.204 pelt damage

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Dusty
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.204 pelt damage

Post by Dusty »

i recently purchased a .204 in a savage. i was wondering about some reloading tips my current load is 30gr of BLC2 with a 40gr VMAX...i have cronographed this at 3977 fps. Now i have only shot one coyote with this so far but i was not impressed with exit hole, granted this coyote was fairly small. Is this going to be a typical result. My latest batch of shells are slowed down to around 3800fps. Maybe i should give the 32grainers a try. Let me know what you guys think. I had a beatiful load worked up for my 22-250 last year.
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Post by Prairie Ghost »

I shoot factory loaded 32grain VMax hornandy's and couldn't be happier with the performance
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Dusty
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Post by Dusty »

any idea on what speed they are doing
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LeviM
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Post by LeviM »

I recommed trial and error. shoot many different loads and see which one your gun likes best!! Every gun handles a load a little different
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Dusty
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Post by Dusty »

i'm not to worried about what the gun likes the best i'm not that good of a shot to make that much difference. plus at 200 yard it shouldn't be that noticable. I'm more worried about the performance on the game/hide.
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Post by Coyotehunter »

This is a copy of a E-mail I got from Walt Berger a few years back. I always like to shoot as heavy of a bullet as I can in all my varmint guns. A heavier bullet at slower speeds will still give you lots of knock down with out all the fur ending up in the next ravine. The heavier bullets in any given caliber with the same profile will typically have a better Ballistic Cohefficient, which means they will buck the wind better. A light bullet needs to go faster to give you the same energy and wind deflection but more pelt damage. Prairie Ghost doesn't care about pelt damage anymore. LOL




Jamie,
I do not think you will be disspointed in the 204 caliber. We had a lot of favorable comments on our 40 grain boat tail bullet last winter as a good coyote bullet. Certainly more knock down power and pelt friendly from what we have been told. Good choice on the Shilen barrel and some load data for the 204 Ruger with our bullets. Still hoping to make your hunt.
AS WITH ALL RELOADING APPROACH THE MAXIMUM LOADS WITH CAUTION AS ALL RIFLES AND RELOADING TECHNIQUES WILL BE DIFFERENT.
Walt


204 Ruger
Bullet Powder Start Load Approximate Start Velocity Max Load Approximate Max Velocity Max Load Density
30 Grain H4895 19.5 3479 23.1 3980 91.7%
30 Grain VIHT N133 21.5 3321 25.7 3896 98.5%
30 Grain IMR 3031 23.0 3474 27.0 4074 103.6%
30 Grain NORMA 201 23.0 3305 27.2 3921 101.5%
30Grain WIN 748 24.0 3370 28.3 3994 96.5%
30 Grain BL-C(2) 24.5 3337 28.8 3952 97.2%
30 Grain H335 23.5 3359 27.8 3967 93.8%
30 Grain TAC 23.5 3346 27.8 3952 97.2%

204 Ruger
Bullet Powder Start Load Approximate Start Velocity Max Load Approximate Max Velocity Max Load Density
35 Grain H4895 22.0 3158 25.7 3646 97.2%
35 Grain VIHT N133 21.0 3209 24.7 3693 96.7%
35 Grain IMR 3031 22.0 3306 25.8 3852 101.0%
35 Grain NORMA 201 22.0 3144 26.1 3725 99.0%
35 Grain WIN 748 23.0 3214 27.2 3803 94.6%
35 Grain BL-C(2) 23.5 3186 27.6 3752 95.0%
35 Grain AA 2495 22.0 3197 26.2 3819 102.5%
35 Grain TAC 22.5 3185 26.6 3744 94.9%



204 Ruger
Bullet Powder Start Load Approximate Start Velocity Max Load Approximate Max Velocity Max Load Density
40 Grain H4895 21.0 2988 24.8 3475 95.3%
40 Grain VIHT N133 20.0 3029 23.7 3496 94.2%
40 Grain IMR 3031 21.0 3137 24.8 3660 98.6%
40 Grain NORMA 201 21.5 3050 25.2 3556 97.4%
40 Grain WIN 748 22.5 3168 26.2 3624 92.6%
40 Grain H414 24.0 2917 28.3 3484 100.0%
40 Grain AA 2495 21.5 3112 25.1 3619 99.7%
40 Grain VIHT N135 21.5 3054 25.5 3577 101.3%
Coyotes Forever
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LeviM
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Post by LeviM »

I knew Jamie would come up with Some good Info!!!
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Jerry Hunsley
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Post by Jerry Hunsley »

I also shoot 32grain v-max, but I reload. Currently using H-4895 powder and loaded to the max. Right off the top of my head , I think I use 28.9 grains of powder. Have had very little pelt damage. It chronagraph at around 3900fps. maybe just a tad more.
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LeviM
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Post by LeviM »

Does 32 grains have enough knock down power? or are you going to get some coyotes run alittle ways before it takes its dirt nap?
Levi McNally
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Jerry Hunsley
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Post by Jerry Hunsley »

leviM, I was a little skeptical, but I have not had one coyote run off. Haven't shot any over 300yds though. Most of the time it is bang-flop. I always thought the 250 with 40 grains was a little light for coyotes, but I have seen my hunting partner kill many coyotes with that bullet. I will say that .204 is not my main coyote gun though. I use .243 with 70 gr. ballistic tips and that does a good job with hardly any fur damage. Goes inside and no exit hole. Levim, I would not discourage you from getting a .204. Lots of guys are using them. Cal Taylor uses one, and would be a good guy to chat with.
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LeviM
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Post by LeviM »

I shoot a .223, 50 grain hollow point. Absolutly love my gun! I shot one in the stomach area the other week and it ran another 100 yards before it took its dirt nap. I was just a little curious if a 32 grain bullet coming from a smaller gun would have more problems with coyotes running off. Thanks for the infor Jerry.
Levi McNally
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Jerry Hunsley
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Post by Jerry Hunsley »

leviM, If I were you I would stick with what you have until the time comes you feel you need somthing else. 223 ammo is very cheap and easy to come by. .204 is just a nice little gun to shoot, with amazing accuracy. Not much kick at all and good gun for a young person. I have another friend that shoots .204 and he loves it. One nice feature of the gun that I like is the first 300yds, there is not much hold over.
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Dusty
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Re: .204 pelt damage

Post by Dusty »

wow its been awhile since i've posted on here been busy hunting, having great luck calling in coyotes the bad part is my .204....I've had a few coyotes get away from me, from the bullet blowing up on the hide (both 32 gr vmax and game king along with 40 gr VMAX). however most of these blow ups are the results of poor shot placement. That said I have more coyotes that are lights out before they hit ground than the latter, but still the ones that get away haunt me. i have purchase around a 1000 39gr gamekings so i hope they turn out better, i got those because my uncle got a half off coupon from sierra, needless to say I grabbed a few things. But for the time being I am returning to the old 22-250 with a 55gr sierra HPBT traveling around 3600 fps, that has been my best load. I will let you guys know when I have more info.
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Re: .204 pelt damage

Post by Prairie Ghost »

Where is the shot placement on the coyotes that got away?
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RandyRoede
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Re: .204 pelt damage

Post by RandyRoede »

The 204 newness has wore off and talking with many who have shot MANY coyotes with it all have found out it is undersized for coyotes.

Personally never owned one, shot a few, just never looked like it would be enough, excellent p dog gun in low wind but it isn't a coyote caliber IMO.

Perfect placement under 200 yards it's OK just like a 223, but that just doesn't happen all the time. Better to have a little more than not enough!!

It was something new and the hype sold quite a few, maybe it would work for fox or cats if you can hold down the fur damage down?? Not sure.
Randy Roede
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