Just doing a little testing with the ACURRATE 2520 and the .204 and thought y'all might want to glance at it!!!
28.0 grains 2520 Rem 7 1/2 primer 32VMax 3987fps
28.5 grains 2520 rem 7 1/2 primer 32Vmax 4076
28.8 grains 2520 Rem 7 1/2 primer 32 SIERRA no V but .329" aggregate for 5 groups!!!!
27.0 grains 2520 Rem 7 1/2 primer 39grin SIERRA 3720fps and .400 groups
27.5 grains 2520 Rem 7 1/2, 39 grain SIERRA, 3759fps, .345 aggregate, 5 groups, 2 range sessions!! This one is serious!!!!
26" barrel, Savage VLP. GHD

GD:

I do not share you enthusiasm for the 204, but I will support the use of AA 2520 in a 223 sized case.

I have used it in a 223 with a 1 in 7 twist, bolt action, with 75 and 80 grain match bullets from several manufacturers and it definitely is a tight shooting powder in that case, with great velocity.

cheers and good shooting
seafire

So, GHD, do you think the AA2520 is superior to the AA2230 that you tested earlier? How do the accuracy, velocity, etc. compare between the two powders?

Thanks for the information.

quote:

Just doing a little testing with the ACURRATE 2520 and the .204 and thought y'all might want to glance at it!!!
28.0 grains 2520 Rem 7 1/2 primer 32VMax 3987fps
28.5 grains 2520 rem 7 1/2 primer 32Vmax 4076
28.8 grains 2520 Rem 7 1/2 primer 32 SIERRA no V but .329" aggregate for 5 groups!!!!
27.0 grains 2520 Rem 7 1/2 primer 39grin SIERRA 3720fps and .400 groups
27.5 grains 2520 Rem 7 1/2, 39 grain SIERRA, 3759fps, .345 aggregate, 5 groups, 2 range sessions!! This one is serious!!!!
26" barrel, Savage VLP. GHD

Groundhog Devastation(GHD)

SF, I was just giving y'all some data to use to start working with as there is none published for the 2230 or 2520 yet. I like the 2520 and the 39 grain Sierras enough to load up a bunch for live varmint shooting! I was shooting that load yesterday at 300 and 400 yards and it was hitting the 16 oz Miller Lite plastic bottles with amazing repeatability at 400!! I even let someone else shoot the rifle and they had the same results!!
I think the 2230 will give the highest velocities with the 32 grain VMAXS or the SIERRAs and if the MAXIMUM velocity is what you're looking for then that 2230 should get it!! The accurracy of both powders in THIS PARTICULAR rifle is well suited for varminting! I hope you find some of this data helpful. The folks at Western Powders(they own the ACCURRATE line of powders now) are going to recommend the 2520 powder for the .204 according to an email I got from them. They still don't have printed data, just recomendations for starting and maximum loads using their powders. Later! CHarlie (GHD)

GHD, sure hope those Miller Lite bottles had WATER in them . Thanks for the load info with the 2230, it shot as good if not better than the IMR 4198. I am going to work with these two powders for now. I tried some varget loads and was not impressed with the results.

JB, You can bet the bottles had water in them!!!! They were saved up from sometime this past winter!!! They were not emptied of the original contents on a range day!!!! I tried and have data for H4895, Re7, Benchmark, Reloader 10, and a couple others with the .204 and nothing has generated the velocities of the AA2230!!! Accurracy was the best up to the 2230 and 2520 testing using 28.3 grains of H4895 and giving 4089fps using the 32 VMAXS.....I used that load last summer to shoot what varmints I shot with the .204 but this summer will use the 2230 and 2520 exclusively!!! GHD

GHD, at what yardage is your scope zeroed at with the 32 grainers and how much drop are you seeing at 400 yards?

200 yards and the drop at 400 is nearly 11.00 inches and eauals 2.5MOA on the 6.5-20 Nikon. Hopefully barring the inundating rain of late....supposed to dry out a bit towards the end of the week!!!.....I'll give you more precise data later!!! That is unless I decide to open "groundhog season" this weekend and then I'll be violating one of my rules!!!...."they need to re-seed"!!! GHD

Those of you making repeated hits at 400 yards with 35 grain bullets must live where there's no wind.

How come I don't see the 204 Ruger taking the Highpower world by storm?

I wonder if all you guys making repeated hits at 400 yards with 35 grain bullets live where there's no wind?

I somehow don't see this 204 Ruger taking the Highpower Rifle world by storm......

I can't attest to the 400 yard shots with 32 grainers yet, but I do know that me and GHD live near each other and are in the same terrain. We live in the mountains and hunt the valleys and river bottoms where the wind is constantly changing direction. Not near as predictable at reading it like it is in open grasslands where it is mainly a crosswind. I don't think you will see the 204 in highpower very often...nor the 17 Rem,20 Tactical, 220 Swift ,or 22-250. But it is one sweet cartridge with minimal recoil. I sort of like watching the red mist thru the scope.

sll, !!! GHD

Doggonit GHD!!! Now I have to go out and try to find some AA2520 powder and give that a try in my Savage 12VLP. I still have the AA2230 and only shot one 4-shot group with the 32 gr. V-Max bullets, but that was very encouraging and I'll try a few more test loads with that too.

The only thing you want to watch with 2520 is that it is pretty temp sensitive in hot weather. A friend of mine use to sell commercial loads and when he quit he still had about 45# so for the next couple of years I shot 2520 in everything I could and the temp. thing was the only "problem" I encounterd.

DuaneinND-- Thanks for the "heads up" on the temp sensitive problem with the 2520 powder. It will be interesting to see the reloading data for the .204 Ruger from Western Powders for the AA2230 and AA2520 when they get it published.

I had some MAJOR over the maximum loads when the Hodgdon data became available. I haven't blown up my rifle yet, but I did blow a primer when I was tesing Reloder 10X!!!! No major damage to the bolt, ejector or other parts, just lots of carbon on those parts!!!! I took things apart, cleaned them up, put them back together again and used the rifle until the new ejector, ejector spring, ejector ball showed up and I installed the new parts. I guess I am pretty lucky.

Duane, How much "swing" did you see in pressures with the 2520 powder? My testing with it has been done in 45-55 degree temps and with what I've reported on, I would think would be safe with higher temps. We'll know soon!!! Spring is finally about to get to the wet soggy south!!!!
SF, I think you got all my data from the 2230 tests. If not, then don't go over the 28.3 grains and the 32's!!! That one is safe I'm pretty sure but anything over that although probably still safe is UNNECESARY!!!! GHD PS: The 28.0 grains will probably give GOOD accaracy and I know that one will work fine!!!

Yeah, too much fun shooting the ML bottles full of water at 400! I was there, and was the participant. I can vouch for GHD's post, and can say that I am not a .204 owner, but would have one if funds permitted! Hope it doesn
t rain this Friday and Saturday so we can desinigrate some more bottles, then try the same with Groundhogs.....It's awesome to watch water spray 15+ feet in the air when they explode!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My trigger finger is getting itchy for the pasture pigs also boys. I like to hold off until June to let the spawn happen though to have a more target-rich environment.....but I am starting to go thru withdrawals.

GHD- lets just say that 308 loads that were "fine" at 45* had some primers fall out with ammo that had been in the trunk of the car on a 95* day. With the 223 I backed off 1/2 gr and kept the ammo in the shade- the only time there was a problem then was when you had fired 4-5 rounds, chambered one, the pd went down, took 30-60 seconds to find another, maybe another 20 to settle in and make the shot- bolt lift was stiff and sometimes the primer fell out, so if you don't shoot in 10-20, lift the bolt and back out of the chamber so you don't "precook" the round. I should also add that none of the loads were "MAX" charges according to load data.

One way to test would be to fire 5, chamber around and let it cook awhile- this is the extreme, but if no adverse pressure, you should be say hunting. Watch that inside a vehicle- hot day thing .

Duane, Very good post!!! That's the very kind of actual experiences this forum needs from members!!!! Thanks for posting that!!! On days when we are out in "hot" temps I like to keep the ammo either in a styrofoam cooler or at least covered by "white material"! Maybe at the next range session, I'll do the little "shoot 5", chamber one and wait test you describe and see what happens! Thanks!! GHD