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!

How do you slim the follower?

Are the VLD bullet being used on coyotes the ones from Berger? Have you put one into a shoulder or sternum bone yet to see what happens?

but a file would work

Nice rig AALF, but where is the target?

What brass is being used by the 204 crowd? How does it compare to Lapua or IMI brass in the 223?

Thanks for the input.

Will have to give the 'Bergs a try. My 1-9 spins the A-Max well.

Look what you started!

It makes us 222 Mag people second class....

I ran the mag well spring deeper in the std. "222" follower, past the front lock (with the box opened up). It puts pressure in the middle, not at the base end.

Mine didn't like the larger machined follower, for whatever reason, I couldn't get it 100%.

I like your stock, but I sure wish I could get a Vixen in stainless:

I use a Dremel and a file.

Aren't you the guy who uses a Hacksaw quite alot also...

Probably runs the reamer in by hand also....

Geez.....one experiment, and I'm labeled forever.......

BTW.... not by hand......Dewalt 14.4......

Very nice build. I would love to be able to do my own and am a little envious. Nice job all around.

Don't wanna mislead anyone, I don't/can't build my own. I'll do my stock work, and other misc, but the chambering is left to the others.

I "pay the man" like everyone else......

[img]http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/3589/010zxe.jpg[/img]

aalf, that ain't going to work

Good shootin....

Thanks, the last five I loaded up the magazine and ripped 'em off ASAP.

That is one fine rifle. Forgive me for asking the age old question, but what is the barrel life on this? Got be close to the .204. I would love to have one built some day for yotes. It would be fun the shoot a few pdogs with it as well.

Good read!

Pretty cool rig aalf.

Will your 22-250 AI get less love?


Travis

Best guess, with all thing being equal, it should be better than a 204, as they both burn about the same amount of powder, but the 204's bore is smaller. It'll probably be a bit harder on tubes than a 223, as the 22-204 runs about 15% more powder. I'm at 28 grains of Varget with the moly plated VLD's.

Thanks,

Like an offspring, ya can't pick a favorite.

I've got a 6 Dasher that needs some love as well.......

That's poetry.

Thanks.


Travis

And temptation never ceases......

Nice rifle Aalf.

You mentioned a Dasher..have you run/do you a 6x47L by chance?

Not with my Dashers around and two 260's in the safe......

I hear you - is your Dasher a repeater? Curious on feeding.

Having run the plain BR in several rifles, I really enjoy the small 6s, esp. w/8 twist.

Looks like that 22/204 w/75s will hang with a 6 no prob.

Has anyone used the 75VLD at that speed on coyote yet? What was the terminal performance?

Been meanin' to get back to you on that......

I'm well into double figures on test subjects, and have nothing but good to say. Frontal shot, they fold up like a cheap lawn chair, behind the shoulder, they don't go far, if at all. A couple of spinners, one made it 20 yards or so, most just pile up, with small exits. I have yet to gave one a direct broadside hit on the shoulder yet, but have no qualms over doing it. These are with the target VLD's, as Berger doesn't make a hunting version.











Had to give my brown gun some love.......same....same.....



[img]http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3755/015ev.jpg[/img]

All my 6 Dashers are repeaters, as well as a couple of 22 Dashers I had for calling guns.

Never had a problem getting them to feed.

It's not always a cartridge thing.........

Very nice to know, thanks.

Same bullets in your 22D as the 22/204?

What kind of velocity are you getting?

Nope, the 22 Dashers were both 14 twists running 40 grain BT's at 4200.

Killed a lot of coyotes with that pair.


Running the 75 VLD's at 3075.....

So looks like you found favor in the faster twisted high bc slugs - sure they reach out better if your pushing 400+ shots.

Watched my brother flatten some yotes w/factory Fed 40s in a 223 TC carbine, seem to get a few spinners but that lasts only a few seconds.

My 105 Amax 6BR load at 2850 dumped one DRT at about 60 yds, would expect a 75 to do the same in your rifle. Plenty I am sure.

Any plans for venison?