steve_b_wales Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I know one person who is having good success using the above calibre on Foxes. Who else has one, and what's their opinion. I'm thinking of adding this calibre to my collection, and intend to reload my own ammunition. I want to use it for long range corvid/fox shooting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tweedledee Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Just added 17 hornet 204 will be my next later in the year. Have a mate with one.he loves it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Just added 17 hornet 204 will be my next later in the year. Have a mate with one.he loves it I've got a .17 Hornet + .22 Hornet. I would just like a slightly bigger/heavier calibre/bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRDS Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I have one, great calibre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8 90 Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 When I had my rifles I had 2 x 204's - a Kimber stainless classic with a day scope fitted & a Tikka T3 stainless with a Drone Pro 10x fitted. I'm not into reloading so always used factory rounds, Horandy varmint express 32g Vmax - AWESOME ROUND !!!!! I gave up rifle shooting to focus on clay pigeon shooting but sometimes wish I still had 1 of my 204's I have a mate on here who has both .17Hornet & a 204 - he favours his .17Hornet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 When I had my rifles I had 2 x 204's - a Kimber stainless classic with a day scope fitted & a Tikka T3 stainless with a Drone Pro 10x fitted. I'm not into reloading so always used factory rounds, Horandy varmint express 32g Vmax - AWESOME ROUND !!!!! I gave up rifle shooting to focus on clay pigeon shooting but sometimes wish I still had 1 of my 204's I have a mate on here who has both .17Hornet & a 204 - he favours his .17Hornet I've yet to try out my .17 Hornet properly, despite owning it for over 6 months. .17 Hornet is, I'm told, good enough for Fox, but a slightly heavier bullet is something I would prefer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jam1e Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I had a 204 for a while. Great calibre! I favoured reloading with the 40 grain V-Max, and had great results with it, and very accurate to. Still holds my personal record for a cold bore head shot on a rabbit. From memory it was approx 200 to 210 yards. Granted not amazingly far, but very satisfying. Shot a few foxes with it to. Only up to around 160 yards, but all shot broadside, and dropped on the spot. No exit wounds on any. Turned it's inside to jelly though. Only prefer my .223 as it's more versatile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGMPEST Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) i had recently put in for a variation and had my FEO visit (7/3/16) with north wales police for 204 ruger and had put down that it would be a foxing rifle, they came back and said that home office guidelines have changed and that they no longer consider the 204 ruger suitable for fox! which i was amazed by. They steered me towards a .223 which is what i went for in the end. Edited March 9, 2016 by MGMPEST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WelshAndy Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I know one person who is having good success using the above calibre on Foxes. Who else has one, and what's their opinion. I'm thinking of adding this calibre to my collection, and intend to reload my own ammunition. I want to use it for long range corvid/fox shooting. Brothers had his for a year, does all his own rounds - from what I've seen foxes don't like it!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzbangwhallop Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I've been using my Sako .20Prac with 39grn SBK's for foxing since fitting it with a Photon Xtreme in August.....very effective! Prior to that the .17Rem and 25grn Bergers with the Drone Pro on top was getting all the action and has only been out a few times since just to check the DP is still on.... I've since fitted another Xtreme to the .17 and the DP will go on the .243. Both bullets have been dropping foxes like sacks of spuds. Very impressed. atb Fizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1steele Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I know one person who is having good success using the above calibre on Foxes. Who else has one, and what's their opinion. I'm thinking of adding this calibre to my collection, and intend to reload my own ammunition. I want to use it for long range corvid/fox shooting.[/quote If you want to try mine out just give me a shout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 (edited) The .204 ruger has to be the prefect longer range UK pest calibre I love mine! The yanks love it and the aussies aren't far behind either. MGMPEST kindly refer your police force to the Home Office Guidance. The .204 ruger most certainly is recommended for fox. It works on all of them. Shoots very flat, no (very little) recoil. If you do your job you won't get wounded animals or birds. I'm yet another fan of the Hornady Superformance the stuff is excellent it really is. I've bought it purposely from different batch numbers doesn't make any difference. Spot on time after time. They do it in 32g Vmax and 40g Vmax. Accuracy wise the 32g takes it but only just. It's about a pound a pop. I'm not going to reload because the factory stuff is so good although I probably should! Here's the kit i use. Edited March 9, 2016 by Whitebridges Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I had briefly thought about a 20. It's the inconsistency of the HMR that's planted the seed for a variation. It was either a 17 cf or 20, I thought that all ready having 2 x 22 cf the 20 was too close. So asked for a 17 cf, any one of them was the ask at the time the renewal went in, and it came back with my request for a 17 cf. So the decision was for a 17 remington. Steve if you can have one then why not,, good reports/reviews on the 20 ruger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 A mate has a No 1 in .204, he reckons it is a fabulous round and shoots long range corvids with it. I still haven't had a go with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 I know one person who is having good success using the above calibre on Foxes. Who else has one, and what's their opinion. I'm thinking of adding this calibre to my collection, and intend to reload my own ammunition. I want to use it for long range corvid/fox shooting.[/quote If you want to try mine out just give me a shout. PM sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Hell of a good round, ideal for foxs, crows etc. By all means buy a 204, the 39gr SBK is really recommended. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodp Posted March 9, 2016 Report Share Posted March 9, 2016 Had an empty slot for .204 for a while now, not many around for sale I've found Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitebridges Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 I was hoping good ol' foosa would post an expert opinion on the round? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted March 10, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 I was hoping good ol' foosa would post an expert opinion on the round? I was with Brendan not so long ago, and he really rates the .204 as a top foxing rifle. His rifle is, I believe, zeroed at 200 yards, and he can shoot almost flat to 300. I'm sure he will correct me if I'm wrong. I'm thinking more and more about getting a .204, and selling my .17 Hornet with dies etc. I'll decide for definite in a few weeks time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pork chop Posted March 10, 2016 Report Share Posted March 10, 2016 204 will definitely put a smile on your face,on fox only thing i found was to keep off the shoulder (lost the first two i shot) 39 gr sbk or 40 gr vmax and reloader 10 dont see the point of the 32 gr myself, longest kill to date was a crow on a very still day at 690 y don't use mine much these day as its got a drone on top may bring it back into play this summer.go on try one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 (edited) 204 will definitely put a smile on your face,on fox only thing i found was to keep off the shoulder (lost the first two i shot) 39 gr sbk or 40 gr vmax and reloader 10 dont see the point of the 32 gr myself, longest kill to date was a crow on a very still day at 690 y don't use mine much these day as its got a drone on top may bring it back into play this summer.go on try one I use a 20BR but downloaded to about 3500 fps, so below normal 204R factory velocity. 50gr Berger or 39gr SBKs. I pretty well always shoot for center chest and have only ever had one fox do anything but drop on the spot with it, cold fingers and a light trigger placed a 130 yard front on chest shot pretty low. It went about 100 yards before dropping. Furthest I have been with a 39 SBK is 298 yards and that was front on. Using 39 SBKs on foxes I am happy to 300 yards, over that I would tend to use the Berger 50 though as the accuracy is slightly better not that I have ever needed to go over 300 yards. Avoid 40 gr Vmax if a 1 in 9 twist, I had bullet break ups in flight at about 3900 in mine. If a slower twist you might be OK though but the 39 is a far more destructive bullet. Try one on a Maggie at about 80 yards. A Edited March 12, 2016 by Alycidon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pork chop Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 I use a 20BR but downloaded to about 3500 fps, so below normal 204R factory velocity. 50gr Berger or 39gr SBKs. I pretty well always shoot for center chest and have only ever had one fox do anything but drop on the spot with it, cold fingers and a light trigger placed a 130 yard front on chest shot pretty low. It went about 100 yards before dropping. Furthest I have been with a 39 SBK is 298 yards and that was front on. Using 39 SBKs on foxes I am happy to 300 yards, over that I would tend to use the Berger 50 though as the accuracy is slightly better not that I have ever needed to go over 300 yards. Avoid 40 gr Vmax if a 1 in 9 twist, I had bullet break ups in flight at about 3900 in mine. If a slower twist you might be OK though but the 39 is a far more destructive bullet. Try one on a Maggie at about 80 yards. A was very tempted to go with a 20 Br but gone for a 22 Br again.do love the 204 though wood pigeon is my favorite target.dropped plenty of foxes with it now it was just the first two,found one of them the week after about 200y from where he was hit with quite a large shoulder splash.as an out and out foxer id go for a .224 bullet in one case or another but as an all rounder a 204 takes some beating Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 (edited) was very tempted to go with a 20 Br but gone for a 22 Br again.do love the 204 though wood pigeon is my favorite target.dropped plenty of foxes with it now it was just the first two,found one of them the week after about 200y from where he was hit with quite a large shoulder splash.as an out and out foxer id go for a .224 bullet in one case or another but as an all rounder a 204 takes some beating Very little to choose between 20BR and 22BR, Vermincinerator who also shoots my ground has a 22BR and under 300 yards they are well matched. That covers 99% of anything I am likely to have a go at as I want dead foxes not educated ones. Over 300 then the flatter trajectory and less wind drift with the 20BR and 50s does come into play, the former is easily sorted but not the latter especially on the banks we have here. Against that is a better accurate barrel life from the 22 BR. A Edited March 12, 2016 by Alycidon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyska Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 (edited) MGMPEST kindly refer your police force to the Home Office Guidance. The .204 ruger most certainly is recommended for fox. No it's not, 17rem is, it states 'no' for Fox with .204. Page 121 guide on the firearms act. It's crazy, wmr is ok, 22rf is in some circumstances, 204 is a no! Edited March 13, 2016 by kyska Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieT Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 No it's not, 17rem is, it states 'no' for Fox with .204. Page 121 guide on the firearms act. It's crazy, wmr is ok, 22rf is in some circumstances, 204 is a no! Yes, I was astounded when I read it when the latest guidelines were published. Has to be one of the biggest errors made in the whole doccument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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