Anyone shooting 40gr Berger hp out of your 204 ruger?

varmit_master

New member
Hi I shoot 35gr Berger and 39gr bking out of mine mostly. But wanted to try the 40gr Berger hp. I have different grain bullets. But thought I would try in my gun. I have a 1@10 twist. I would like to get some data.
 
Can't directly help you with 204 Ruger load data and the 40gr Berger, but I shoot them from my 20-222. They shoot very well in my gun, but, unlike the 35gr Berger and 39gr Blitzking, I found Berger's 40 grainers to be a very seating depth sensitive little SOB. Once you get them dialed in to where they want to be, they shoot well, but getting there was kind of a PITA.
 
Right from the Berger manual





.204 Ruger (Berger Bullets Data)

Warning! Notes: Case trim length: 1.840"; barrel length: 26"; COAL: 2.260"; WARNING - Approach maximum loads with caution. (Berger Bullets Reloading Manual 1st Edition)
Be Alert: Publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data.
Wt.
Bullet
Powder Manufacturer
Powder
Charge
Velocity (FPS)
Favorite?
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Alliant
RL-10X
20.5
3313

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Alliant
RL-10X
22.9
3622

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Accurate
AAC-2015
21.0
3223

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Accurate
AAC-2015
23.9
3596

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Vihtavuori
VV-N133
21.5
3224

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Vihtavuori
VV-N133
24.2
3555

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
H-322
21.5
3291

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
H-322
24.2
3650

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
Benchmark
22.0
3230

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
Benchmark
24.6
3574

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
IMR
IMR-3031
22.5
3349

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
IMR
IMR-3031
25.2
3712

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
IMR
IMR-8208 XBR
22.5
3236

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
IMR
IMR-8208 XBR
25.4
3619

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Accurate
AAC-2495
23.0
3328

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Accurate
AAC-2495
25.5
3673

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Norma
N-201
23.0
3258

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Norma
N-201
25.6
3610

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
H-4895
23.5
3342

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
H-4895
25.9
3667

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Vihtavuori
VV-N135
23.5
3321

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Vihtavuori
VV-N135
25.9
3627

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
H-335
23.5
3235

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
H-335
26.1
3574

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Vihtavuori
VV-N140
23.5
3272

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Vihtavuori
VV-N140
26.1
3602

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Ramshot
TAC
23.5
3290

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Ramshot
TAC
26.1
3630

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
IMR
IMR-4895
23.5
3316

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
IMR
IMR-4895
26.2
3687

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
IMR
IMR-4064
23.5
3244

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
IMR
IMR-4064
26.2
3605

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
Varget
23.5
3232

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
Varget
26.5
3612

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Winchester
W-748
24.0
3330

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Winchester
W-748
26.7
3691

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Alliant
RL-15
24.0
3276

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Alliant
RL-15
26.8
3658

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
BL-C(2)
24.5
3300

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
BL-C(2)
27.1
3645

Remarks: max load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
H-414
26.0
3225

Remarks: start load
40
Berger Match Grade BT Varmint
Hodgdon
H-414
28.8
3610

Remarks: max load
 
Hornet,
Thanks for the detailed data on that bullet. I'm in the process of putting my .204 Ruger AR15 together for fall hunting. I picked up 1000 of those 40 grain Bergers. Your post will be of great assistance. Kudos!!!
 
Hornet,
Thanks for the detailed data on that bullet. I'm in the process of putting my .204 Ruger AR15 together for fall hunting. I picked up 1000 of those 40 grain Bergers. Your post will be of great assistance. Kudos!!!
 
I run them out of a 'Match' chambered 204R with a 12T bbl. Using IMR4895 I run them, at the slower of the 2 nodes I found with this powder, going 3795. I have taken them out to 560 yds. They should stabilize well out of a 10T.
 
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