For those guys who can't find a 204 Ruger or ammo or brass, if you own a 223
you might be interested in this. I put this on the reload forum and not many seemed interested in it.

However, maybe it should have been posted on here instead. I am going to try this with Varget, RL 7 and H 4895 and see what results that I get. These bullet are readily available and are not bad in price.

Bullet: 37 grain Calhoon HP
Primer: CCI Small Rifle
Case: Lake City
Powder: Benchmark;
Charge Weight: 29 grains

Firearm: Ruger 77 Mk 2 VT
Barrel Length: 26 inches

Accuracy: Pretty fair; 3/4 inch at 100 yds

Chronograph Results:
1. 3951 fps
2. 4011 fps
3. 3937 fps
4. 4100 fps
5. 3994 fps
6. 4004 fps
7. 3899 fps
8. 3988 fps.

I don't care for the deviation swings on the velocity.

The 37 grain Calhoons are relatively inexpensive and do an EXCELLENT! job on ground squirrels and prairie dogs. Very Very Explosive.

I am going to try the same tests with RL 7. I like it as a powder a lot more than Benchmark or Varget based on a lot tighter velocity spread ( less of it!). I expect the velocity potential to be a good if not maybe better.

Will keep those interested in it, posted.
Cheers and Happy New Year.

You don't have to sell me on how great the .223 Remington is....some of the folks here that spend money like water for improved whatever .22-06 and the type will have a difficult time outshooting a good man with a .223 on a praiie dog town.

Wow, am I gonna get flamed for that!!!!

P47D I have not tried this particular Calhoon bullet but have used some others in the Prairie Dog Towns and they performed fine! I am a little puzzled by the swings in velocity you obtained also - but I have lived with nearly as bad in the past! Is there somewhere we can do a ballistic chart for that bullets B.C.?

Vapodog: This is not a flame - but I consider myself one of those compulsive new stuff buyers!
In defense of myself I did wait for 3 decades to buy one of them new fangled 17 Remington Rifles!
That was ONE of the stupidest things I have ever done!
The 17 Remington is an amazing performer on Varmints and at the range the accuracy (in my two 17 Remington Varminters anyway) is just outstanding!
But yes I do have a tendency to get "on the bandwagon" when it comes to new Varmint cartridges. I have not purchased any of the new SSM family of cartridges! But yes I ran out and bought two new Varminters in 204 Ruger! If you have not tried one of these - in brief - don't knock them! The 204 Ruger is an extremely fine Varmint cartridge! I know, I have killed a large number of Varmints and a large number of types of Varmints already with mine!
But I must ask you this Vapodog, do you think buying lots of Varmint Rifles is "a bad thing"?
If so please tell me why.
This "buying Varminters" is my one true overindulgence in life and it gives me great and lasting pleasure! Other than this "sin" I have no other vices!
Now, I to agree that the 22/06 would be overbore and I would not consider one of them nor any of the SSM's! I also NEVER load to above manual maximums with any of my Varminters (I do have to sometimes go back to my VERY early vintage manuals and loading sources to obtain some of my loadings though)!
I am not a "get every last FPS out of every cartridge" type! But new cartridges interest me and new Rifles fascinate me and I consider that part of the fun!
To illustrate I must list here some of my recent Varmint Rifle acquisitions and the calibers they came in - and I want you to tell me why I should not have bought them!
Sako Varminter in 222 Remington
Sako Varminter in 6mm PPC
Remington 700 VSSF Varminter in 220 Swift
Remington 700 VS Varminter in 220 swift
Remington 700 VLSS (L.E.) Varminter in 22-250
Remington 700 VLSS (L.E.) Varminter in 223
Remington 700 Classic in 221 Fireball
Remington Classic in 223 Remington
Remington Classic in 222 Remington (I have 2 of these now!)
Remington 700 VSS Varminter (L.E.) in 17 Remington
Ruger 77 V/T Varminter in 204 Ruger
Remington 700 VLS Varminter in 204 Ruger
Ruger 77/17V in 17 HMR
Smith & Wesson Model 647 in 17 HMR
Now these are just the Varminters that I can remember buying in the last 24 months and the only thing that kept me from buying others is because my money "QUIT flowing like water"! I mean I was broke and no one would loan me bucks to buy more!
Please tell me this is not a bad thing and that not "EVERYONE will be able to outshoot me" in a Colony Varmint situation!
I have taken many, many - MANY folks out shooting from Doctors to Dentists to Bench Rest Competitors, match shooters, country boys, city boys, WOMEN, great grandfathers, Germans, Canadians, New Yorkers, Conneticutites, Califronians, neophytes and children - and I can't remember many (or ANY) of them outshooting me badly, no matter what calibers we were putting lead downrange with!
I agree whole heartidly that the 223 is an EXCELLENT Prairie Dog Rifle! I have several! BUT the new Ruger 204 cartridge (among other new cartridges) will outperform it in the field! I am not gonna sell ANY of my 223's because of this but I will not let any more fine Varmint cartridges get three decades "past me" before I have fun with them either! Again no flame just another viewpoint and I am looking forward to your reply.
New is not always bad.
I also look forward to your comments regarding my "situation"!
And if you have not bought one of the nifty new 204's I strongly suggest that you start saving your money for one now!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Varmint Guy, you are the kind of guy that the gun builders fight over, and I truly admire your spot on the top of the mountain. I don't think Vapo is gonna get cross threaded about your addiction, and I sure as hell hope you don't let yourself be led into one of those myriad of Ultra-Smallbore Self-Help groups like .17/.17, or .17/.19. You are enlightened, not sick, let no man tell you otherwise.

Vapo, I don't think I'll buy one of the .204's myself, the .223 with a 40 gr VMAX or BT does well enough I think, and I'm too cheap to buy another set of cleaning utensils anyhoo. In fact, I think the 40 gr. weight and the .223 goes together like divorce attorneys and marriage. If I want more reach I'll grab the .22-250 and piss all over the .204. Not that it's a bad cartridge mind you, it just can't keep up with that Jones.....

VG: I am sure you know the Calhoon website to check out the BC if he posts them. www.jamescalhoon.com.
I just find the deviation in Velocity I got as common for Benchmark and unfortunately a lot of Hodgdon powders. I prefer Hodgdon powders at the reload bench, but prefer other powders like IMR and Reloader, once I purchased a chronograph. The 200 fps variances are not that important in the field until the yardage is 300 plus in my book and the target is smaller than a prairie dog. I have used Benchmark a lot but have migrated to other powders for my own personal use. But I do not know it, I still have 4 or 5 pounds of it sitting around.

I am going to try the same bullet out with RL 7 and also the 40 grain Ballistic Tip with RL 7. I think published velocity potential is a little low on the 223 with the lighter bullets.
I really wonder if they just estimated it off of 222 loads they had had around for years.

I agree with Digital Dan, a 40 grainer and a 223 are hard to beat on prairie dogs. I took an antelope in Montana with a 40 grain Ballistic Tip and a 223. Yeah it ran a 100 yds before he piled up, but I have seen a few antelope shot with an arrow and they did the same thing. In a place like Montana, a 100 yds, does not mean you lost the antelope. I have even seen prairie dogs on a poor hit, ran back to a hole with 10 feet of intestines dragging behind them, over 100 yds. Not sure why it passed a whole lot of dog holes, but it did. ONe has to blame shot placement on that, not the bullet or cartridge.


Of course that is why I bought a chronograph so I don't have to speculate things like that or even worry about them.

Just waiting for the weather to cooperate a hair and I will post those results also.

Cheers and Happy new year
seafire

Varmint guy

quote:

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But I must ask you this Vapodog, do you think buying lots of Varmint Rifles is "a bad thing"?

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VG...here's my list of varmint rifles:
M-70 .223
M700 stainless fluted .223
Mini mauser custom .223
Rem 700 ADL .223
Sako L461 custom .223
Sako L461 custom .204 Ruger
Mini Mauser custom 6 X 45
M-70 custom .243 Cuperrockchucker
M-70 custom .22-250
M-70 varmint synthetic .220 S
Custom Mauser .25-06

Does that answer your question?

Vapodog: Yes it does kind of answer my question?
And by the way GREAT Picture you linked to - of some Hunter (you?) and what appears to be an African type giant Antelope!
Any particulars for that photo?
Also did you mistakenly strike the "C" key when you were making your list (impressive by the way!) of Varminters when you were listing the:
243 Cuperrockchucker?
I have been trying to find info on either the 243 Cuperrockchucker or a 243 Superrockchucker.
No luck in my searches so far.
Any info on this cartridge would also be appreciated!
The more the merrier! Is my motto!
Every time I get to thinking I have TOO many Varminters I just talk with my friend Armand who IS, the Varminter King!
He had 25 Rifles in caliber 22-250 ALONE the last time he checked!
He has a hat with the motto "He who dies with the most toys - WINS" on it!
Thanks in advance for any info on the cartridge and the picture in your link!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

P47D, Try Remington Benchrest Primers. I have had good success with Benchmark powder with this primer in my .223.

quote:

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Originally posted by VarmintGuy:
buying lots of Varmint Rifles is "a bad thing"?
If so please tell me why.
VarmintGuy

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Only just discovered this Varmint section, tracking P47 all over.
Now in my case, I would never have a heap of
rifles like that.
I mean, how the heck would I decide which ones
to shoot?
Do you have a roster or something?