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Best varmint gun out to 400 yards

20 practical I get the same velocity as the 204 ruger with 39 gr blitz kings. brass is easy to find no matter what brand except maybe remington but who'd want it anyway. the 3800 fps battles the wind better than most. For pure varmint gun out to 400 yards the 20 practical and 204 ruger are the king.
 
20 practical I get the same velocity as the 204 ruger with 39 gr blitz kings. brass is easy to find no matter what brand except maybe remington but who'd want it anyway. the 3800 fps battles the wind better than most. For pure varmint gun out to 400 yards the 20 practical and 204 ruger are the king.

Agree on the practical, but curious why you don't like Rem .223 brass?

I think it's some of the better stuff out there.
 
I just finished loading some Sierra 90 Blitzkings for a buddy's 25-06. Seated nice and long, these babies will get it done wayyyyyy out there. Old Rem 700 that shoots wonderfully with this load, and with amazingly little recoil. It's a great ground-hog load!

To me, a 222/223 is a 200-300yd gun, max. 204's are fine if you can get one that shoots the 39's/40's well, otherwise if they like the 32's best you will be a little limited on windy nights. 243/6mm's are great. And 22-250's can get it done to 400 as well. But I have never heard anything smack like these 90BK's out of a 25-06. Not a new caliber I know, but I tend to prefer the classics myself and newer bullets then with better BC's can really add new life to an already good thing!
 
204's are fine if you can get one that shoots the 39's/40's well, otherwise if they like the 32's best you will be a little limited on windy nights.
Even the 32gr .204s are not terrible in the wind.
I found this post below on the .204
================================================
In the spirit of a comparison post, such as the trajectory comparison by Wrzwaldo, I have computed the wind drift at 400 yards caused by a 10 mph cross wind. All the calculations were carried out with the PointBlank ballistics program at 5000 ft, 70 degrees. I used the published ballistic coefficients from the various bullet manufactures (BC).

Bullet Weight/Type BC Cartridge Name Velocity 400 yd 10 MPH wind Drift
39gr Sierra Blitzking 0.287 .204 Ruger 3750 11.5"
40gr Hornady Vmax 0.275 .204 Ruger 3900 11.5"
40gr Nosler BT 0.239 .204 Ruger 3750 14.3"
32gr Hornady Vmax 0.210 .204 Ruger 4225 14.5"
40gr Fiocchi vmax 0.275 .204 Ruger 3700 12.3"

40gr Sierra Blitzking 0.196 .223 Rem 3700 18.6"
40gr Hornady Vmax 0.200 .223 Rem 3700 18.2"
40gr Nosler BT 0.221 .223 Rem 3700 16.0"

40gr Sierra Blitzking 0.196 .220 Swift 4250 15.6"
40gr Hornady Vmax 0.200 .220 Swift 4250 15.2"
40gr Nosler BT 0.221 .220 Swift 4250 13.5"

40gr Sierra Blitzking 0.196 .22-250 Rem 4150 16.1"
40gr Nosler BT 0.221 .22-250 Rem 4150 13.9"
40gr Hornady Vmax 0.200 .22-250 Rem 4150 15.7"
55gr Sierra Blitzking 0.237 .22-250 Rem 3680 14.8"
55gr Nosler BT 0.267 .22-250 Rem 3680 12.8"

So, it looks like once again the .204 lays waste to the competition! For some reason, all the "250" shooters I know think that their 55gr loads have "way less" wind drift than my .204, but from the above, I didn't find any load that had less wind drift.

Updated with a few more common bullets.
 
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I have 223, 204, 22-250 and 220 swift. For varmints out to 400 yds if you are limited to one, 223 or 204 w 40 grain will do best in the wind. 223 will be ok. Lightest recoil will be 204.

I got a good deal on .204. Guy bought one a few years ago and only shot 20 rnds in it. He was moving so selling all his guns. Its brand new with a scope, case and 50 rounds of new ammo. No FFL fees or time filling out forms and for $380.00, could not pass it up.

It does not have the standard 1/12 twist but a 1/10 twist. I know some .204s don't shoot the heavy stuff well. Mine seems to shoot the 40gr fine.

I only had time to sight it in at 50 yards but it was hole in a hole. Accurate enough for me. The recoil is zilch feels like my 17 WSM.
I'll take it out to 100yd today and see.

The ammo was factory Fiocchi 40gr. Bought some for 24.00 box of 50. I don't reload so was good to find cheap good shooting ammo. I read that the factory ammo is so good people can't out do it with time consuming custom loads or its so close its not worth the effort to.
 
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IMO the best and most cost effective will be a 223, there is available off the shelf ammunition from inexpensive plinker rounds to match grade rounds. Also there is a much greater range of factory loaded bullet weights for the 223, I have seen factory loaded ammo from 35 gr to 90 gr, although for PD shooting the 40 gr has no peers IMO. Check the price of factory loaded 204 ammo versus factory loaded 223 ammo and you will see that the 223 ammo has much more availability and is less expensive, since you do not reload that should be a prime consideration.

If you should decide to start reloading at a later date you will find easy and more inexpensive components for the 223, whereas components can be a bit harder to find and often more expensive for the 204. 204 brass availabity in particular can be spotty and expensive sometimes.

Lightest recoil with the 204 - NO. If you check the loading manuals and look at the amount of powder being burned in the 204 and 223 in most cases the powder amount is so close that it is not even an issue. The only way to get less recoil in the 204 is to shoot the 32 gr bullets and even then it is only about a half ft-lb less recoil.

204 - Using the Hodgdon on-line reloading data for the 204 with 32 gr bullets the average powder charge is around 29 grs ballistics recoil calculator the recol energy is 2.5 ft-lbs.
Using the JBM using the 204 data for the 40 gr bullet the average powder charge is around 28 grs. Using the JBM ballistics recoil calculator with a 9 lb rifle recoil energy is 2.8 ft-lbs

223 - Using the Hodgdon on-line reloading data for the 223 with the 40 gr bullets with an average powdr charge the recoil energy is 2.8 ft-lbs, the same identical ft-lbs of recoil as the 204.

The less recoil for the 204 was pushed by the manufacturers and gun writers when the 204 first came on the scene but facts are that it is impossible to change physics - if you are shooting the same weight bullet and using the same powder charge the recoil will be the same. I am not just using the calculators to prove a point - I had Tikka T-3 sporters in 204 and 223 the rifles were virtually identical. I also had Cooper Varminters in 204 and 223 they too were virtually identical with weights being to within an ounce of each other. I let other people shoot them without telling them which caliber they shooting and no one has ever been able to tell a difference in recoil. Only one could tell the difference between the 204 with 32 gr bullets and the 204 with 40 gr bullets, there is a difference but it is so minor as to be a non-issue.

As far as barrel life the 204 will be a bit shorter because you are burning the same amount of powder through a smaller diameter hole. Also the 204 is operating at around 55,000 psi - the 223 around 48500 psi, the higher pressure of the 204 will shorten barrel life in comparison to the lower pressure 223.

Out of my 223's I expect around 5000 rounds of 1/2" or less groups before I start seeing uncalled flyers, the 204's gave me around 4000 rounds of sub-1/2" or less groups before I started seeing uncalled flyers. For a lot of shooters this is not relevant because they will neve shoot 4000 rounds in their life but for me it is a real consideration because I generally shoot 3500 - 4000 rounds per year.

I am sure that there will be those who disagree and that is ok, but just remember - the laws of physics cannot be repealed or suspended.

drover
Thanks Drover, good post. You seem to know your stuff. I put 5,000 rnds in a year but most of them are .22 cal PCP pellet guns. no sound at all and deadly to 80 yards. Ammo is 12.00 for 500 rnds :)

The .204s recoil is like zero to me. My next gun is a ruger 450 Bushmaster but I probably should make a new thread on that. Thanks!
 
Edit: Under $400, I say go with a Savage bolt action in .243, .270, or .30-06. Dicks Sporting Goods has had them as low as $350 including glass on sale. A decent AR will be well out of your range. Also, .30-06 ammo is everywhere and can be found cheap which is a nice plus.

We are trying to avoid DSG as they are no longer our friend.
 
I guess I don't understand. Whats wrong with DSG? I don't buy much there because they seem to have higher prices.

I was in Dick's about maybe 8-10 years ago (and have not been back) and overheard a firearm sale in process. I heard the counter person ask "how many children are in the household?". Dick's must get supplied, or were supplied a different 4473 version than the ones I have had to fill out.

Danny :rolleyes:
 
Interesting thread... lots of positions on the best 400 yd varmint.
My advice. Start reloading, sir. You'll squeeze more range outta commercial chamberings and you'll open the door to take advantage of some fabulously performing wildcats.
My personal favorite for this scenario, .222 Remington Magnum improved. Thanks to Mike Bellm.
G'nite.
 
Interesting thread... lots of positions on the best 400 yd varmint.
My advice. Start reloading, sir. You'll squeeze more range outta commercial chamberings and you'll open the door to take advantage of some fabulously performing wildcats.

My personal favorite for this scenario, .222 Remington Magnum improved. Thanks to Mike Bellm.
G'nite.
I won't be reloading for awhile. Don't have the time or room right now. I probably don't shoot enough for it to pay for itself. I have too many guns and not enough time to shoot them all, reloading will cut into that time.

For now I just wait for factory ammo to go on sale with free shipping and stock up.
I don't mind paying 19 to 50 cents a round.
 
I shoot fur friendly coyote calibre rifles
I wanted a calibre that was accurate ...flat ...fast...low recoil...low noise level....low recoil and had killing energy on a coyote without fur damage.
There is no time to use range finders whan a coyote is on an open stubble field and knows he's being scoped. After years of shooting 222's 223's 22-250's 20Tact 204R 20PPC 6PPC 17REM 17Hornet
I now shoot a 20BR with 39SMK @ 3900 fps which is limited to 450 yards
Also, 20BR IMPROVED 40deg. with Berger 50's @ 3750fps which is limtied to 600 yards
The rifle has a BAT action with NF scope and PacNor barrel.
These calibre choices are unbeatable for my application... serious coyote hunting
 
I shoot fur friendly coyote calibre rifles
I wanted a calibre that was accurate ...flat ...fast...low recoil...low noise level....low recoil and had killing energy on a coyote without fur damage.
There is no time to use range finders whan a coyote is on an open stubble field and knows he's being scoped. After years of shooting 222's 223's 22-250's 20Tact 204R 20PPC 6PPC 17REM 17Hornet
I now shoot a 20BR with 39SMK @ 3900 fps which is limited to 450 yards
Also, 20BR IMPROVED 40deg. with Berger 50's @ 3750fps which is limtied to 600 yards
The rifle has a BAT action with NF scope and PacNor barrel.
These calibre choices are unbeatable for my application... serious coyote hunting

So that 20 BR is the same bullet as a .204 ruger but with more powder so you can shoot the 50gr?

Would that not require a faster twist for the 50s?

Sounds like I came close on my selection. .204 with 1/10 twist. I can shoot 32, 40 and 45gr factory ammo with the option of reloading if I choose.
 
22-250 with a 1:9" twist..

This web site agrees with you on that.

.22-250 Recommended Twist Rates
riflingx142.jpg
The .22-250 shoots a wide range of bullets very effectively, from 35gr flat-based varmint bullets, to ultra-long 90gr VLDs. However, you’ll need the right twist rate for your choice of bullet. For max velocity and accuracy with the lightest bullets, a 1:14″ twist may be ideal. More versatile is a 1:12″ twist that will allow you to shoot the popular 60-64 grain match bullets. For normal lead-core jacketed bullets, a true 1:9″ twist will let you shoot up to 75gr bullets (except some longer VLDs). The Hornady 75gr BTHP shoots very well in a 9-twist .22-250. Since most .22-250 Rem shooters prefer bullets in the 50-73gr range, a good “do-it-all” solution is a 9-twist.

Overall, what twist rate is best? For all-around use, including 500-600 yard ground hog matches, we like a 9-twist. That will let you shoot some pretty-high-BC bullets at long range without “choking” the lighter bullets too much. If you don’t plan to shoot at long range, a 12-twist barrel will do the job. The slower twist will give you a bit more velocity, and minimize the risk of jacket failure at high rpms. That’s one reason why the majority of factory .22-250 rifles are sold with 1:12″ twist barrels. Savage does offer some 9-twist barrel options. That’s nice if you shoot in windy conditions and need to stabilize a longer bullet. If you plan to use your .22-250 for across the course (high power) competition, you’ll want to use the 77-80 grain boat-tail match bullets. For those, we suggest an 8-twist barrel (as long as it is a true 1:8″ twist). That will let you shoot the excellent 77gr and 80gr Sierra MatchKings, and 80gr Bergers.
 

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