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.204 to 6x47?

i have a kind of a dumb question. I have a .204 ruger so its a smaller bolt head and would like something a little better to shoot longer ranges. Its a howa 1500. I was thinking that since its a .204 i could turn it into a .222 mag. I was really wanting a 6mm bullet. I read a ton of stuff on the 6x47. how much work would i have to put into it? or should i say money. i didnt know if it would fit my bolt already. Just let me know what you guys think.
 
your best bet to shoot longer ranges would be getting another barrel around the 28' mark with a 7 or 8 twist in it to shoot 80gr bullets in a 223 case. You can go for a 6mm barrel but your restricted on case type unless you get your bolt face opened up. If you do that, then you wont be able to shoot your 204.

Easiest way mate would be to get another rifle like a 25-06 to shoot longer ranges. It all depends on what you are shooting. A 204 should be fine for varmints all the way out to 400m if you have an accurate enough load. Learn to read the wind and you should be able to shoot rabbit and fox size game out that far.
 
I get what your saying. I have shot that far and that good but the barrel is going out and cant hold groups. I would like something to buck the wind a bit better and that's a little more forgiving. I don't mind opening up the face. I would actually like to do that. Who would be a good smith for me to send to? I would like to go 6br but don't know if the bolt can handle it.
 
Bolt can handle it no probs.

What im concerned about is your saying a 204 barrel is getting worn out. I reckon youve got bad carbon fouling and thats all. Give it a clean with JB bore paste and a bristle brush- you should see it back to normal. Also get your crown checked
 
To answer your question it's no problem converting that 204 over to a 6x47Rem. Your boltface is fine and your mag is already set up for the length. All that is required is to rebarrel, average cost of 200.00 labor and a barrel, pick one. Most guys make brass from 222mag with one pass of a 6x47 FL die then shoot, your done. It's a inherantly accurate cartridge having been born on the early Benchrest scene, economical on powder and is easy on barrels while shooting 70gr'ers at 2900 to 3000fps. I have 2, one is a John Bunch one off custom action with a heavy barrel, the other a Rem700 in a Sporter profile. It's not a 300yd knockem in the dirt cartridge, it's got a low recoil and it's one of the easiest wildcats to work with. Kevin Weaver is a smith I would recommend and he doesn't nick you for the cost of a reamer if he doesn't have it. Plus when you go to the range it will garner more looks and questions than a 204, always a big plus :).
 
I did something very similar.

I have a Sav. 12 in 204 trim that has a factory tube on it.

Out to 400y it shoots under 1/4 MOA, I've shot it to 600 and it stays within 1/2 MOA with the 40 grain Vmax. JBM claims it's still got more snot than a 22 mag does at the muzzle. For coyote or rabbit, etc I wouldn't worry about it being effective.

The shortfall however is obviously the barrel life. I decided to go with a 6x45, 6mm-223 ) because I have thousands of cases for 223 which meant I didn't have to buy brass. I was doing the whole project on the cheap.

Including the PTG reamer and throater, Shilen SS barrel and the first box of 75 Vmax bullets I have about 250 bucks into the project.

The 6x45 is right on par with the 204 for accuracy and the barrel life should be about 5x's better. It did a fantastic job on a 185y ground hog on the second day out.

I get 2750 from the 100 BTSP and 2950 from the 75 Vmax. Barrel is finished at 27.75' from breechface to muzzle
 
Yeah, I was completely blown away when I got the thing to shoot like that. It was like the stars aligned, but it does that over and over again.

The action is untouched and the 20 cal barrel is factory, but the brass and loads are very carefully prepped in a choate stock and a completely floated barrel.

The new barrel is a shilen.
 

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