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.222 sako mmm shall I


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Ah yes. The 204.

 

Well let's put the record straight on 204 :) It promises much on paper. There are a few things that we need to remember...

 

Firstly, many 204s don't like 40gr bullets too much. The one I had was partial to the Nosler, but its BC isn't particularly great. The Hornady V-max is the one to get, it has a high BC. My rifle hated it. Which leaves the 39gr blitzking. Which shoots well apparently but is rare - I couldn't find any until after I sold the rifle.

 

Then let's remember that nobody stocks the case trimming stuff for it, and cases are rare too.

 

Then let's remember that I shot a rabbit side-on with the 32gr Nosler and it blew up and didn't go through. We're talking a rabbit here - not ideal on foxes. This is borne out by many posts from our friends on the Far Side of the Pond. Coyotes get surface wounds with this round and a 32gr bullet.

 

I gave up with it because I couldn't get the cases sorted and I'd spent 1.5x the cost of the rifle on ammo, just to make it work.

 

ANd then I chronoed my loads which were meant to be doing 4,000fps, and they did 3780. Yay! That'll be the 2 inches of barrel then (and yes I was using pretty fast powder).

 

All of this tells me that:

 

* 204 is a rabbit/varmint calibre, not a fox/predator calibre

* It's a bitch to load if your rifle is fussy

* You need a long barrel to make the most of it.

 

In practical terms, with the exception of the Remington SPS, this means you need a varmint rifle with a 24 or preferably 26 inch barrel to get the best out of it, and this means you either need to be in America, or shooting from a static position or vehicle.

 

I need a walkabout rifle so that's me screwed. I can drive a 40gr 224 Nosler at 3700-3750 with a 223 and that's without asking it really nicely to increase the power. Given that my 223 is lightweight and accurate, and the bullet has a better BC than a 32gr 204 bullet, methinks I'll stick to the 223! (although I choose to drive a 50gr V-max or Blitzking at 3500fps because that's what the rifle prefers)

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Ah yes. The 204.

 

Well let's put the record straight on 204 :) It promises much on paper. There are a few things that we need to remember...

 

Firstly, many 204s don't like 40gr bullets too much. The one I had was partial to the Nosler, but its BC isn't particularly great. The Hornady V-max is the one to get, it has a high BC. My rifle hated it. Which leaves the 39gr blitzking. Which shoots well apparently but is rare - I couldn't find any until after I sold the rifle.

 

Then let's remember that nobody stocks the case trimming stuff for it, and cases are rare too.

 

Then let's remember that I shot a rabbit side-on with the 32gr Nosler and it blew up and didn't go through. We're talking a rabbit here - not ideal on foxes. This is borne out by many posts from our friends on the Far Side of the Pond. Coyotes get surface wounds with this round and a 32gr bullet.

 

I gave up with it because I couldn't get the cases sorted and I'd spent 1.5x the cost of the rifle on ammo, just to make it work.

 

ANd then I chronoed my loads which were meant to be doing 4,000fps, and they did 3780. Yay! That'll be the 2 inches of barrel then (and yes I was using pretty fast powder).

 

All of this tells me that:

 

* 204 is a rabbit/varmint calibre, not a fox/predator calibre

* It's a bitch to load if your rifle is fussy

* You need a long barrel to make the most of it.

 

In practical terms, with the exception of the Remington SPS, this means you need a varmint rifle with a 24 or preferably 26 inch barrel to get the best out of it, and this means you either need to be in America, or shooting from a static position or vehicle.

 

I need a walkabout rifle so that's me screwed. I can drive a 40gr 224 Nosler at 3700-3750 with a 223 and that's without asking it really nicely to increase the power. Given that my 223 is lightweight and accurate, and the bullet has a better BC than a 32gr 204 bullet, methinks I'll stick to the 223! (although I choose to drive a 50gr V-max or Blitzking at 3500fps because that's what the rifle prefers)

 

 

Talking of which, the secondary sprocket switch on the inbound port seems stuck, the ratchet spring is far too tight and there is no pressure at entry or exit, something is blocked or fubared .....or is it just the kink in the pipe........... :hmm:

 

....that .223 soft point home brew you gave me destroyed several bunnies Friday and I couldn't hit a barn door with the HMR yesterday in the gusty conditions. But around 20.00 when it went still they were all droping down dead right out to 185 yards!!........

 

What colour Anorak do I need to become a re-loader and where to I buy the translation book?? ;):D

 

:hmm::hmm::hmm: .22 Sako?????? 10 years ago :thumbs: Today, Nah!!! :thumbdown:

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