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Guide

.204 Ruger Ammo 2026: Varmint and Predator Loads From the Makers

By , EditorUpdated How we verifyEditorial standards

We checked 9 current .204 Ruger loads on Federal's, Remington's, Hornady's and Nosler's own product pages on November 5, 2026: 1 from Federal, 2 from Remington, 3 from Hornady and 3 from Nosler. The bullet weights, velocities, energy figures, test barrels and statuses below are copied from the maker pages. We don't use retailer prices or third-party ballistics. This is a comparison of popular loads from 4 makers, not every .204 Ruger load sold.

Grouping follows the usage label Federal and Remington print on their own pages. Hornady and Nosler are listed in their own tables, because Hornady prints no usage label and Nosler uses a different one. The Cartridge column shows the name the maker page uses.

Varmint and predator loads

These are the loads Federal and Remington label "Long Range, Predator, Varmint" and "Varmint" on their own pages. Figures are copied from each maker page.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Federal Varmint & Predator204 RugerV204VM3232 gr Hornady® V-Max®4,100 fps1,194 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Available
Remington Premier AccuTip-V204 Ruger2921832 gr AccuTip-V4,225 fps1,268 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Available
Remington Premier AccuTip-V204 Ruger2922040 gr AccuTip-V3,900 fps1,351 ft-lbNot listed on maker page20Available

Hornady loads

Hornady's pages show no usage label and no stock status on our capture, so these loads are listed by product line, such as Superformance V-MAX and Superformance Varmint. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures from each page's ballistics table, and the test barrel is the one the table names.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Hornady Superformance V-MAX204 Ruger8320432 gr V-MAX® Superformance4,225 fps1,268 ft-lb26 in20Not listed on maker page
Hornady Superformance V-MAX204 Ruger8320640 gr V-MAX® Superformance3,900 fps1,351 ft-lb26 in20Not listed on maker page
Hornady Superformance Varmint204 Ruger8320924 gr NTX® Superformance® Varmint4,400 fps1,032 ft-lb26 in20Not listed on maker page

Nosler loads

Nosler lists a use line on each page ("" and "Varmint"). The status is from Nosler's online store. Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures in each page's ballistics table, and the test barrel is the one Nosler lists.

LoadCartridgeItem #BulletMuzzle velocityMuzzle energyTest barrelBoxMaker status (Nov. 5)
Nosler Ballistic Tip Lead Free Varmint204 Ruger6104032 gr Ballistic Tip Varmint3,975 fps1,123 ft-lb24 in20In stock (Nosler store)
Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint204 Ruger6102140 gr Ballistic Tip Varmint3,625 fps1,167 ft-lb24 in20In stock (Nosler store)
Nosler Varmageddon Flat Base Tipped204 Ruger6511532 gr Varmageddon4,000 fps1,137 ft-lb24 in20In stock (Nosler store)

Velocity and energy are the muzzle figures in each maker's ballistics table. Test barrel is the length the maker lists. "Box" is the round count per box. Status is the maker's own wording on its product page, and it changes daily. All pages checked November 5, 2026.

Which bullet weight? What the makers' numbers show

Loads in our tables run from 24 gr to 40 gr. The lightest is Hornady Superformance Varmint (83209) and the heaviest is 3 loads at 40 gr, including Remington Premier AccuTip-V (29220). The fastest listed muzzle velocity is 4,400 fps, Hornady Superformance Varmint 24 gr (83209), from a 26 in test barrel. The highest listed muzzle energy is 1,351 ft-lb, shared by Remington Premier AccuTip-V 40 gr (29220) and Hornady Superformance V-MAX 40 gr (83206), with test barrels as listed in the tables. Because test barrels differ or are not listed, compare across makers with care.

The makers label loads for game, varmints or target use. They don't tell you one weight is right for a species. The right choice depends on bullet construction, range and your state's rules. Check your state hunting rules and your state wildlife agency before you buy.

Barrel length matters: the test barrels

Muzzle velocity depends on barrel length, so compare loads tested on the same barrel. Of the 9 loads, 3 list no test barrel, 3 list 26 in, 3 list 24 in. The loads with no test barrel are from Federal and Remington. A rifle with a shorter barrel than the maker's test barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box. SAAMI's test barrel for the .204 Ruger is 24 in.

No barrel-length-velocity page exists yet for the .204 Ruger, and we have not charted one. Our barrel length vs velocity data covers other cartridges. The closest we have are 5.56/.223 barrel length data, for the 5.56/.223 (another small-caliber, high-velocity varmint cartridge, but not the same bore size), so do not read those numbers as .204 Ruger data.

.204 Ruger: what SAAMI lists

SAAMI lists the cartridge as "204 RUGER [204 RUGER]" in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4, its centerfire rifle standard (approved Feb. 10, 2025). The cartridge drawing was issued 06/23/2004 and revised 04/24/2023. SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 57,500 psi, measured by transducer (the table shows 575 in psi/100). Crusher pressures are not established. Cartridge overall length runs from 2.125 in minimum to 2.260 in maximum. Case length is 1.850 in (−.020), and bullet diameter is .2045 in (−.0030). The drawing shows 6 grooves and a twist of 1 in 12.00 in, right-hand (marked optional). SAAMI reference velocities are Not yet verified, because the PDF text does not clearly pair each bullet weight with its velocity. Read the standard at the SAAMI Z299.4 PDF. The .204 Ruger MAP row is also on our SAAMI maximum average pressure table (Z299.4, 57,500 psi / 575 psi/100).

SAAMI says all standard rifle test barrels are 24 in long and that exterior ballistic data for centerfire rifle cartridges is based on that length. Its listed exceptions (7.62x39, 277 Sig Fury, 30 Carbine, 300 AAC Blackout, 300 HAM'R, 350 Legend, 350 Remington Magnum, 360 Buckhammer, 400 Legend and 44 Remington Magnum) do not include the .204 Ruger, so SAAMI measures it on a 24 in barrel.

Not yet verified

These makers and loads are not in the tables.

Rifles for .204 Ruger

The .204 Ruger is a rifle cartridge, and the loads in the tables run from 24 gr to 40 gr. See also new rifle releases and the new hunting rifles of 2026.

Where to buy

We link only to maker pages, listed in the sources below. Federal, Remington and Nosler show availability on their own product pages (Nosler shows it in its online store). Hornady's pages show none on our capture. We don't track retailer stock or prices. Before you order, check your state's ammunition rules, because some states require a background check or restrict shipping.

For more ammo, see .223/5.56 ammo, .243 Win ammo, 6mm ARC ammo, .22 ARC ammo, .22 Creedmoor ammo, .17 HMR ammo, the barrel length vs velocity data, new ammo for 2026 and all ammo releases.

Frequently asked questions

What is the SAAMI maximum pressure for .204 Ruger?
SAAMI lists a maximum average pressure of 57,500 psi for .204 Ruger, measured by transducer, in ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 (the table shows 575 in psi/100).
What grain is .204 Ruger ammo?
In our tables the bullets run from 24 gr to 40 gr. Check your firearm maker's manual for what your rifle is set up to shoot.
How fast is .204 Ruger ammo?
In our tables, listed muzzle velocities run from 3,625 fps to 4,400 fps, and muzzle energies from 1,032 ft-lb to 1,351 ft-lb. Test barrels vary, and some maker pages list none. See the test barrel section of this guide.
What does test barrel mean?
It is the barrel length the maker used to measure the listed velocity. A shorter barrel will likely give lower velocities than the box.
Do you list prices or stock for .204 Ruger ammo?
No. We link only to maker pages. Where a maker page shows a status, such as "Available" or "Currently Unavailable," we copy it as of Nov. 5, 2026. Hornady's pages show none.

Sources

  1. Federal: Federal Varmint & Predator .204 Ruger 32 gr Hornady® V-Max®, item V204VM32 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  2. Remington: Remington Premier AccuTip-V .204 Ruger 32 gr AccuTip-V, item 29218 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  3. Remington: Remington Premier AccuTip-V .204 Ruger 40 gr AccuTip-V, item 29220 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  4. Hornady: Hornady Superformance V-MAX .204 Ruger 32 gr V-MAX® Superformance, item 83204 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  5. Hornady: Hornady Superformance V-MAX .204 Ruger 40 gr V-MAX® Superformance, item 83206 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  6. Hornady: Hornady Superformance Varmint .204 Ruger 24 gr NTX® Superformance® Varmint, item 83209 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  7. Nosler: Nosler Ballistic Tip Lead Free Varmint .204 Ruger 32 gr Ballistic Tip Varmint, item 61040 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  8. Nosler: Nosler Ballistic Tip Varmint .204 Ruger 40 gr Ballistic Tip Varmint, item 61021 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  9. Nosler: Nosler Varmageddon Flat Base Tipped .204 Ruger 32 gr Varmageddon, item 65115 (checked Nov. 5, 2026)
  10. SAAMI: ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 centerfire rifle standard, .204 Ruger drawing (checked Nov. 5, 2026)

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