die out on the shell holder every time I set it up I don't have to go through the gyrations of tightening and untightening the locking ring and raising and lowering the die until I get the proper seating depth. The marks on the die body are graduated in .001" increments so I can raise or lower my seating depth precisely if I want to seat several different bullet types to a specific depth.

A bushing neck sizing die is an excellent suggestion since it lets you just size the neck. The advantage is that you don't ruin the custom fit that fire forming achieves. Shoot your cartridges, now the brass matches your rifles chamber perfectly and just size the neck back down enough to provide proper neck tension for your bullets. Not sure what neck tension is best for your rifle? It's O.K. since you have a bushing neck sizing die. Just switch interchangeable bushings of varying sizes to try a little more or a little less neck tension and your rifle will tell you what it likes best.

You're still going to need a full length sizing die for new brass or brass shot from someone else's rifle. The full length sizing die can also be used to bump the shoulders back after your brass becomes fatigued from numerous sizing operations. Again you want a quality die that will not induce runout into the case neck. If your case shoulder and neck are not truly on the same axis you will measure runout on a concentricity gauge. If you start with runout between the neck and shoulder, you will end up with that much runout and possibly even more if your seater can't control run out between the bullet and case neck. These off axis errors can multiply during your reloading process resulting in some real wobblers. Roll a loaded round across a table and watch the very tip of the bullet. Does it wobble???

The bottom line is to buy quality dies if you want to produce the most accurate rounds possible. That way you can see the true potential of your 204 Ruger. Like me, you might be amazed at what this little cartridge can do.