best 204 powder

[MOGLEY]

I am about to start reloading for my 204. I want to know what is the more popular powder for accuracy and loadability. I have been using 4198 for my 222 and absolutely hate the way it is so inconsistant from the powder measure. I have not used benchmark or h322 or varget. I have seen those powders the most for recommendations. At $23 per lb, I want to make an informed purchase. I realize I may have to experiment a bit for my best loads to be realized. I am shooting a handi bull barrel. Thanks in advance

[Chuck White]

There may be some better powders out there, but I quit looking!
My powder is IMR/Hodgdon 4198.
I don't think you'll find a cylindrical powder that will measure accurately "every time" from a powder measure. That's what they make trickle chargers for.  A little extra effort, but the accuracy is worth it.



The following is the result of testing my 26 inch TC Encore!

Date:       April
Temp ..... 44 deg F.
Barrel .... 26 inch TC Factory barrel
Case ...... Hornady
Bullet ..... 32 grain Hornady V-Max
Primer ... CCI 450
Powder .. 23.0 grains IMR 4198
O.A.L. .... 2.265 inches
3-Shot muzzle velocity average .. 4125 fps @20 ft!
3-Shot group center to center ..... .330 inches @100 Yds

I bought 32 grain Hornady factory ammo and used the fired brass for my reloads!
NOTE: I was getting 3/8 inch groups with the factory 32 grain ammo! I was surprised and pleased!
I tried some 40 grain factory ammo and the best I could get was a 5-6 inch group and the bullets all keyholed!


I hope this is the kind of info you're looking for.

[MOGLEY]

man what a difference in groups! I have seen a lot or discussion that there is a big difference between 32 and 40 grain bullets for accuracy. I have ordered both from midway for reloading. I actually missed twice with the gun today but I am not too dissapointed I need to shoot it a lot more. Get used to it and actually shoot it more than 100yards.

[MOGLEY]

Update on my reloading and results.
4198 has had some real good groups in short  penny size at a 100yds. ( 5 shot groups). with 3 out of the 5 making 1 hole. 22grains of powder did better than 23gr.
Tonite I used VARGET wich I heard good things about.............. not good. 1 3/4" to 2" groups at 100yds. I loaded up with 28.1 and 28.8gr of powder. The 28.8 shot a lot better but still nothing close to the groups with the 4198 powder.
Tonite I loaded up some with h322 powder 26.1 and 27.1 grains of powder. Tomorrow will see whats up.
 I am usiing hornady 32 gr v-max bullets with a wsr primer and 2.265 oal.

As far as meauring goes, h322 is easiest and real consistant. VARGET is a lot better than 4198 but not quite as uniform measureing as h322.Bemchmark will be my next powder to experiment with. Unless I hear from some of you that have gone down this road and can give me some experience........(s)

[nofun1]

definitely try H335 it measures beautifully, in my CZ 527 it gives the best velocity and accuracy. Benchmark was close but it costs more so why? Varget didnt work at all for me. H4198 is my go to powder for 222 but I couldn't get decent velocity only 3650 out of my 24inch barrel. with H335 I get 3980 and pretty regular .3" groups. I use the max load from Hodgdon and in my gun had no signs of pressure.  also with 32gr Vmax  I have tested this load at 10 and 45 degrees f.  with consistant results at both temps I havent yet tried it in summer.Good luck

[mjbgalt]

i have loaded for 2 different rifles in .204 and both responded to between 26 and 28 grains of Varget and a Sierra 32-grain bullet.

-Matt

[MOGLEY]

One other thing I did was hook up my chronagraph. I did not post the results with the reort above because more than half of the time I was getting weird readings like 1550 fps then 3550 then 1665!  I figured the chrony was messing up. I have not shot thru one before. I had it set up like 3 ft in front of the muzzle. The temp was around 32 F. Maybe that had something to do with it. I will experiment with its placement to rule that out.

[Ahab]

One other thing I did was hook up my chronagraph. I did not post the results with the reort above because more than half of the time I was getting weird readings like 1550 fps then 3550 then 1665!  I figured the chrony was messing up. I have not shot thru one before. I had it set up like 3 ft in front of the muzzle. The temp was around 32 F. Maybe that had something to do with it. I will experiment with its placement to rule that out.

You need to set that Chrony 10 feet from the muzzle and fresh batteries. Sounds like the Chony is reading unburnt powder.

[Catfish]

I don`t think you can say that there is a best powder for any round. I`ve had great luck with AA 2230-c powder. It`s a bulk powder that is near the burn rate of AA 2460. Really any powder in the burn rate area of H-322, H-335, 4198, 3031 should work well. From there it`s up to you .

[MOGLEY]

Tonite I tried the h322 powder loads. It was real windy above the trees but my wind indicators were not showing much signs of the wind along the 100yd to the target so I shot.
 26.1 grains versus 27.1 grains.
26.1 was 2  inch group and 27.1 group was 3 1/4" ! Not good at all. Nothing touching. these were 5 shot groups at 100yds.
I decided to shoot at the 45yd target and both loads gave a 3/4 inch group. the 26.1 load looking tighter with one bullet accounting for the 3/4" where as the other group with 27.1 was pretty much a string.
Maybe the wind effected the bullet. I may load another 10 of each and try a comparison on a wind free day just to make sure.
Thanks for the tip on the chrony results. I did put it out about 5 ft from the muzzle anf the velocity reading were truthful ( i think).
The bullet velocities on the 26.1 loads averaged 3781.6 fps. and the 27.1 loads averaged 3989.8 fps.
Loads varied 109 fps between fastest and slowest on the 27.1 loads and 98 on the 26.1 loads.
I am very picky when I reload these rounds for testing and exact powder weights are used. I use a beam scale rcbs 505. Is it normal for the bullet velocities to vary that much? I never used a chrony before.

Thanks for the tip on h335 I will give that a try next not benchmark. I am only trying the top two higher load recommendations as I want to shoot for distance ( 300 to 400 yards). When the crow season is open, I hunt the coastline and like the light easily fragmentation bullets so as not to bounce bullets along the water ( on the small chance of missing)!
I have to order some more 32grain bullets

[MOGLEY]

Shot a bunch today. All kinds of different loads. long story shorter... The h322 powder gives the best velocity. Varget is workable but the speed is less than the load data suggests by quite a bit. 300fps off! I went higher by 1 grain than the book says and the groups were not bad but it did have more recoil. Primer was not flattened out so I do think it was to much.
I ran out of 32 grain bullets and decided to dig into the 40grainers. Groups were no different as far as size goes.. Nothing all day that was spectacular . Cleaned the gun again and will try some more h322 and Varget loads  tomorrow.
4198 still is a good group powder but is a lot slower than the book as well. (350fps) Not sure why it is so off. I do not dare dictate powder by speed as I might end up with a bulged barrel.Test barrel in the book is 26 inches maybe that is why,. I willpost the best powder combo when I get it. I am actually getting into this  record keeping load data trial and error thing.

[Buckskin]

I agree with Nofun1, H335 is working great for me.  I was hesitant to even start loading for the 204 because the factory Hornady 32s were so fast and accurate.  But max loads with H335 and vmax 32s are extremely accurate. <1/2" accuracy at 100 yds is routine.  I have a 4" steel dinger set at 330 yards, which I am hitting near dead center every "benched" shot.  Also have a larger dinger at 500 yds, hit it every shot also, but so far I've been too lazy to walk my butt out there to see where it is hitting.  The 400-600 yd accuracy test is my next project.  I routinely see coyotes from my house from 3-600 yds.  The 3-400 yd dogs are dead, now I need to extend that a bit.  I haven't chrony'd them yet but will post.

Also was using Federal 205M primers, but for some reason Sportsman Warehouse doesn't carry them by me anymore.  I bought the standard Federal small rifle primers for now.  Is there a major difference between the 2?
I don't know how Sportsman's can call themselves a warehouse.  I can count 5 different times in the last year I have gone there for basic things that they either ran out of or don't carry.

[Buckskin]

There may be some better powders out there, but I quit looking!
The following is the result of testing my 26 inch TC Encore!

Date:       April
Temp ..... 44 deg F.
Barrel .... 26 inch TC Factory barrel
Case ...... Hornady
Bullet ..... 32 grain Hornady V-Max
Primer ... CCI 450
Powder .. 23.0 grains IMR 4198
O.A.L. .... 2.265 inches
3-Shot muzzle velocity average .. 4125 fps @20 ft!
3-Shot group center to center ..... .330 inches @100 Yds

Wow that's a smokin' velocity there!  Data from IMR states that they get 4006 ft/sec with 23.5 grains of 4198 and 32gr Hornady's.  But they are using Federal primers.  Those CCI's must really pack a punch!!