Author Topic: 204 22" bull sight in and 100yd report (Read 1309 times)

JerryKo · « **on:** March 27, 2008, 10:32:15 AM »

Needed a way to kill some time between shots for another project I was working on so I decided to finally sight in a 204 barrel I picked up around Christmas. I used factory 32 grain vmax hornady rounds. After I bore sighted I shot a clover leaf 25 yd string I adjusted scope and fired another two rounds near x. Figured that was normal for this and moved my backer out to 100yds. I shot 1 was a 1 1/2 in low and 2inches right. I figured one was not a group so I fired another. #$%^& no hole that I could see thru scope. Felt good but I thought it was me. Fired another and I thought maybe the first hole looked different, but not sure. Figured I better take a walk. I thought this was shooting all over the place, but to my suprise, yep you guessed it, and no bs, all in same oblong hole. I have never and probably wouldn't do that again. I shot two more, nearly same holed again! Re-adjusted and finished up 3/4" high. I'll leave it there. These small bores really can shoot. And to think I've tried to resale this barrel twice before. Thank goodness I finally had a chance to fall for it. Won't part with it now.

I hope I can handload this good for it.

Anybody shooting this load tell me how long accuracy will hold up before needing a cleaning.

Jerry

quickdtoo · « **Reply #1 on:** March 27, 2008, 11:16:03 AM »

Congrats, don't ya love it when that happens, from despair to joy in one look!!

Tim

rex6666 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2008, 11:17:14 AM »

sighting in mine shot the 32 vmax the same, three touching in center white, then i changed to the 40gr and was spread about 2" and 2" high, have not been back to range, spent the rest of that
day messing with a 17hmr, think the problem thier is the barska scope, 4x 22 special
the 204 shoots fine i think with the 32 vmax, been a long time since i have shot 3 that i could cover
with a dime.

Inrut24/7 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2008, 11:35:18 AM »

thats great, it should really perform good with handloads, I have read more than one arcticle on the 204 ruger where Reloder 15 gave the best accuracy, it might be a powder worth trying.

JerryKo · « **Reply #4 on:** March 27, 2008, 11:39:24 AM »

Thanks, I'll look into it. Right now just about everything for 204 reloading is out of stock. At least last I checked. Same with 22 hornet. I had to use 223 dies on it to try a barrel out. Worked ok.

Jerry

NAM70 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 27, 2008, 12:57:12 PM »

I'd be happy with that kind of accuracy too! I also have a new 204 that I haven't shot yet but maybe Saturday. I have one box of Hornady factory stuff w/40grain V-Max. Don't know what to expect from the 40 grainers. I've had my 204 reloading stuff on order from Midsouth for almost a month now. Getting very impatient! I even have my powder measure set up to throw the first charge and my scale is set too! Have fun with yours. Dave

LONGTOM · « **Reply #6 on:** March 27, 2008, 04:13:04 PM »

I've had my 204 now for two seasons. Using the 32 gr VMAX at 1" high at 100 and seams to still be dead on at 300. The 300 yd shot was on a fox that I over shot 20 minutes earlier because I held an inch high. The next shot I held just above center shoulder and that was were it hit. So far she has taken 67 groundhogs 5 foxes and 1 coyote. all one shot kills with great devastation except the coyote. Hit her on the run at over 170 yds in the back, LUCK!
Finished her off with a ruger blackhawk in 357 with 110 grainers. I have not cleaned her yet but I have pulled a bore snake through once each on two occasions! That's a total of 73 rounds plus another 7 rounds to sight her in. I think you are going to have this one for a long time. Mines not for sale!

LONGTOM

JerryKo · « **Reply #7 on:** March 27, 2008, 04:38:54 PM »

Sounds good Longtom. I think the box says .6 high at 100 gives -4.3 at 300. So I would think you are dead on at 300.

I like a rifle I can shoot and shoot and not have to worry about cleaning. If so, it will be my only one. Centerfire at least. Thanks for the info.

Jerry

garandsrus · « **Reply #8 on:** March 27, 2008, 06:42:59 PM »

Grafs (www.grafs.com) and Midway (www.midwayusa.com) have .204 components in stock.

John

mitchell · « **Reply #9 on:** March 28, 2008, 07:19:19 AM »

Quote from: JerryKo on March 27, 2008, 10:32:15 AM

Anybody shooting this load tell me how long accuracy will hold up before needing a cleaning.

when my barrel was new i had to clean about every 50-75rds but now that i got over 1000 down the tube its more like 100-125

JerryKo · « **Reply #10 on:** March 28, 2008, 09:45:59 AM »

Sounds like you really like yours too. That will be great. I don't plan on "killing" anymore paper with this, unless I start missing a lot, so I doubt I'll see 1000 for a long while. But I can surely live with 50-75 between cleanings. Thanks Mitchell.

Jerry

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #11 on:** March 28, 2008, 07:15:24 PM »

Ain't those 204's great!!!!!!

Fat NDN · « **Reply #12 on:** March 29, 2008, 04:22:24 PM »

With me it yet to be determined. I have been to the range 5 times and have yet to my bull barrel .204 to shoot right.
I first started with 39 gr blitzkings with the preferred powder "VARGET", it they keyholed at 25 yds. and missed the paper totally at 50 yds.
Then I loaded 32 gr Nosler ballistic tips with varget and got 1" - 2" groups at 50 yds.
Now I am working up loads with BENCHMARK maybe my groups will get better.
Very frustrating, my 22-250 Savage shoots .25" at 100 yds. and .38" at 200 yds.
$:-\$

mitchell · « **Reply #13 on:** March 30, 2008, 07:37:05 AM »

give BL-C2 a try with all the 204's i've worked with i've had better overall luck with BL-C2 then with varget, and if you having a lot of trouble try burger bullets there not sheap but every 204 i've shot has liked them

Fat NDN · « **Reply #14 on:** March 30, 2008, 01:52:47 PM »

Quote from: mitchell on March 30, 2008, 07:37:05 AM

give BL-C2 a try with all the 204's i've worked with i've had better overall luck with BL-C2 then with varget, and if you having a lot of trouble try burger bullets there not sheap but every 204 i've shot has liked them

Is BL-C2affected by temp. I have great success with H380 with my 22-250, but when the temp rises above 80 degrees my groups open up drastically.
So, I use Varget and the temp. doesn't matter, it is more consistent, but not as accurate. I am now trying Benchmark. I thought I would try it with
the .204 also. Is BL-C2 ball powder. H380 is and I figured that may be the problem. But if BL-C2 is not temp. sensitive I'll give it a try.

mitchell · « **Reply #15 on:** March 31, 2008, 03:40:41 AM »

well if you ask me all powder is affected by temp , i don't remember right off the top of my head if it is or not but i know i've used the same load all year long and it never opens up . form ohio winters to texas summers and i've never seen a change . i've never tried H380 in a 204 i've always been able to find a good load with either varget or BL-C2

you can look at their site and see if BL-C2 affected by temp of not, but either way if your not getting good groups with varget i would use BL-C2

scamp_walker · « **Reply #16 on:** March 31, 2008, 03:23:31 PM »

Group,

I came on here a month or so ago begging for a 22" bull .204, but to no avail. So, I put a couple of buck into Sam's grandchildren's pockets at $227 and topped her with a 6.5x20 Simmons Whitetail Classic.....Think Quick has this same set up.

I am sure she will handle the 32 grainers in vmax (i do not reload, so I am stuck with reg ammo), however, I am really wanting the box of 45 grn SPs I picked up in Hornaday to shoot well enough for hog headshoots or for doe headshots for my little girl.

Any chance the twist can stabilize those heavier pills? I sure hope so b/c according to the ballistics, I think they carry some decent energy out to 100 yards (over 1000 i think)

Any first hand experience with the heavy pills, or with the 39 grn feds?

Fat NDN · « **Reply #17 on:** March 31, 2008, 05:31:22 PM »

Quote from: scamp_walker on March 31, 2008, 03:23:31 PM

Group,

I came on here a month or so ago begging for a 22" bull .204, but to no avail. So, I put a couple of buck into Sam's grandchildren's pockets at $227 and topped her with a 6.5x20 Simmons Whitetail Classic.....Think Quick has this same set up.

I am sure she will handle the 32 grainers in vmax (i do not reload, so I am stuck with reg ammo), however, I am really wanting the box of 45 grn SPs I picked up in Hornaday to shoot well enough for hog headshoots or for doe headshots for my little girl.

Any chance the twist can stabilize those heavier pills? I sure hope so b/c according to the ballistics, I think they carry some decent energy out to 100 yards (over 1000 i think)

Any first hand experience with the heavy pills, or with the 39 grn feds?

I am told that 40 gr bullets are pushing it with a 1:12 twist.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #18 on:** March 31, 2008, 05:48:23 PM »

I wouldn't say that's gospel, more like internet BS, Mitchell made PD kills at the 2005 PD shoot at well over 400yds with his 204 Handi with the 40gr Vmax, in front of witnesses no less!!

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,64944.msg393846.html#msg393846

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,61074.msg368736.html#msg368736

mitchell · « **Reply #19 on:** April 02, 2008, 07:22:24 AM »

at the 05 P-dog shoot i was using 32 grain bullets . one thing that most people forget about long range varmint shooting is most all the time if its still in range for you to hit it your bullet will still have the ass to kill it. do to the wind hitting targets way out there are alot harder with light bullets so with that little 32 grain bullet in the OK wind 450 yards was about pushing it but it sure did still have the killing power , same thing with bigger guns, the 243 gets hard to hit stuff around 700 , the 308 at around 1000 , the 300 win mag about 1200 . see where i'm going with this your bullet will run out of steam long after it get too hard to make a hit.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #20 on:** April 02, 2008, 07:50:46 AM »

You're gonna have to quit holding out on us Mitch!!

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,81267.msg500343.html#msg500343