Author Topic: ruger 204 (Read 2578 times)

cridertj · « **on:** October 10, 2011, 02:56:40 PM »

i love my 204 and was just wondering how every one else likes therse, is it very popular or just a fading fad

pjeffreys · « **Reply #1 on:** October 11, 2011, 04:47:33 AM »

it's a fun little round. i like mine however i haven't taken any game with it yet. i think it will be around for years to come.

troy1_4 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 11, 2011, 12:36:42 PM »

i love my 204 handi I have killed lots of groundhogs and crows with it.

tpic402 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 11, 2011, 03:18:07 PM »

LOVE MY 204 Have t/c in 204 have used on several prairie dog shoots very effective and accurate until wind gets going good, shooting .5 or so groups at 100 yds and have not had time to even mess with anymore powder bullet or seating depths yet. my wife bought me the t/c but what I really want is a savage LRPV. shooting crows under 200 yds nothin left but a few feathers in a clump, most praire dogs are chum.

tobster · « **Reply #4 on:** October 14, 2011, 06:34:32 AM »

Is it true that you can "see the hit" with a .204?

Catfish · « **Reply #5 on:** October 14, 2011, 09:07:46 AM »

It`s a great little round for groundhogs and down with any bullet, but bullet slection is critical for coyotes. Sierra bullets are the most accurate in 2 out of the 3 204`s I`ve had, but are to soft for coyotes. If you go for coyotes 35 gr. or up Bergers or the 40 Hornady bullets would be second best preformance, but go with the most accurate. I have totally quit hunting coyotes with the 2o4, even with my AR.

GLShooter · « **Reply #6 on:** October 24, 2011, 01:55:18 PM »

I have three. A pair of CZ 527's and a 700 SPS. Death on PD's as far as I can hit 'em. A very easy cartridge to get accuracy out of.

Greg

woodchukhntr · « **Reply #7 on:** October 24, 2011, 05:18:43 PM »

The .204 is a fantastic varmint round! My T/C Contender carbine with it's 23" heavy barrel is a great combination.

tuck2 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 25, 2011, 02:23:02 AM »

The Ruger 77 Target Varmint .204 Ruger w/a Leo 6-18 X AO scope has become my favorite center fire prairie dog rifle. One half inch 100 Yd groups are common with both the 32 and 39 Gr bullet reloads. I live in prairie dog and over the years have tryed out the 22 Hornet, 221 Fireball , 222 Rem, 223 Rem, 22-250, 220 Swift , 17 Fireball, 17 Rem ,and some larger bore rifles. For any one comming out to shoot prairie dogs ,one can get a lot of shooting if the have a 17 HMR, 17 Fireball and 204 Ruger rifles with them.

roper · « **Reply #9 on:** October 25, 2011, 05:31:26 AM »

I was going to have one build just add it to my existing varmit rifles when they first came out. Back then brass was hard to come by alot were just resizing 222mag cases and I talked to my gunsmith he was waiting on couple other customers before he ordered a reamer.

Long story short other customers decided on other calibers including me. I even talked to Walt Berger he was trying to talk me into a 20x250 from Weaver rifles http://weaverrifles.com/Reamers/ReamerList.htm.

I don't hear much about the 204 Ruger were I live anymore. I normally take 2/3 rifles shooting PD.

kansasj · « **Reply #10 on:** November 09, 2011, 12:59:17 PM »

The 204 rules. Flat, fast, and furious. I use it in Kansas to kill coyotes and it is easily good to 300+ yds. I use the Hornady factory 32gr Vmax and it will do 3/4 MOA @ 200 yd with ease. The perfect yote and dog gun.

HOG · « **Reply #11 on:** November 13, 2011, 04:52:54 AM »

I have approximately 2000 rounds through my Savage in .204. I put a on a Basix trigger and Choat stock weighted to 20 lbs. it is a bench gun with a Leupold 8.5x25. I shoot the 32 g. Hornady chronographed at 4000 fps. My best shots on the bench, distance measured with a laser rangefinder was 3x3 at 460 yards on ground squirrels.

The .204 is here to stay.

gube · « **Reply #12 on:** January 01, 2012, 01:00:22 PM »

I now have three and plan on another one. They are my favorite for p-doggin and smackin yotes.

LONGTOM · « **Reply #13 on:** January 01, 2012, 04:58:38 PM »

I have had many 204s and right now I own 4 of them.
All have loved the Hornady 32gr V-MAX load and would shoot 3 shots under a dime at 100 and two of them would do 5 shots.
Three of them also love the Hornady 45gr soft points and will shoot them just as good as the 32s except they shoot about 1.5" higher with the same scope setting.
Yes, you can see the hit with a 204.
The 32s are a bit light for the bigger yotes and a turkey will walk away from a 32.
The 45 is a different story.
It seems to really drop them where they stand.
Sighted in at 1.5" high at 100 you can hold dead on at 300 and watch them drop.
At farther distances I use the 45s and still can hold dead on out to about 375 or a little more depending on the size of the varmint.
Have never tried any other ammo in any of the 204s I have or ever owned.
They all shot so good with factory that I never bothered to try and load any.
Trully the one caliber I would never be without!

LONGTOM

OK hunter · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2012, 02:02:48 PM »

Good to hear a favorable report on the 45 grain pill.

giddens1972 · « **Reply #15 on:** February 28, 2012, 03:51:40 PM »

I have a savage heavy barrel...shot this 80lb. pig at 250yds with Berger 32gr. He was DRT!!! Actually shot him kind of in front of the shoulder but it found the heart. There was nothing left... Awesome round. I have also killed beavers, bobcats, and crows with mine. Still looking for a yote.

ratdog · « **Reply #16 on:** February 29, 2012, 07:11:26 PM »

my 204 will out shoot my 22-250 easy deadly little handy rifle .shot real good out of the box after dialing in scope. sweet gun.

Buckskin · « **Reply #17 on:** July 10, 2012, 09:53:22 AM »

My favorite small caliber by far. I have mine on the Encore platform and it is an honest 1/2" shooter. Also, I would not say at all that it is soft on coyotes. I have killed dozens with mine at 250-300 yds and the 32 VMax and most of them drop on the spot or spin 10yd circles.

mcbammer · « **Reply #18 on:** July 10, 2012, 10:21:42 AM »

Next rifle I buy will be a 204 . Looking forward to cooking up some reloads for it.

PEANUT · « **Reply #19 on:** July 11, 2012, 12:10:02 PM »

Ilike the 204 ruger round so much i turned it into a 240 Raptor on the Encore platform. Peanut

cjclemens · « **Reply #20 on:** July 12, 2012, 04:17:39 PM »

I've heard really good things about the .204 from a few buddies of mine that use it for prairie dogs and coyotes. I might buy one, but I have the .222, .223, .22-250 territory so well covered. I do a lot of reloading, but I still have a hard time justifying adding another caliber to the mix (more dies, more brass, more bullets). On the other hand, if I were buying my first varmint rifle, I'd have to give it some serious thought.

tuck2 · « **Reply #21 on:** July 14, 2012, 10:29:55 PM »

cjclemens: Your are go to miss out on a lot of fun if you dont get a accurate 204 Ruger rifle. I have a 221 Fireball, 222 Rem, 223 Rem, 22-250 Rem, and 220 Swift, but the 204 Ruger is used more often for prairie dog shooting than any of the 22 caliber rifles .

cjclemens · « **Reply #22 on:** July 15, 2012, 09:04:31 AM »

I shoot coyotes, mostly. For that, I don't think I'm missing out on much. Don't get me wrong - I think the .204 is is a good cartridge and here to stay. It just doesn't make sense to me, when I already have several centerfire 22's. Its really not that radically different, and I'm already swimming in .224 bullets. I may get one, but it'll likely be someday when I have a lot more time for shooting and reloading than I do now.