.204 Ruger as Short Range Bench Rest Rig

[MoneyWaster]

I have a Remington 700 in .204 and am thinking about turning it into a bench gun for ghits and squiggles. Has anyone else done this? Do you think it could be competitive at 100 yds?

When I look at the bullets available for reloading, the .204 is a bit lacking in match grade choices, so that might be an issue. Still, I like the idea.

What do you guys think of the idea?

 

[KevinL]

Go for it
If you do a little tuning and install a good brl and stock it mite work?
I love the 20s but I think if I was going to compeet at 100 yards I would go with a diffrent case.
But you mite be saprised what a factory gun can do.
Let us know how it works out Kevin

 

[fdshuster]

MoneyWaster: Many yeas ago I had a very experienced BR competitor/gunsmith tell me that if you are interested in extreme accuracy, nothing will beat one of the proven, dedicated BR cartridges, like the old 222 Rem., 6ppc, 6BR, etc. I've proven his opinions, to myself over and over again. Not taking anything away from the 204, Have a Hart barreled Sako), 223, have numerous), and others, they are fine ctgs. In side-by-side comparason,s) my Shilen barreled 22BR will easily outperform my Hart barreled 204, just as one example. The difference between my 243s', had several) and my 6BRs', also several) was not even in the same ballpark. Interesting, and challanging, but not in the same class as the BR ctgs. IMO

 

[MoneyWaster]

Thanks for teh replies guys.

fdshuster,

How hard do you think it would be to go from a .204 to a 22BR? What is the 22BR's parent case?

 

[Runt]

I have a Savage LRPV single shot .204 that is at the 'smith right now being transformed into a full on BR rig. Has a Leupold 35x on it for glass. With 35gn Bergers and 25.0gn of 10X I've shot several 1/4",and sub) groups with it. That is in stock set up. Not really expecting to compete with it but it should run with any other rig in the local fun matches.
I'm having it pillar bedded into a Shehane MBR Tracker rosewood stock. Next time around it'll get a new PacNor barrel and all the accurizing that goes with it. Also thinking of getting an 8 or 9 twist switch barrel so I can run the 50 or 55gn Bergers for some longer stuff.

Original setup and the new BR stock

 

[fdshuster]

MoneyWaster: The 22BR is merely a 6BR necked down to 22 cal. I am able to use the same set of dies,Redding FL neck bushing & Forster ultra micrometer head seater) for both and having several rifles chambered in 6BR, it was an easy transition. I only change the neck bushing when changing from 6BR to 22, to 6, etc. Case head sizes differ, since the 6BR is same dia. as 308, for example), while the 204 is same head dia. as the 223, for example),so the bolt face would need to opened up for the larger case head diameter, or a bolt replacement, could be costly). A cartridge of proven accuracy,, since 1950) with the 204 bolt face dia. is the 222 Rem.: extreme accuracy, minimal recoil, very long barrel life, easy to load for/ no tricks, the availability,soon) of superior Lapua brass, etc. It is limited to approx. 250 yds. though, although I understand some are pushing it further. I have 2 chamberings in 222 Rem., and it is very close to my 22ppc & 22BR in grouping. A great ctg. that does not get the respect it deserves. Yes, the 204 Ruger will outperform the 222 Rem. at longer disances, but your question involved "short range" benchrest, and in my opinion the 222 is the better choice there, for consistant accuracy. Runt: Very impressive, it should do well. The stock alone will be a large "plus" factor. You will most likely be able to push the 204 to its' accuracy limitations. 35 gr. berger HP have done well for me: could not get the 32 V-Max to perform, although the 32 Sierra BK are very good.

 

[fdshuster]

Runt:,again) A few areas of disappointment, for me with the 204 Ruger have been:,1) At a documented 613 rounds fired, I am already seeing, with my "Hawkeye" borescope) the beginning of some very serious fire-cracking in the throat. Same degree that I saw with several 243 barrels that were both scrap at a documented 1400 rds. 223 barrels have had 2500 to 2900 rds. before I saw that same severity of "burn-out".,2) Build-up of carbon fouling continues to be more of a problem, than with the 22 & 6mms'.,3) Have a lot of trouble getting repeatability: A load will group sub MOA with 5 shots, next time out with no changes, weather, wind, bench, etc), the groups will open up to well over MOA. Very frustrating. For me, a very challanging cartridge to load for: for those who are getting it to "produce", my hat is off to them. When this barrel is "gone", it will be replaced with another 222 Rem. or another 223. Just my opinion/experience

 

[Runt]

I guess it's just luck of the draw with the barrels. Mine has just over 1K through it and still consistantly holds 3/8" or less with my handloads. Very little noticable fouling and easy to keep clean. I don't have a borescope so I can only observe by eye. I've heard some people getting only 1400-1500 out of a factory 204 barrel, but also heard of better than 4K before really heading south. My 22-250 and 243 are the barrel burners as far as I'm concerned but the 204 doesn't get near max loads either. IMO 2k+ out of a factory barrel ain't bad. Better than some I've heard of scraping custom cut BR barrels after less than 1K.

 

[Cheechako]

money

The words ghits, squiggles, and competitive don't belong in the same sentence. You can have fun or you can be competitive, but not necessarily at the same time. Any good Varmint rifle can be used at a point-blank Benchrest match and you'll be guaranteed to have a good time and maybe even take home a bauble or two. But hearing your name called at the A-Ward ceremonies will not happen too often.

JMHO

Ray

 

[MoneyWaster]

Cheechako,

I like your bluntness. I agree with you. Fun and winning a serious competition are not necessarily the same thing.

Let me clarify my intentions. When I say competative, I mean an afternoon at teh local range shooting with local gun guys. My goal would be bragging rights.

Runt,

Sounds like you got a good rig in process. That's the kind of performance that I'm looking for with my gun. I think that the stock is my biggest source of variation at this time, so I'm currently in the market. I've been looking at those Shehane Trackers myself. They're nice.

fdshuster,

I think that I'll move forward in getting the action and barrel onto a stable shooting platform and see what I can get with the .204. If I decide that the rig can't do what I want it to do, I'll put it back into a varmint style stock and build a 6BR or 6PPC from scratch.

Thanks for the discussion guys.

 

[RJinTexas]

MoneyWaster, while the .204 is a fine prairie dog round, it somewhat over bore for the cartridge. If your wanting to stay with the small bolt face you might want to try the great old .222 or the new 20VarTarg both are extremely accurate and have even less recoil. They'll group in the low .2s with very little work as long as you've got a decent trigger, good barrel and your reloads are consistent. But if you want to be competitive even in most local club shoots you need to shot a little tighter then that. IMHO a 6mmBR would come much closer to filling the bill.

RJ

 

[1000yardstare]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with previous statements about unpredictable accuracy in the Ruger .204 cartridge. I think that the .204 marketing boys wanted a velocity of 4000 fps and if they got accuracy in the process, so much the better. The .204 is based on the old .222 Magnum case which was Remington`s losing entry into the competiton for a cartridge for the U.S. Army`s M16.,Too bad Frankford`s .223 won out.)

I have been wringing out a Rem .204 SPS Varmint with various powders and bullets, RCBS competition dies and a Sinclair neck turning kit. Five 32 Sierra BKs will go into half inch at 100 metres,110 yds) followed by a group that has a flyer in the next county. This despite sorting cases by weight and bullet runout. In fact, the largest runouts seem to shoot the smallest groups???? I think a big kicker in all of this is the enormous leade that Remington cuts in the .204 chamber. Factory bullets have to jump a full calibre to hit the rifling.,Law suite protection against high pressures?)

Anyhooooo, a fun cartidge as long as you realise it was developed for marketing sizzle and it will be accurate most of the time but now and then will surprise you with its eccentricities.

 

[fdshuster]

1000yardstare: My thoughts exactly, and I have to wonder, if it's such a great "distance" varmint ctg., as claimed, why is it not being used in the 300 to 500 yd. benchrest varmint competition matches? Cruise thru the match results/scores on this sites competition page, and try to find at least one being used,---- anywhere. The winners are predominately 22-250, 223, 243, 6BR, 308, etc.

 

[MoneyWaster]

I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I had to seat the bullet way off the lands in order to achieve adequate neck tension on the bullet.

 

[fdshuster]

MoneyWaster: My last post on this subject: I promise. I was also aware of the long freebore "problems", and for that reason had my own chambering reamer made by Pacific, specifying a .230" tight no-turn neck, loaded neck diameters are averaging .227"), and zero freebore. Had to seat all bullets to touch, and results were not good at all/ some radical group sizes. Then had my 'smith add .075 freebore, am now seating with .030" of bullet "jump", and groups have improved somewhat. I believe some ctgs. must have some freebore, and this may be one of them, although I can understand that freebore as much as the typical factory chamber is too much.

 

[MoneyWaster]

fdshuster,

I appreciate you sharing your experiences with this cartridge. I have a question though, and forgive me as I am a novice in this area, but what is the physical phenomena that can explain why no freebore would work for one caliber and not for another? For example, if I shoot a .243' bullet out of a rifle chambered for .243 Winchester, and the same bullet out of a 6BR chambered rifle, would the accuracy be the same is all other variables are the same,chamber pressure, neck tension, barrel length, twist, etc.)? If not, why?

 

[biglonnie204]

will i never seen a subject go way over bored. i have a saveg model 12 and i never did any thing to it at 100yd i can consstly
shoot 5 shot groups all touching, all day long. ya the .204 can get up over 4000fps but slow it down, save your bearal and find
a lode that works. if u have the money to go all out on a .204
dont say your going to do it at 100yrd piss them all of and go for 500yrds, good luck

 

[Fasteel]

Well being a fairly new shooter and loving every minute of it, I'd put my Varmint HS Precision against any ones 222. This gun just plain shoots, 26gr varmint grenades, 32 gr Hornady's or 40gr Ballistic tips seem to all group about the same at 100 meters.
I'll have to try and find a bench guy and give him a challenge, FS

 

[MoneyWaster]

He, he. I like your comments guys. See, having never owned a benchrest gun, I'm curious to see what they can do compared to what I've shot. It reminds me of a day down at the range. I've got my Remmy 700 in .308 shooting 168 gr Sierra Match Kings. To the left side of me I have a guy with a totally hand built .243, and he is breaking it in. Also to my left is a guy with the same gun as me, but his is a 22-250. On my right is a guy shooting a 30BR. Now, all of us shoot for about a half hour. We then head down to the targets to check them out,100 yds). When we get there I look at my target. Almost all of the groups have two shots nearly through the same hole, the third hole is cut in half by the other two, the fourth hole is touching, or nearly so, and the fifth hole is a quarter inch to a half inch away. The guy breaking in the .243 threw his bullets all over the target. The guy with the 22-250 was grouping around 1-1.5', and the guy with the 30BR was a little tighter than me. I felt pretty good about my shooting when the guy with the 30BR looked at my target and said 'That's some pretty good shootin'' 'Is that a stock rifle?' 'Really?' 'They usually don't shoot that good.'

 

[LHSmith]

Wow, some of you guy's are getting amazing results from your 204's.
Sadly, I did not with mine....perhaps spoiled by the 6ppc, 30 br, and 222.

BUT....you asked for it....here's your chance to prove your skills with that hole-for-hole 204, or whatever:

A POSTAL SHOOT RIFLE MATCH for factory and customs......see details at ....www.benchtalk.com.

OR:

If you want to see how your rig stacks up with the 'bench guys' most clubs hosting IBS score matches have a factory class where you shoot along-side full blown- BR rigs and other factory rifles, some clubs even let you shoot your first match for free. Check out the IBS web page for range locations.
And you're almost certain to find someone willing to let you try out their Br rifle there.