Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints New Varmint Cartridge

Is there a new varmint cartridge on the horizon? First Hornady introduced the .17 HMR. Now they have, at 4225 fps, is claimed the fastest production cartridge on the market and at accuracy specs of .3 inch 3 shot group and .9 inch 10 shot group at 100 yds; a fps of 2240 at 400 yds with 356 ft-lbs, the 22-250 and 220 Swift may be in danger.

Thoughts?

Greg

Greg; The Swift is definitely NOT in any trouble from this one, since it arrives at 400 AND 500 with both more velocity and more energy than your newcomer, regardless of whether you choose the 50 or the 55 grain bullet. The BC of the .204 offering is not as good as the .224's, trajectory differences will be rather insignificant. It remains to be seen if this newbie will be popular enough to make inroads into the domain of such great ones as the 22-250 and the Swift. I have my doubts. regards, Eagleye.

It's a numbers game and Hornaday is willing to play it. So far they are doing pretty good, 450 Marlin, .17 HRM, are selling pretty good, the 480 Ruger is a little slow in the market place it seems and the .204 Ruger seems to have a lot of folks looking. I personally think the .204 will be a good seller until some one standardizes the .20-223 Rem AI. then look out. The same end results would be achieved except that the reloader could use the plentiful .223 Rem brass. By improving the case and setting the neck back just enoiugh so the bolt will not close on a standard 223 or 222 you will have a winner in a .204 The neck may not even need to be set back. Just think of the BC you could get in a 45 gr .204 fast twist long range speer like projectile. I'm interested.

Bullwnkl.

Hey Greg

If you are hunting predators or varmits there is a differance.
I for one do not go for the goo shoot like some people. hunting for fox or coyote you may want to save the pelt for hanging. Alot of the fast (fps) calibers destroy the pelt ( goo shoot ) if you like me save the pelts for hanging or selling then you will go broke. a good .222 or .22 hornet works great so does my 7.62X39 sks works great. As for varmits blow the hell out of them they arnt hangin stuff. great for the gooers. Thats why the old calibers will be around for a LOOOONG time.

Bearbeater

Marketing and Sales have generated lots of new cartridges lately and have added to the consumer's choices. I'm all for choices. With each introduced cartridge there is a range of justifying articles usually pointing out the theoretical advantages of, say, shorter actions, flatter trajectories, reduced recoil, ultra light rifles, etc. And, they are probably correct. The new 204 Ruger/Hornady will, too, have its defenders and detractors that will try to define how many more angels can be placed on this particular pinhead.

Several of the hunters I enjoy partnering with for varmints (prarie dawgs, coyotes, bobcats) or big game are simply excellent shots with the rifles they have, some of which by contemporary thinking are long obsolete. For example, the 222Rem, the 250 Savage, 257 Roberts, 270, 06, 300 H&H, 348Win, etc often in rifles long ago relegated as less than optimal and wearing those basic fixed power scopes. Still, they get their game/varmints with a high degree of success.

My opinion is that the most important talking point should center around the ability of the hunter to shoot well, to practice frequently etc, rather than the obsession with "what's new". The technological and theoretical advantage of the newer cartridges are far from the primary issue for success regardless of how loudly the crown roars and, in the case of the 204, I believe the roar will be deafening.

The 17 rem moves pretty fast and blows up inside varmints and predators. Why do you think the 204 is going to be different ?

Conrad