Handi 204 loading

[Old English]

I have a Handi in 204 Ruger.  I have loading Benchmark   27.3gr   32gr Sierra Blitzking   2.27 OAL.  I had enormous probs with standard OAL, and factory ammo was pretty awful. My present load is the best I have found so far, it seems that OAL is critical. Anyone got any good experiences with OAL for this rifle?  I am in the process of getting a Stoney Point gauge but would appreciate anybody else's experience.
My Tikka in 223 iand CZ in 243 are real easy to laod for but the Handi is proving a little more problematic

[quickdtoo]

I suggest you post your question in the NEF/H&R Centerfire forum, lots of 204 Handi handloaders there. I haven't shot any handloads in mine yet, but didn't have any problems arriving at a COL with the 40gr Vmax, there's no way to reach the lands as most Handis have long throats, most just use the recommened SAAMI COL, then work from there if that doesn't shoot well, but usually it does when you get the right load.

Tim

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/smf/index.php/board,126.0.html

http://204ruger.com/204_data.php

[Old English]

I got my Handi almost new after it had shot 10 rounds of Hornady 40gr, a friend of mine found the 6" grouping unacceptable for some reason. I wondered if he was just a bad shot so I fired the other 20 rounds he had, this gun had problems. I called h&R and they advised against using the 40gr rounds, 32gr wa their vote. This tightened the group to less than 3" @ 100 yards.
I hvae got it doen to .7" with handloads but I am sure that it can do better. 

[quickdtoo]

Mine doesn't shoot great with any of the factory ammo I've tried in any weight, that's why I have some handloads made up for it. When I got mine in Oct '04, there wasn't any brass available to speak of, but I got plenty now from trying all the factory loads , both the silver box and white box from Win, Rem, Hornady and HSM. Of those, the Hornady 32gr shot best at about 1½".

Mitchell's load is a max Hodgdon book load of BL-C2 and the 40gr Vmax in Hornady brass, I'm working up to that on my next range visit. Seems to me the COL I made em was 2.280".

Tim