.204 vs .223

Agreed. A drop chart is ESSENTIAL out past 250-300 yards for small targets like gophers. A rangefinder is super handy to have too, although I'd still recommend taking the time and learning to use a mil-dot range-finding reticle - as you learn and use it, you also get better at visually judging ranges unassisted.

A neat item I saw on the forums here somewhere is a little drop chart that fits in those flip-up lens covers

todbartell said:
oh, and on the topic of using a Ballistic Plex for the 223, I'd just get a elevation turret put on your scope (Leupold does it on their scopes for $100), and just click the MOA up, hold dead on, out to as far as you want. just need to know the MOA drop from your zero...its really quite simple.

the Burris BP worked great for me on my 223, and now I have the Leupold Long range duplex on the rifle. Equally as good, and combined with a turret, makes hits out to 350 yards easy, and past that, pretty fun.

Get a good rangefinder, a turret, and a drop chart. Holdover is a thing of the past ;) Wind is still the enemy of the 223 though...
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This 223 is cheaper thing is a bit of an urban legend, sure there is the cheap mil surplus stuff but that has no real on game application especially in a gopher field. The white box winchester stuff is cheap but that stubby 45 grain head will have negative impact on trajectory (Also I finally saw some whitebox 204 at wholesale the other day I'll buy some this week (Just for fun as I reload, did not check the price) there is other cheap stuff but the performance is variable. So if you compare decent factory ammo it's all around 16$+ for 20.

Availability though better is still an issue with 204, so if you are out of the bigger centers that is a problem. Has anyone seen the federal 39 grain 204 load yet, because once that one arrives, it should be the standard to which all 204 loads would be compared, and no 223 load could compare.
 
I am fortunate enough to have access to an Armalite .223 Remington, and I believe that it is more than enough to fill your need for varmint. I use iron sites and the .223 , as I'm sure you are aware, shoots remarkably flat due to it's velocity. Also, the terminal ballistics of the round ensure that a realistic, ethical shot, will surely produce the desired results. I have used it to thin a local Robertson Ground Squirrel infestation and on more than one occasion, have found only remnants of what I originally fired upon.

Remanded.
 
204 vs 223

An interesting thread :D At our 500 yard match on the weekend in the varmint calibers (.240-) The top shooter was using a .223 and the second place shooter was using a .204. Both very good shooters, both using handloaded ammo, they easily demonstrated that if you understand ballistics and wind drift both calibers will go the distance at paper. As for small varmints, at 400yds they easily punched apart 4L milk jugs filled with water.

In a nutshell, .223 for ease of supply and cost, or .204 for it's uniqueness and low, low recoil.

Just my .02c
 
Ruger22, when you decide to call Lethbridge "home" PM me and I'll load you up some dandy killers for your .223.....best one so far is 1 1/4" @ 300Yds 50gr TNT (on paper) Best LR shot 425yds(rangefinder used)....looked like a normal 22lr hit at that range. In my T/C I can use the 70gr SP's (way better SPLAT) on the gopher population,,,,,my bad sorry for the hi-jak. I'll go back into my dungeon I call the reloading room.
 
todbartell said:
if it was just gophers, I think it'd be hard to beat the 204

just yotes, the 243 is great, just ask Boonerbuck.

happy medium is a 223 AI or a 22-250

seeing how its limited to factory ammo, I'd go 22-250. A guy can shoot the Winchester white box 45 gr JHP stuff for $25 / 40 rounds or so, which isnt too bad...
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Then you have forty brass to reload!:) They work just as good as buying virgin brass.
 
Just to let you know, I finally(just two weeks ago) seen some whinchester whitebox 204 at wholesale(calgary). I did not see the price probably between the 22-250 and 223. From what I read it's not quite as accurate as the hornady stuff but it also not $16 a box of 20.

Early on there was talk that the winchester load was a decent fur bullet but then the ammo dissapeared (probably just sold out) but after that lots of the fur hunters found the 35 grain bergers and did not look back.
 
Well I just ordered a .204.... I will find out what the what is in short order.
It's a 28" Stainless Medium Heavy Barrel for my Encore Pro Hunter.... what kind of velocities can I expect out of that tube?
 
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I made this same decision this spring.

I ended up with a Rem 700 Police in 223 with a Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24X mil-dot reticle a/o scope.

I just spent 3 days in Alberta shooting gophers with it. Shots where from 50 to 300 yards with most being about 100 to 150 yards.

At the range I average 2 3/4" to 3" 300 yard groups with my Sierra 60gr HP Varminter 3010fps varmint loads.

I reload so cost of loaded ammo wasn't the question that I was concerned about, availability/price of components was my main concern. I paid $57.00 including shipping for 1600 once fired Rem 223 brass.

After my trip to Alberta I had to asked myself if I made the right choice in cartridge/caliber. Even though I am extremely happy with the performance of the 223 I found myself always being extremely concerned of where my varmint bullets would continue to or how far they could travel past the target?

Now that I have more experience with shooting in Alberta I think I would have added into my equation of what cartridge to get my new concern of how far the bullet could travel after I hit my target as well as will the smaller .204 cal bullet disintergrate faster than the .224 cal bullet?

My answer is I would stay with my 223 and purchase a 17 HMR for when I'm in areas of higher density housing.

I would totally skip the 204 cartridge.
 
a 40 gr bullet will disintergrate better than a 60 grain, although a fast twist barrel may shoot the heavier bullets better
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Sorry I didn't mention that most of my 223 shots where with my 50gr Sierra Blitz 3250fps loads. I only used the heavier 60gr loads whenever strong winds were blowing.

I fully agree that the 40 gr bullets blow up better than the 60's but I have a 1-9 twist rate so haven't tried the lighter bullets in it yet.

I now have an excuse for another rifle though..... :)
 
Bigredd

The first combo you should try is H4895 and 39 sierra's don't get suckerd by the high velocities of the 32's the best alround performance with the bigger heads, and the 39 seirras are easier to stabalize than the 40 hornadys (which are too close to instability in normal factory twist guns)
 
Where would the 223 WSSM fit in this equation? Any good / bad comments from those in the know? I've asked this question on here before but never got a definitive answer either way.

This thread is very interesting since I've decided to get into coyote hunting this fall with a buddy who's been at it for many years. He uses a 22-250. I've liked what I've read on the 204, but should I consider a 223 WSSM as well?

One thing I may need to consider, is that apparantly out here in northern NB, our yotes are a little larger than most other areas of the country. It is not uncommon to get them at 60+ pounds. I have little experience on this topic so I'm only going by what I've heard from the experienced folks in the area. This may or may not be true, but should I factor it in to my decision?

Thanx in advance.
 
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