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.204 ruger, opinions!


walt1980
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For some reason always fancied a .204, probably just because it's not as popular as other centre fire.

I've got hmr which I use for rabbits and the odd fox, a .243 for deer and fox but fancy a .204 for long range rabbits and foxes. Think it's more curiosity than anything else but don't want to get one then find it's not better than the hmr.

If anyone uses one regularly in suffolk I'd be keen to have a look at one.

Also any advice on what to avoid or best bits to look for would be good too.

 

Cheers

Chris

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For some reason always fancied a .204, probably just because it's not as popular as other centre fire.

I've got hmr which I use for rabbits and the odd fox, a .243 for deer and fox but fancy a .204 for long range rabbits and foxes. Think it's more curiosity than anything else but don't want to get one then find it's not better than the hmr.

If anyone uses one regularly in suffolk I'd be keen to have a look at one.

Also any advice on what to avoid or best bits to look for would be good too.

 

Cheers

Chris

Totally different kettle of fish to the hmr. No good for rabbits if you intend on using the meat, even headshots can destroy a carcass. Very good foxing round but as you already have a .243 for that do you really need it.

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Hi chris

Got my .204 nearly two years ago now,which I home load for. There was an issue getting some components but they seem to be much easier To get hold of now. I wouldn't know about about factory ammo. Anyhow it's a cracking cal . Since I got it all my other rifles just seem to be collecting dust. You won't regret getting one

Atb Gaz

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A .223 running 40gr bullets is very near to the same ballistics as the 204 with 39gr SBK or 40gr vmax, the difference is there are always loads of second hand or new rifles to choose from in .223 and never a shortage of ammo or reloading gear.

 

I regularly think about buying a .204 but every time I do I keeps coming back to the fact that I would be changing merely for changing's sake, also if I ever need to shoot the heavier bullet then the .223 will do it, the .204 won't.

Edited by Alan Maughan
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A .223 running 40gr bullets is very near to the same ballistics as the 204 with 39gr SBK or 40gr vmax, the difference is there are always loads of second hand or new rifles to choose from in .223 and never a shortage of ammo or reloading gear.

 

I have to agree.I had been pretty much sold on a 204, but the more I look at it, I think that the difference between it and 223,and .222 for that matter, at the ranges I'll be using it, is minimal.

 

Far more 222/223 rifles out there to choose from

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. 204 ruger does about what a .243 does with lighter range bullets But it cant do what a .243 does at the heavy bullet end, too much gun for edible bunnies IMO but a worthwhile long range dedicated vermin gun if you have nothing already that can do this. In short if you cant hit crows with say a .223 rem at 300 yards then the .20 wont radically change things

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Well sounds like I might of been talked into a .223, and as luck would have it local rfd has a Remington 700 synthetic on the wall with a mod at a sensible price! Spoke to fao and he said just send in paperwork and Itl be fine on either, time to go shopping again for a scope!

Cheers guys!

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I have just bought a 204 and have 223 and 243 all ready and I can assure a 204 does far less than what a 223 can

 

Sorry, my reply maybe wasn't that clear. When I spoke of the differences, I meant in trajectory and windage out to a max of 300 yds.

 

Would you say that the 223 hits harder than the 204? I had read some people having problems with bullet splash wounds on foxes when using 32gr rounds?

Edited by the enigma
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im running 32 grain and have had 3 foxes run . i have video footage which i shall try and upload at some stage of one zip right through and into the dust behind.,,,,,,the heavier the bullet the harder they hit, i have only ever had 2 foxes run from a 243 and they were with softpoints, balistic tips ive never seen one run from it

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Hey foxes run from lots of stuff, .243 the works! the main trick is do not think you have some sort of death ray and make the shot a good one being mindful to use the correct bullet for the job at hand. Perhaps this is were .224 bullets score ? As there are stacks of them made for every sort of imaginable purpose

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I've had a 204 and found you need to carefull on shot placement...I had runners with boiler room shots and got rid of it for a 223..never had any issues with the 223 but since starting to do more stalking I've just got the 243 for everything...58grn for fox, 100grn for deer... Simple.

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A .223 running 40gr bullets is very near to the same ballistics as the 204 with 39gr SBK or 40gr vmax, the difference is there are always loads of second hand or new rifles to choose from in .223 and never a shortage of ammo or reloading gear.

 

I regularly think about buying a .204 but every time I do I keeps coming back to the fact that I would be changing merely for changing's sake, also if I ever need to shoot the heavier bullet then the .223 will do it, the .204 won't.

Wise words.

 

But there is no need for heavy bullets in 20s, I shoot 39s mainly but the rifle ( a 20BR) is throated for 50s. 20s score by being fast and flat with less drift than 22s with a similar case size. However differences are not that much below 250 yards that if I was shooting a 223 I would feel I was missing something by not having a 204.

 

A

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Hhhhmmmm really not sure now, have used a .223 but think the .204 is still on the shopping list as more of a "let's see" than a "I need" but more .223's about and as said readily available ammo.

.223 for now, .204 at some point in the future!!

 

That's exactly how I felt about the 17 Rem. The thought of a small (25g) bullet whizzing along at very high speed caught my imagination, even though I had a very good Sako 223 at the time.

 

In practise the 17 did not have any great advantage over the 223, and that's why I got rid.

 

I was still fascinated by high velocity, and so changed the 223 for a 22-250, and all I can say is that the ranges at which I normally shoot (up to 250 yards) the 22-250 did not have any benefits over the 223 either. That's why I now have a 223 again for foxing etc, and I never feel undergunned or the need for more oomph.

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