Does .204 require heavy barrel to see hits?

[ba_50]

Looking at T3 Tikkas. Thanks.

 

[Wirelessguy2005]

not necessarily but it sure makes it easier if you have a heavy barrel and or a muzzle brake.

 

[drover]

This is an overly simplistic answer but - a heavier barrel will make it easier to see your hits because the heavier weight lessens the recoil. You will more than likely see more hits using 32 gr bullets than 40 gr bullets because the 40's will give just a bit more recoil. As far as seeing hits a lot of it has to do with how you hold the rifle, the position you are shooting it from, and most importantly - follow through. I see at least 90% of my hits using my Cooper Classic 223 with 40 gr bullets at 3800 fps but I have shot competition for many years and have good follow through.

A 223 and a 204, both using 40 gr bullets will give the same recoil, however the 40's can be driven just a bit faster from the 223 than from the 204. I owned identical Cooper vaminters in 204 and 223, same weight, same scope, same stock, etc. and using 40's I could not tell a recoil difference nor hit spotting difference.

drover

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Drover pretty much summed it up, but I'll add that all four of my 204's wear "varmint weight" barrels, and I can see hits/misses with all of them from my portable bench. But to qualify that, I'll add that I'm using a Sinclair front rest with bunny-ear rear bag. Off a bipod things may be different due to lack of stability.

If you're referring to the Tikka T3 Lite, well then, you may not see all those hits/misses due to lack of rifle weight to tame what mild recoil there is, especially when shooting the 40's. If it's a varmint weight Tikka, you should see most of the field action through the scope, especially with the 32gr bullets.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Drover has it exactly right. Your technique, regardless of rifle design, determines if you will see what happens through the scope.

That isn't to say that a good fitting stock won't help.

Barrel weight is for heat absorption and stiffness (ultimately=easier tunability).

 

[ba_50]

I could live with a medium weight heavy barrel. Surprised the 40's are the same speed in both 223 and 204. Thought the 204 had it beat by quite a bit.

 

[Shiyfire]

The 40's are about 100 fps faster in the .204 according to my reloading book

 

[drover]

Not sure which manual you are using but these manuals all give the edge to the 223 when using the 40's. Not by a lot, but in chronographed comparisons of loads, using listed load data, have confirmed that the 223/40 consistently has a bit more speed than the 204/40's.

Nosler on-line data
Max Vel 204/40 gr - 3815 fps
Max Vel 223/40 gr - 3860 fps

Sierra 5th Edition data
Max Vel 204/39 gr - 3600
Max Vel 223/40 gr - 3700 fps

Western Powder Manual
Max Vel 204/40 gr - 3762 fps
Max Vel 223/40 gr - 3803 fps

drover

 

[Shiyfire]

I guess they all vary a little

 

[Jeff A]

I just got back from my first squirrel hunt with a 204 Ruger. I have an AR-15 with two uppers, both have heavy (for an AR) barrels. One is in 223 Remington, the other in 204 Ruger. I found that the best way to see the hits is to turn the scope power down. Both of mine have 6-18's and life is good at 6 power! Very slight edge in recoil for the 204, but you still don't want to run them at the higher magnification.

 

[drover]

Shiyfire,

I am not sure which manual your posted pages are from but it too shows the 223 as having a slight edge over the 204.
Yes. the manuals vary a bit from publisher to publisher, mainly due to differences in barrels and chambers used to collect the data with.

Max Vel - 204/40 - 3590 fps

Max Vel - 223/40 - 3651 fps

The reality of it is that recoil will be virtually the same with both cartridges using 40 gr bullets since both use near identical powder charges. The other reality is either will be more than capable on a 3 lb PD. The only way to lessen the recoil is to drop down in bullet weight or powder charge, even then it only drops about 1/2 ft lb of recoil.

drover

 

[Hotshot]

Not sure how drover is reading Shiyfire's example but I read clear advantage to the 204R for velocity and of coarse the all important BC is in the favor of the 204 as well. I shoot both and I get higher velocity with my 26 inch barrels than all those examples.
No trouble seeing hits with varmint weight barrels but some light barrel rigs are hard to see.

 

[5spd]

I built a 204R with a heavy sporter (also called light magnum) bbl 2 yrs ago, had no issues seeing my hits no matter the range.
Much easier to carry walking on the ranches I shoot p-dogs on since I don't shoot of a bench, mostly prone & bipod.

 

[DogBuster]

Looking at T3 Tikkas. Thanks.

depends on how fast you are in the scope...........

 

[SS427]

My technique must suck because I don't see many hits with a Cooper .20 VarTarg using 32 grain bullets. I mostly use a bi-pod with that rifle, shoot rats at 200-300 yards and keep the scope dialed up to close to 32x. If you shoot like I do you will need the heavier barrel.

 

[Shiyfire]

Time for a bigger scope objective if you cant see the hits

 

[SS427]

56mm isn't big enough?

 

[Shiyfire]

Thats what i run,if you cant see hits with that you got a bad cheek weld or eye position

 

[xswanted]

Time for a bigger scope objective if you cant see the hits

How does that help?

 

[SS427]

I assume field of view, but at such high power not sure it could help that much. I don't hold any of my rifles tightly, so I'm sure that is the problem. I see some guys hold down on the scope when they shoot or hold the stock really tightly with their off hand. That might help but I have never shot that way.