With a barrel on order, I was starting to look at reloading the cartridge....

Since I tend to go to faster powders for smaller bores, I was thinking that powders like Alliant 2400, or IMR 4227 might be good choices... especially for that small 20 caliber bore hole...

Reloader 7, Reloader 10 and Benchmark also looked appealing....

Flaked powders, like H 335, BLC2, and W 748 also looked easily loaded, but I was wondering if they would be too slow for that bore?

Same with H 380....

So if any of you gentlemen have any suggestions or experiences... and would like to share them....

The bar is open......

thanks
seafire

Seafire,

I went over to .204Ruger.com, and asked this
same question, and got a pretty good chorus of
"Try H4895", along with a verse of "Use Berger
35 gr. bullets", so I did. This last weekend I
got a high 2's in one of the development load
groups, with a MV of 3800 something. This was a
3 shot test group, fired out of a Savage 16 FSS,
with less than 50 runds down the bore. All
test groups were under .7 MOA, and most were
under .5 MOA. I have a new batch of 5 shot
group test loads ready to go, to verify the
results, and to see what 5 shots do in a
sporter barrel. I think I will stick with
H4895, and 35 gr. Bergers

Squeeze

i've been using 29.5 gr of 748 w/ a 32 gr bullet with great success for a couple years now

27.5 grains of Varget and a 32-grain Sierra. very very accurate. only about 3700 fps though.

-Matt

AA2520 is the top choice.

https://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/...=566109233#566109233

I've been reloading the 204 in both 32 & 40 gr. bullets for about 1500 rds. both preform very well with H-335 powder. The 32 gr. is moving at 4040 f/s and the 40 gr. at 3800 f/s. Both are under .5 , with the 32 gr. showing a slightly tighter group. That extruded raises havoc in the funnel and through the powder thrower. Really like those ball powders. Have fun with the testing, its as much fun as the shooting afterwords.

The mid-speed ball powders are definately the way to go 748 , BLC , TAC , 2520 and the like ..............also the real fine grained stuff like H322 and Benchrest..........the fine grained or ball powder will save you alotta cussin when poured into that little neck.

I've also used 4320 with good success , although the books don't show any data on that one.

2400 or 4227 are WAY too fast for full power loads .

quote:

2400 or 4227 are WAY too fast for full power loads .

I use those powders in 223s a lot for economy... and I realize that they are not going to give max velocity that the case is capable of....

however, they are certainly good for 200 to 250 yds, giving 3000 fps in the 223...

I also like the way they are user friendly for those little 22 caliber holes at the top of the 223 case.. so hence my desire to see if they would work in the 204...

I have recently started using H 322 in the 223 since it is finally being carried at my local powder source...

That sounds like where I might start....IMR 4320 is also a good 223 powder when the load is 27.5 grains.. regardless of bullet weight under 63 grains...

From what is said above, seems like 223 loading patterns hold true for the 204.. I just didn't know if the smaller bore would change things that much...

thanks to all for their inputs.

I had my best groups todate with Hodgon Bench mark and Reloader 10X. I chose 26.3 grains of reloader 10x with a 32 grain Blitz King and federal Match primers. That load shoots around .3 to .4 inch groups at 100 yards and I have a 10 shot average velocity of 4066 fps. I did not see any other people using these powders. Has any one else tried them? I tried Varget with very pour results. But love that powder in my .308. I am going to try some 35 grain Berger's and see if they penatrate deeper on the coyotes than the Blitz Kings.

Best I've found so far has been 748, but I'm still playin'.

I've used H322 at the recommendation of the guys at Sierra....very accurate but not high end velocity. I like RL-15 but it doesn't meter worth shit.

2400 and 4227 are too fast to the point of being dangerous especially 2400. H335 might well be a good powder but watch it for temperature swings on hot days, I use it in the .17 Mach IV and it's very temp sensitive.
My best luck with the .204 might not have a great deal of bearing cause my .204 is a minimum spec chamber with zero free bore. That aside it's most accurate load is using 10X and 39 grain Sierra BlitzKings with 7 1/2BR primers.

I have used h335, Imr 4895, varget, Benchmark, and Imr4198. There is a load posted earlier of 27.5 gr of varget with 32 gr bullets. This also works very well for me. Varget does everything well in the .204. So does 4895 and benchmark. My gun prefers 40 gr bullets over the 32 grainers though. vmax and bergers are the two 40 grainers I've tried. 40 gr bergers are scary accurate. I am also playing with the 45 gr hornady sp. Not too bad so far, but not as accurate as the 40's. 40's seem to run the best for me at or very near the max loads.

Good info folks. I just set up the 550B and tried metering IMR 4198...ain't happening! Called Dillon this AM and the tech told me "ain't happenin". I scaled the first load to see where I was and then after a very slight adjustment the damn thing threw 1.5 grains heavy. Tech told me that was common and to expect 1.0 to 1.5 variance and to go to a different powder. Doing a P-dog hunt this spring and need to load a bunch of these with already bought 32 Vmax bullets. I see Win.748 is kinda popular. Any thought on Benckmark powder? smoker1

Your 550 is gonna bridge in that small case mouth with anything but a ball powder. I'd try 748 or H322.

Thanks montdoug, 748 is often mentioned. Have you had good results with this powder? Do you happen to know what Benchmark looks like? Sierra recommends it with a 32gr. bullet, and I have followed thier recommends with very good results. Thier test rifle is exactly like mine.

quote:

Originally posted by seafire/B17G:
With a barrel on order, I was starting to look at reloading the cartridge....

thanks
seafire

Have you thought about any Bluedot reduced loads w/32 grain bullets?

My friend switched from 32 grain bullets to 35 grain Bergers and is still blowing big holes in coyotes. He is thinking about switching to the 40 gr Bergers. I'm waiting for Berger to call me back before I start reloading my 204 with 40 grain Bergers for coyotes.

I'm also looking for a reduced load for general plinking at gophers.

Thanks for the help.

quote:

Originally posted by Smoker1:
Thanks montdoug, 748 is often mentioned. Have you had good results with this powder? Do you happen to know what Benchmark looks like? Sierra recommends it with a 32gr. bullet, and I have followed thier recommends with very good results. Thier test rifle is exactly like mine.

I have not used it. My .204 is a bit of an anomaly in that it's a CZ 527 Kevlar Varmint that I had rechambered with a custom .204 reamer with minimum spec chamber and zero free-bore. The load it uses is with WW cases using RL 10X, 39 grain Sierra BlitzKings and 7 1/2BR primers. (factory ammo can never be used in this rifle now).
BenchMark is a small grained extruded powder that I'd guess will also bridge.
I don't mean to rain on yer parade but I can't see loading .204 ammo with your Dillon. I have a 550B since they first came out and have loaded untold thousands of straight walled pistol ammo, I love my Dillon. The rub is that even with .22 caliber, (at least when I got mine) Dillon was careful to caution about bridging with any thing but ball powders.
Personally I would not load any high intensity small caliber rounds on a Dillon. As you know the bullet seating step in a Dillon is done blind, I want to do a visual comparison of each case before bullet seating with rounds like the .204. Plus which I don't shoot fast enough to make any savings of time worth while compared to the safety risk. A 10MM or .44 Mag is one thing, small calibers which I shoot a lot of are another.
If your commited to this course of .204 with a Dillon I'd use a real sane load using H322. Nothing but a real fine small grained ball powder has a fighting chance of working with a .20 caliber IMO. Keep in mind a number of those ball powders are real temperature sensitive so if you work up an upper end load at 70 it could get "real" exciting at 90. H335 while real accurate is a big offender in that area with the small calibers, small meaning .17, .19 and .20 cals.
Just my 2 cents, sorry for highjacking the thread.

Your info is founded on experience...that's the way we get knowledge. I have a Lyman 1200 powder dispenser and while being slow it is +/-.0001....that's good enough for me. I have enough powder/bullets to make what I need for this trip. I will take some test loads out with me for kicks. Thanks for your good effort. smoker

Back to .204 reloading. I have used .32 grain Hornady V-max and .39 grain Sierra and having trouble tearing up my bobcats I shoot. I would be intersted if anyone knew of any reduced loads with a Bluedot or Redot powder.

What I think would work good would be a spitzer style bullet instead of a hollow point or ballistic tip. Does anyone make a spitzer type bullet in a .40 or .45 grain.

Hornady is making a 45gr spitzer I believe, bout time.

Tried the 32 and 39 when they first came out. I believe my rifle could shoot both but the 32 just grouped a touch tighter. Never had a chance to shoot at any range greater than 200 yards, so we'll see this spring. smoker1

Bobcat are real soft and finding a load that doesn't chew em up might be difficult. Any of the polymer tipped bullets are going to hydraulic on entry with soft furred animals such as bob cats I'm guessing. I'd suggest one of the Bergers such as perhaps a 35 grainer and load it to 33 or 3,400ish fps. I know some guys that are very pleased with that bullet on coyote and fox not only with the .204 but other .20's as well.
My real suggestion would be a smaller 17 caliber like the new .17 Remington Fire Ball Remington just introduced. Critters I've shot with a .17 MachIV have a little .17 caliber hole going in and nothing coming out. Great fur guns. No drama at all, just flips the switch on em.

quote:

Originally posted by jbhewitt:
Hornady is making a 45gr spitzer I believe, bout time.

Saw some Hornady 45 grainers today. Book shows max load at 3,600 fps. Stated "should be good for coyotes".

Benchmark with the 32 gr bullets

4895 with the 39 and 40 gr

Varget for anything heavier.

Easy.

Tried H-322 but accuracy was so so and only with the lighter 32 gr (V-max and Sierra). Accuracy was lousy with the heavier ones.
I only use H-4895 and RL-10X now, and they work very well with all of them. I found the RL-10X had a slight edge for accuracy.

How does RL-10 meter? smoker