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Anybody got a .204 ruger?

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cheaptrick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/01/2012 at 10:09
OK. Sorry your brother was wounded and your Fathers sick. 

That said, shooting a .204 because of the lack of felt recoil and the fact that it's legal in your state, is still a pretty thin argument...IMO. I guess if it were me, I'd just not hunt big game anymore if all I could handle was a .204. 

  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote rustic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/01/2012 at 12:00
Originally posted by cheaptrick cheaptrick wrote:

OK. Sorry your brother was wounded and your Fathers sick. 

That said, shooting a .204 because of the lack of felt recoil and the fact that it's legal in your state, is still a pretty thin argument...IMO. I guess if it were me, I'd just not hunt big game anymore if all I could handle was a .204. 

  


I am not going tell him he can't hunt anymore... I would never hear the end of it anyway he wouldn't listen anyways.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stevey Ducks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/03/2012 at 00:54
I have a .204 Ruger - a Ruger MKII.
 
My rifle has a 1-11 twist McGowen barrel, 22 inches long and same contour as the Ruger factory barrel.
 
It shoots clover leaf groups at 100 and comes close to duplicating .22-.250 trajectories (53 gr .224 VMax) up to 400 yds. My velocites are about 3,600 fps using 27.7 gr of IMR 8208 with a 40 gr .204 VMax. I use CCI 450 primers. I have never used any other combination so I can't make any comparisons. I have read that a 1-12 twist might not be fast enough for some 40 gr .204 bullets.
 
I wish the magazine box on my rifle was about .1 inch longer as I think it would load and feed better.
 
Performance on rodent type varmints up to 8 pounds or so is OK but not as spectacular as the .22-.250. Recoil of the .204 is light but just enough on my light weight rifle to prevent me from spotting my hits. Using a #4 or #5 or equivalent 26 inch long barrel would enable hit spotting.
 
I am told that barrel life of the .204 R is good because of small powder charges. I have no plans to replace my .22-250 with the .204 because I have more confidence in the .22 for coyotes.
 
Cheap to shoot - 7000/27.7 or over 250 rounds per pound of 8208 and $17 per 100 40 gr bullets.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tejas Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/04/2012 at 02:08
    I own a .204 as well.   Mine is a Howa 1500 Varmint. I replaced the cheap Hogue stock with a Bell and Carlson and installed a Timney trigger. It's easily the most accurate gun I own. I use the same load as Rifledude stated above. 39 gr Sierra Blitzkings and Benchmark. You won't go wrong with a Howa. If you shop you can pick one up for around 400.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote warboar_21 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/27/2012 at 23:55
Love my CZ 527 American in .204 Ruger.  It wears a 6-18x50 Swarovski and is easily the most accurate rifle in my gun safe.  The 40gr Vmax are so so in my rifle so I have switched to the 35gr Berger or the 39gr Sierras.  I did lose a coyote with it shooting the 35gr Bergers.  I am not sure but I may have hit the front shoulder.  It was a solid hit and the dog went down but when we walked out to where he was he was gone.  To dark to track him and my hunting partner wasn't interested in tracking him any further than we already had.  I am hoping the 39gr Sierras will do better. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2012 at 09:16
A friend has a 204 AR, it is something!  I've seen what it does to coyotes and pigs, none of which survived the confrontation.

It is a great caliber, and ammo is fairly cheap and very flat shooting.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2012 at 16:08
Originally posted by Rancid Coolaid Rancid Coolaid wrote:

A friend has a 204 AR, it is something!  I've seen what it does to coyotes and pigs, none of which survived the confrontation.

It is a great caliber, and ammo is fairly cheap and very flat shooting.

How big were some of the hogs that were whacked, RC? Distances? 
I'd love to have a .204, but thought, maybe prematurely, that it would be small for an animal the size of a hog.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2012 at 16:37
Hogs were 50-75 pounds, holes were dramatic, distance was 100 yards or in.

I was impressed.

I'll see if I can find a picture of exit wounds.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2012 at 16:44
Originally posted by Rancid Coolaid Rancid Coolaid wrote:

Hogs were 50-75 pounds, holes were dramatic, distance was 100 yards or in.

I was impressed.

I'll see if I can find a picture of exit wounds.

OPSEC......Wink
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2012 at 16:51
10-4
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/28/2012 at 17:08
Picture too gory for posting in a public forum, I posted it elsewhere for CT.

He'll admit, the bullet was quite effective.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djp0623 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/30/2012 at 14:30
I hadn't heard of this cartridge until this thread. Thanks!

Anyone know what Nikon scopes savage is including with their rifles?  It can't be very good for the price?


I'm thinking the lightweight var might be a better route.  It's prettier.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/30/2012 at 14:35
I'd guess it's a Nikon Prostaff. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/30/2012 at 14:48
Originally posted by djp0623 djp0623 wrote:

I hadn't heard of this cartridge until this thread. Thanks!

Anyone know what Nikon scopes savage is including with their rifles?  It can't be very good for the price?


I'm thinking the lightweight var might be a better route.  It's prettier.


 I would rather purchase the rifle and pick my own scope than take what they think I should have.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djp0623 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/30/2012 at 15:11
I was thinking more about selling the scope.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/30/2012 at 16:09
Originally posted by djp0623 djp0623 wrote:

I was thinking more about selling the scope.


I would think you would not get what you paid for it by reselling it.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/30/2012 at 16:21
Think I'll get me a Savage in .204 next go around. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djp0623 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/30/2012 at 16:53
Originally posted by cheaptrick cheaptrick wrote:

Think I'll get me a Savage in .204 next go around. 

Which one would you look at?  
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cheaptrick View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/30/2012 at 17:28
Pred Hunter. They offer one in a LH model now, I'm told. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August/31/2012 at 08:13
Yeah Cheap shoots on the wrong sideBig Grin
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