15 replies to this topic

[ratassassin]

Got a new varmint rifle in the waiting period. This one will make you happy, Frank. Stainless 26" heavy barrel (1:12 twist), thumbhole laminate. We'll see how the X-Mark Pro trigger is. If I don't like it, I'll have a Jewell installed and take it down to 14 oz. Reloading dies, bullets and brass are on the way. Thanks again for your load data, CA Desert Dog. Anyone have any good loads using H335, Benchmark or X-Terminator? Mike

[OrneryOlMofo357]

Congrats on the new Rifle! I still have a couple hundred 34gr Varmint Extreme/Nightmare from Midsouth loaded with 27.5 H335, using a Fed 205M primer that shoot pretty well from My Savage 12FV. But as usual, start at lower weights and work up. I also tried the IMR 4198 it didnt work as well, and still have 1/2 pound to use elsewhere. Keep us posted on your results!Edit to add... On my SPS with the X Mark I only adjusted the lower front screw. Its the Trigger weight screw. After reading about AD's from other triggers on the 700 thats the only one I played with. I dont have a trigger weight scale so I cant tell you the exact pull weight. It does however break clean and crisp with no creep. It feels fine for Hunting, and I played with it alot and did not get any type of AD from it. If you loosen it too much, the rifle wont even fire. Id give it a try and see how you like it. Good Luck!

[ratassassin]

Hey, thanks for the tips, Ornery. I'll dial down the X-Mark's trigger pull and see how it is. It might be fine if I can get it to 2 or 2.5 lbs. Appreciate the loads, too. I'll start out with Sierra Blitzking 32 gr and Barnes 26 gr Varmint Grenades and see how they do. Curious about those Midsouth Varmint Extreme or Nightmares too. I wanted to try Speer TNT but can't find any.

[Frank]

This one will make you happy, Frank.

LOL... Yes it does, Mike, yes it does indeed... And, what is interesting is, I had that exact same rifle & caliber. OH, & yes, it was an awesome performer on both targets & (one/lol) coyote btw.I bought mine before Remington actually "legitimized" (for lack of a better word) it & was not even on their website or catalog for perhaps the first couple yrs or so that it was out. Crazy huh? Primary reason I sold it was, I just no longer needed it & was semi-cleaning house a bit. Plus a history of just flipping rifles I guess? lolAnyway, a Benchmark (& favorite) load that I used was; 39gr Sierra Blitzking bullet with 27 gs of Benchmark, Win brass & Fed 205 match primer for a chronographed avg of 3744 fps in approx 65(?) degree temp. 25grs of RL10X also gave excellent results, but at approx 80(?) fps less velocity. Btw, friends & I both could never get the 40gr bullets to work.Keep us posted on your results & Congrats on your very fine purchase Frank

[Baja_Traveler]

Looks just like my Savage 12! Mine is perfectly happy shooting 40 grainers - guess I'm one of the lucky ones because most don't like them. Had mine out this morning at Pala. I was knocking over the little rabbit silhouettes at 600 yards with my favorite load: a 40 grain Nosler over 26.8gr of 10x.It sure is a fun rifle to shoot! And being able to actually see your hits makes it that much better.

[Brant]

Nice .What scope are you mounting?

[ratassassin]

@ Frank: thanks for the tips. Can't believe you sold that rifle! Got any 32 gr Blitzking loads? @ BT: I almost bought a Savage but got a heck of a deal on this Rem 700 and couldn't pass it up. Lucky you, with the 40 gr. 600 yards?!! That's phenomenal. I was sort of thinking of this rifle as a 400 yard gun. Is it dropping like a rock by then or still relatively flat? How bad does the wind effect your POI out at 600 yards? @ Brant: Thanks. That is a very good question. I'm currently thinking about a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 mil-dot whenever they next go on sale at OpticsPlanet for $368. I should have bought one of the fine wire Viper target dots when they were blowing them out for $249 last year. Or possibly a Nikon Buckmasters 6-18x40 mil-dot next time Midway drops them to $299. I know SJ and BzzrdFeeder like those scopes. But I'd sure like to have 24x. So, still thinking.In the meantime, I've got a Bushnell Legend 5-15x40 mil-dot that's gathering dust. So I'll use that until my checkbook recovers. By the way, SJ, it was your PM that made me go with .204 Ruger over .22-250. Thanks for tipping me over the edge because I was going back and forth forever. In the end, it was longer barrel life and being able to see the hit that sold me on .204 Ruger.

[oz_fox_hunter]

lets hope it doesn't go back under warranty like mine did.. still waiting ...

[Frank]

LOL... Yeah, Mike, that is one thing I'll never be accused of... being very smart! (selling my 204)Actually I did some testing with the lighter bullets, but believe they were Hornady's? But again, it was Benchmark that produced the best accuracy & highest velocity(4000+ fps) with the lighter (gr?) bullets also. Unfortunately, I cannot recall how many grains of powder though. Sorry!However, in my 204 & a friend's 2, 204's, NO bullet produced the accuracy that the 39gr Sierra gave. And, IF, I remember right that also included Berger bullets; but am honestly not positive on that?The longer barrel life and seeing your hits are indeed a BIG plus IMO. The 204 really is a pleasure to shoot. I could also see INSTANTLY the impact of where the bullet hit & the blood flowing out of the entrance hole on the lone coyote I slayed with it. The same cannot be said of a lot of other calibers for sure. Frank

[ratassassin]

Can't wait. I may have to try some of those 39 gr Blitzkings, Frank. I bought some Benchmark awhile back for .223 Rem but never used it. So I'm looking forward to trying it with the .204.

[Baja_Traveler]

Trust Frank - that 39gr Sierra is positively the most popular and highest rated bullet made for the .204...Winds this morning were calm here, I had maybe 1-2 mph cross winds. By the time that little tiny bullet is out to 600 yards there is not much left on it. I definitely would not hunt anything larger than a jack rabbit at that distance... The .204 is for sure a 300 yard gun effectively. You are looking at the same scope I have on mine, and I absolutely love it - just don't forget to also adjust the parallax knob when you adjust elevation or you will be wondering why the bullet is all of a sudden hitting two feet to the right at 500 yards

[ratassassin]

BT, that is a great looking rig.

[ehd]

plan on throwing the x-mark in the trash can, they dont break very consistant.

[Frank]

Forgot one... Mike, if you still have that 223, be sure and try Benchmark in that also. You'll be glad you did!Specifically, 28.5 gr with a 40gr NOSLER Bal Tip (the lead bullet). The powder will fit. LOL May need to "trickle" it in? My lovely Remmy chrono'd 3774 fps with that load & also shot outstanding in at least one other 223 but did not chrono it. Frank

[Shoot-it]

those to rifles are pretty keep them in the safe.

[CA Desert Dog]

That is such a sweet looking rifle Mike. It deserves a Hawke scope with an SR12 reticle. You'll be picking off those critters from a long way off. My Howa heavy barreled 204 wears a new Digital Hawke Nite-Eye 6-24 X 50 scope and for under $290.00 it is a very sweet scope. The SR12 reticle linked to the free Hawke ballistic program takes all of the guess work out of long range shots. It works perfectly, every time.