Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Thinking of 204 Ruger Plunge

If a 20 Practical has any CONS, I certainly haven't seen them. These days, I consider a rebarrel over buying a new rifle.

If would think a rebarrel of a Ruger American Predator, would make an awfully nice 20 Practical, for shooting ground squirrels.

Is there an advantage of the 20 practical over the 204 Ruger?

Free brass, which has already been stated.

Not should of the volume for the 20 Practical but it should be pretty close.

Purchased 1st 204 in XR-100 204 brass could only B found where Unicorns breed. Had smit convert to 20 Practical would NOT stabilize 40 V-max shot 39 BK into 3/8"
Rifle was stolen finally replaced with another XR-100 it shoots the 40's fine all 3 shot Benchmark or H-4895 to the point the human eye
could not tell which powder was better

Jim









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When I used up my XR100 barrel I had a #8 PacNor 1in 11 put on It shoots fantastic also. All I've shot in it are 32s but I have a bunch of 39gr. Blitzkings I'll shoot one of these days.

I was late getting involved with the 204. I had the opportunity to use one a few years ago. Rifles were fairly easy to find as was brass and loaded ammo.
Buddy shot mine and was impressed with it. He decided to do a build but brass and ammo were scarce, so he opted for a 20 Practical. He paid a bit extra and went with a 30” barrel wanting to equal velocity obtained with the 204. It worked out and his speeds are comparable with 32-40’s.

I am at around 7-8k rounds on mine and toying with the idea of a new barrel. If I didn’t have as much 204 brass as I do, I would definitely go with the 223 case for ease of brass. If you go the 20P, I highly suggest using virgin brass, it will pay in the long run.
If no, I would run through a SB223 die for sure, then that is no guarantee of reliable performance.
Buddy loaded up a “pile” of once fired, SB sized, only to find out about 50% would chamber. Very frustrating when on a “safari”. I don’t know if he has pulled all of them apart yet. He went with Starline 223 brass and has not looked back.

I'm a paper puncher only. Haven't hunted in years. But I have a problem that requires me to buy nice rifles with absolutely no use for them. A week or so ago, I found a nearly new CZ 527 American chambered in 204 Ruger at a LGS. Did I mention I also have a thing for out of production CZ rifles? Anyhow, I knew nothing about the 204 Ruger but the rifle followed me home. It is my understanding that the CZ hasn't done so well with 40gr ammo. Unfortunately the only 32gr I have found in stock is on Gunbroker and priced like precious metals. I could try 40gr myself, but I've read more than once the CZ's 1:12 twist doesn't get along with it. For now, I have some of the 24gr Hornady NTX coming in so I can kill a few sheets of paper. Looking forward to a new to me caliber.

I don't reload, but may have to consider that rabbit hole if I want to shoot this rifle much.

The 204 Ruger might be one of those rounds you have to reload for.........
For example I had a fellow sell me a bunch of 204 Ruger ammo CHEAP, some factory new in the box some various reloads but it was worth it for the brass alone. of the factory stuff there was Hornady 32gr V-Max "Superformance Varmint" it says 4225fps right on the box. In 3 different rifles it averaged about 3900fps (hornady was really fudging numbers on this one !!!). It actually shot fairly good groups though at 1/2" to 3/4". the other factory ammo was Fiocchi 40gr V-Max, Dogschitt did not even chronograph it because of 1"+ groups, most on the + side. The BullSchittArtist and others might disagree but that is my experience.
For top accuracy and speed I like Nosler 32gr BT's with N140 or CFE223 and CCI450's

223 brass

Iffin you live near p/dog towns

Have available areas to shoot

20 cal's are a must

As in this 20-222

Kinda like the 20 Practical

Simple to load......

If your a reloaded the 204 makes no sense
Go 20
Practical or 20 tac and use free brass
I have a 204 and a 20 tac and I promise you a prairie dog won’t know the diff and neither will you.