Agree to disagree.
Which .204 Ruger rifle?
- Thread starter rookie7
- Start date
long40shot
Gold $$ Contributor
I bought a Remington 700 SPS Varmint in 204. I dropped into a HS Precision stock. It shoots very well.
B23
Gold $$ Contributor
I think you're spot on! If I was in the market for a 204 Ruger type build, it wouldn't even be a consideration, I'd go 20 practical, neck down Lapua 223 brass and be forever happy.
20 Practical
I have 2 Rem 700 VLS's. 1 is a 204 that shoots a 5 shot group in a ragged hole at 100 yds. 32 gn Dogtown fact loads.
The second was built using a new 700 short action. found a 11' twist 26' ss Krieger barrel and had a smith do his thing.
I found a used VLS stock from a member complete with bottom metal.
Stuck in a Calvin Elite trigger and bedded the action.
Its chambered in 20 Practical and puts 40 gn V maxes in a group under 1/4".
If the 204 barrel goes south I may have it re barreled to a practical.
I have 2 Rem 700 VLS's. 1 is a 204 that shoots a 5 shot group in a ragged hole at 100 yds. 32 gn Dogtown fact loads.
The second was built using a new 700 short action. found a 11' twist 26' ss Krieger barrel and had a smith do his thing.
I found a used VLS stock from a member complete with bottom metal.
Stuck in a Calvin Elite trigger and bedded the action.
Its chambered in 20 Practical and puts 40 gn V maxes in a group under 1/4".
If the 204 barrel goes south I may have it re barreled to a practical.
Last edited:
long40shot
Gold $$ Contributor
The Remington VLS is a excellent rifle. New trigger and a bedding job and you're off to the races. They only reason i bought the sps was, i had to many other irons in the fire at the time. Or i would have bought the VLS.
Matt
I have a semi custom 204 on a Rem 700 action that shoots excellent. I have a 20 Practical that Kevin Weaver just re-barrelled for me and I picked up a low mileage XR 100 in 204 last week on gunbroker that shoots good but I have ordered a Jewel trigger for it as all my other varmint rifles have Jewells and I am spoiled.The XR 100'S you really have to look for but worth the hunt .They are single shots so it may slow you down if you need follow ups for coyotes. Very happy with the 3 20 caliber rifles I have. Happy Hunting!
I shoot 4 20 Caliber rifles : 1 is a Cooper Phoenix in .204 Ruger. 2 is a Savage LRPV in .204 Ruger . 3 is a Savage Action in 20 Practical w/a Shilen Select Match Grade barrel . 4 is A Savage Action, Shilen Select Match Grade barrel in 20 Practical w/ Bell & Carlson Stock and a Rifle Basix Trigger. My go to gun is #4. The 20's are a great Varminter. All of my rifles are 1/12 Twist and shoot the 32 grn. bullets very well. The 20 Practical is a super easy wildcat to play with. The stories are true. If I had known about the 20 Practical before I bought all the .204's I would have never bought them.
Thanks for the input. I’m still learning, so what do you mean by the stories are true. Thanks
Norma,nosler,hornady,remington,winchester,starline , no variety??
Now that you mention it I may have missed the mark with my assessment.
I should have said - no Lapua.
long40shot
Gold $$ Contributor
But availability most of the time.... lol
Lapua hinted they would come out w/204 brass,guess they gave up,you'd think they would sell tons of it
B23
Gold $$ Contributor
No experience with the Ruger but I had a CZ 527 204 that shot extremely well and was a great little rifle. Sold it to a buddy last winter and he's been very happy with it as well. I think the CZ 527 Varmint cost about the same as the Ruger.
I chronographed 32 grain factory loads out of a 26" barrel,got an avg of 3996 fps not the advertised 4250 fps,have had 24" barreled 204's,Now only shoot 26",Got almost 100 fps more velocity with a longer barrel.If you look at 204 ruger reloading data,All most all velocities listed are from 26" barrels.Don't know anything about blueberry;but do know what 5 different 204 barrels have done
My barrel is a shorter throat, .010 off with factory 40 grain Hornady and it is a warm 3920. Bullberry took the same barrel and cut and crowned every inch, and got what they got. Possibly ask them why their results are different than yours. I have never used a 32 grain bullet in a .204. Many others have said their 22" shoots as fast as their 24" barrel. Your mileage may vary.
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