Build your varmint gun....on a budget.

[Got Juice?]

Barely! And only when compared to lightest offerings. The 22-250 will push a 40gr with a BC of .200 at 4000fps. The 204 pushes a 30gr, BC of .210 to 4000fps....very marginal here. The "half the drop and half the drift" statement was absurd. And we won't even compare the 204 against the 250 shooting heavies at extended range.

.40 vmax has a higher BC than .210

(c) 2001, www.jacksonrifles.com	Range	Speed	Energy	Drop	Path	Elevn	Windage	Time
Input data:		[yards]	[fps]	[ft.lb]	[inches]	[inches]	[MOA]	[MOA]	[sec]
40vmx	Bullet description	600	1968	344	64.06	-40.22	6.15	0.00	0.64
3977	Muzzle speed (fps)	50	3783	1271	0.30	0.32			0.04
40	Bullet wt (gn)	75	3688	1208	0.65	1.02	-1.25	0.00	0.06
0.275	BC	100	3594	1147	1.18	1.55	-1.42	0.00	0.08
600	Special range (yd)	125	3501	1088	1.87	1.91	-1.40	0.00	0.10
50	Start range (yd)	150	3409	1032	2.74	2.10	-1.28	0.00	0.12
25	Increment (yd)	175	3319	978	3.80	2.09	-1.10	0.00	0.14
0.00	Impact Ht. (in)	200	3230	926	5.05	1.89	-0.87	0.00	0.17
275	at Zero range (yd)	225	3142	877	6.52	1.49	-0.61	0.00	0.19
0	Wind speed (mph)	250	3055	829	8.20	0.86	-0.32	0.00	0.22
0.0	Wind dir. (o'clock)	275	2969	783	10.12	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.24
0	Temp. (Celcius)	300	2885	739	12.28	-1.11	0.34	0.00	0.27
3300	Altitude (feet)	325	2802	697	14.70	-2.47	0.70	0.00	0.29
1000	Pressure (mbar)	350	2720	657	17.40	-4.12	1.08	0.00	0.32
1.50	Scope Ht. (in)	375	2639	619	20.40	-6.05	1.48	0.00	0.35
1.09	in./MOA @ 100 yds	400	2560	582	23.70	-8.30	1.90	0.00	0.38
0.50	Retard. Coeff. rate	425	2482	547	27.34	-10.88	2.35	0.00	0.41
1300	Break Velocity (fps)	450	2405	514	31.32	-13.81	2.82	0.00	0.44
		475	2329	482	35.69	-17.12	3.31	0.00	0.47
Calculated data & constants:	500	2254	451	40.45	-20.83	3.82	0.00	0.50
0.296	Adjusted BC	525	2181	422	45.64	-24.96	4.36	0.00	0.53
2819	Retardation coeff.	550	2109	395	51.28	-29.55	4.93	0.00	0.57
3035	Adj. Retard. Coeff.	575	2038	369	57.41	-34.62	5.52	0.00	0.61
1000	Standard pressure	600	1968	344	64.06	-40.22	6.15	0.00	0.64
246	Mayewski constant	625	1899	320	71.27	-46.37	6.81	0.00	0.68
32	Temp. (Faht.)	650	1832	298	79.08	-53.12	7.50	0.00	0.72

 

[cdn shooter]

Video wouldn't play. What's it about?

 

[hometownhero]

Barely! And only when compared to lightest offerings. The 22-250 will push a 40gr with a BC of .200 at 4000fps. The 204 pushes a 30gr, BC of .210 to 4000fps....very marginal here. The "half the drop and half the drift" statement was absurd. And we won't even compare the 204 against the 250 shooting heavies at extended range.

Sierra 39gr bk is. 287 above 3600fps. Most 250's have a slower twist so cant really shoot bullets that heavy. A 55gr bk has a bc of. 271. That is a marginal difference if you ask me.
I had a 250 for a few days was very lack luster in the speed department with 40, 50, amd 53gr bullets.

 

[stubblejumper]

Sierra 39gr bk is. 287 above 3600fps

And the 39gr BK leaves my 20 Tactical at 3900fps, and the 204r will do the same. So the .204" 39gr Blitzking has a slightly higher B.C. than the .224" 55gr Blitzking, and leaves the barrel with about 200fps more velocity, than the 55gr bullet out of a 22-250.

 

[Got Juice?]

Video wouldn't play. What's it about?

Take the space out between the 2 T's. Just a shooting vid of some Aussies messing with the .204

I have some fields I shoot in that are longer, but I tend not to take video gear. Guns, ammo and guests take more room.

 

[cdn shooter]

My point was never to downplay the .204 Ruger. It is a very specialized round that is very effective at taking small game at closer ranges. But to say it blows the 250 out the water...

I'm also in the BC over speed camp. The .204 is not for me.

 

[Got Juice?]

Plenty of folks shoot .223 and 22-250, and they do work fine.

I was a die hard .223 person for the longest time, and stubbornly refused to even look at a puny .204 Ruger.


One day I was given the opportunity to shoot one at various ranges, and I was impressed with the ballistics and how the 204 was less susceptible to wind (excepting spin drift at extended ranges)

From there, I purchased a Savage 12LRPV DBM in .204 Ruger... an identical twin to my 223 in the same rifle.

After 1 year of varminting, shooting predators etc I sold all my .223's and lone 22-250. Not that they were bad caliber's but the 204 goes beyond telepathic in terms of accuracy, and the minimal recoil makes it very friendly to younger men, and women as well.

Most people with the 'hate on' for the 204 Ruger have never shot one I know that I used to really dislike the cartridge when I had no practical experience with it either.

One thing I did find disappointing was reloading for the .204... as I stated earlier, it is more finnicky than 223 or 22-250. When I started shooting my own reloads through my 204, I was sorely disappointed in my choice to sell my other varminting calibers. But as time went on, more experience and experimentation with powders and bullets got me the results equall or better to factory fodder.

I have no practical experience with the Swifty. Whilst the big 220 has always intrigued me, I am content with the .204 Ruger.

One thing is certain. The more I shoot and reload, the more I continue to learn.

 

[Got Juice?]

My point was never to downplay the .204 Ruger. It is a very specialized round that is very effective at taking small game at closer ranges. But to say it blows the 250 out the water...

I'm also in the BC over speed camp. The .204 is not for me.

One thing I did not mention is the 204 is powder efficient. I am cheap and it appeals to me!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!! (I have to save... my 357SIG eats 15.7gn H110 each time I pull the trigger)

 

[stubblejumper]

Plenty of folks shoot .223 and 22-250, and they do work fine.

I was a die hard .223 person for the longest time, and stubbornly refused to even look at a puny .204 Ruger.


One day I was given the opportunity to shoot one at various ranges, and I was impressed with the ballistics and how the 204 was less susceptible to wind (excepting spin drift at extended ranges)

From there, I purchased a Savage 12LRPV DBM in .204 Ruger... an identical twin to my 223 in the same rifle.

After 1 year of varminting, shooting predators etc I sold all my .223's and lone 22-250. Not that they were bad caliber's but the 204 goes beyond telepathic in terms of accuracy, and the minimal recoil makes it very friendly to younger men, and women as well.

Most people with the 'hate on' for the 204 Ruger have never shot one I know that I used to really dislike the cartridge when I had no practical experience with it either.

One thing I did find disappointing was reloading for the .204... as I stated earlier, it is more finnicky than 223 or 22-250. When I started shooting my own reloads through my 204, I was sorely disappointed in my choice to sell my other varminting calibers. But as time went on, more experience and experimentation with powders and bullets got me the results equall or better to factory fodder.

I have no practical experience with the Swifty. Whilst the big 220 has always intrigued me, I am content with the .204 Ruger.

One thing is certain. The more I shoot and reload, the more I continue to learn.

I have owned four 223rem rifles, a couple of 22-250s, and a 220Swift, and I prefer the 20 Tactical to any of them as a varmint rifle. I chose the 20 Tactical over the 204r for two reasons, the first being that the 204r rifles are throated very short, requiring the bullets to be seated very deep, and there is no high quality 204r brass available. The 20 Tactical rifles are throated longer, so they produce the same ballistics with a slightly smaller case, and there is factory Lapua brass available.
For a target rifle, I prefer the 223rem.

 

[Got Juice?]

Back on topic for the OP.

Long predator shots can be few and far between. Most predatory species stick close in the treelines, and rarely have I had the opportunity to take a yote or wolf over 400yds.

Any one of the popular varminting caliber's should serve you well. .223/22-250/Swift/243

Good luck with your build, and happy hunting!!!

 

[Got Juice?]

I have owned four 223rem rifles, a couple of 22-250s, and a 220Swift, and I prefer the 20 Tactical to any of them as a varmint rifle. I chose the 20 Tactical over the 204r for two reasons, the first being that the 204r rifles are throated very short, requiring the bullets to be seated very deep, and there is no high quality 204r brass available. The 20 Tactical rifles are throated longer, so they produce the same ballistics with a slightly smaller case, and there is factory Lapua brass available.
For a target rifle, I prefer the 223rem.

That sounds like a lot of fun. I have 1 rifle with a really long leade in the rifling that I will need to send out one day so that everything is interchangeable with the others.
What kind and how much powder does the 20 practical use compared to 20VarTarg and .204 Ruger?

 

[r204]

That sounds like a lot of fun. I have 1 rifle with a really long leade in the rifling that I will need to send out one day so that everything is interchangeable with the others.
What kind and how much powder does the 20 practical use compared to 20VarTarg and .204 Ruger?

In my 20 Vartarg I run 18.8gr of H4198 with either a 32gr V-Max or a 35gr Burger. In the 204 Ruger I had I was running 27.5gr of H4895 with a 39gr BlizKing

 

[stubblejumper]

That sounds like a lot of fun. I have 1 rifle with a really long leade in the rifling that I will need to send out one day so that everything is interchangeable with the others.
What kind and how much powder does the 20 practical use compared to 20VarTarg and .204 Ruger?

I use 18.5gr of R-7 behind the 32gr BK in my 20 vartarg, and 25.5gr of R-10X behind the 39gr BK in my 20 tactical.

 

[tbdtp]

I love varmint rifles and have a couple in the safe. 3 17s 2 20s and 3 22 cals. My favourite for coyotes is the 20s. They just seem to work so good. Once my 22-250 throat is done I will be trying to track down a 1 in 8 twist 20 cal pipe to finish at 26" and get a reamer in 20-250 set up for no neck turn lapua brass and have my lgs get me about 1000 of Bergers 55 grain 20 cal bullets. There is a few guys on saubier running either the 20-250 or 20-220 and they love them. 20 br is picking up too but brass is next to impossible to find up here and with lapua making 22-250 you don't gain much going with the br.

For the op Rem short action $500, pac nor 1 in 8 3 groove $600, smith work $500, McMillan edge $700 then save for another couple months while you neck down brass and build up a couple loads to try once it's all together and buy a swaro z3 in about 3-10 or 4-12 in talley steels $1300. A grand over budget but you would have a damn sweet rig that you could use to send 32s at over 4500 fps to turn gophers into pink mist and 55s at 3900 for a hold on fur with coyotes at almost 400 yards.

 

[Cinch]

Long shots may be uncommon in most parts of Canada but here in the SK grasslands & parkland transition long shots are often the only presentation. Some days it works and dogs are shot within shotgun range, however just as often they hold up at +300 yards. Conventional wisdom dictates fast twist + heavies are needed to buck persistent winds on the open prairie. Sure would like to hear from guys successfully running 20's in similar conditions at ranges +300 yards.

 

[hometownhero]

Long shots may be uncommon in most parts of Canada but here in the SK grasslands & parkland transition long shots are often the only presentation. Some days it works and dogs are shot within shotgun range, however just as often they hold up at +300 yards. Conventional wisdom dictates fast twist + heavies are needed to buck persistent winds on the open prairie. Sure would like to hear from guys successfully running 20's in similar conditions at ranges +300 yards.

A good bc will be less affected by the wind no matter what diameter of bullet. Say a 140gr 6.5mm bullet amd a 150gr 308 diameter bulletare both shot in a 10 mph crosswind the higher bc of the 6.5 wont blow around as much even though it is lighter

 

[cdn shooter]

Long shots may be uncommon in most parts of Canada but here in the SK grasslands & parkland transition long shots are often the only presentation. Some days it works and dogs are shot within shotgun range, however just as often they hold up at +300 yards. Conventional wisdom dictates fast twist + heavies are needed to buck persistent winds on the open prairie. Sure would like to hear from guys successfully running 20's in similar conditions at ranges +300 yards.

Same in the south interior of BC, frequent high winds and wide open grassland.

 

[stubblejumper]

A good bc will be less affected by the wind no matter what diameter of bullet. Say a 140gr 6.5mm bullet amd a 150gr 308 diameter bulletare both shot in a 10 mph crosswind the higher bc of the 6.5 wont blow around as much even though it is lighter

My .204" 39gr bullet at 3900fps has an almost identical wind drift at 400 yards, to a .243" 80gr Ballistic Tip at 3400fps. The .243" bullet weighs twice as much, and the B.C. is a bit higher, but that extra 500fps makes up for that.

 

[scott_r]

I have owned four 223rem rifles, a couple of 22-250s, and a 220Swift, and I prefer the 20 Tactical to any of them as a varmint rifle. I chose the 20 Tactical over the 204r for two reasons, the first being that the 204r rifles are throated very short, requiring the bullets to be seated very deep, and there is no high quality 204r brass available. The 20 Tactical rifles are throated longer, so they produce the same ballistics with a slightly smaller case, and there is factory Lapua brass available.
For a target rifle, I prefer the 223rem.

My Remington M700 has a long throat, I can't seat Berger bullets ten thousandths off the lands, just not enough bullet in the case. The OAL length in the Berger manual produces exceptional accuracy so I stick with that. I agree that the brass offering for the .204 really sucks. Only option Ive seen in my area is Hornady and they are hit or miss on quality. Im yet to try Nosler but it was $75 plus tax for 50 pieces and Im not gonna pay that for a rifle I use to shoot coyotes...I tend to loose brass when I get multiple coyotes run in on a stand, I prefer to not leave brass in the snow that costs me over $1....Im cheap.

 

[cdn shooter]

My .204" 39gr bullet at 3900fps has an almost identical wind drift at 400 yards, to a .243" 80gr Ballistic Tip at 3400fps. The .243" bullet weighs twice as much, and the B.C. is a bit higher, but that extra 500fps makes up for that.

Maybe, but put an 80gr bullet in a 22-250 with velocity at 3150 and you easily beat the lighter bullet in the wind...by more than a minute at 400 actually. The 22-250 would have a slight edge on velocity at the 400 mark as well and then by 500 the 22-250 has 200fps on the 20cal.