Reloading for the .204

[Rocky Raab]

The splitting does sound unusual, scooter, but waiting for WW may not help much - Hornady brass is made for them by Winchester!

It may just be an especially hard batch. It sometimes takes a while for the kinks to get worked out with new calibers - and doubly so when that involves an entirely new case, as with the .204.

Brass will also be expensive and rare until the supply catches up. I read a post on another board where I guy thinks he needs 1,000 pieces of .204 brass NOW! But he wants it at discount prices, of course. Dreamer.

Because it's a slightly necked-down cousin of the 222Mag, I'd predict that powders just slightly too slow for the 222 Mag or 223 will be perfect for the .204 Ruger. That puts the choices in the 4895 to 4320 range. So Varget is a great place to start. I'd be reaching for the Reloder-15 if I were loading for it.

Also note that factory ammo uses a special non-canister powder, so you should not expect to duplicate factory velocity within their pressure limits. There's nothing wrong with the speeds you WILL be able to get, though.

Finally, you may have to invest in a standard (non-Lee) case trimmer. That's probably a good idea even if you're not forced to do it. MUCH less tedious than using one of those Lee finger crampers. Look on eBay or post a Wanted ad here in our own Swap & Shop. Pick a brand that already offers .20-cal pilots, of course!