New 204 load... Projectile options?

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Sun May 25, 2014 8:24 am

Hi, I have a t3 that I'm loading 34 gn nosler shots in coz they r cheap and shoot well, but I'd like to try some ballistic tips, not sure of the barrel twist, and if it will stabilise 40gn vmax.
What do u guys use or have any opinions?

Flip · Post by **Flip** » Sun May 25, 2014 9:03 am

In my T3 the 40grn Vmax's shot well but no where near as well as the 39 grn Blitz kings. The 40,s seemed to be stabilized when shooting paper but at night the 40's were making a very strange whining noise and my strike rate went down on the foxes so I switched back to the 32 grn Vmax's. And

I've been using BM 8208 with all the projectiles and have found it to give a nice balance of velocity and accuracy. I recently tried some of the Berger 35 grn hollow points and they were shooting really, really well with almost a ragged one hole 3 shot group at 100 meters. It was hard to tell three shots went through the same spot.
So now I'm running the Bergers they are doing the job well.

Flip

Camel · Post by **Camel** » Sun May 25, 2014 9:31 am

Don't have a Tikka, but I run 32gn nosler Bal tips, 32gn V and Z max in my 20/222, my rifle likes them all. Tried 39gn Sierras, but they didn't make any difference so I off loaded them, all I will use from now on is one of the three above. If you want to try some Noslers or Hornady 32 gners, I could sent you some to try. My rifle has a 1 - 11 twist. 2207 is my powder of choice.

Dr G · Post by **Dr G** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 12:36 am

With the 204 I have never found a better load than 39gn BK's backed by 27.8gn's of 2206h

Teepee · Post by **Teepee** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 3:25 am

I'm with camel on this
Tried the 39 bks but was experiencing a lot of run offs. They were reasonably accurate though.

Have switched to 35gr Bergers in the 204 and haven't had a problem since.

bigfellascott · Post by **bigfellascott** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 6:52 am

Teepee wrote:I'm with camel on this
Tried the 39 bks but was experiencing a lot of run offs. They were reasonably accurate though.

Have switched to 35gr Bergers in the 204 and haven't had a problem since.

G'day Teepee,

How do the Bergers go on foxes (hole wise) do they leave big entry/exit holes at all or are they ok on the skins, reason I ask is I want to keep the skins and at present the 39bk leave big holes in em most of the time.

Flip was good enough to send my some to give em a run with but haven't as yet gotten around to loading em up.

Cheers

Post by **GriMo** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 7:04 am

PM me your address and I'll send down some 40gn vmax if you like. I also used to run the 39SBK but found supply unreliable and also wasn't thrilled with terminal performance. Sometimes they wound blow stuff apart, other times I'd be getting run offs and finding game with what appeared to be very minor wounds given the projectile and shot placement. They were accurate though.

The vmax are cheaper, easier to source and do far seem to give more reliable results.

I'm also running a T3

Teepee · Post by **Teepee** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 11:09 am

I would say, as usual, that no projectile will give you exactly what you want.

The 35 has come the closest to my needs in the 204 so far. I couldn't get the 40vmax to group well in mine, so didn't end up using them. My sako is a 1/12 twist standard factory brl.

They will still blow stuff up if placed in the wrong area, but at least I'm not getting run offs with them. As I'm only after the scalps, I wasn't concerned with pelt damage.

bigfellascott · Post by **bigfellascott** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 1:53 pm

Teepee wrote:I would say, as usual, that no projectile will give you exactly what you want.

The 35 has come the closest to my needs in the 204 so far. I couldn't get the 40vmax to group well in mine, so didn't end up using them. My sako is a 1/12 twist standard factory brl.

They will still blow stuff up if placed in the wrong area, but at least I'm not getting run offs with them. As I'm only after the scalps, I wasn't concerned with pelt damage.

Thanks for that Teepee, I've also got some 26gn Barnes V-Grenades that Barry B gave me to try, so hopefully they will be a bit milder on skins.

Dr G · Post by **Dr G** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:12 pm

Interesting to hear about the run offs, I haven't seen this myself but will store that tidbit away if I need to explain a miss in the future

bigfellascott · Post by **bigfellascott** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:30 pm

Dr G wrote:Interesting to hear about the run offs, I haven't seen this myself but will store that tidbit away if I need to explain a miss in the future

Yep can't say I've had any foxes run off either after being poked with the 39's. All so far have been bang flops!

Although the misses shot one a mth or so back that we couldn't find (long Grass) but did see a set of eyes not far away from where this one was shot so not sure if it was it or not, had a good look around but couldn't find the one she shot, so it may well have been that one.

BP72 · Post by **BP72** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:34 pm

I've tried 26 gr varmint grenades , shot well gave you mush in a fur bag results . 39 gr sbk shot unreal give you big holes and shit in the air results no runoffs . 32 gr zmax shoot silly small groups haven't shot any critters yet !
I remember years ago using sierra TNT in my 223 don't remember which bullet weight , shot a fox way out in the end of the light , walked out to retrieve it in a emerging wheat crop and the prick jumped up and bit me on the hand. That caused a commotion on the back of the ute ( mainly smartarses laughing ) , so I grabbed the prick and carried it back to the ute . He was a bit pissed off , so we donged him with a ball pein hammer . Upon inspection we found a heap of skin missing but it didn't penetrate the rib cage . I carried the hammer out on next next couple of retrieves much to the amusement of the other blokes . They all had 25-06 , 270 etc big noisey stuff as we were only blowing away foxes and roos

bigfellascott · Post by **bigfellascott** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 10:48 pm

BP72 wrote:I've tried 26 gr varmint grenades , shot well gave you mush in a fur bag results . 39 gr sbk shot unreal give you big holes and shit in the air results no runoffs . 32 gr zmax shoot silly small groups haven't shot any critters yet !
I remember years ago using sierra TNT in my 223 don't remember which bullet weight , shot a fox way out in the end of the light , walked out to retrieve it in a emerging wheat crop and the prick jumped up and bit me on the hand. That caused a commotion on the back of the ute ( mainly smartarses laughing ) , so I grabbed the prick and carried it back to the ute . He was a bit pissed off , so we donged him with a ball pein hammer . Upon inspection we found a heap of skin missing but it didn't penetrate the rib cage . I carried the hammer out on next next couple of retrieves much to the amusement of the other blokes . They all had 25-06 , 270 etc big noisey stuff as we were only blowing away foxes and roos

bloody gotta poke em first before you put ya hand near em!

carrying a hammer that's a crack up! I like the performance of the 32's they seem to kill very well (I only used Rem and Fed factory ammo in those) and they shot bloody well and killed very very well too.

So the VG's don't blow holes hey? that's good to hear, I will have to load a few up to try out next time I'm whistling or spotlighting em.

Flip · Post by **Flip** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 11:01 pm

I don't take a hammer. I take the IAC leaver action shot gun

.

Just incase... You never know.

Plus once we had another pup in the stubble not far from it kin that we did not see so it was a long run and leap over the fence to the ute to grab the shottie.

flip

bigfellascott · Post by **bigfellascott** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 11:07 pm

Flip wrote:I don't take a hammer. I take the IAC leaver action shot gun .

Just incase... You never know.

Plus once we had another pup in the stubble not far from it kin that we did not see so it was a long run and leap over the fence to the ute to grab the shottie.

flip

I never take anything with me to be honest, might have to start after reading that other post!

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