What's the scoop on this cartridge ? Brass availability ? Performance ? Pro & Con ?
204 Ruger
- Thread starter Ironworker
- Start date
I like it. Minimal recoil. I use it mainly for ground squirrels at 100-200 yds.
I use 26 grn Barnes Varmit Grenades, with 27 grns Benchmark. Easily shoot 1" groups at 100 yds. I shoot unleaded bullets out of respect for the ravens and other carrion eaters.
I have a friend who does not reload, so have about 400 cases from Hornady factory loads. Have fired some cases 5x with no annealing, no split necks.
I use 26 grn Barnes Varmit Grenades, with 27 grns Benchmark. Easily shoot 1" groups at 100 yds. I shoot unleaded bullets out of respect for the ravens and other carrion eaters.
I have a friend who does not reload, so have about 400 cases from Hornady factory loads. Have fired some cases 5x with no annealing, no split necks.
Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
I've got four of 'em. Sako M75 Varmint, Kimber 84M, Cooper MTV, and a custom M700 Pac-Nor 11-twist with match chamber.
The caliber is good with the 39gr SBK or the 40's out past 500 yards as long as the wind is not howling. Using the 32gr bullets, any small critter inside of 400 yards will get eviscerated, and launched in chunks to heights in the 10' range (really).
Lots of bullets and various weights to choose from, accuracy in my better rifles runs in the .2's, you can usually see your hits/misses through the scope, and brass is now available from Nosler, Norma, WW and R-P. It's our collective thought that Lapua may eventually offer 204R brass also as they did for the 221FB.
Great little caliber that will usually better a 223 in terms of trajectory and speed also. But as Frank said above, it you REALLY want a fun .20 caliber rifle, consider a 20 Vartarg. You'll have an instant love affair.
The caliber is good with the 39gr SBK or the 40's out past 500 yards as long as the wind is not howling. Using the 32gr bullets, any small critter inside of 400 yards will get eviscerated, and launched in chunks to heights in the 10' range (really).
Lots of bullets and various weights to choose from, accuracy in my better rifles runs in the .2's, you can usually see your hits/misses through the scope, and brass is now available from Nosler, Norma, WW and R-P. It's our collective thought that Lapua may eventually offer 204R brass also as they did for the 221FB.
Great little caliber that will usually better a 223 in terms of trajectory and speed also. But as Frank said above, it you REALLY want a fun .20 caliber rifle, consider a 20 Vartarg. You'll have an instant love affair.
Fast14riot
Gold $$ Contributor
If factory ammo is important, the 204R is a nice choice, but I'm a 20P fan, mirrors the 204 ballistics with about 2gr less powder, brass is cheap and easy to form (necked down 5.56) and barrel life is good.
Prose
Silver $$ Contributor
I've always been a fan of the caliber since new, but burning barrels is my concern due to being a high volume shooter. I've got three .223's with over 10,000 down the tubes and they still shoot as new. My 20 VT is on pace to hit 2,000 this year as well. I've heard many many stories of people burning out a 204 ruger tube before 2,000, and 10,000 isn't gonna happen ever.
Most people don't shoot enough for this to ever be an issue. If you want it get it. Fantastic cartridge but there are more efficient ones with similar performance.
Most people don't shoot enough for this to ever be an issue. If you want it get it. Fantastic cartridge but there are more efficient ones with similar performance.
TheOtherZilla
Pull my finger
Whats not to like. Availability of brass, bullets and dies. Mine is deadly accurate with several powder bullet combos. Not a wildcat. Factory rifles available.. Shoots out there a really long ways with accuracy. And high speed with the right powder.
brokeasajoke
Silver $$ Contributor
I have a Rem VSSF II in 204. Love it. I shoot 35gr berger fbhp over 27.something of varget. I'd have to look at my notes lol. Occasonally a crow will get brave and venture to within 150yards of me otherwise they have a no fly zone around me thanks to my 204. Would like to try a 20vartarg though.
Dang it Cabelas has a Savage 12V on sale for $369 . Problem is the guns I have are falling out of the safe now.
brokeasajoke
Silver $$ Contributor
I'm for another or bigger safe!
Exactly what Rick in O said. I have a Cooper Phoenix and it is a laser. My best shot to date is 650 yards with the 39 SBK. I don't get to shoot those kind of ranges much anymore, so I am building a 20VT, but the 204 great.
I have a Cabelas 12FV in 204 & 223, both are very accurate guns out of the box (for me anyways). Half inch groups at 100 yds is easy with my handloads and I've only been reloading for < 12 months. The plastic stocks are functional, a Boyd's stock is an inexpensive replacement which I plan on doing sometime in the future.
My 204 likes/shoots the 32g vmax and 39g Sierra's handloads about the same, shoots the Fiocchi 32 & 40g vmax factory ammo well enough to where I would not be bothered to take it along if I had to.
My 204 likes/shoots the 32g vmax and 39g Sierra's handloads about the same, shoots the Fiocchi 32 & 40g vmax factory ammo well enough to where I would not be bothered to take it along if I had to.
powderbrake
Gold $$ Contributor
I just returned from a PD trip and two of our group were shooting 204's in Savages. One had the 40 gr bullets , and one had the 32 grain bullets. Both did very well, and they were hitting them out to 400+ yards. One of our group is a 204 "fanatic" and maintains they are better than a 22-250. The ballistics ARE very similar.
I cannot comment on prices or availability, as I do not own one, but they surely do blow up the prairie dogs.
I am a big fan of the 204 ruger. Brass isn't that hard too find . I see Hornady and Nosler brass a bunch. I bought 4 bags of Winchester brass at bass pro when I seen it. I love the 39gr bking . I have a 1@10. I Use 35gr Berger hp too. The 2 most I use of the bullets.If u want to shoot alot the mid South bullet 34gr hp (aka nosler bullet) 46.00 for 500ct. A laser like too 300 yrd. No kick see the impact of the hit in scope. My rifle will shoot anything. It's easy to load for. My vote for 204 ruger. I getting a ar15 in a 204 ruger asap.
drop_point
Silver $$ Contributor
I've run .204s since about 2004. I used to go on two big varmint hunts a year and shoot around 1,000-2,000 rounds a trip. My first .204 lasted around three trips. I then purchased an additional two rifles to keep heat down so I could swap from gun to gun as they heated up. The one rifle has over 5 trips on it and still holds 1/2 MOA. I've killed dogs out to 700 with it. The other I ended up selling...it was a 3/4-1 MOA rifle. Our honey hole dried up and we quit going so no reason to hang on to two rifles.
My hadnloads didn't get the 4200 for factory ammo did. The 32s would go about 4050. The 39s ran around 3950 Fps and drifted less in the wind.
I really like the .204 Ruger and can see no reason that a wildcat is needed unless a guy wanted to run the .20 Practical and use surplus 5.56 NATO brass.
My hadnloads didn't get the 4200 for factory ammo did. The 32s would go about 4050. The 39s ran around 3950 Fps and drifted less in the wind.
I really like the .204 Ruger and can see no reason that a wildcat is needed unless a guy wanted to run the .20 Practical and use surplus 5.56 NATO brass.
For prairie dogs 2 rifles works the best for me, actually 3. 20 Vartarg for shorter ranges. 32 gr v-max at agout 3700 FPS. Then a tikka 204 for a little longer range, 39 gr sierra's. then for longer range, or when it's really windy a 6 BR with various bullets depending on what I've got handy. The Vartarg gets the most use by far and I swear the barrel never gets hot no matter how much I shoot. It's also the most accurate. The 20 Vartarg is a Dakota Varminter/Predator and is beautiful and deadly accurate. You can buy them new for $1850 and used for less, if you can find one for sale. They usually never make it to the market.
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