Is the 204 Ruger on its Death Bed?

[fredhorace77]

Over the years I've owned a couple 204 Ruger but it seems they always got sent down the road and that money spent on more 223 Rem. equipment. The 204 Ruger I have had were extremely accurate and it is a very capable cartridge.
I've noticed many 204 Ruger and reloading equipment for sale lately. I think the fact that it is very difficult to get Winchester Brand brass may be part of the problem. What is your opinion? Do you feel the 204 Ruger is on its demise?

 

[LarryDScott]

Probably more likely due to decreased PD
hunting. Plaque and poison has just
about ruined that sport. LDS

 

['Freak]

I wish, but will probably forever be disappointed, for a dependable supply of either 204 Ruger brass or, for more tinkerin’ potential, 222 Remington Magnum brass, possessing Lapua level quality and consistency.

 

[fredhorace77]

Probably more likely due to decreased PD
hunting. Plaque and poison has just
about ruined that sport. LDS

That's a very good point I have never thought of.

 

[Fast14riot]

I've seen more people seem to pick up .20 Practical, identical ballistics, cheaper brass and easier to load.

 

[22DASHER]

I have a couple 204's.... but I sure wish I went with the 20 Practical!

 

[nmkid]

.20 Practical...My next wildcat! Hope to start after the new year. Will take a look for, "buys" during black Friday sales.

 

[Phil]

I had a Cooper .204, but it went down the road, it just did`t do anything for me.........

 

[Fast14riot]

.20 Practical...My next wildcat! Hope to start after the new year. Will take a look for, "buys" during black Friday sales.

I use the cheap Hornady .223 American series dies along with a Redding #77111. Gut the .223 FL sizer for the first step down with 5.56 brass, then into the Redding die, standard .223 seating die works just fine. Especially easy when set up in a progressive, you can convert a couple hundred cases really quick!

 

[Ledd Slinger]

It may seem like it in the custom rifle and handloading world because we like to chamber for wildcats and whatnot. But still, most of the 20 cal fans, like myself, have a 204 Ruger tucked away in the safe.

Now in the normal commercial world where folks buy run if the mill factory rifles and get their ammo from a box off a shelf, the 204R is doing just fine.

 

[Phil]

Not everybody enjoys the same thing, but I hope that it stays around, as well as the others.

I don`t want to see our hobby / past time diminished in any way, including the demise of caliber choices.

Some like chocolate, some vanilla, still others prefer strawberry....

 

[zanemoseley]

But are there any factory choices for .20 Practical? If you search Gunbroker there are no results, doing the same for 204 ruger gets a ton of factory rifles.

 

[Cool Tool]

I think if rifle Manufacturing would introduce a 20BR to there production rifles it would go over like gangbusters.

 

[jepp2]

But are there any factory choices for .20 Practical?

The only factory option I am aware of is White Oak Armament in the AR platform.

There is plenty of hornady brass and loaded ammo available. Fiocchi loaded ammo is normally available.

 

[bench]

204 is the King in my book

 

[rickiesrevenge]

I think if rifle Manufacturing would introduce a 20BR to there production rifles it would go over like gangbusters.

Savage had the 5mm x35 SMC which is very similar to the 20BR except for the shoulder is curved. Don't see too much about it anymore...

Aaron

 

[drover]

Enough 204 Rugers have been sold that it is unlikely to go away but IMO it will become more of a niche cartridge like the 17 Remington has. The 204 will always have its supporters but there are very few being sold right now, in talking with some friends in the gun industry they are a bit surprised at how it has died off in the last 5 years.

I believe that if the designers would have gone with the 20 Practical it would have been more popular, but we will never know that for sure. The Practical has a nearly unlimited supply of good inexpensive brass available whereas the 204 R. brass is scarce and expensive.

Like some of the other posters I owned some 204's but they went down the road because I never found that they had any real world advantage over a 223 with a 40 gr when loaded to equal pressures. Within 300 yds, where the majority of varmint shooting occurs, the difference in energy, drop, etc is so minor as to be meaningless. And the 223 has the advantage of going to heavier bullets if desired.

drover















r

 

[Tommie]

I don't anticipate the 204 Ruger taking the same road as the 17 Remington. The 204 wasn't showered with bad press like the 17 was. Several gun companies adopted the chambering as well as ammo manufacturers. While not as commonly seen as many other cartridges, the 204 is definitely mainstream now.

 

[fredhorace77]

It may seem like it in the custom rifle and handloading world because we like to chamber for wildcats and whatnot. But still, most of the 20 cal fans, like myself, have a 204 Ruger tucked away in the safe.

Now in the normal commercial world where folks buy run if the mill factory rifles and get their ammo from a box off a shelf, the 204R is doing just fine.

Very good point. Have you ever heard of any stats that show what percentage of shooters buy off the shelf ammo compared to reloading/ handload?

 

[SS427]

I don't think it will die and go away since it is the only mainstream factory .20 caliber out there. The non-reloaders will keep it alive.

I think there are better .20 caliber choices though for a variety of reasons. The 20VT is close to the .204 Ruger performance with all sorts of advantages. The 20 Practical could be the ultimate common sense .20 caliber since you can use .223 dies and there is abundant Lapua parent brass available.

I never owned a .204 Ruger for the same reason drover gave. A 40 grain bullet in a .223 is close to a ballistic match.