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What are everyone’s thoughts on the 204 ruger for varmints? Thanks

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I thought they was good......

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Varmints, pretty much what it was designed for. Predators, works great with the right bullets.


After the first shot the rest are just noise.

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I've owned rifles chambered in .204 Ruger from Remington, Ruger, and Savage. All were accurate and easy to load for, except that the small bullets and my thick fingers don't get along so well. I still have an RAR-P that is sub-MOA accurate with 32 and 40 grain bullets. I haven't had any reason to load the 24 grain NTX, so I don't know how well they work.

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I shoot one for coyotes. 35 grain Berger bullet is your friend. coyotes don't like them! Very Accurate

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Houston1: If I were starting out Varmint and predator Hunting today instead of 64 years ago (I started "Varminting" when I was 10!) instead of buying dozens and dozens of Rifles/cartridges in various configurations over those 6+ decades I would stick with ONE cartridge and that would be the 204 Ruger!
PERIOD!
The 204 Ruger in my experience and estimation is THE finest "all-around" Varmint and predator cartridge there is.
Again, PERIOD!
I Hunt Varmints and predators year round at all hours of the day and night and I have yet to find something "I" need done that the 204 Ruger cartridge doesn't accomplish with aplomb.
AND... the 204 Ruger is simply "inherently" accurate - combine that with a very FLAT trajectory and no recoil and there you have it.
Plus I am finding the 204 Ruger is pleasingly easy on barrels!
I currently own and shoot 10 (ten) heavy barrel Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger and every one of them has easily attained excellent accuracy.
I have been using the 204 Ruger since it first came on scene and I am convinced it is tops in the "all-around" Varmint and predator category.
The past 17+ years Hunting predators and Varmints with the 204 Ruger has convinced me and many people I have recommended it to that it is indeed an exceptionally good choice for those endeavors!
Best of luck to you if you decide to try a Rifle in 204 Ruger.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: I feel I should expound just a touch on the low recoil of the 204 Ruger - it enhances my Colony Varminting to see where the bullet impacts on longer shots and that is easily accomplished with the 204 Ruger - much easier and more often than even when I use my 223 Remingtons and other "light recoiling" Rifles calibers.

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We have excellent results with em on predators.

A 39 grain Sierra Blitzking is instant lights out on coyotes, cats, foxes or anything else we deem needs killed.

Low noise and pretty much non existent recoil makes em fun to shoot.

Last edited by 10gaugemag; 07/29/21.

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I think with 39-40 gr. bullets the .204 is the ultimate prairie dog gun, especially in the wind.


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Killed several coyotes with the Hornady Factory 40 gr.

My youngest nephew shot several turkey and a couple of hogs with my rifle and the same load.
It worked fine on all of them.

The hogs were small. 120 to 140 lb range.


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For PDs, I use 32 grain bullets, for coyotes, 35 Berger’s. It works exceptionally well for both.


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Originally Posted by VarmintGuy
Houston1: If I were starting out Varmint and predator Hunting today instead of 64 years ago (I started "Varminting" when I was 10!) instead of buying dozens and dozens of Rifles/cartridges in various configurations over those 6+ decades I would stick with ONE cartridge and that would be the 204 Ruger!
PERIOD!
The 204 Ruger in my experience and estimation is THE finest "all-around" Varmint and predator cartridge there is.
Again, PERIOD!
I Hunt Varmints and predators year round at all hours of the day and night and I have yet to find something "I" need done that the 204 Ruger cartridge doesn't accomplish with aplomb.
AND... the 204 Ruger is simply "inherently" accurate - combine that with a very FLAT trajectory and no recoil and there you have it.
Plus I am finding the 204 Ruger is pleasingly easy on barrels!
I currently own and shoot 10 (ten) heavy barrel Rifles in caliber 204 Ruger and every one of them has easily attained excellent accuracy.
I have been using the 204 Ruger since it first came on scene and I am convinced it is tops in the "all-around" Varmint and predator category.
The past 17+ years Hunting predators and Varmints with the 204 Ruger has convinced me and many people I have recommended it to that it is indeed an exceptionally good choice for those endeavors!
Best of luck to you if you decide to try a Rifle in 204 Ruger.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: I feel I should expound just a touch on the low recoil of the 204 Ruger - it enhances my Colony Varminting to see where the bullet impacts on longer shots and that is easily accomplished with the 204 Ruger - much easier and more often than even when I use my 223 Remingtons and other "light recoiling" Rifles calibers.


So, For myself, not knowing a lot about this Caliber, I sure have gotten educated pretty Fast, as I did look up the Cartridge Ballistics, and History, in Frank Barnes Book!
Having all the Varmint guns that I've Always needed, it surely does intrigue me!

Thanks for the Education Guys!


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I was one of those who "poo-pooed" the idea of the 204 when it came out. I felt it was an answer to a non question, would get blown around like a .17 caliber out here, etc. Well, I tried one ( around 2005) in a CZ 527 Varminter and I "had to eat a big plate of Crow!:. ha It was low nise, low recoiling, and shot as flat as a 22-250 to "me". PDs and Marmots were my only targets. On Predators, I always liked the bigger rounds, I don't save pelts, so "massive destruction" is kinda my thing for them, ha.

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I have 3 of them and have shot thousands of rds. with the 204 and will continue to do so. Ihave a barrel going south on my XR with about 3500 rds down the tube. It's getting a new tube this winter.


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Originally Posted by boatammo
I have 3 of them and have shot thousands of rds. with the 204 and will continue to do so. Ihave a barrel going south on my XR with about 3500 rds down the tube. It's getting a new tube this winter.



Good to know. I have one with about 1600 rounds through it, I figured it would puke at about that 3-3.5K mark.


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Originally Posted by Jim_Knight
I was one of those who "poo-pooed" the idea of the 204 when it came out. I felt it was an answer to a non question, would get blown around like a .17 caliber out here, etc. Well, I tried one ( around 2005) in a CZ 527 Varminter and I "had to eat a big plate of Crow!:. ha It was low nise, low recoiling, and shot as flat as a 22-250 to "me". PDs and Marmots were my only targets. On Predators, I always liked the bigger rounds, I don't save pelts, so "massive destruction" is kinda my thing for them, ha.


My foray into the 204 was a carbine 204 Contender barrel. Very accurate and it was pretty destructive. I used the 32 grain VMax pushed hard on a bunch of raccoons. Messy. Coyotes not all the time but at medium range they dropped quick!


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Tom,

I shot one .204 barrel out in around 2000 rounds--but that was when the .204 first came out. I was using it for almost ALL my PD shooting back then, so shot the barrel really hot a LOT.

Have mixed shooting the .204 more with other rounds since then (especially the .17 Hornady Hornet) and barrels have lasted considerably longer.


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It took me til 2019 to warm up to a 204. I was always a huge 222 fan.
I traded into a Browning A bolt stalker in a 204. It's a shooter no.doubt
If I do my job I can consistently make .240 groups at 100yds with 39 gr Sierra Blitzkings
It is easy on pelts as well,so the 222 don't see a lot of varmint action anymore.
In hindsight I wish I had hoped on the 204 bandwagon when it first hit the market


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Torqued: Your observations reminds me of my "hesitancy" back when the wonderful 17 Remington came along (1971) and how long I lingered "thinking about trying one".
Finally nearly two decades later I "decided" to try one - and I bemoaned myself for waiting so long to get and use one.
Lesson learned - that "new" 17 Remington I found out really does a lot of things really well.
So when the 204 Ruger came out in 2,004 I bought one (Ruger 77 V/T) right away - and to say I was impressed (with the accuracy, ballistics and lethality afield) would be an understatement.
I was so impressed with the accuracy I obtained (with factory ammo!) that when my "homies" at Big Green came out later that year with their heavy barrel Remington 700 VLS in 204 Ruger I bought one of those also.
The accuracy was even better with this addition - again, with factory ammo, as that was all that was available back in 2,004.
I am thankful that I DID jump on the "204 Ruger bandwagon" right away - its been tons of fun and satisfaction ever since.
Long live the 204 Ruger!
Hold into the wind
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Originally Posted by Mule Deer
Tom,

I shot one .204 barrel out in around 2000 rounds--but that was when the .204 first came out. I was using it for almost ALL my PD shooting back then, so shot the barrel really hot a LOT.

Have mixed shooting the .204 more with other rounds since then (especially the .17 Hornady Hornet) and barrels have lasted considerably longer.



Thanks Juan...Ive found that with anything, shooting hot and dirty is not your friend, and at least my .204 heats up FAST...but its hard to say no to PDs standing up all over town in front of you!

As you said in one of your books, they make new barrels every day!


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I have shot everything from ground squirrels to coyotes with mine. I shot two badgers with it this morning, 175 and 125 yds. No complaints.

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