22-204 is completed /range report added

A

AWS

Retired PM Staff
My reamer got here on friday and headed up to the shop after lunch to rechamberred an old Savage 223Rem 1-9 twist barrel to 22-204. Will start loading for it later this week and get to the range the next rainy day.

This should make a nice flat shooting coyote gun. I hoping to get 50gr NBT's up in the 3500-3600 fps range. In ralation to other cartridges this would equate to a 222 Rem Mag Impoved. Brass availibillity is great and there is no case forming involved just run new 204 brass into 22-204 FL die trim and load. Even dies are pretty easy to come by Redding makes a 204 Ruge Fl Bushing die and just change out the bushing, might have to open the neck openning on the die a little, my set is due here Wednesday.

I'll update this as shooting progresses.

AWS
 
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I need help here. It is my understanding that the 204 is a necked, down blown out 222 Mag. So how does the 22-204 differ from the 222 Mag?
 
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I need help here. It is my understanding that the 204 is a necked, down blown out 222 Mag. So how does the 22-204 differ from the 222 Mag?



Inquisitive minds want to know the answer to this also.

Bill
 
Claimbuster

You answered that question yourself "BLOWN OUT". As I said a 222 Rem Mag IMPROVED. The shoulder on the 204 is moved forward the angle changed from 23 to 30 degress and the side walls straightenned slightly from the original 222Rem Mag case. It is about the most capacity you can get out of a small base cartridge with out getting into some radical case forming or purchasing some very expensive and and scarce European brass (5.6x50mmMag.) There is a great selection of 204Ruger brass and is quite reasonable in price.

AWS
 
I like these special projects. Good luck and post range reports.

My next is going to be a .225 Winchester Improved. Working on getting a reamer now. Think that ought to be a gas, will rechamber a .223 Encore heavy barrel, lets you true up the chamber and cut a new throat. Brass is still available for the .225, and, it has the rim which is good for break action!
 
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Claimbuster

You answered that question yourself "BLOWN OUT". As I said a 222 Rem Mag IMPROVED. The shoulder on the 204 is moved forward the angle changed from 23 to 30 degress and the side walls straightenned slightly from the original 222Rem Mag case. It is about the most capacity you can get out of a small base cartridge with out getting into some radical case forming or purchasing some very expensive and and scarce European brass (5.6x50mmMag.) There is a great selection of 204Ruger brass and is quite reasonable in price.




Why don't you just buy a 22-250?
 
Jack

The reason I didn't change the angle of the case. I wanted this to be a substantial gain over the 223 but to keep it SIMPLE. This is a simple neck up and can be done just like loading new brass for any caliber. Just size, trim ,load and shoot there is no seperate case forming involved. Also when going to a 40 degree shoulder you get into some feeding problems.

Tap2K

There are alot of 223's out there and alot of folks with 223's that would like to pump them up a little, note the number of conversions to 223 AI. This is a much simpler way to go. This cartridge should get NEARLY 22-250 velocities with 20% less powder and therefore longer barrel life.

This is a very simple conversion with substantial gains that I was able to do here at home with just simple hand tools, no major investment in custom dies and availible high quality reasonably priced brass.

AWS
 
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Finally made it to the range today. Everything shot well, 3031 and 4064 didn't have enough room in the case speeds topped out in the 3400s for 50gr NBT's. H4895 and H-335 got things moving 50gr NBT'd got up to 3700fps and shot pretty good. I was shooting only three shot strings to find the upper limits and what areas to do some serious work in.

I loaded a few 40gr V-Max and shot them to 3900 fps over H-335.

I think this is going to be a great little shooter.

Did hit one little glitch, the Redding 204 Ruger die has a smaller decapping spindle and the 224 expander buttons were too big to stay on. Redding rushed me a replacement spindle and everyting is back on track.

Will update this again when I get some accuracy work done, right now most of the three shot groups fired stayed near 1".

AWS
 
YAWN... Theres seems to be this wrath of reinventing the wheel lately with the 30 T/C (300 savage), the 308 Marlin Express (.307 win), now a 22-204 (222 Rem Mag.) I want to do something off the wall on my next project like a 6mm-308 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif We shall call it the 243 super dooper extreme coyote thumper.(but ofcourse this is all in theory and basics).
 
Got to agree with Gander and Rising. Too much work and time for 100 fps. We have so many cartridges now and "in-betwee" cartridges and "in-between those" cartridges that it's down to just wanting to be the only one on your block to have one ! That's OK and I'm not knocking it, but where and when do you draw the line. Let's go way-out and develope a laser rifle with NO trajectory and virtually unlimited range. Wouldn't that be something to be able to throw away your range-finders and vaporize prairie dogs at any distance; exactly one and a half inches below the crosshairs.
 
Actually what I've done is match 223AI ballistics without having to buy custom dies, do any fireforming or pay someone else to do the gunsmithing work. Plus I've learned a lot more about how guns feed, load development with out a book showing me what to do and everything about how my guns tick. Oh! I've had alot of fun along the way. My next project is the 6mm-204(6x47Improved), and yes I already have a 6x45mm and a 243Win,just another fun project, better than sitting infront of the tube watching sports.

AWS
 
keep building them AWS. different strokes for different folks. nothin wrong with that. much better than watchin the tube.
 
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"... my next project like a 6mm-308 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif We shall call it the 243 super dooper... "



Toooooo late. The 6mm-08 (aka 243 Super duper pooper) was developed in the 1950's by Warren Page.

But you COULD do the 6.8-08, but you better hurry, cuz someone out there is breathing down your neck on this hottie!

.
.
 
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"... my next project like a 6mm-308 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif We shall call it the 243 super dooper... "



Toooooo late. The 6mm-08 (aka 243 Super duper pooper) was developed in the 1950's by Warren Page.

But you COULD do the 6.8-08, but you better hurry, cuz someone out there is breathing down your neck on this hottie!

.
.



Thanks for ruining my dream!(insert lil' finger smiley here) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I thought I was the only one to ever come up with that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif As for projects, My next project is a 30 carbine bolt action for calling coyotes. Not because it's a diffrent caliber but no body has a bolt action. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Seriously if you guys ever get the chance to look at "The Handloader's Manual of Catridge Conversions" by John J. Donnelly and Bryce Towsley. It will humble you... trust me! There is nothing that I have thought up that someone isn't already doing. Cartidges from the .14 Jones, a 22 LR necked to accept a swedged 14 caliber bullet, up to some really exotic overseas calibers. They also tell you how to convert other brass too it.
As for your super secret" cartridge it's been done. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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Cool. Glad it's working out the way you had hoped. Some of my friends and I thought about doing one of these after looking at a reamer print for the .204 Ruger shortly after it came out. One buddy finally ordered a reamer and stuff and is waiting for Greg Tannel to chamber his Hart. I don't think it will be done for about six more months though.

- DAA
 
Actually... the .22-204 was done about a year ago and was written up on Long range hunting.

While the idea looks good on paper, there is not enough gain over a long necked 222 Mag to make it worth the cost of the reamer and dies...

.
 
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