shropshire dan 467 Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Hi all just wandering if anyone has any first hand experiance with a .204 ruger. Been looking at a .204 and .223 and have decided on the .204 for fox and then a .243 for deer. Thanks in advance Atb Dan Link to post
Bunny Boiler 177 Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Just use .243 for both? 1 Link to post
shropshire dan 467 Posted April 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Was thinking that but may use the .204 for long range corvids and bunnies. It would save money to use .243 for both Link to post
Bunny Boiler 177 Posted April 17, 2014 Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 (edited) Would it really though? Are you going to be firing so many rounds for the sake of a few 10's of foxes that the price of .243 rounds comes to more than the cost of an entirely new rifle? You already have the .17 for bunny bashing. Edited April 17, 2014 by Bunny Boiler 1 Link to post
shropshire dan 467 Posted April 17, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2014 Yeah thats a fair point. Just like the ballistics of the .204 on paper seems a very flat foxing round Link to post
andy s410c 61 Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 (edited) Hi Dan, been running a .204 for around 3yr now & I'm more than happy with what it does.I home reload for it as the factory ammo ain't easy to get up north & it's expensive anyway.I've just had the gun re barrelled to a 1in10 26" Walther & I'm currently in the process of load development with it...the 40g Vmax over H4895 are looking pretty tasty at the moment . The ballistics of the round are good,the 39g Blitzkings are normally the best in a factory barrel as some 1 in 12 twist barrels will not stabilize the 40g no matter what you try...however my mate's Howa will but my Remmy wouldn't. Give it a go...you won't be dissapointed Edited April 18, 2014 by andy s410c 1 Link to post
Deker 3,478 Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 (edited) Hi all just wandering if anyone has any first hand experiance with a .204 ruger. Been looking at a .204 and .223 and have decided on the .204 for fox and then a .243 for deer. Thanks in advance Atb Dan Was thinking that but may use the .204 for long range corvids and bunnies. It would save money to use .243 for both The .204 is a relatively niche market. There are those that rate it and it suits their applications but to get the best out of it you need to be very fortunate with factory ammo or load your own, then you have to leave the barrel looooong. There are plenty of other choices, do you really need to shoot corvids and bunnies at great distances, few of us really need to, if it is a test of your abilities try the range, I have used my HMR at 600 yards! The .243 is incredibly versatile and the 55-58g V-Max ammo for it is a pussy cat to shoot, and devastating in the right circumstances, then you can head up to and past 100g if you need. I have a lot of rifles, because I need a lot of rifles, each was bought after consideration, and do what I need, think carefully about rifle calibre choices and your hard earned. Edited April 18, 2014 by Deker Link to post
zx10mike 137 Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 a hmr at 600 yards bet you have cought some very big fish too what was accuracy like? 204 boasts some great figures if you keep that barrel long but that speed might not be were accuracy is found.mine is 20" tikka and the 39 sbk are the most accurate at 3200 fps about the slowest 204 i've heard of but i like the accuracy and got bored of batch to batch group problems with the hmr.never tried it at 600 though perhaps they need to stabelise Link to post
Deker 3,478 Posted April 18, 2014 Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 a hmr at 600 yards bet you have cought some very big fish too what was accuracy like? 204 boasts some great figures if you keep that barrel long but that speed might not be were accuracy is found.mine is 20" tikka and the 39 sbk are the most accurate at 3200 fps about the slowest 204 i've heard of but i like the accuracy and got bored of batch to batch group problems with the hmr.never tried it at 600 though perhaps they need to stabelise Yes chap, visiting the range and experimenting can be very interesting, perhaps you should try it some time, accuracy was appalling, but I least I got it on the black, eventually, and I have caught some decent fish too! :D 1 Link to post
shropshire dan 467 Posted April 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2014 Ill have to go the range and test one out. Just wanted a rifle for fox and rifle for deer. But I do suppose .243 does cover all game. Thanks for the advice gents Link to post
zx10mike 137 Posted April 19, 2014 Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 a hmr at 600 yards bet you have cought some very big fish too what was accuracy like? 204 boasts some great figures if you keep that barrel long but that speed might not be were accuracy is found.mine is 20" tikka and the 39 sbk are the most accurate at 3200 fps about the slowest 204 i've heard of but i like the accuracy and got bored of batch to batch group problems with the hmr.never tried it at 600 though perhaps they need to stabelise Yes chap, visiting the range and experimenting can be very interesting, perhaps you should try it some time, accuracy was appalling, but I least I got it on the black, eventually, and I have caught some decent fish too! :D bet you had a laugh and thats all that matters a pal of mine had a go at long range targets at catton with his 22lr and hit it.next thing lots were having a go at it 1 Link to post
Deker 3,478 Posted April 19, 2014 Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 Ill have to go the range and test one out. Just wanted a rifle for fox and rifle for deer. But I do suppose .243 does cover all game. Thanks for the advice gents The .204 is a cracking piece of kit if you can make it work for you, and you have a use it suits. The main one I was involved with was a pig, a Howa as well, which tend to be ok/decent, (it went back for a barrel change under warranty), then, even with a new barrel all manner of factory and home brews were tried before it got close to being sensibly accurate, never was, and presented issues in the field with its barrel length, and the whole point of the .204 is speed/trajectory, unlike many calibres, chopping the barrel will potentially have a significant effect on this. There are mixed reviews on these, and very little middle ground, they are great or terrible! It is used and loved by some, but is certainly not a mass use/appeal calibre. We all find ourselves in different situations with different requirements, but for medium-long range fox, a .243 with a light V-Max is probably the best combination available. Of course plenty of other calibres are perfectly capable of dealing with the fox..... and the .243 is all deer legal as well. If you are closer then whats wrong with a well placed rimfire? Personally I shoot more fox with my rimfire collection, but that is simply because I get a lot of back garden fox work, others get none, so they would not have the same requirements. Regardless of this, there are seldom genuine reasons to shoot fox in the next county, they are pretty easy to track and bait and with a bit of thought they can be brought in close. Perhaps if you are in the Scottish Highlands or see an opportunist fox in the distance there is a chance, but if that is the case you will need a decent calibre, like the .243! Good luck with your choice, whatever direction you go! 1 Link to post
shropshire dan 467 Posted April 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 To be fair it makes sense to get the .243 as it will cover everything. My max range for fox is 200 yards so will use a light .243 load. Thanks again chaps Link to post
Born Hunter 17,798 Posted April 19, 2014 Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 What's the advantage of a 204 over say a 22-250? Link to post
shropshire dan 467 Posted April 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2014 Barrel life? Ive heard the .22-250 dont last long 1 Link to post
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