Reloading for the 204

[stubbicatt]

Guys. My coyote hunting partner is about to venture into reloading. He has a 204 Ruger rifle, and one of those Short magnum cartridges.

With respect to the 204, which dies do you recommend, and why? Is there a powder that works really well with this cartridge? Any particular admonitions to a guy loading this cartridge, or any quirks?

Thanks.

 

[RevolverMan567]

i have had really good results with Win 748 and BLC-(2) powder, small case with tiny necy so the small spherical ball powder meters very well and avoids a mess when you lift the funnel or take it from the powder thrower.

What is the twist in his barrel....funny thing about this cartridge too...I have 2 of them and they seem to shoot better and better the faster it gets out of mine...

BUT BE CAREFUL APPROACH MAX LOADS WITH CAUTION.

 

[RevolverMan567]

ALSO...


I had great luck with midsouth's varmint nightmare 34gr hollow point bullets, not bad at all for 40 bucks for 500 JHP bullets, no signs of being poorly made and very very acurate out of my remington and my thompson contender carbine.

 

[Ifishsum]

Usually I buy Redding dies for my rifle reloading, but I bought the Hornady set for .204 because they were the only ones available when I bought my rifle. The bullet seating die is superior but the FL sizing die has been kind of a pain. I bought the RCBS neck sizer die and now I'm smiling again. Now I imagine everyone makes dies for .204.

My favorite .204 powder is Hodgdon's BL-C(2). It maximizes velocity and it's just as accurate as anything else I've tried. My Savage 12FV (1:12 twist) likes the 40gr Hornady V-max and 39gr Sierra BKs the best, pushed at or near max loading.

 

[MinnMooney]

Any brand die set, DogTowns & H335 powder.

Dies : Most dies work really great. I neck-size all of my .204Ruger and .22-250 'cause I use them in only one rifle each. It works much better. More accurate and you don't have to lube and re-clean the brass before and after re-sizing.

Bullets : Midway's "DogTown" bullets have proven to be accurate, easy to load and very cheap. The 3 most important factors in loading for Prairie Dogs.
Almost any bullet is accurate out of a .204, however. "DogTown"s are close to half price though.

Powder : Varget, H335, H4895, Tac and RL-15 have all proven extremely accurate for me. The difference is in the ease of getting the powder into those teeny-tiny holes in the neck. Varget is difficult. H335 is easy. If you need amounts, let me know and I'll list the powder wts. that I've used with great success.

P.S. BTW, my .204 Ruger is a Savage Model 16 "Weather Warrior" with the Accu-Trigger that I bought NIB for $410 (delivered) and it is very, very accurate. (10 shot groups at 100 yds. into 1" with NO flyers.) I shoot Prairie Dogs out to 625 yds with this gun on calm days - less than 15 MPH, i.e.