204 powders

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07yzrysder

New member
Hi,
Im getting ready to build my 204 soon and i will be reloading for it. Im probably going to be using the 35gr bergers or the 39gr BK depending on whats available and maybe the NBT. as far as powders go i have a local shop that usually has a few powders in stock and id like to go in with a list of a few powders that work well for the 204.

TL:DR
What are a few powders i should keep an eye out for that work well for 32-40 gr 204 projectiles.
 
What are the specs on your build? Is it a bolt action or an Ar? Im going to build a custom 204 ruger bolt rifle here in the new year using a CBI barrel with a 1 in 11 twist. The powder that have I have worked with in this caliber has beed primarily W-748 and reloader 15.
 
Going to be an ar platform. 11 twist either 20 or 23 inches long. Depending ob whats availavle and times. Im just trying to get a list of piwders that work wrll so i can see hopefully find one or two at my local shop
 
I really like to use benchmark in my 20pr and have also used h322 and 8208 with good results. If you don't have any 35gr bergers good luck finding some. I have not been able to find any since late last fall.
 
I use Ramshot's X-Terminator for light bullets in my .204s (32gr), TAC for 35gr and up, Winchester-748 is my standby that I keep in reserve for both bullet weights as well as my .223s...

FYI, I've found slightly better accuracy with magnum primers in the .204
 
RE 10X is super popular and in multiple 204's Ive been around is very accurate; however, 8208XBR has become my powder of choice for mine. Both powders will shoot bugholes with a little load tweaking. Good luck and enjoy the 204 fun. Its murder on small varmints at long distances with 39 gr blitzkings. My experience on coyotes has not been very stellar though.
 
H4895 cfe223 vvn133 8208xbr these have worked well for me the vv 133 was very clean and very accurate some of my best groups came from this powder and I achieved some very good velocities. I'm using cafe 223 now with 40 gr Bergers and it's very accurate as we'll with great velocity also
 
Man its looking like the 204 is a very versatile round in terms of reloadability. I will take some notes as im picking up my lower fri afternoon and checking their stock status. Hopefully they will have 1-2 powders so i can pick some up.

Thanks for all the input.
 
Use 8208 in my Savage LRPV pushing 39gr. BK's.

Use Benchmark in my Sabre upper pushing 32gr. Sierra BK's

Use H4895 in a Cooper I used to have pushing 39gr. BK's molly coated.

I have another 204 upper coming from Specialized Dynamics so it will be interesting to see which powder it likes best.
 
I have just gotten all my loading stuff for the .204 yesterday. So I sat down last night and loaded some test loads, just to get an idea on what this Howa likes. I loaded Varget, Benchmark, and W748 pushing some 34 grain Dogtown's. Well see here in a little while what works best in my gun.

What is the OAL you normally go with, each book I look at has something different. I loaded mine to 2.300".
 
Quote:I loaded Varget, Benchmark, and W748 pushing some 34 grain Dogtown's....How many did you load of each charge, in what increments, and what kind of working range??

My reason for asking is that if you are taking a 'Hail Mary' approach and only loading a single powder charge, or increasing in large increments, you will very likely wind up wasting your components, without achieving any real information...

I've found that the .204 also responds differently to standard or magnum primers in the accuracy department...

I don't have any experience with the Dogtown bullets in the ..204, but in my .223s, they didn't provide the consistent accuracy that my Sierra or Nosler bullets did...
 
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