Skeptical of .204 ruger

Boomer said:
Much of this sounds like the accolades given to the .17 Remington when it first appeared, although no one has claimed .204 as a moose gun yet, but just wait. If you want to snipe crows and/or ground squirrels, the .204 sounds like a good choice. For larger varmints or extended ranges in places where the wind blows, a fast .22, a .243, or a .25/06 is the better more versatile solution.

A professional hunter who is tasked with cropping or predator control will often opt for a cartridge that is accurate, with minimal recoil, has a low noise signature, and a bullet that is not inclined to ricochet. High velocity combined with a light, thin skinned bullet answers the ricochet question, and a small powder charge answers the noise question. The barrel quality and handloading techniques should look after the accuracy question. In this respect the .204 might be a solution for the pro, once he's proven his loads in the field.
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i appreciate your info without sarcasm. i'm just trying to learn why people like the 204 so much.
 
I got 4217 out of 35 gr Hornady, advertized at 4225. This was yesterday with a 28" barrel, today who knows. The 204 is nice round, it is cool to see the impacts, but when I'm whacking coyotes out on the powerline I use the 22-250.
 
I had a 22-250 and got rid of it as I was shooting in smaller areas for the coyotes and it was too much blast, noise and power. The 204 is a mild round that is entirely effective - point and shoot to 300 odd yards. And - as was pointed out - the chance of a screamer going off into the distance after hitting a rock or hard ground is virtually zero. I like that.

My chronoed factory loads ran about 100 ft/s under advertised. But my CZ rifle has only about a 24 inch bbl - a factory tends to test with longer tubes and advertise it as such velocity.

My hand loads run near to what the actual results of the factory were in my rifle. I love it. Buddy of mine has a 788, 22-250 and he is deadly with that thing. But he shoots yotes in much larger fields in more remote areas and it is a great round for that. But so are many other rounds.

I use my 204 alot. For further coyotes, where I can - I use the 300 weatherby. It can reach out and touch them real well.

If you think there is advertising hype re the 204 - fine and maybe there is. Many manufacturers do that. Is it a flash in the pan - no I dont think so.

Only a gopher round? - not a chance. Shot a bunch of coyotes this winter with the 204 - like I said - a good fast acting round (and quick rifle) that puts them down right away or lets them trot off to die a few hundred yards later. Either way - it is cheap to load and super mild to shoot and fills that niche nicely.
 
thatmikeguy said:
has anyone acually chronographed any factory loads?? has anyone actually chronographed reloads?? what are your results?? the .204 seems like a flash in the pan to me and i highly doubt it can be compared to the 22-250 though i do believe it is a good cartridge just not as good as the hype.
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LOL, your post is about six years too late. The .204 Ruger can no longer be considered a 'flash in the pan' or just 'hype'. It has acquired a strong following among varmint shooters and predator hunters, and for good reason. And not because its supposed to replace the .17, .223, .22-250, .220 or any number of other great cartridges. I don't think that was ever likely, and folks were naive to think so. Several other great .20 cal cartridges out there too, and there's room for them all.
 
thanks again for your input. i have heard a seen a lot of people compare it to other proven rounds and say that is on par or better.(eg 22-250) i still don't think it compares but from what has been said here it seems like it is a great verminator. i have also seen coyote videos where a .204 ruger was used and the kills were not as quick as ai thought they should be. not sure if it was the 204 or guy behind it. they yelped and danced around where as the yotes that were hit with 22-250 or 223 dropped on the spot. again it could be the shooter but it made me skeptical.
FARSHOT- i don't think animals should be dying a few hundred yards away. i think they should die on the spot.
 
iam not a know it all but i know my .204 with 32 grain vmax dumps yotes @ just under 200 yards....and thanks to the guys on here who helped me make up my mind on the .204 and the hornady 32 grain vmax...the rounds are a little hard to find....but the fun in shooting it is well worth the hunt
 
thatmikeguy said:
i have also seen coyote videos where a .204 ruger was used and the kills were not as quick as ai thought they should be. not sure if it was the 204 or guy behind it. they yelped and danced around where as the yotes that were hit with 22-250 or 223 dropped on the spot.
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There are probably few cartridges below .30 cal that can be expected to dump every coyote on the spot absolutely 100 percent of the time. (And probably a few .30 cal too). They can be remarkably resilient animals, and if you do enough searching and asking around, you will find reliable accounts of coyotes being shot with 'big game' cartridges that ran 200 yd or more with their liver hanging out. (More than a few three legged coyotes out there too).

I guess the 'Coles notes' version of what I am saying is that there are a number of factors that produce reliable kills, only one of which is the cartridge.

If you still have doubt about the ability of a .20 cal to reliably kill coyotes, I suggest you check out the Predator Hunt Canada website and look to see who won (not me) the little contest that was run there this year (and each year). ;)
 
I am a huge fan of the 204. It has everything you want in a varmint round and I have used it on Coyotes out beyond 300M. Gopher season has just begun and I was load developing some 6BR this morning anyway.

As to your question....

Hornady factory, 32gr. V-Max Chronies 5 for you: Temp 6.C, alt: 2200 ft ASL

4218
4250
4225
4232
4227

My own, 31.4 grains of BL-C2, CCI 450, 32gr. Sierra Blitz kings, FL sized brass SPS Varmint

4088
4089
4098
4082
4105

Does this help?
 
yes - wouldnt we all like to see every animal we shoot die instantly -- "never knowing what hit them" - but no matter how much I try (and you better believe that I have tried for decades and on hundreds of animals) - crap still happens.

As was said - Caliber size is just one of many factors.

Good luck to you.
 
I am getting 3800 fps out of my 204. Keep in mind though that I purposely loaded it less than the max load. I am getting unbelievable accuracy and the loads are very easy on the barrel.
The 22-250 that I shoot is a very accurate gun as well but recoil is substantially more than my 204 and barrel heat comes into play much quicker.
Overall my 204 is a varmint gun and the 22-250 is a predator gun. Not that either can't be used for the other, it's just the way that I view them.
 
Obtunded said:
I am a huge fan of the 204. It has everything you want in a varmint round and I have used it on Coyotes out beyond 300M. Gopher season has just begun and I was load developing some 6BR this morning anyway.

As to your question....

Hornady factory, 32gr. V-Max Chronies 5 for you: Temp 6.C, alt: 2200 ft ASL

4218
4250
4225
4232
4227

My own, 31.4 grains of BL-C2, CCI 450, 32gr. Sierra Blitz kings, FL sized brass SPS Varmint

4088
4089
4098
4082
4105

Does this help?
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thanks for posting that. that is what i've ben looking for.
 
Shooter ----/ said:
I am getting 3800 fps out of my 204. Keep in mind though that I purposely loaded it less than the max load. I am getting unbelievable accuracy and the loads are very easy on the barrel.
The 22-250 that I shoot is a very accurate gun as well but recoil is substantially more than my 204 and barrel heat comes into play much quicker.
Overall my 204 is a varmint gun and the 22-250 is a predator gun. Not that either can't be used for the other, it's just the way that I view them.
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i didn't think of the heat issue. how is the heat (and recoil) on the 204 barrel compared to the 223?
 
Probably a much closer comparison with the 223 and 204 in terms of recoil and heat.
I don't own anything "yet" chambered in 223 so I can't give you a fair comparison.
 
Shooter ----/ said:
I am getting 3800 fps out of my 204. Keep in mind though that I purposely loaded it less than the max load. I am getting unbelievable accuracy and the loads are very easy on the barrel.
The 22-250 that I shoot is a very accurate gun as well but recoil is substantially more than my 204 and barrel heat comes into play much quicker.
Overall my 204 is a varmint gun and the 22-250 is a predator gun. Not that either can't be used for the other, it's just the way that I view them.
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I have found similar finding with my .204 Going with lower charges of powder the accuracy is outstanding. I can't get the 1/4" groups with a 32 gr. at max charge but can with the lower charges.
I find it costs to much to shoot on gophers, specially when you can shoot 300rounds in an afternoon..so I usually take my semi and bolt .22 LRs. Its also not a great predator rifle so I grab my .243 Guess thats why Im going to sell it here or trade it.
22-250 is an excellent predator rifle and impressive varmint gun, only issue is recoil prevents seeing impact shots.

Cheers!!
 
thatmikeguy said:
has anyone acually chronographed any factory loads??
has anyone actually chronographed reloads??
what are your results??
the .204 seems like a flash in the pan to me and i highly doubt it can be compared to the 22-250 though i do believe it is a good cartridge just not as good as the hype.
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Have owned a Savage .204 since 2002 when a dealer helped us get 3 to use in a video productio. One rifle was extremely accurate and the other two adiquate. Factory 40 gr. Hornadys came very close to advertised velocities from 26 inch barrels. Reloads would not come close. BLC2 gave the best accuracy but H335 at around 3600 gave the best accuracy using Sierra 39 gr. blitzkings. We made hits out as far as 600 yards (and we filmed them) although this was more of a stunt than anything else. Personally using Bergers I had no particular trouble making hits to 450 yds.
This cartridge fits between the .223 and .22/250. It's claim to fame should be easy to
load and cheap, almost no recoil and little noise. You can truly do your own spotting while shooting this cartridge from a varmint weight rifle the recoil is that light.
Have shot varmints up to the size of coyotes with no complaints and no ruined hides.
Depending on what your using it for this can be a fine cartridge.
 
CV32 said:
There are probably few cartridges below .30 cal that can be expected to dump every coyote on the spot absolutely 100 percent of the time. (And probably a few .30 cal too). They can be remarkably resilient animals, and if you do enough searching and asking around, you will find reliable accounts of coyotes being shot with 'big game' cartridges that ran 200 yd or more with their liver hanging out. (More than a few three legged coyotes out there too).

I guess the 'Coles notes' version of what I am saying is that there are a number of factors that produce reliable kills, only one of which is the cartridge.

If you still have doubt about the ability of a .20 cal to reliably kill coyotes, I suggest you check out the Predator Hunt Canada website and look to see who won (not me) the little contest that was run there this year (and each year). ;)
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Are they ever resilient. in January, my friend missed one with a .223 at about 300yard, he managed to knock it's front leg off at the knee though. and it ran off with its leg flapping around useless. His father watched that dog in the field for about three weeks without being able to get a shot at it. until one month from the day its leg got knocked off it walked out in front of me. I got it broadside in the chest at 180yards, with my 204, it stopped in its tracks, did a 180 and stood in the same spot for about 5 seconds. And then like flicking a switch it rag dolled to the ground.

When we went to claim it the leg wound had healed on the outside completly. I had scarred and it was missing some fur. but if you hadn't seen the dogs leg flapping in the breeze you would have never known. After skinning it it was clear there was major damage in the joint, but interesting to see something heal so damn fast.
 
I have chronied 40 bergers using 26.8 grains H4895, one hole accurace at 100 yards using Rem 700 VLS with a PacNor barrel, average is 3857 FPS. Got a bunch of other numbers as well if I can find them.

Have not shot anything bigger than a squirrel, but I have seen what a 38 grain wildcat will do at about 70 yards, bang flop and a bloody big mess of a yote.
 
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