22-204 Ruger

[panhandle]

Has anyone built one of these yet?  Could just use a 223 rifle as a donor. Seems like this would surpass the 223 AI pretty easily.  Could use the 204 Ruger reamer w/live pilot and use a 224 pilot instead of a 204 pilot.  Hornady could do die modifications.  Should be able to hit 4000 fps with a 40 gr bullet easily.  Anyone have any info or first hand experience? 

[onesonek]

Yes, in a sense it was done many years ago. The .204 in essence is nothing more than the .222 Rem. Mag  with a 30^ shoulder(couple other moinor differences also). But yes, I also know of a few guys that have necked up the .204 case and had dies made. I'm not sure if any die company at this point has a .22-.204 dies list as a production item or special order.
Dies and Brass are availe for the .222RM however.

Dave

[trotterlg]

If you used a .204 reamer with a .223 pilot you would end up with a .204 chamber with no neck.  Just buy a .222 Mag rifle and you will have what you are wanting to build.  Larry

[panhandle]

A neck reamer can be used to bring the neck into spec. 

[panhandle]

Guess the effort and money isn't worth the gain.  The bolt face on the Ruger Varminter I have looks like it would be easy to open up for the 22 BR so I think that is the route I will go.  Thanks for your inputs.

[AWS]

I built one a couple of years ago and it's a great little cartridge.  I'm running 40's at 3900 out of a 22" 9 twist barrel, add 2" with a 14 twist and 4000+ should be easy.  PTG has the 22-204 ruger reamer.  This is a simple wildcat with with a good supply of brass from a variety of manufactures.  No fire forming or complicated caseforming and has substancial returns.  I use a 204Ruger Redding Type S FL Bushing die with the Expander ball and bushing swaped out to 224 I load the 22-204, 6mm-204 and 25-204 with the same die, just swap in the correct expander and bushing.  I did have to relieve the neck openning in the die to clear the larger cals.

AWS