Question About Ruger .204 Case

[TennSquire]

I was reading the article, "Loading for the .204 Ruger" in the February 2005 issue of "Predator Extreme."  The author says, ....when Hornady developed the .204 Ruger (with Ruger) the .223 Remington Magnum cartridge was picked as more or less the parent case.  The .204 Ruger is essentially is a .223 Remington Magnum necked down to 20 caliber."

I'm familiar with both the .223 Remington, and the .222 Remington Magnum.  I looked in my reloading manuals and couldn't find a reference to the .223 Remington Magnum mentioned in the article.  Was there ever such a round?

TennSquire

[ricciardelli]

No

[Catfish]

The parent case of the .204 is the .222 Rem. mag. To form them you neck size about 1/2 of the neck of the .222 mag. case and fire form.
   The .223 case is way to short and there is no such thing as a .223 mag. It is articals like the one you read that keeps me from buying many gun rags. Most of the articals are writen by want to be gun experts that don`t know crap. I bought my first centerfire rifle in 1965 and started reloading or it right away. Since then I have loaded about all of the ammo I shoot, rifle, handgun and shotgun. At present I own 6 different wildcat rifles and form brass for the .204 Ruger as there is none on the market yet and I`m to cheap to buy new ammo. The first year after I bought my 550 Dillon press I loaded over 12,000 rounds of handgun ammo and over 1,200 rounds of rifle ammo, that was over 20 years ago. I also have a passion for externial ballistics and study the charts. I said all of that to say this, some of the thing I see these so called experts put in print reall piss me off. There are afew writer that talk only about what they know to be true, but most just put down what they hear from a salesman or some other dim wit and act like they know all.
   Sorry about the rant, but gun writers are one of my pet peves. :blaster:

[TennSquire]

Thanks for the info.  I was begining to get interested in the .204 Ruger.  I don't have a firearm chambered in that round yet, but I do have a number of .223 Remington brass stored up.  I was hoping the .223 Remington was the parent case and the author just added the word "Magnum" by mistake.  Since the .222 Remington Magnum is the parent case, that changes things as that's a little harder to find the brass.  Hodgdon writes about the .222 Remington Magnum in their 26th edition Data Manual, "The .222 Remington Magnum probably gained more attention as the parent case of the 6X47mm, a once popular wildcat among benchrest shooters than it ever did in its original form.  Today, it is a dying cartridge and shooters who own rifles in this caliber would be wise to stock up on cases and factory ammunition.  If Remington should someday decide to discontinue this cartridge, the only case that can be reformed to .222 Remington Magnum configuration is the terribly expensive 5.6X50mm case of European origin."

I guess Hornady and Ruger were pretty smart using the 222 Remington Magnum as a parent case.  Kind of makes shooters a "captive audience" when it comes to buying ammo from them if you can't find brass to reload with.  I just passed up purchasing a 1964 Remington 700 BDL in .222 Remington Magnum this past weekend because of the scarcity of ammo or brass.  I picked up a 1971 Remington 700 BDL Varmint Special in .223 Remington.  Now I'm looking for some reloading gear and dies.  Back in my registered skeet days I reloaded 500 rounds of each gauge shells per week with P & W machines.  In the late 1980's I reloaded 20,000 rounds of .45 ACP each year for IPSC and USPSA competition using Dillon equipment.  This will be my first experience with rifle calibers and gear.  Guess I'll start out with the .223 Remington first and then take a look at the .204 Ruger in another year or two when there's brass around.

TennSquire

[Flash]

Tennsquire, what kind of shape was that 222 Remington Magnum BDL in? You should have grabbed it with both hands if the price was right. If I recall correctly, Remington made the 222 Mag, just a few over 1,500 in the BDL configuration and the remainder of production in the ADL. I have a BDL 222 Remington Magnum(serial # 152xxx) in 95% condition and was offered $750 for it and since it was a gift from my father, I quickly turned the offer down. I have heard them going for as much as $1,000 in certain circles. Mine is turning a plum color around the action and bolt handle and even though it has been fired, it is absolutely beautiful. Again, you shouldn't have passed up that BDL. The 38-40 case is relatively hard to find today but if I found an 1873 Winchester or a Colt Lightning at a fair price, I certainly wouldn't pass it by.

[TennSquire]

Flash,

I know I'll regret passing up that 222 Mag 700 BDL.  I have a 3006 700 BDL my dad bought in 1964 and passed on to me in 1967.  That 222 Mag was identical to my 3006.  It had the metal buttplate, non-jewled bolt, Fleur-d-Lis pressed checkering, and the receiver was drilled and tapped on the left side for a peep sight.  The gun was in about 95% condition.  It still had the front sight and hood on it, but the back sight had been removed and a cheap Simmons 3x9 scope mounted.  It looked like the wood had been revarnished, as the edges of the metal buttplate had varnish where it had overflowed.  The seller had 200 fired brass and a 2-die set of reloading dies with the gun for $550.  I bought the 700 BDL Varmint Special in .223 at the same show, and didn't have enough money left for the 222 Mag.  The Varmint Special was what I had been looking for, so it was my first priority.  It was made in 1971 and was in 99+% condition, and it was the original owner selling it.  It's like it hasn't been fired but a few rounds.  No wood dings or any rust or pitting.  I just couldn't let it go!  The show is only 3 times a year and is put on by a local pistol and rifle club.  It's not one of those traveling promotion shows.  Lots of people at the show are local, private sellers and only go to this show.  It will be held again in April and I'll be there looking to add that 222 Mag to my collection.

TennSquire

[95Road King]

CATFISH:
      I just bought a .204 Handi. I have 68 .222 Mag. case's. Do you use a full charge to fireform?? If I don't full lth. size the .222 mag. case's, how will I get them to chamber so I can shoot them to fireform???
      Never fireformed before!! Been loading for 40 yrs. :?  :?