.204 ?

[wisconsinteacher]

If all goes well this year, I would like to reward myself with a new rifle. (I am looking for any reason to get one) I am really looking at a 204 Ruger. I would get a heavy barrel Savage for the rifle. I want the rifle to shoot 100-300 yards and maybe some light critter work close to the road. What are your thoughts on reloading for the 204 and if you have one, what do you like or not like about it? I have a 22-250 and an AR 223 so I don't want another .22 cal. I just want a rifle I can shoot a lot and make small groups with at the range.

 

[Oldtrader3]

The only issue that I have with my .204 Ruger, CZ 527 is that the rifle is a 1:12 twist which barely stabilises the 40 grain bullets and does not shoot them as accurately as the 32 grain bullets. Now some ammo companies are coming out with bullets heavier than 40 gr and they will not shoot in my rifle.

This would not be an issue except that the 32 grain bullets are quite susceptible to wind currents. For a rifle that could be shot at longer range varmits, this will be an issue. Other than this issue, the rifle is very accurate.

 

[Richracer1]

I have the Savage 12FV in 204 Ruger. The stock just plain sucks, the forend would flex, but then you get what you pay for. I bought a Boyd's thumbhole stock for it, sanded out the barrel channel to accomodate the bull barrel. Anyway the rifle shoots the 32gn Vmax quite well. I can't remember the power of the scope, but I do know it's a Bushnell 4200 Elite with the target dot.

My rifle:

Here's my load info:
Bullet - 32gn Vmax
Powder - 27gn of H322
Primer - GM205M
Brass - Hornady trimmed to 1.84"
COL - 2.32"
Avg Velocity - 3962 fps

I fired 10 rnds, somewhat quickly, into this target at 100yds using a rest. I was testing to see how the rifle fired when getting warm as I used it for one of the Vandenberg AFB Gun Club's rifle competitions that required a fair number of shots to be made in a certain time frame.

The other load is:
Bullet - Nosler 40BT
Powder - 24gn H322
All other info is the same.

Sorry, no velicities or target for this load.

 

[Guy Miner]

The .204 is a hoot! So little recoil, so much zap!

I use the little CZ 527 varminter, and it's one heck of a rifle for the money. A tiny Mauser type action with a set trigger that is really light. Some folks don't like the magazine hanging down below the action, I don't mind. Makes it real easy when we're "hunting" coyotes by driving old country roads in the winter. See coyote. Hop out, slap in the magazine, slap down the coyote.

I load mine mostly with the 35 gr Berger hollowpoint with BL-C(2) at 3900+ fps. Accurate, good velocity and powerful impact on varmints. Tends to take chunks out of rockchucks, and simply blows up smaller vermin.

Also load with the 40 grain Hornady V-Max at about 3750 fps, a very slick bullet that works well at longer ranges. It and the 32 gr Hornady are very explosive! Have to admit, I've not yet tried the Nosler bullets from the .204 Ruger.

Put a 12x Leupold with target turrets on it, but the danged thing shoots so flat and fast, I almost never bother twisting the dials, just put the crosshairs on the varmint and squeeze. The crosshairs never even come off target! The target takes the hit while I'm watching. Completely launched one rock chuck off a boulder. Gotta love it!

Now I don't have a .22 varminter, so maybe I like this .204 more than I would if I had a .223 on hand. It sure is fun to shoot.

Guy

 

[nitis]

I have a 700 sps sporter weight and it just loves 45 gr softpoints.

I am hoping that it will take a liking to the 40 gr bergers as I am just not impressed witht he results on coyotes with the softpoints.

also in the 204 Varget is your friend

 

[Guy Miner]

Also had this CZ for a while with a maple stock, and a tiny little barrel. It was a lot of fun, but I shoot the heavier barreled varmint version better:

I load for it with Wilson dies - neck size only. Works great!

 

[cloverleaf]

Guy- where'd ya find that Maple Stock? Some day Id like to have one....the 204 sounds like fun. CL

 

[Guy Miner]

CZ was making a limited number of them with maple stocks for a while. I really liked the looks of them. Some had quite a bit of "tiger stripe" in them.

A friend of mine has one. It's turned a beautiful honey color over the years he's owned it.

Guy

 

[BK]

I have a 700SPS-V I dropped in a McMillan stock. I haven't reloaded for it yet. It seems to shoot the Hornady 32gr factory stuff well, the 40 gr stuff even better. I think when I do get around to loading for it, my biggest problem is going to be dealing with tiny little .20 caliber bullets with sausage like fingers. :wink: Probably not as bad as my .17 Remington, though.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have peripheral neuropathy (no feeling) in my fingers but still can pick up the .20 caliber bullets, so far.

Guy, that is an interesting maple stock and it should darken the longer that you own it. I have always been a fan of the .222 Magnum case and the .204 uses it.

 

[SJB358]

I would really like a little 204. I have always liked the 222 Rem Mag case and the 204 looks like a very neat cartridge. Those CZs look pretty sharp as well. Scotty

 

[Guy Miner]

Looks like the new "Varmageddon" bullets and ammo will be a great addition to the .204 shooter's choice of ammo and bullets.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

In a Savage would you go with the 12FV or 25LV-T. The 25LV-T is $20 more.

 

[257 Ackley]

My 204 is a Phoenix Cooper that shoots nice small groups with Benchmark and 35 grain Bergers. It has a 1 in 12 twist and will not shoot 40 grain bullets into the group sizes I like. Great for yotes out to 300 yards and p-dogs and belding squirrels out to as far as you can shoot! No recoil, so you get to see the explosions!!

 

[Oldtrader3]

I have the same issue with my CZ 527 and its 1 in 12 twist. It shoots 32 grain bullets into about 1/2 inch groups and I can not do better than about 7/8 inch groups with any of the 40 gr bullets that I have tried. Now there are some 45 grain bullets out and they have much better ballistic coefficient. I guess it means a rebarrel or live with 32 grains bullets. The Nosler 32 gr BT's shoot great though.

 

[Guy Miner]

Of course it could be a LOT of fun to shoot-out the barrel on varmints, with 32 & 35 grain bullets, then re-barrel for the 40's... :grin:

 

[Oldtrader3]

This is true and may be the answer with this 32 gr projectile at 4000+ fps anyhow!

 

[wisconsinteacher]

What twist would be good for the 40gr bullets and can you shoot a lighter bullet out of a barrel that has a twist for a heavy bullet?

 

[Guy Miner]

Berger builds some long, heavy .20 cal bullets and has some suggestions for twist rates:

20 Caliber
30 gr Match Grade FB Varmint .204 30 0.149 N/A 14
35 gr Match Grade FB Varmint .204 35 0.176 N/A 14
40 gr Match Grade BT Varmint .204 40 0.225 0.115 12
50 gr Match Grade BT Varmint .204 50 0.281 0.144 9
55 gr Match Grade BT Long Range Varmint .204 55 0.381 0.195 8

The above data was copied from Berger, and I highlighted their recommended twist rates. They recommend a 1:12 twist for their 40 gr bullet, and I've had no problem stabilizing a 40 gr Hornady A-Max from my 1:12 twist barrel. Haven't tried the Nosler 40 gr yet.

Yes, a light bullet can be fired from a faster twist barrel that was intended for heavier bullets. Most of the time it works out fine, but sometimes there can be accuracy issues, or light, fast bullets have even been known to self-destruct when spun too fast and pushed too hard. They'll literally come apart in mid air.

Mostly though, yes, you can shoot lighter bullets through a faster twist barrel with good results. I wouldn't get to scared of the 1:12 twist rifling of many production .204's - it will probably shoot the 40 gr bullets well, and the lighter bullets too.

The .204 is a real easy round to like. Accurate, easy to load, and silly easy to shoot.

Regards, Guy

 

[Oldtrader3]

Guy, my 40 Hornady's stabilize just fine to 200 yards. It is the groups ize that is the first indication that yaw and pitch is getting out of control way before keyholing. A 1 in 9 barrel should stabilise the 32 fine they may disintegrate because of over-spin and fragile jackets.

My .22-250 use to leave a contrail to the target at 200 yards or no hole at all (sometimes) with 50 grain sierra's at 3800 fps. They would sometimes keyhole at 300 yards. This was back in the 1960's when the .22-250 first became a factory load.