After several range trips and chronograph tests I have concluded that the 2230 and the .204 are compatible!!!!
The data is coming from a Savage VLP, 26" barrel so your results may vary!!!
Using the new 39 grain SIERRA BlitzKing ahead of 26.0 grains of AA2230, and a Remington 7 1/2 primer yields(in this rifle) 3796fps and the smallest group to date measures .125!!!! for 4!!! Then 2 guys were watching thru spotters and saw the "shooter error" factor come into play and thus the group opened to an "enormous" .418"!!! The first 4 were what we dream of!!!
If you are using the Hornady 32 grain VMaxs you can bump the load to 28.0 grains of AA2230 and the Remington 7 1/2 primer and should get you somewhere in the 4260fps area and outstanding accurracy!!! With this load I'm getting aggregates in the .406" range!!! That's prairie dog city decimation!!!! Time for the 200,300,400,500, ??????????yard tests!!! I like this little beast!!!! I think it's here to stay!! GHD

GHD-- Thanks for the update on the AA2230 testing. Although, I'll be testing H4895 in my 39 gr. Sierra loads at the start, I will probably have a few casings loaded up with AA2230 and the 39 gr. bullets as well!

I did use 27.0 gr. of AA2230 with one 4-shot group using the 32 gr. V-Max bullet last fall and was impressed with the velocity and the accuracy for the test. Thanks again for the test results!!!

Sounds great, GHD. I have the same rifle that you and Silverfox has and have been sorta waiting to see if Lee is going to make a standard production Collet die before I start obtaining stuff to load for it. I will definately try you guy's loads when I do. But I purchased 12 boxes of factory ammo to burn up for brass, and as well as it is shooting it and I can still get it for $11 a box, I will not be in no drastic hurry.

GHD, thanks for the info, I just loaded my first rounds for my 204 night before last using IMR4198 with 32gr V-Max, just haven't had decent weather to try them out yet. Picked up a Rem 700 stainless with a Boyds thumbhole stock a few weeks ago that has shot wonderfully with factory ammo. Not a whole lot of time left before Dogs will be out real good

I've been wondering the same thing about the collet dies, but it appears to be a ways off. I've decided to just pick up a set of the Hornady's at the local reloading store when they come in next week.

>>Lee response
Probably not this year. It will depend on how many they actually custom make
for that caliber.


At 10:47 AM 3/10/05 -0800, you wrote:

Thank you for the reply, though this does leave one other question. Does Lee have plans to introduce the Collet dies and/or factory crimp dies sometime this year?

Thanks,
Kevin



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Lee Precision, Inc. [mailto:info@leeprecision.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 10, 2005 10:15 AM
To: Jarrard, Kevin
Subject: Re: 204 Ruger

90417 is the product number for the limited production Pace setter die set, $30.98.
The factory crimp die and the collet die for this caliber would need to be custom made.

Collet Die Set

A Custom Collet Die Set costs $50 per set which consists of the Collet sizer and the Dead Length Bullet Seater, a shell holder and dipper. Maximum outer diameter at the base is .555 and the maximum bullet diameter is .375. There are a few exceptions for the larger Ultra Mags and if interested in those, you may want to give us a call or send a case to determine whether or not we can make them.

If you are interested in a custom collet die set, send payment, and three fired cases from the rifle that the ammunition is to be reloaded for. We use these cases to determine the dimensions of the dies to be made. Please also send a couple sample bullets, so we can test the dies before shipment.

Lead time on Collet dies is approximately 90 days depending upon our work load.

Factory Crimp Dies

A Custom Factory Crimp Die for rifle cartridges can be made for any cartridge with a bullet diameter up to .458 inch and a maximum outer diameter at the base of .580. Send $25 and a dummy cartridge (a bullet seated in an empty case)

Rifle Factory Crimp Dies are cartridge specific and there are a few that cannot be made. Any handgun case that is of a bottleneck design qualifies because the die would have to made much like the rifle factory crimp dies but we do not make die bodies shorter than that you would find on a .223 Remington. Examples would be the 30 Mauser, 7.62 x 25 and the .357 Sig. The 50 AE also applies because the case is too short for the die bodies available.

Custom Carbide Factory Crimp Dies for handgun cartridges can be made for most handgun cartridges that are not in regular stock. Cost is $30.00 which includes shipping. In most cases, a dummy cartridge is not necessary for Carbide Factory Crimp Dies. Sizes available run from 25 ACP sized cases up to the 480 Ruger. The 50 AE cannot be made because the carbide ring necessary for this cartridge is too large for our manufacturing process.

Our address is:

Lee Precision, Inc.
4275 Highway "U"
Hartford, WI 53027



At 11:35 AM 3/8/05 -0800, you wrote:

1) I would like to find out if there are plans this year for Lee to produce a Pacesetter 204 Ruger loading die set that will include the factory crimp die?

2) I would also like to know if you are planning to release a collet dies set for this same caliber.