Got a buddy wanting to build a 204 Ar, cons and pros of this?

[koger]

I have a buddy who has a .204 Savage Predator that is a tack driver, literally, and he has been varmint hunting after dark here in KY. Now he is wanting to put together a AR 204, very few folk make on that I am aware of. I assume there is too many issues, involved with feeding, functioning, etc Please feel free to chime in and give me the pros/cons and a yay or nay on this build. All real world experience appreciated.

 

[TheCZKid]

Well, I know this is not what you are asking, but I had a 20 Practical AR upper, and it shot great! And, it's very similar to the 204 Ruger, but you can use 233 / 5.56 brass for real cheap. It shot great, the only thing I didn't like about the AR action was it moves a bit when you shoot it. I was shooting sage rats, and I couldn't verify my hits very easily. Mine had a 24" bull barrel and I was shooting from a BR Pivot (benchrest table). Function was fine, movement when it fired was a problem for me. But, I've heard if you put a muzzle break on it, that solves the problem.

 

[GLShooter]

I've got one with a 24" tube from Tactical Ordnance in St. Helens. I run ASC stainless magazines that allow running cartridges to 2.314. The rifle runs like greased owl poop and accuracy is outstanding. I've used it on prarrie dogs with great success. If it'll handle those at 350/400 yards it meets my needs. I own three 204 bolt guns also. It is a great cartridge.

I also shoot several PRACTICAL. Across the board in comparison the PRAC gives up nothing to the 204 and brass is much cheaper obviously

 

[jcm24m]

I purchased a stainless steel 204 Shilen AR barrel/bolt set from Brownell’s. It’s a 24” heavy barrel with a 9” twist. I couldn’t be happier with the matching set.

 

[JB10]

If he is a factory ammo guy my thoughts wont matter. If he is a hand loader would want some sort of brass catcher since dont wanna lose the 204 brass. If he is a hand loader, i love my 20 practical bolt action. I would suspect an AR version would be good also. 223 brass is plentiful.

 

[RegionRat]

Now he is wanting to put together a AR 204, very few folk make on that I am aware of.

https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/24-204-ruger-uppers.html

I will suggest that you consider White Oak for the 204R AR varmint upper.
I have gone through several of them, and they have all been excellent.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

If he is a factory ammo guy my thoughts wont matter. If he is a hand loader would want some sort of brass catcher since dont wanna lose the 204 brass. If he is a hand loader, i love my 20 practical bolt action. I would suspect an AR version would be good also. 223 brass is plentiful.

Brass Goat.

 

[koger]

Thanks for the response, and he is a factory ammo guy, not a reloader..

 

[Stormbringer]

I shoot one. Very accurate and not fussy reloading. It shoots several loads well but does favor the 32-35 grain bullets with it's 12 twist barrel.

 

[Hotshot]

I have always had one since 2005 when I discovered this cartridge. Several of my friends have used them also. We usually shoot single shot from a bench at prairie dogs but it can be fun to use a magazine for the quick follow up shots. No big trick to running a 204 AR. We use the straight metal magazines because the shoulder of the 204 cartridge is slightly longer and it’s hard to make the curve in the higher capacity mags. Plastic magazines are thicker so you don’t have quite as much space on the inside for that shoulder. It’s easier to seat the 32 grain bullets to mag length but that doesn’t matter when shooting single shot.

 

[Knotwild]

Works better than anything I've found so far.
Brass Goat

 

[B23]

Function was fine, movement when it fired was a problem for me. But, I've heard if you put a muzzle break on it, that solves the problem.

AR's are always fun but they're loud little buggers and with a break shooting one much like you do in rat patches they'll HAVE YOU TALKING TO EVERYONE AROUND YOU LIKE THIS.

So! Skip the muzzle break and screw a good suppressor on instead. It makes them a little dirtier to shoot but gas guns are dirty to shoot anyway and if you don't already have one on it, which you probably do, you'll want to use an adjustable gas block and even a good suppressor friendly charging handle to help minimize the extra gas blowback but once you shoot one suppressed before you even get through the first mag you and the buddies you shoot with will be very happy campers.

Suppressors just make everything more better'er!

 

[Stormbringer]

No brake/suppressor on mine or any other of the multiple AR's I own. Never had an issue with muzzle rise or movement.

 

[BadSquirrel]

Brass Goat is a great brass catcher.

 

[searcher]

I have assembled six .20 Practical A/R rifles, the first one around 15 years ago, my last one just this last year. I do build mine to shoot off a bench (so they ARE heavy). I use heavy 24" to 26" heavy, braked barrels, heavy PRS stocks, etc.

I can't say enough good things about the effectiveness of these rigs. Recoil is almost non-existent when using a brake. One can literally follow a running squirrel and continue firing on him with accurate fire, seeing all hits and misses. Getting them tuned to shoot well under 1/3" MOA is not difficult when using Accurate LT32, Reloader 7, H4198, H322 or Varmint powders- depending on which one the load favors with that particular tube. LT32 and Rel 7 are my first go-to's. The barrels last a long time, and one can expect many thousands of rounds of accurate varmint hunting. The super-flat trajectories are really nice for everything within 225 yards as no elevation changes are necessary.

That said, I use these primarily for hunting ground squirrels. If I were building an A/R for coyotes out West, where I live, it would not be a .20 Practical or .204 Ruger, but rather something with more horsepower. Two days ago, the closest shot I got on a coyote was a ranged 700 yards. Those small .20's lose a lot of steam past 500 yards. I'd much prefer a .223, 22 Nosler, 6.5 Grendel, etc. if sticking to an AR-15 sized platform. I've shot enough coyotes at much closer ranges with the .20 Practical to not favor it for that purpose.

If I were your friend, I'd give a lot of thought as to what quarry he will be using it for. If it were larger than a ground hog or such, I'd be inclined to consider a larger caliber unless he saves pelts and gets shots within reasonable ranges.

 

[RegionRat]

That said, I use these primarily for hunting ground squirrels. If I were building an A/R for coyotes out West, where I live, it would not be a .20 Practical or .204 Ruger, but rather something with more horsepower.

Is that because you are doing coyotes in SoCal and running no-lead bullets?

 

[searcher]

Is that because you are doing coyotes in SoCal and running no-lead bullets?

I use lead free bullets where I live, but I also hunt out of State a lot using lead bullets. I probably fire more lead bullets than lead-free overall. I've just found the .20 Practical (as much as it is my favorite squirrel gun) lacking on coyotes as compared to other larger caliber A/R choices - whether using lead or lead-free. Ironically, in my .223's, my favorite coyote bullet of all had been a 50 grain Varmint Grenade. A solid body hit almost always resulted in an immobilized critter. Based on initial performance in the field, that may be replaced with the 62 ELDVT in my rifles which have fast enough twist to stabilize it. I'd not want to keep the pelts. I've shot enough coyotes with 32 and 40 grain lead-free bullets to see they are often greatly disadvantaged to larger, heavier bullets - even when pushed to crazy speeds - particularly at distance. I've not had a .20 cal which will shoot the Berger 50's. That would change my mind, I'm sure.

 

[RegionRat]

I use those 50 gr VG in CA as well, especially in irrigated orchards or near livestock areas.

My own take on 20P on coyotes seems different. I run more 204R now, but had no trouble at all with coyotes when I ran 20P. I would even go as far as saying the 20P had more terminal effect than the 223 and could do it farther all other things being equal.

Like you, I shoot far more out of state than near here. I only developed no-lead ammo because I was forced to long ago. There just aren't a lot of those bullets in general, and even fewer choices in 204 cal bullets. When you consider the Hammer bullets designs, you can't look at the price cause it will make you dizzy.

I could cry a river here over what it cost when they extended these bans to my favorite shotgun loads. Once you look at the costs of tungsten these days, it is a good thing I don't take many shots with them here. Although I will say, tungsten shot kills coyotes out at distances that I wouldn't consider with lead or steel. YMMV

 

[searcher]

I use those 50 gr VG in CA as well, especially in irrigated orchards or near livestock areas.

My own take on 20P on coyotes seems different. I run more 204R now, but had no trouble at all with coyotes when I ran 20P. I would even go as far as saying the 20P had more terminal effect than the 223 and could do it farther all other things being equal.

Like you, I shoot far more out of state than near here. I only developed no-lead ammo because I was forced to long ago. There just aren't a lot of those bullets in general, and even fewer choices in 204 cal bullets. When you consider the Hammer bullets designs, you can't look at the price cause it will make you dizzy.

I could cry a river here over what it cost when they extended these bans to my favorite shotgun loads. Once you look at the costs of tungsten these days, it is a good thing I don't take many shots with them here. Although I will say, tungsten shot kills coyotes out at distances that I wouldn't consider with lead or steel. YMMV

Yeah - that tungsten is some pretty amazing stuff. Those VG's open up quick, yet are more effective in the heavier weights. The 50 Lead free Ballistic Tip is like an "improved" version of the VG, with the poly tip and better BC. That BC was (is) the one thing lacking in the VG design. But it still whacks them hard! Trying the 62 ELD-VT on squirrels for the first time was like sticking dynamite in them compared to a lot of varmint bullets like my beloved V-Max.