replacing the .223 with a .204 ???

[dstegjas]

How many of you shooters out here replaced your .223 carbine barrels with the .204 Ruger? If you did, have you sold the .223 barrel or just not taken it back out of the gun safe since the switch?

I have a .223 barrel from MGM that is hard to beat when it comes to talking about accuracy. I keep looking at the .204 barrel and wondering why I don't buy it. Less felt recoil, longer range and flatter trajectory. Anything beyond the 500 yard range I have a Remington VS in .308 for. I don't have any Encore frames so I rely on my bolt guns for the heavy hitters.

Talk to me about what you guys have done and why. It's not hard to come up with a reason to buy another gun or barrel. I am just curious how many of you have done what I am considering.

Thanks,
Jim

[Ladobe]

I've had several 222/223/223AI Contender carbine barrels over the years.   Replaced them all with several 17 caliber barrels.   Straight across - the 17 Javelina and 17 Remington.   But I have a bunch of other 17 cal Contender barrels too in 17HM2, 17HMR, 17AH, 17AB, 17M4 (some more than one of each) and have had others.    Retired almost all of my 22 caliber firearms due to even flatter trajectory, minimal pelt damage and more hydrostatic shock with the 17's, and have a bunch of 17 cal rifles as well in almost all of these chambers.

For my shooting/hunting I see no advantage over the 17's with the .204 - why I'll never buy one.   If it gets too windy for the 17's at longer ranges I use 24/25/26 caliber.

YMMV

L.

[dstegjas]

Thanks for the response Ladobe. I think I have seen your collection of barrels on here before. Has anyone told you that you have a .17 cal. fetish. All kidding aside, obviously this is not something I have to do. It's more of changing the distance of where I would have to move to another gun. The .223 will cover out to approximately 300 yards where the .204 would take me out to 400 plus yards. Most of my shots are under the 400 yard mark. With the occasional 500 plus shot.

Also pelt damage isn't a problem I'm shooting ground hogs. Nobody wants them after we shoot them.

It will be interesting to see what other responses I get on this question. Thanks again for responding.

Thanks,
Jim 

[skb2706]

Since your question ask about .223 and .204 I won't wonder off from there. Considering the things I would do with either one I would keep both. To me they are both primarily pd rifles and you can't have too many of those.

[yooper77]

I have a 12" Encore barrel in 223 Remington, and never needed the new hype 204 Ruger.

Brass and bullets are cheaper for the 223 Remington, plus you can come close the 204 Ruger easily with reloads and light bullets.  So close its splitting hairs.

Plus I can resize cheap used 204 Ruger cases into 223 Remington.

yooper77

[Coltdriver]

My first Encore was a stainless with a .204 barrel.  I still have the barrel.

Shooting hornady factory 32 grain ammo mine shoots flat right out to 300 yards.  I put a 4-14 scope on it.  You can just see a little red dot when you set up shotgun shells but I can hit them at 300 yards from a rest.

I still have a .223 in a shorter barrel for a woods gun.  My .204 is a 26" barrel.

The rounds reload fairly similarly.  They will both take about 28 grains of powder and compressed loads are common to both rounds.

When you go to a 40 grain bullet the performance over a .223 becomes marginal.  Just a slightly better bc.

It is a special thrill to shoot something that is quite flat out to 300 yards and starts off at over 4000 fps!

[dstegjas]

Coltdriver,
I was reading your response and thought it was following along the lines of the other responses. Then I saw the part where you said the words "special thrill". I have to admit that peaked my interest. A flat shooter has always interested me, but the 4000 fps round makes it even more interesting. Has anyone had any problems with burning a barrel out at those speeds ?

I still haven't made up my mind on what I am going to do, if anything. If I decide to pick up the 204 I won't get rid of my 223. I tend to keep guns instead of selling them off. My wife believes that's a personality flaw. I do want to thank everyone for there responses so far.

Jim

[Keith L]

I have the .223 in a Handi and the 204 in a Contender.  Both great shooters.  I have the same flaw and will keep them both.  Seems most of the guns I sold or traded I wanted back, with the exception of the SKS that I traded for my Vaquero, the 9MM Ruger I swapped for a Buckmark, and the Model 94AE that got me a new Glock 19 and cash.  But the rest stay.