Anybody on here hunt with a .204 Ruger?

Savage10FP308 · October 3, 2006, 12:22 AM

I am wanting one badly and I am wondering what to expect as far as performance as well as sighting in a gun in this caliber. In the field do you have to calculate distances or does it really shoot that flat?

nico · October 3, 2006, 03:33 AM

I assume you're talking about varmint hunting, right? I have no experience with it (or any other varmint caliber for that matteR), but I've read a few articles about the cartridge that spoke very highly of it. They said that it's flatter shooting than the .223 and has higher muzzle velocities with less powder. This allows for longer barrel life and makes it cheaper to reload than a lot of other varmint calibers.

mikejonestkd · October 3, 2006, 05:13 PM

IMO I'm not all that impressed with the .204. Nothing against it but it doesn't seem to be any real improvement over existing rounds like the .223 or the .22-250.

A .223 rem is cheaper if you don't reload, and about the same if you do reload. ( The case is almost identical and holds about the same powder charge ) .22 bullets are much cheaper than .204 and you have a wider selection.
The lighter bullets will drift more in the wind ( assuming similar BC ) than a .22 -250.
The .22-250 will launch a heavier bullet at roughly the same speed, hit harder and drift less because of the heavier bullet selection.
The .204 will be harder on the barrel than a .223 at similar pressure ( less room to force all that power through as it burns ) for a similar example take a look at the .17 remington - they tend to burn out barrels more than .223's.

arizona hunter · October 4, 2006, 04:32 PM

LOVE my .204 ruger. This is more fun than a .22 LR!
I load my own and I know my barrel life will be longer than some folks because I do not try to equal the factory ammo. It is easy to load for and the recoil is little more than a .22 LR and it shoots flat.
Also, it seems that my Howa and my friends CZ shoot every thing well or very well-factory or reload. Hot or light.

My friend has a .223 and the CZ mentioned above. After shooting both, I knew a .204 would soon be in my safe. LOVE it!

taylorce1 · October 5, 2006, 06:32 PM

Go for it with factory ammo the .204 and the .22-250 are similar in performance. Hand load and you will go further on a pound of powder with a .204 and that is always a big plus with me. If I didn't own several .223 rifles already I would be getting one of these to shoot my p-dogs with. Any rifle able to produce 4000+ fps is a cool varmint round in my mind and worth looking into.

Savage10FP308 · October 5, 2006, 07:45 PM

I thought I was dead set on the .204 but I think I am looking for a .22-250 rifle now. Thats ok though. All the guns I like also come in .22-250!

Rangefinder · October 5, 2006, 07:51 PM

22-250 is a really good choice, no doubt about that. Personally, I like my 6mm though. Haven't had much experience with the .204, but I can push a 55gr. Nosler out of my 6mm (.243 cal) at 4100fps if I really wanna (likes 3800 in that bullet better though), so the .204 doesn't impress me much.

texfar · October 8, 2006, 10:10 AM

Don't have a .204, but the manager of the sporting shop I deal with does and is from the Dakotas. He loves the .204 until the wind comes up then shifts backs up to the 22-250 because it bucks the wind a bit better.

Fat White Boy · October 9, 2006, 12:52 AM

Most places won't let you hunt deer with anything under .223. I may be wrong but I don't think so...

October 3, 2006, 12:22 AM	#1
Savage10FP308 Junior member Join Date: March 14, 2006 Location: I live in Southern Illinois. Posts: 422	Anybody on here hunt with a .204 Ruger? I am wanting one badly and I am wondering what to expect as far as performance as well as sighting in a gun in this caliber. In the field do you have to calculate distances or does it really shoot that flat?

October 5, 2006, 07:45 PM	#6
Savage10FP308 Junior member Join Date: March 14, 2006 Location: I live in Southern Illinois. Posts: 422	I think you guys have turned me... I thought I was dead set on the .204 but I think I am looking for a .22-250 rifle now. Thats ok though. All the guns I like also come in .22-250!

October 5, 2006, 07:51 PM	#7
Rangefinder Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2005 Posts: 1,915	22-250 is a really good choice, no doubt about that. Personally, I like my 6mm though. Haven't had much experience with the .204, but I can push a 55gr. Nosler out of my 6mm (.243 cal) at 4100fps if I really wanna (likes 3800 in that bullet better though), so the .204 doesn't impress me much. __________________ "Why is is called Common Sense when it seems so few actually possess it?" Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Politicians.

October 3, 2006, 03:33 AM	#2
nico Member Join Date: May 19, 2004 Location: Laurel, MD Posts: 75	I assume you're talking about varmint hunting, right? I have no experience with it (or any other varmint caliber for that matteR), but I've read a few articles about the cartridge that spoke very highly of it. They said that it's flatter shooting than the .223 and has higher muzzle velocities with less powder. This allows for longer barrel life and makes it cheaper to reload than a lot of other varmint calibers.

October 3, 2006, 05:13 PM	#3
mikejonestkd Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2006 Location: Brockport, NY Posts: 2,649	IMO I'm not all that impressed with the .204. Nothing against it but it doesn't seem to be any real improvement over existing rounds like the .223 or the .22-250. A .223 rem is cheaper if you don't reload, and about the same if you do reload. ( The case is almost identical and holds about the same powder charge ) .22 bullets are much cheaper than .204 and you have a wider selection. The lighter bullets will drift more in the wind ( assuming similar BC ) than a .22 -250. The .22-250 will launch a heavier bullet at roughly the same speed, hit harder and drift less because of the heavier bullet selection. The .204 will be harder on the barrel than a .223 at similar pressure ( less room to force all that power through as it burns ) for a similar example take a look at the .17 remington - they tend to burn out barrels more than .223's.

October 4, 2006, 04:32 PM	#4
arizona hunter Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2005 Location: phoenix, AZ Posts: 211	LOVE my .204 ruger. This is more fun than a .22 LR! I load my own and I know my barrel life will be longer than some folks because I do not try to equal the factory ammo. It is easy to load for and the recoil is little more than a .22 LR and it shoots flat. Also, it seems that my Howa and my friends CZ shoot every thing well or very well-factory or reload. Hot or light. My friend has a .223 and the CZ mentioned above. After shooting both, I knew a .204 would soon be in my safe. LOVE it!

October 5, 2006, 06:32 PM	#5
taylorce1 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2005 Location: Colorado Springs, CO & Lubbock, TX Posts: 4,706	Go for it with factory ammo the .204 and the .22-250 are similar in performance. Hand load and you will go further on a pound of powder with a .204 and that is always a big plus with me. If I didn't own several .223 rifles already I would be getting one of these to shoot my p-dogs with. Any rifle able to produce 4000+ fps is a cool varmint round in my mind and worth looking into.

October 8, 2006, 10:10 AM	#8
texfar Senior Member Join Date: November 27, 2004 Location: TEXAS Posts: 404	Don't have a .204, but the manager of the sporting shop I deal with does and is from the Dakotas. He loves the .204 until the wind comes up then shifts backs up to the 22-250 because it bucks the wind a bit better.

October 9, 2006, 12:52 AM	#9
Fat White Boy Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2005 Posts: 1,276	Most places won't let you hunt deer with anything under .223. I may be wrong but I don't think so...