204 Ruger

RobP

RobP

CGN Regular
GunNutz
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Location
E. Ont.
Anybody shoot this calibre? Looks like an interesting round. I'm interested in it for a 100-200 yard coyote rifle, for shooting in an area I don't want the loud "boom" from something like a 22-250.

Regards,
rob
 
While not as loud as a 22-250 the 204 is still quite loud. it will work just fine for that usage. The only centerfire that I have shot that is noticibly quieter is a 22 hornet it is just barely louder than a 22 mag. Out of the box the Hornet has maybe 125-150 yards of coyote gun I gave my new one a test drive last week.
I got a coyote
HornetYote.jpg

and a about 15 of this pile
StackOBunny.jpg


Another option is a 221 fireball but I have never shot one so I cannot say how loud it is.

The rifle you see is a Handi rifle and I am planning on getting it rechambered to 22 k-hornet, the hodgdon data says that I could get a 50 gr bullet going to 2800+ fps and with the much better BC's on paper it turnes the hornet into a 200 yard coyote gun
 
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I shoot the .204 outta my 26" heavy Encore barrel. My brother Gilly & i were taking gophers out past 200...Sweeet!
For loudness,,,,,,,umm it's got good report!
It's a deadly cartridge IMO and I hope to prove it on some 'yote's when I get back to Alberta in Feb with some 40gr V-Max's @ 3800fps from the muzzle.
 
the 204 is not a 200 yard coyote gun, it's a 500 yard gopher gun. Loud, but much less so than the 22-250, about the same as a 223.

For yotes out to 200, it's hard to beat a 222 or 223.
 
sure, it'll WORK, but really it was designed with such a flat trajectory that it seems a waste to limit it to 200. And by the time it gets truly way out there it's not really packing enough steam to smoke a yote, unless you're VERY good with your placement
 
It'll do what you want it to. If you're trying to shoot without the neighbors knowin about it?... well, she's still pretty darn loud. Won't catch me shootin mine without plugs or muffs. All the speed of a hot 22-250 with less heat than a 223. Go with the heavier bullets for yotes though.
 
i think the 204 is louder than the 22-250 myself, i have some of the electric muffs that "dampen" the sound of shots but allow conversation and amplify sounds(i find it really helps with coyotes howling or coming through brush)
and the 204 is the only rifle of varmint caliber that i really "hear" with the muffs on, i definitely wouldn't shoot it without ear protection...
my distance comment was just that a comment i did not mean to offend right now i am shooting 204 and 22-250 bolts and a semi 223 and they all work really well...
 
I'm also looking for a varmint gun and have looked at the ballistics for both the .204 Ruger and .223. I didn't quite get it clear on what most people considered to be a louder round.
I shot the .223 many years ago and didn't consider it to be ear drum shattering.:eek: :eek:
 
Well, I had two identical remington XR-100's, in 204 and 22-250, and the 204 is DECIDELY quieter. About the same as my Savage 12 in 223, and a bit louder than my remington 222.
 
i have 204/ 223 / 221 FB. as for the quiet 100-200 gun, id go with the 221. can be made to be VERY quiet actually, and still get 26-2800 fps with a 50 grain Vmax
 
I spent many hours on a hillside with my hunting buddy who was shooting his 204. We wear hearing protection so I can't comment on noise. What I did notice was that I would shoot 2or3 shots and have to let my 22 250 cool, while he could fire 8-10 shots before barrel heated up to same level. Gophers couldn't tell who had hit them.
 
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