mr.big,.....How are the cases holding up under that load? I suspect that you can probably push the next primer in with your fingers!!! I've run that bullet(no I haven't!!! I ran the 32 gariner to 4565!!) to 4565fps but brass life sucks!!! and that was a bit more propellant than you're using!!! WATCH YOUR STEP!!! You are way over the limit of safety!!! GHD

No kidding this is above the recommended load at 56K psi.

When you add powder to a max load in these wee cases things are getting hot like 10k psi for only a 1/2gr of powder of some sorts.

A recent reloader loaded max loads in a 204 and in quick order had case head seperations.
This in a stretchy Handi rifle to boot.

Cool it down man.

Can someone give me the water case volume in gr of a fired 204. That is to the top of the case.

Fred;
My Hornady brass weighed 96.2 grains, dry!

When I filled it level to the top (no bubble above the case mouth) it weighed 129.7 grains!

So, the brass holds 33.5 grains of water!

Hope this helps you out!

Chuck White.
Thanks for the volume input. The 33.5gr volume changes the pressure quite considerable from the generic vol of 30.5gr.

The prediction of the above quoted load of 28.5gr H4895 is 66714psi. This is hot but not as bad as I thought. Of course 10% plus or minus variations of powder lots could change this.

I certainly would recommend a slower powder like BL-C2.

Zermel: The Hodgdons site lists 27.7 grs. of H 4895 powder behind a "40" grain bullet as giving 56,000 PSI (maximum load). Does that correlate to your figures with the "40" grain bullet and 28.5 grs. of H 4895 giving 66,714 PSI?
Today I had some very minor cratering around the firing pin indentation in my 28.0 grs. of H 4895 loads using "32" gr. Sierra bullets! No other pressure signs at all were observed what so ever! The primers were not "flattened" at all - just this tiny bit of cratering around the firing pin indentation!
I was puzzled by this and I fired a Hornady factory round (32 gr.) and it did not crater at all in this Rifle!
Any observations on my loads?
Thanks in advance
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Varmint Guy.
Using the QL powder parameters the 27.5gr would indicate a pressure of 59kpsi. Since the particular powder specs that Hodgdon used is not known but their 56kpsi is an average of of a string.

A variations of 5% is not unreasonable. Taking the 56kpsi and adjusting the the powder parameters the pressures of 28.5gr would be 63.8kpsi.

Predictions out of hand are usually higher because Ba factors are not identical from one powder lot to the other.

To get a clearer picture of what is what you need to incorperte reliable velocities and ajust
the powder factors for a better prediction.

Either one of the above 66Kpsi or the 63Kpsi are in the ball park since a 5% variation is acceptable in powder production.

QL predictions are just that, and not reloading recommendations. In the small cases like the 223, 224, 222, 204 etc any load 1.0gr above max
can raise the pressure by 10kpsi.

A case volume change of three grains of water in these small cases changes the pressure from normal to dangerous. It is prudent to know the case volume and compare it with the velocity and filling ratio of the type of powder you are using.

Just because the case stamp says 204 Ruger can be quite missleading if you don't measure the volume.

Zermel: Thanks for your explanation and your words of caution! I appreciate it very much!
I did today take my fired Hornady factory brass over to my illuminated magnifying lamp and checked the golden primers on these Hornady factory rounds. The factory rounds I fired also have the small amount of cratering around the firing pin indent! I just could not see it in the light at my range the other day. Maybe its just the nature of this beast to crater the primers a tiny bit.
The more I shoot this 204 the more I like it! I had a great outing with it today on Chucks and Ground Squirrels. I made a posting about this Hunt on the Varminting forum here at AR.
Thanks again and long live the 204 Ruger!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Varmint Guy.
A small grater on a fired primer does not necessarily mean high pressure. The primer cups are made from very thin metal and extrude easy into an oversize firing pin hole. This is quite common in factory rifles and no big deal. If the hole is really big you then should have it bushed with a proper sized firing pin hole.

Fred Melzer.

I decided to try a 204...went low buck..Handi rifle and 6-24 Simmons from CDNN...300 even for the package. First trip to the range...100 yds..40gr Hornady VMmax. Got it close at 50 first. I was having trouble getting comfortable shooting from a cheap shooting/cleaning vise.
Pulled a couple groups vertical then shot this one................

<br><br>
Moved up and shot another group,adjusted the scope for the third group. Fourth shot was WAY off and called it quits there.............


Pretty happy so far...time to load a few when I finish off the factory brass.

I just got in from testing the Model 7 in .204 and both 32 and 39 grain Sierras(shot some Hornady32 VMAxs also!! Don't need any of the 40 VMAXS TO TRY!!! If the Savage VLP can't digest them to my satisfaction, then I'm not putting them in something else!!!) The little 20" barrel Model 7 seems to have an affinity for H4895!! (just backing up previous test data!!) 27.5 grains of H4895 with a Federal 205 MATCH primer yields 3500fps(EXACTLY FOR 3, 5 shot groups today!!! and within 8fps of previous data!!!) and the most consistency of loads tried!) I was sorry to come to that conclusion!! AA2230 and AA 2520 are so easy to measure and perform so well in the SAVAGE VLP that I was hoping they would work the same in the little stubby barrel, pencil barrel, Model 7!!! What will be interesting is after bedding and floating the Model 7 will be doing the tests all over again!!!
For a comparison: 28.8 grains of AA 2520 usng the Remington 7 1/2 primer yeilded 3779 out of the 20" barrel. Same exact load yielded 4220 out of the VLP 26" barrel!! The VLP ammo boxes will be stuffed with that load!! It shoots to 300 and 400 with amazing repeatability!! Now to take it to 500, 600, 700.....????
Oh and by the way, I did shoot a groundhog yesterday at 416 "Leica lasered yards" using a friends 700 SS .223 and the 50 grain VMAX!! Never shot the rifle before yesterday!! Topped with a LEUPOLD 12X, friction turrets!!(It needs one of my trigger jobs on it!!! I had to pull off and take another breath!!!) He dialed it in and I did the honors!!! Nothing but the head of a "this springs" chuck!!! He was littler than most prairie dogs out there!!! I was impressed!! I visited a friend without a rifle in the truck!!! He couldn't beleive I was "un-armed"!!! LOng live the .204!!! GHD