Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Coyotes Beware.....

For next year....

Actually, I taught respect to a few this year, as I built this one early this winter, and stole a McM off a "donor gun" to get by till the new handle showed up.

Bought a new stainless SPS Varmint for the action, and peddled the parts to put the cash into this one.

Rock Creek 8 twist barrel, in a number 2 contour, cut to 21 1/2".

Spiral bolt fluted by Long Rifles.

Bolt face bushed and firing pin turned by Gre'-Tan.

Replaced the X mark Pro trigger with an older S/S unit.

McMillan Classic in 90% white, 10% dark gray.

3.5-10x40 CDS in Talleys.

Chambered in a new wildcat.......

It's the 222 Rem Mag case with the shoulder blown forward 75 thousands, which shortens the neck to a length of .200", the case body reduced to 15 thousands total body taper, and the shoulder angle changed from 23 to 30 degrees for positive feeding.

Weighs in at a lucky 7-11.

Hammers the coyotes quite well with the 75 VLD's over a good load of Varget.

Only change I would make would be to have had it finished earlier.......

aalf, you're going to have to throw some paint on that Leupy sooner or later

Nice Al!

Very cool.

AAlf, just wondering what dies you use for this. I assume custom? If so what blanks. Is the first step pretty much a fire form?

Do you find the 75gr low drags have any better killing power on the yotes than say 50gr or just work better at long distance. If that makes any sense to you.

Hell yes!

(He's not needing to fireform)

I'll let Al go into his neat little cartridge, what I want to know why the VLD over the A-Max?

Pretty cool. I did a stock like that a few years ago on a 222 Mag. Vixen; wish it was stainless...that's one fine rig.

Very cool rifle!

"(He's not needing to fireform)

I'll let Al go into his neat little cartridge"

Guess that is why I was asking....

That looks awesome!

Well done!

So, it's nearly the twin of the 22-204???

And the barrel....give me time......


I was thinkin' of ya when I wrote out my "cat's" dimensions.....


I know most seem to be enamored with the A-Max, but the VLD's always shoot better for me, in this cartridge and my 22-250 Ackley.

I believe the Berger is a little tougher as well.


Well.... I 'pose I'll have to come clean now....it is a 22-204....yuk yuk....

Every time, without fail, when I say it's chambered in 22-204, the first question/statement is "isn't that just a 222 Rem Mag all over again?" That's why I gave the dimensional differences in my "New Cat".



For dies, I just had a Redding 204 neck die honed out to the dimension I wanted. I also had a 204 Redding body die opened up to only bump the shoulder and squeeze the base.

For seating, I had L.E. Wilson make me an inline bullet seater to be used with my arbor press.

No fireforming is needed. Neck 'em up and and start load work.

Absolutely no reason to chamber a 223 Ackley any more........


I see no down side to the 75 VLD's. I've killed from 30 yards to a couple of hundred (so far), and bullet performance has been great. No exits on frontals, and dime size exits on behind the shoulder shots. Plus, I can run to a bit over 700 with the CDS turret, where the lighter bullets fade away at distance. I've shot to 600 to confirm, and have no hesitation to shoot to 700.

If I was looking for more speed than a 223 the 22-204 would be the direction I'd go...careful you might start a trend!

My own "invention" if you will......




Rather than cutting out the original 223 magazine spacer and gluing in a thinner one, I take it out all together, narrow up a 243/308 sized machined follower in the middle, and run it full length.

Feeds like [bleep] through a goose, and will actually hold six down, plus one up the spout.

Gives you the opportunity to miss one more time......

Wasn't sure a .473 follower would work .... but it looks good!

Nice rig and welcome to the clan of the totally misunderstood 22-204. I've been shooting one for about 5 or six years. I use a Redding Type S FL Bushing die for a 204 and changed out the stem, expander ball and bushing to fit the 22-204 neck. I openned the top of the die quite a bit as I load the 22-204, 6mm-204 and 25-204 with the same die.

Stevens 200, rechambered 223 barrel, Sightron 1.5x6x40mm

This is my fourth 22-204 build......I've got a pretty good handle on it......

Al, just what you needed.

I like!

Looks nice!
I'm copying a lot of your build. I've got a slimmed milled follower waiting for a Rock Creek #2!