What's your favorite factory ammo for the .204 Ruger? Please feel free to post handload experience also. All input would be appreciated.

Brand?
Weight?
Accuracy?
Fur friendly?

Can't find any ammo for it locally.

Just picked one up and wiggin to get it out. Ruger American FWIW

Thanks

If you have a scheels around, buy some Fiocchi and give it a try. They sell it in a 50 round box and it is fairly inexpensive.

None of my other local gun stores except Scheels had any factory ammo and they had only Fiocchi with 40gr V-Max
They shoot OK but nothing to get excited about. One of my 204's is also a Ruger American, do yourself a favor and get a Timney trigger for it. the AICS magazine is awesome on that model.
Best accuracy by far is with handloads

Legit company. Buy $99 and get free shipping.

https://www.rogerssportinggoods.com...llistic-tip-varmint-ammunition-box-of-20

Yeah, accuracy kind of sucked with mine too. The reason I sent it down the road...

Of course the op wanted to know how the ammo did on critters too. Small ones it turned inside out:

This one was at 320 yards:


Didn't do quite as much damage at 410 yards:


Then back to 311 yards:



For factory ammo, the Fiocchi works just fine. Easily sub moa for 10 shots at 100 yards. I wouldn't blame poor accuracy on ammo, as the rifle I had shot it well enough. Of course handloads are going to shoot better, but the op was asking about factory ammo options.

OP modified as any factory or handload experience is appreciated. Thanks to all.

The 40 grain Fiocchi shoots at least MOA in my RAR-P, better than the 32 grain Winchester.

For this rifle, I've settled on 27.2 grains of Varget in the Fiocchi cases with CCI primers and the 40 grain VMax.

The RAR-P in 204 RUG has become my favorite varmint rifle and cartridge combination, even better with the Timney trigger installed and bedded in a Boyds laminated Heritage style stock.

I've also had 204 RUGERs in a Remington 700 and a Savage 10. Both had longer heavier barrels and were accurate rifles, but I like the RAR-P package better.

The 40 grain VMax is not fur friendly, but it sure does put a smack down on 'cats, coyotes, and foxes.

Handloads, look at TAC, BL-C(2), or CFE-223 and the 32 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip, if you can find the components... Great results for me. Not fur friendly.

The 35 grain Berger hollow point has worked well too, more fur-friendly for me. Accurate.
,
Factory, I've only shot the Hornady in 32 & 40 grain V-Max versions. Both shot well.

Am using a CZ rifle.

Guy

The 32 gr Hornady Vmax shoots cloverleafs out of my two 204s. It shot so well I bought two cases of it so I haven’t tried other options. I will say the Fiocchi ammo shoots really well in my 223s though.

For PDs, 32 gr V max
For coyotes, 35 gr Berger
Benchmark powder in both.

It's funny how the Campfire finds a 223 more than enough for deer, yet a 204 isn't enough for a coyote. Bullets will always be a deciding factor, but small is OK until it's not.

The 204 shines with a 32 grain V-Max at 4,000 fps...

True story shrap, or the “elk ain’t bullet proof” crowd!😆

I’ve killed a pile of coyotes, bobcats with my 204 with 32’s the last 10 years, never once had a “run off”, just knocks the wiggle out of em. There’s simply not a coyote in the fuucking world that can withstand a 32 in the boiler room, period. Or the guts for that matter. Do love the “oh I’ve heard this”, “oh my brother says that” crowd though.

Shagalicious, I’ve only run Hornady 32’s and 40’s, 40’s shoot a 5” group, 32’s, 1/2” group. Another interesting fact, outta the 10 years or so I’ve owned the rifle, I’ve never once cleaned the barrel! 😂👊🏻

I've only used mine on Prairie Dogs and it messes them up.



In a left to right wind with gusts around 15 to 20 mph the little guy gets pushed around (it pushes me as much as the bullet) It's still not to bad for a 32 grain round.

I know that it should be "cartridge OAL" instead of AOL but when you print up 500, you go ahead and use them. Damn spell checker (me).

Shaq: I bought my first heavy barrel 204 Ruger Varmint Rifle back in 2,004 and back then no factory brass was available - so I bought and shot some Hornady 32 grain V-Max ammo to "get started" with.
It shot extremely well in that first Rifle and has shot well in EVERY 204 Rifle I have shot that ammo in since.
I currently own and shoot 10 (ten) factory heavy barrel Rifle in caliber 204 Ruger and every one of those Rifles has shot the 32 grain factory Hornady VB-Max rounds at least VERY well and most shot it EXTREMELY well.
Most of that usage was for barrel breakin, brass accumulation, Hunting and accuracy testing for a couple of "used" heavy barrel 204's I have bought in the last 18+ years.
I highly recommend the Hornady 32 grain V-Max's to you for accuracy and for performance afield on all manner of Varmints and predators.
I have kill't Coyotes, Fox, Badgers, Porcupines, Rock Chucks, Prairie Dogs, Skunks, Raccoons and Ground Squirrels with my various 204's and the 32 grain V-Maxs - those factory rounds really "shine".
Best of luck to you with whichever you choose.
Let us know how you fare.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I think I've only used Hornady factory ammo in mine .. maybe Remington, too. 32 grain works well. My current gun likes 40 grain Hornady handloads though I hvaen't tried their factory ammo in it.


My current rifle has proven extremely simple to load for. I've played with a lot of combination. In the end .. start with WW brass and Rem 7-1/2 primers. Then 32 grain Nosler or Hornady bullets, 28 grains of H335, or 40 grain nosler or hornady or 39 grain Sierra or Speer and 27.5 grains of Varget.

.. and go forth 'n' slay stuff.

im hand loads, 40 v max for critter getters , 30gr berger shoot very very well..

I’ve had 3 204’s and the first two wouldn’t shoot the 40’s so I was stuck with the 32’s and oddly enough the 39 grain loads. Lost a few coyotes and had way more spinners than I cared for. That’s not hearsay, that’s personal experience.

I found the 35 grain Berger was a much tougher bullet and when I found a Kimber Montana in 204, I bought it and the 40 grain bullets shot very well. It turned the little 204 into a giant killer. I’ve killed lots of coyotes and a few cats with the 40 grain Berger and Hornady bullets. I prefer the 35 Berger’s on cats but the 40’s work so much better on coyotes, I won’t buy anything else.

For hand loads, TAC is the best powder I’ve tried.

39 gr. Sierra Blitz King. 26.5 gr. of Reloader 10X, 9 1/2 Remington bench rest primers. Deadly on groundhogs.

I prefer the 40 gr BT's over the boogers, vmax or BK's......

I've got a stash of those too when I run out of the Bergers. Almost out of the factory Hornady stuff, maybe I'll try em next year...

You probably mean 7 1/2 primers, 9 1/2's would be a really tight squeeze

I prefer 32gr BT's with CFE223 and 7 1/2's

If I wanted to shoot 40's I would most likely use a 222 or 223

Yep 👊🏻 speed kills and that 32 stupid fast is a good combo for me. On the other end of the spectrum I’ve had guys tell me 17 hmr with 17’s knock coyotes dead, 1 shot. Outta the handful I’ve shot, they showed little to no reaction, and made it quite handily outta the field. Who know? I seem to be pretty lucky with my wares, ie; Talley, Remington, leupold yada yada yada.

17 HMR i would never ever use it for coyotes again, its more of a bird and rabbit cartridge

204 Ruger has worked on coyotes fine

220 Swift here in Minnesota is a better cartridge for me for all around

Pete, agreed on the hummer being a tweety bird caliber. I’ve been using it on coons/possum lately, body shots on possum, face shots on coons, and there’s still alotta drama with the coons, but it sure is fun!😆

As long as you don't consider geese a bird you'll be alright. I've had a few geese get airborne after sucking up a 17hmr round. I wish I'd of never bought a 17hmr and just stuck with a 22mag and .223 for varmints.

says the guy with no ground skwirls.....

My wittle skwirls are napping under the dirt and a foot of snow . Buy lots of ammo and gas but not a 17 HMR. Just a opinion from a guy that has never shot one .

I'm sorry......

I'm sorry that you are sorry but I don't think we will need therapy . Keep your powder dry !

The laws must be a little different in Middle Georgia than where I live, if you shoot a goose with a 17hmr here and get caught your going to jail, most places require non-toxic shot from a shotgun.
As for the 17hmr it works awesome shooting prairie dogs, I use the 204 Ruger for long range prairie dogs and coyotes.........and rock chucks

Damn, that first Cooper is gorgeous!

The second is the spitting image of my 21. I bought it used for $850 with a scope. Wifey wasn’t very happy with me because I bought it with the intention of reselling it w/o the scope. I took it to the range to try out and announced it was too good a shooter to sell when I got back.

gorgeous is, as gorgeous does.....grin

Where I hunt many coyotes are shot on the run where shot placement is not as good as over sticks at a stopped animal of known range. With the 204 I soon learned to double thump a downed coyote before he got up and ran off after the first hit. Shooting various bullets in the 32 to 40 grain range from Sierra and hornady.

many of you all aint figured out yet that the Nos 40 gr bt is maybe the best 204 yote bullet in creation........

For our coyotes it is the 39 grain Sierra.

What sort of thing is that?

Looks Ruger....but I dont recognize the stock.

Hard to say, but it could certainly ugly a coyote to death…

Hahaha! You could be right.


Actually, I have decided its an MDT LSS chassis.

Jim, that is my gorgeous faux Cooper in luxurious walnut and Swarovski scope...

I kinda like it!

I can't help that it 'identify's as a classic...

It really is classic.

Hopefully you don’t roll your own cigarettes, between shooting critters and chasing your hat, you wouldn’t have enough time left in the day to get any work done…

Whatever it is it is sitting in an MDT LSS chassis.

stainless ruger ultralite in a LSS, that thinks it is one of Shraps beauties. Well at least it did B.C. (before chassis)

There goes half the day, I hope you don’t spend the rest chasing your hat…

That is definitely one of the nicer looking ones I've seen. The LSS is its "coveralls" for real work. The wood stock is the Sunday go to meetin' outfit.

Well shiit shagalicious, 204 can’t kill shiit, but other threads are saying 17 rems with 25’s just stone a coyote!!! 🤦‍♂️😆

Surly nobody is really that stupid.. wait...... lol

Flat out killer on our coyotes whether 32 grain V-Max or 39 grain Sierra BK.

32 grain V-Max really puff feathered critters, never puffed many with the 39.

Those 20lb Texas dogs are TOUGH!!!😆

Oh wait, the Texas coyote are the ones that run when hit with 204, but get stoned with the 17!! Fuuck I’m cuuntfused!!!😂😂

I’ll just keep doin what I do. Seems to work 👊🏻