Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints 0.20399999999999998689936830942315 28230011463165283203125

How has this cartridge been behaving in the field? With the various .20 cal wildcats already available, are some genuinely more preferable than others?

A friend has mentioned that with the .204 Ruger, there's a noticeable reduction in accuracy after about 20 consecutive shots due to fouling in the tiny bore. Have any of you had similar experiences? With a .204 based on either a .223 case or even a .222 case, the problem seems to disappear.

All advice and opinions welcomed. Thanks.

For the most part the .204 Ruger is getting great reviews here. I have two and they have pretty much taken over my existing varmint battery.
Does your friend actually own a .204 Ruger ? I will get at least twice that many rounds thru either of mine......run a bore snake thru them a couple times and keep right on shooting. Pretty much the same as I would with anything else.

I've not kept close count , but I've gone close to 100 rounds without cleaning in my .204 , and no noticable loss of accuracy . Far as that goes , I've done the same with my .17 Remington , and supposedly that cartridge is the barrel fouler from hell .

Bottom line , I think , if you have a good smooth bore you will be able to shoot quite a bit before cleaning , if you got a rough bore , it is going to need cleaning more often.

My friend actually owns three .204s but he prefers the wildcats.

What rifle do you have in .204 Ruger?

Sounds good!

What's your favourite rifle in .204? All these questions are due to my thinking about getting a Ruger VT in .204.

We have a Rem 700 LVSF in 204. It probably shows the least fouling of any of our centrefires, and we certainly don't lose any accuracy at 20 shots, or well over double that.

Bighammer.........I have the Ruger V/T, and it's hard to fault it in any way. My second 204 will be a CZ varmint weight .

I've got the 204 in a Ruger Ultra lite, which I dropped into a Lam-Compact stock. I seem to be able to get 100+ rounds befor needing cleaning. I'm shooting 32 gr Vmaxes 'bout 4100 fps. Sure will "splat' a ground squirrel !! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> Virgil B.

Factory .204 Ruger barrel on a TC carbine frame.

Custom .204 Ruger barrel (Shilen-MGM) on a different TC carbine frame.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> Would be nice to get reports on coyotes and that little speck of a bullet, the 35 grainer @ 4100 F.P.S. Nice to see how it's doing on paper but how 'bout the field ???? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

I shot a bunch last winter with my 204 and 35 gr Bergers. The majority were broadside or straight on neck shots. They left only little tiny entry holes (very sewable) with the ocasional sewable exit wound . If you do hit a shoulder bone they will leave a big wound - but that happens with just about every caliber. I also didn't crank the speed to high on them just to see if that reduced pelt damage. It did in a big way compared to others who load their 204 "HOT". I hope that answers your question idahochukar2.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" /> Sounds like you're selling the pelts. Years ago the price made it worthwhile ($40+/-) but I don't even hear of a fur buyer coming to this area. Last I heard the average price was $15 here.

Yea, I was interested to see what reaction the yotes had by being hit with a 35 grainer. I've been out several times with a 22 mag but as luck would have it, I haven't been able to call in any. I have some grand kids coming along and have been thinking of getting a 243 or something like that so they'd have a light recoiling deer rifle and a varmint rifle. All the yotes I've shot have been with a 270 and 100 grain bullets....needless to say the yotes day is ruined instantly. I really like the 'bang/flop' on any game I hit and was thinking the little 22 mag wouldn't be doing this. Course, it would depend on where the yote gets hit but a 22 mag is only good out to maybe 175 yds......but I sure like its performance. The CZ 452 (?) is a tack driver @ 100 yards. Just can't wait to use it on a yote as my experience has shown most of my shots end up close enough to use it. Also noise is a factor as I'm frequently near ranch houses or farm houses.

I'd really love to sneak into the safe a Mannlicher (Ruger or the like) in this 204 caliber. How sweet, IMO. Thanks for your thoughts. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I've got a Savage 12FV in .204 with about 60 rounds through it. I haven't cleaned it in about 20- 25 rounds. . . Still shooting good.

A friend has done some "yote shooting with the 40 grn. rounds they don't go far. Usually spin around and tip over. He did hit one with a 32 grn. that didn't impress him. It was an angled away shot and he caught it in the last rib. The bullet just skimmed along the outside of the ribs and left a nasty red line down the side.
They caught up with it and finished it off. He won't use anything but the 40 grn. rounds now on a "yote. However if he would have gotten behind that last rib I bet that 32 would have done a number as well.

Bob

Hi all,

Sorry about the delay in replying. The perils of working in aviation! Thank you all for your input...most helpful. Was able to shoot a Ruger VT .223 AI yesterday and I'm very impressed. Their triggers have come a long way and this thing grouped tiny with monotonous regularity. At around $1000 here in Oz, they're amongst the cheapest of new rifles too!

Looks like I gotta have one!