Loading for .204 Ruger

[Crow Man]

Hi, just after some advise from the learned, I have been reloading for my .204's for around a year now. I am using my old once fired Hornady brass which is FL resized using Hornady dies, and trimmed to 1.840. I have been seating the bullet to a case overall length of 2.255 using a Hornady 32gr Vmax.
I have recently bought a Hornady OAL gauge, Hornady modified case and comparator just so that i can get a more consistent seating depth. I have checked the OAL to Ogive of my Remington 700 and it measures 2.051.
The cartridges i have previously loaded at COAL of 2.255 have an Ogive measurement of 1.888, this is also consistent to within a few thousandths of some Hornady Superformance factory ammo that i have.
Taking the above two measurements 2.051 minus 1.888 gives a jump of 0.163. this is also the same to within a few thou for my Tikka T3 in the same caliber.
Does this seem an overly excessive jump?
Thanks Tony

 

[r judd]

2 inches isnt a big jump as long as its accurate. Dont worry about jump

 

[Crow Man]

Both rifles are really accurate, I just bought the comparator to get a more consistent measurement to the Ogive rather than the polymer tip. When I have seen videos of people talking about 20 and 30 thou jumps to the lands i thought OMG I can't get anywhere near that the bullet would only be sat in the case 80 to 100 thou. I struggled keeping it in the modified case to get a measurement.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Worry not your little head - as long as the bullet is held snugly (a crimp helps), isn’t touching the lands (helmet on) and it fits in your magazine you are grand. My .308 Prohunters are a case in point…..

 

[andy R204]

I've always just loaded to SAMMI spec with the .204.Done excessive load development when I first started reloading for it 12 yrs ago & gained nothing accuracy wise by COAL.
You'll not reach the lands in a factory rifle as that's how it's designed.
Powder choice is much more important IMO.
Regards,Andy.

 

[tim@tcs]

Loading out further stopped me using the magazine on one rifle for no benefit so I went back

 

[Crow Man]

I've always just loaded to SAMMI spec with the .204.Done excessive load development when I first started reloading for it 12 yrs ago & gained nothing accuracy wise by COAL.
You'll not reach the lands in a factory rifle as that's how it's designed.
Powder choice is much more important IMO.

I have always loaded to 2.255, 0.005 under recommended case overall length, accuracy is 1/2 Moa in both rifles. Bought the comparator to seat bullets to an ogive measurement rather than to the tip. I just did the measurement to the lands through curiosity as I had never measured it before. I was just really surprised that the ogive measurement of my previously loaded rounds was so much different to the measurement of the ogive of the OAL gauge. I just wanted to make sure the rifle was safe

 

[andy R204]

I have always loaded to 2.255, 0.005 under recommended case overall length, accuracy is 1/2 Moa in both rifles. Bought the comparator to seat bullets to an ogive measurement rather than to the tip. I just did the measurement to the lands through curiosity as I had never measured it before. I was just really surprised that the ogive measurement of my previously loaded rounds was so much different to the measurement of the ogive of the OAL gauge. I just wanted to make sure the rifle was safe

I only use 40gr Vmax now @2.250".I couldn't yell you what the freebore is in my Tikka semi custom..I would think it'll be a fair bit

 

[Crow Man]

I only use 40gr Vmax now @2.250".I couldn't yell you what the freebore is in my Tikka semi custom..I would think it'll be a fair bit

Can’t use the 40gr as neither of my rifles like them, use predominantly 32gr vmax.
Tried 39gr blitz kings but had trouble with quite a few breaking up in flight and not reaching the target

 

[204rips]

I load my .204r to 2.260” COAL with zero issues, I found it such an easy round to work a load up. If it’s shooting tight don’t play with it.

 

[big ears]

Hi, just after some advise from the learned, I have been reloading for my .204's for around a year now. I am using my old once fired Hornady brass which is FL resized using Hornady dies, and trimmed to 1.840. I have been seating the bullet to a case overall length of 2.255 using a Hornady 32gr Vmax.
I have recently bought a Hornady OAL gauge, Hornady modified case and comparator just so that i can get a more consistent seating depth. I have checked the OAL to Ogive of my Remington 700 and it measures 2.051.
The cartridges i have previously loaded at COAL of 2.255 have an Ogive measurement of 1.888, this is also consistent to within a few thousandths of some Hornady Superformance factory ammo that i have.
Taking the above two measurements 2.051 minus 1.888 gives a jump of 0.163. this is also the same to within a few thou for my Tikka T3 in the same caliber.
Does this seem an overly excessive jump?
Thanks Tony

So you have a load that doesn’t show pressure signs and is very accurate.

What are the concerns?

Think I’ve missed something?

 

[Crow Man]

I have no concerns with pressure or accuracy, I just thought a 0.163 jump to the lands seemed a lot. When I measured it with the OAL gauge the bullet was only just in the modified case. Just wanted to make sure the rifle was ok.

 

[Crow Man]

I load my .204r to 2.260” COAL with zero issues, I found it such an easy round to work a load up. If it’s shooting tight don’t play with it.

mine are at 2.255 COAL with no issues, just got the comparator d so that I can measure more accurately

 

[Cyres]

I have been loading for .204 for many years and despite what people say it can be a very problematic to reload. I load at factory 2.250. In my Savage the bullet would almost be out of the case if you wanted to get anywhere close to the lands.

Pet load was Reloader 10x and 39 BK, however the last 2 boxs of 39 BK I have are defective and the bullets were disintegrating on exit. There are several members on here who have similar issues. Crow man do you have the lot no its on a bar code on the box base? Yours might be from the defective batch. For further details see the exhaustive thread on here.

I would advise any reloaders of .204 to only use the same batch of brass as case volumes can vary and it can have adverse effects on loads with excessively high pressures. Really you need to know the case volume and make sure your batch of cases are similar. I have found huge variation in case volumes in the same manufactures brass. If you change brass measure the volume and if its different you would be well advised to work up a new load. Lyman 50th edition has some good load data and cols vary between 2.250 and 2.260.

Currently I am loading 40 grn V max and they work well. 35 grn Bergers are very good. New brass is currently very difficult to obtain. I would always fully prep .204 cases and some Hornady cases were terrible. Saying that in a brand new 100 bag of Nosler brass 10% hade neck defects!

I use a standard Lee seating die and its better and more consistent than my Redding match die. I have a comparator but rarely use it, just measure COL.

Just make sure your charge weight is consistent. I now use a Lee dipper and trickle up to weight on an electonic scale.

D

 

[Crow Man]

There are a couple of numbers on the box, 0128457829595Gl and 012859420
Pet load for my 32gr Vmax is 25gr of Vihtavuori N130 BR4 Primer, all my cases are Hornady from the factory ammo I shot over the years prior to starting reloading. I don’t load a lot at a time so each one is trickled up to weight on a RCBS beam scale. Don’t have a chrony, not really bothered about the speed as long as it is accurate, Mr Fox definitely doesn’t like it.

 

[Cyres]

Thanks I will check nos on my 2 defective boxs.
I only reload 50 at a time and also clean the barrel after every 50.

Mate uses 32 grn varmagedons over N133 and they are pretty deadly in his Tika.

D

 

[Cyres]

Mine are: 0120200929595GI box nos 012054600 and 601

D

 

[DavyG]

Hi, just after some advise from the learned, I have been reloading for my .204's for around a year now. I am using my old once fired Hornady brass which is FL resized using Hornady dies, and trimmed to 1.840. I have been seating the bullet to a case overall length of 2.255 using a Hornady 32gr Vmax.
I have recently bought a Hornady OAL gauge, Hornady modified case and comparator just so that i can get a more consistent seating depth. I have checked the OAL to Ogive of my Remington 700 and it measures 2.051.
The cartridges i have previously loaded at COAL of 2.255 have an Ogive measurement of 1.888, this is also consistent to within a few thousandths of some Hornady Superformance factory ammo that i have.
Taking the above two measurements 2.051 minus 1.888 gives a jump of 0.163. this is also the same to within a few thou for my Tikka T3 in the same caliber.
Does this seem an overly excessive jump?
Thanks Tony

With a factory barrelled T3, you’re not going to get close to the lands. Well you can, but as you’ve already discovered the bullet is only seated to a minimal depth. Even if you manage a crimp, it’ll most likely be knocked “off true” when chambering from a magazine.
When I run out of H322 (27.2gr seated @ 2.26) I’ll be using vhit133.
Both giving 1/4 moa @ 3990fps, using neck sized Hornady brass.
Regards,
DG