Your .204 Ruger's Favorite Bullet?

[Pilgrim]

Hello.

I'm new here, first post... Have a new 204 and shooting is limited to 20 rounds of break-in. Barrel is 24" and twist is 1 in 12".

For those of you .204 Ruger owners, what is your rifle's favorite bullet and weight?

Please include your 204 barrel's length and rate of twist, any useful insight/ discoveries made. Thank you.

[Tbush]

Pilgrim Wecome!! go down about 19 posts to 204 pelt damage there is a bit of info. there...

[Pilgrim]

Tbush,

Thank you for the kind response--- Nice to be here. The thread you referred to helps.

I'm fishing to find out what sort of common luck you guys have come across with .204 bullets before I continue my trial & error with bullets and loads. Seems many of the load reports I find favor the 39 grain Sierra Blitzking (thru a 1:12" twist). Anyone find the Blitzking 39 grain to shoot best?

Here's a blurb from 6mmbr.com Go to 20 Caliber page :

20-Caliber Barrels
With regards to twist rate, there aren't that many choices. Right now, it seems that only 1:9", 1:10", 1:11", and 1:12" twist rates are being manufactured. But the 9- and 11-twist are not made by all of the barrel makers. The 12-twist is the most popular and works very well with bullets up 40 grains. Some 12-twist barrels do seem to shoot the 40-grainers accurately, but that's probably at the edge of the stability envelope. Others have found that when the 40gr bullets will not stabilize, the Sierra 39gr BlitzKing bullets stabilize quite well in the 12-twist. For most bullets heavier than 40 grains, an 11-twist or 10-twist is recommended.

[Coyotehunter]

I shoot a 26" shilen high grade on my 700 action. I have been loading the 35 gr. bergers and have been real happy with it for fox, rabbits and prairie dogs. I have been useing the Hodgen H3035 powder and will have to take a look in my book to see what the charge was behind it and what I was getting for FPS. Pretty happy with the gun over all.

[Jeff Rheborg]

Hi Guys,
I am shooting the Savage Predator .204 It has the 1:12 twist with a 24" barrel. I tested the 40gr v-max and the 45gr spire point (Hornady) and had better results with the 45gr. I was 1/2 inch at 100 with the 40gr and under 1/2 inch with the 45gr, five shot groups. This was tested with factory ammo only. I don't think I will reload until the factory lets me down.

Later,
Jeff.

[Prairie Ghost]

I'm shooting the 32gr Hornady factory i haven't messured but it's a short barrel i will look up the twist.
Couldn't be more pleased so far (125 coyotes killed with it)

[LeviM]

I'm shooting the 32gr Hornady factory i haven't messured but it's a short barrel i will look up the twist.
Couldn't be more pleased so far (125 coyotes killed with it)

Do you know your kill to loss coyote ratio?

My biggest Pet peeve is making a good shot on a coyote and it runs off!

[LeviM]

I'm shooting the 32gr Hornady factory i haven't messured but it's a short barrel i will look up the twist.
Couldn't be more pleased so far (125 coyotes killed with it)

Do you know your kill to loss coyote ratio?

My biggest Pet peeve is making a good shot on a coyote and it runs off!

[Prairie Ghost]

I lost two coyotes with it that i thought should have been right there good shots in the chest. I have lost a few that were just bad shots (leg). I've switched to a 22-6 for control work now but never had any problems.

[Pilgrim]

Thanks to each for the responses.

Update: Just bought a 50 round mix of new factory ammo from a fellow for $14. Berger 40gr (HSA), Accutip 40gr, Nosler BT 32gr, Vmax 40gr.

I'll pick up some 39gr Blitzkings, add my remaining Vmaxgr 32 fodder, shoot a bunch of 5-shot groups of everything... then report my findings. Just hope my barrel isn't a dog-- although my first and only grouping was .875" (Hornady Vmax 32). Not great, but could've been much worse.

[Dcoy]

Most Pilgrams could shoot.I know this one,little shakier than the original ones.

[Prairie Ghost]

Keep us updated!

[Pilgrim]

1 of 3 messages.

Was able to shoot my new .204 on Saturday AM. Rifle is standard 700 w/24" sporter contour barrel, 1 in 12" twist rate.

I shot 6 different factory loads/ bullets. Photos are 3-shot groups of best 3 ammos (top 3 also happen to be 39 or 40 grain). #4 performer ammo was Hornady Vmax32 @ 1" although this ammo landed consistent no matter how warm the barrel. Rounding out the 6 were Remington 32 Accutip and Federal 32 Ballistic Tip--- Let's just say the barrel did not like either.

See photos--- Note my 1, 2, 3 sequence pattern in common. Routine: Shot #1 after 10 minutes barrel cooling, #2 & #3 after 3 to 5 minutes cooling. #1 & #2 shots were very close with each of the 3 ammos.

204 Hornady Vmax40

204vmax40.jpg (81.85 KiB) Viewed 44229 times

[Pilgrim]

2 of 3 messages.

204 HSM Berger40

204berger40.jpg (78.96 KiB) Viewed 44208 times

[Pilgrim]

3 of 3 messages.


Note: I shot two different 3-shot groups of each of the 3 best loads. The 2nd series of results was virtually the same where #1 and #2 shots were .35" or less, and #3 was a flier. After shooting groups I continued to experiment by shooting at 1 minute intervals and arrived at the 39Blitzking and 32Vmax as most consistent. Others walked as the barrel heated. Some may say shoot 5 in a group, and I agree, but the sequence in common has me wondering if I'm dealing with a heckuva cold barrel shooter, but overly-sensitive to heat. ???

I figured my problem to be heat, but I certainly can't say I know. Any thoughts?

Another question is reliable rule-of-thumb on time for barrel cooling when shooting for group accuracy?

204 Federal Sierra Blitzking39

204blitzking39.jpg (96.31 KiB) Viewed 44143 times