Groundhog devastation: Yes Montana is wide open as far as calibers for Big Game goes.

I have shot a number of Antelope with 22-250's, 220 Swifts and have seen a couple killed with 223's but you are right - best for me to use my 240 Weatherby or my 260 Remington 700 VLS or my new Antelope Rifle (new last year) which really performed well - its a Remington 700 Sendero in 270 Winchester! The 270 Sendero also bagged two Mule Deer for me last year. One was my best Buck in a long time.

I was just day dreaming - delusional thoughts of grandeur regarding the 204 Ruger.

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

VarmintGuy, it must be a Montana thing, we have a resident antelope herd on our range as well. You might have seen our range, it's actually at Logan and there are times you almost have to physically run out and chase em off cause rifle fire doesn't even faze em. Such is life in Montana, Big Timbers range frequently looks like a feedlot for mule deer.

Have you tried any Benchmark in that .204 yet? I was having a hell-of-a time getting the 40 to shoot in my Tact.20 till I tried it. I know they are different rounds but I'm betting their close enough to share a lot of data (wish my CZ would get here). That 40 V-Max has a BC of .275, at 3,900 to 4,000 fps check that out on a ballistics program. Neat caliber, wait'll you get it on a p-dog town, ya overshoot em for the first 30 minutes and then it all comes together!



As to your question on shooting a goat I'm bettin a broadside antelope hit in the lungs with that 40 V-Max would drop like a prom dress! I've seen what it does on a rockchuck and as easy as antelope die compared to other big game if you set off that 40 grainer in it's chest cavity it'll be "termitus goatus" in a hurry. That's my guess anyway.

And yes GHD a .22 long rifle is legal in Montana, no caliber restrictions whatever. (maybe there oughta be?) So a .20 with that 40 wouldn't raise an eyebrow, .22-250's are actually a very popular (and effective) antelope whackers around here. For whatever reason antelope just don't seem to be as tenacious as other critters their size. But my personal choice is to never shoot em running (they eat better when they ain't scared, and boy are they fast) and when using lighter calibers only take broadside shots and always hit em in the lungs (helps bring all the blood in from the extremities and makes em taste better) . Properly cared for antelope is my favorite wild meat.

VG and Montana Doug, Caliber laws are strange from state to state! It's perfectly legal to take an M1Carbine in VA but a 22-250 is not legal deer medicine! Go figure! And yes, I have seen the antelope run and yes I agree as to it being my favorite "venison" type meat! My next trip out, I hope to be able to get an extra tag and bring back more and I'll give the mule deer to the rancher! And if it wouldn't be a lot of trouble Doug, how about either posting your BENCHMARK Tac 20 data here or sending it to me in a PM. I definitely want to try the powder in the 204. As good as it is in 222MAG and 223 cases, it ought to be pretty good in the 204. Thanks! GHD

Hey GHD. My Benchmark 40 grain V-Max load is as follows. IMI cases (slightly less capacity but great brass), Remington 7 1/2 BR primer, 25.6 grain Benchmark with the 40 grain V-Max .005 into the lands. I'm chrono'ing 3,890ish and have no signs of pressure, in fact I'd feel comfortable up'ing it a bit. It's agg'ing 5 shot groups in the low .4's, and while this rifle shoots smaller groups with the 33 grain V-Max it's certainly good enough.
Benchmark has become one of my favorite powders, I use it in my .223's my .22-250 my .17 MachIV and the Tactical .20. I really like the fact it's an "Extreme" powder and is less temp sensitive than other powders. Things happen real fast in the sub-caliber wildcats and some of the ball powders are accurate but really have alot of pressure issues in the heat and cold, Benchmark also meters well. Keep me posted on your load data, I'm really looking forward to shooting that CZ if it ever shows up.

Here's the link to Hodgdon's Web page with .204 reloading data for the Hornady 32 gr. & 40 gr. as well as the Berger 35 gr. bullets. Benchmark is listed among the powders for the .204.



Hodgdon Web page for .204 Ruger reloads



I have a friend who uses Ramshot Tac and Ramshot X-Terminator in his Tactical 20 and gets excellent results with those two powders.

Montdoug: Thanks for the tips and info I will look into that BenchMark powder. I have never used it before.

No I have not shot any handloads in my 204 as yet. I now have 40 (well 39!) pieces of once fired brass and need to get back to the range with some handloads and wring them out.

The Antelope were back at the range today but further out. It was windy and I held off shooting - I will get up earlier tomorrow and try to beat the wind.

The fireworks show here in Dillon tonight was punctuated with lightning bolts, thunder, wind, rain and very cool temps! Come on Montana - its July for petes sake!

I accidentally crushed a 204 brass the other day when I was setting up my dies and making a test cartridge for over-all length! I went into a cuss fest that eventually led to a breathing arythmeia! Oh well - it happens.

Hold into the wind

VarmintGuy

I use Ramshot Xterminator in my 20BR, and it is very accurate. It is extremely fine and meters beautifully, and is very clean burning. I also get excellent results with H-322. I've not tried H-335. All I use are the 33gr VMax bullets. I still have about 500 of them left.

Montdoug: Which Model CZ in 204 did you order? I have seen several models of CZ lately in the flesh and they are starting to grow on me.
I hope yours gets here soon and shoots like most all the CZ's I am aware of shoot - real well!
Blustery here today and no shooting til at least evening or tomorrow.
Yeah I can not wait to get that 204 into a Prairie Dog Town even if I only have 40 or 60 rounds to use on them.
There is a 300 yard metal gong at my range and I shot it with the 40 gr. Hornady's. Now I am sure that bullet sure got to that gong QUICKLY!
I got both a phone call today and an offline E-mail inquiring when the 204 brass will get here. I again have no idea but I have asked everyone that I can think of and everyone I have run into at numerous sport shops in the west and no one is even guessing.
More later.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, Doug and SF, Got to test some more with the 40's today and the BenchMark. If I want to shoot a groundhog with a 40 grain bullet, I'll just use the 40 BT from the 222MAG!!!! 25.2 grains of BM, Fed 205 Match, COL of 2.360 yeilded 1.605 with velocity at 3626. 25.7 grains of BM yeilded 10 shot group of 1.550 with 7 of them into .556 and the COL was 2.300......shorter might mean something here! Velocity was 3627.....didn't gain much velocity but spread was closer and group was tighter! Might shorten them down some more and test again! But the 32's are the ticket without having to dink with them much! I shot a "combined group of 12" using factory and the 28.3 grains of H4895 and it was only .800! Split them out and there is a.29 and a .6 or so! I maybe ought to "shorten" my h4895 load up as they are 2.355! I guess that's the next test session but overall, I'm pretty tickeled with a "factory" gun that wasn't any problem at all to get down in the .3's!!! I tested a bunch of stuff today.....Now that 300SAUM load with the 125 Noslers at 3566 ought to smoke a varmint! It was fast and pretty darn good too!!!! .86 from a light barreled Stainless BDL! 64 grains of VARGET and a CCI 250 with COL of 2.850. That one needs a different peice of glass to go to the varmint fields! The 3x9 PENTAX LightSeeker is a heckuva hunting scope but leaves a little to be desired for "way out yonder!" If any one of you all wants some 40 grain VMaxs and will send me a pilot for a PACIFIC/HORNADY case trimmer for the 204 we'll trade! VG, I also formed some 222MAG brass today using 27.0 grains of BM and the 32's.....they did 3948 and were more accurate than any of the 40's!!! GHD

In no particular order, as to the Ramshot powders, I have both and have tried the Tac in my Tact.20 wasn't the best for me groups in the.7's. I haven't tried the Exterminator but plan too. Like Sam my rifle is very fond of the discontinued 33 V-Max, most accurate bullet to date. Fortunately I grabbed hold of a lot more than 500.

As to the CZ, I was at Shed Horn today talking to Rob about that very subject. It seems there is some confusion as to exactly what's happening. What I want is the Varmint Laminate which an add in "Small Caliber News" says they are going to make. I have that model in the .223 and it is a seriously accurate rifle, plus which I love single set triggers. I read one place the 2 models they were making were the American (cute short and light, good carry rifle) and the Varmint with a wood stock. The wood stocked Varmint is what they made the .17 Remington in, I have that as well and while it shoots well it doesn't lend itself to my kind of shooting as well as the Varmint Laminate (that is to say it's rounded roley-poley stock doesn't set a bag worth poop! I like a flat forend). Robs got all bases covered with orders and as soon as he can assertain when the Varmint Laminate will be here it's mine.

GHD, I think your discovering what a lot of guy's have which is that while the .20 cal 40 V-Max has a mongo BC and performs beautifully on critters a lot of rifles don't seem to like em. That's why I got so excited when I found that Benchmark load that'd shoot in the .4's at 3,900ish (3 trips to the range have confirmed that we do indeed have a winner!). If you ever run across any of the 33 grain V-Max's grab all you can, you won't be sorry.

montdoug--I have heard reports that the 33 gr. V-Max bullets are devastating on fur. What has your experience been on fur damage with the 33 gr. pill?

The latest edition of Small Caliber News lists Reloader 10X as Todd Kindler's choice for both the 32 gr. and 40 gr. V-Max in a Tactical 20. I wonder if the Reloader 10X would perform equally well in the .204 Ruger?

I couldn't find any Reloader 10X on the shelf at Scheel's in Minot, ND yesterday or I would have picked up a pound and done some testing myself. He was getting 4,225 fps with the 32 gr. V-Max using 26.5 gr. of Reloader 10X and 4,000 fps with the 40 gr. V-Max using 25.9 gr. of Reloader 10X. There are also test numbers for charge weights and velocities for Ramshot TAC and the 40 gr. Berger and Hodgdon Benchmark and the 40 gr. Berger in the Tactical 20.

Some "expert" (I don't remember who) said they started their testing of loads with various powders in the .204 Ruger by using the MAX load for the Tactical 20. I'm not sure I'd do that, but if you have the Tac 20 info, you can start with something below those max loads and work upwards little-by-little.

Hey Silverfox. The fur I shoot at I want to devastate and devastate it does! I've yet to shoot any keepable fur bearers so I really can't answer your question from experience, however several of the guy's on another site I frequent hunt a great deal of fur and their reports have been just the opposite. My guess is it has a lot to do with velocity and distance, but at 4,200+ it'll sure spread a rat!
I read that article in "SCN" and it confirms what I've heard fron others as to 10X in the Tactical .20, I have some and intend to try it.
As too starting out with a max Tact.20 load in the .204 my personal take is that's a bad idea with a capitol "BAD".
Every firearm has it's own personality as we all know and never have I seen that demonstrated more than in the hyper-velocity sub-calibers. I can't get anywhere near Todd Kindlers max loads in either my .17 Mach IV or my Tactical .20, however both of em exceed the usually expected velocities with less powder ( I've talked to Todd on many occasions and admire him greatly, with that in mind I say that there are those out there that feel he just might have asperations to be a pyrotechnics tester ). Wildcats are funny and I'd start low and work up even more in them than other rounds. There's only 1 1/2 grain or so diff in the capacity of .204 and Tact.20 and individual chambers can and such could make that pretty meaningless. Just my take on it for what it's worth.

Guys: What a coincidence! I have never tried RL-10X before and just last week my good friend Mark gave me a pound to try.
I will do some looking this year and see if I can get a book to verify a load for my 204 Ruger using RL-10X and give it a try after Prairie Dog season.
In case you missed my posting under "Something Must Be Loose" heading in this section I fired my 204 for the second time using 35 gr. Berger bulets and 28.0 grs. of H4895 and I got two great groups tonight. I only had 10 rounds to test and the two five shot groups at 100 yards in poor light measured .374" and .595"! I was very happy with that performance and it will get me through the Prairie Dog season. The Ruger 77 V/T will be a single though for the summer as this load and die setting makes a bullet that is to long for the magazine well of the 77 V/T!
I can live with that for the summer. By late fall I will have a "repeater load" for Coyotes ready I am sure!
The 6x24 power Sightron Variable scope on my 204 does fade a bit when set on 24X. The image appears to lose about 5% of its brilliance at that highpower. That is liveable during the day but it was somewhat disconcerting at 25 minutes past sundown as I was finishing shooting. Other than that the Sightron has performed very well for me. The 1/8" clicks are certain and move when asked - not one shot later like on some scopes I have owned in the past!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy