22-204

[Jrjones]

While we're doing updates, I'll post mine.

This is the 1 of 2 that I built as twins, this was the winter time one, S/S 700, 24" Krieger 8" twist in a Rem Varmint contour, McMillan Marksman stock, with a 3.15x50 NF on top.

Got my longest kill with this one at 550 yards.

View attachment 1656711

I put it on a weight loss program starting off my getting the barrel fluted, which dropped 12 ozs, & mounting a Leupold VX-5 3-15x44 Firedot on top. Decided to paint the barrel white too.

View attachment 1656712

Next step was for cost savings, I sold the Leupold, & mounted a Sightron S-Tac 3-15x44 on top, as the gun has languished in the safe due to zero daytime hunting. And, I took that ugly white paint off. Load is still the same, Berger 80 VLD's over Varget at 3025.
Sorry, no pics in it's current form.

Really nice rigs you got there. Pisses me right off they wont inlet these stocks anymore. I think its a flat top only.

 

[alf]

Really nice rigs you got there. Pisses me right off they wont inlet these stocks anymore. I think its a flat top only.

Worse yet, they discontinued the Marksman stock completely.

 

[ISS]

It's always going to be a 222 Mag, with brass availability issues unless you find and buy 200 or more cases today!

 

[alf]

Plenty of 204 brass out there to be had.....

 

[Jrjones]

Worse yet, they discontinued the Marksman stock completely.

That sucks

 

[ArtinNC]

That’s a good question. My 22-204 is being built. I’ll probably go with Nosler brass, 250 pieces. It’s twice as much as dogtown but I’ve had good luck with Nosler brass.

Some of the worse brass I have ever bought . turning the necks you will see the brass is way thicker on one side than the other . If you don't turn the necks when you fire the bullet will NOT release the same on both sides of the brass . and that is not good .

 

[Denver_AR]

Some of the worse brass I have ever bought . turning the necks you will see the brass is way thicker on one side than the other . ...

What's "way thicker" in inches?
I had concerns about brass in the neck getting too thin when upsizing 204 brass to 22 cal. I bought some Nosler 222 Rem Mag brass with the intent to fireform it to 22-204. Neck thickness has generally been good. I've tested a handful of pieces, and am only seeing about .001" of extreme spread.

 

[G Love]

Still want to do a 1-12 24" with 52 Ultra's but-

Wonder what a 8t or 9t at 16.5" and 73 grain Berger's would be like as a truck / compact blind gun. More punch than a 223 but still not wasting powder. Hmm..

 

[ArtinNC]

What's "way thicker" in inches?
I had concerns about brass in the neck getting too thin when upsizing 204 brass to 22 cal. I bought some Nosler 222 Rem Mag brass with the intent to fireform it to 22-204. Neck thickness has generally been good. I've tested a handful of pieces, and am only seeing about .001" of extreme spread.

Inches funny . Well good for you . The Nosler brass was way thicker on one side of the neck than the other sider . The neck turner hardly touched one side and you could hardly turn the brass on the other side . I see Nosler brass is so good I see that is the only thing shooters use in matches . LOL LOL

 

[alf]

Still want to do a 1-12 24" with 52 Ultra's but-

Wonder what a 8t or 9t at 16.5" and 73 grain Berger's would be like as a truck / compact blind gun. More punch than a 223 but still not wasting powder. Hmm..

My #1 night gun is a 22 DTI with 52 Bergers at 3550 in a 20" tube. I would imagine the 22-204 would be a close twin in performance.

My #3 night gun is the one I cut back to 18" shooting 80 VLD's. The 1st couple I built were 8 twist sporters shooting 75 VLD's & they worked fantastic on coyotes. I eventually went to the 80's as they were cheaper for some reason. I'm hear good things with the 70 VLD's as well on coyotes, but I know nothing about the 73's.

My LR 8 twist rifle I just worked up a load with the 62 ELD-VT's for prairie dogs. Got a good load at 3300. Those might be another good option worth a look for a truck gun.