How many use a version of the 20 cal for their calling rifle? I use both the 204 Ruger and the 20 Practical. Both are death and destruction on varmints. 35 gr Berger in the 204 and the Sierra 39 gr BK in the 20 Practical. Flat and accurate .

been wanting to know more about the 204. kinda dipping my feet in the pool at this point. not sure if it's worth it - ammo's hard to come by around here, pretty expensive, and not too sure about ease and expense of reloading them. not familiar with the 20 practical at all...kinda interested in finding out about these!

The 204 is easy to load for, brass is easy to come by and the 20 practical is the 223 case neck to 20 cal with no other change.

Love my .204's the 35 gr Berger for predators and the 39 gr BK's for varmints out to 400 yards. Can't have too many .204's!

Ya, what everyone else has said.

It ranks second only to my 17 Rem. Easy to reload and very easy to find an accurate load for.
35gr. Berger's and 37gr. CRT's are what I use. IMR 8208 XBR or H4895 will really make them sing an accurate fast stepping song.

H4895 is the Powder to start with.

Im putting together a .204 this winter...anybody tried IMR 4895 in one yet...Im looking at 40gr Vmaxes.....

I dont used my 204 Ruger for preditor calling but I have found thats its one fine prairie dog shooting cartridge.

Mine will be used primarily for gophers, secondarily for PDs and lastly for coyotes/chucks and the like...
I was told to go with the 40 grainers because of our usual windy conditions here, the extra weight helps a little...which I have found to be the case with the .223 as well...

Yep 40's do better, but are a tad bit slower than lighter 30's.

I was lucky enough to get a tikka varminter in 204 Ruger, what a tack driver !

Used to have a WOA in 204 as well - way, way too fun to shoot.

Spot

Yes... I always try IMR 4895 in EVERYTHING.. It did well...

however the reason it is not my GoTo powder in my 204 Ultralight Barreled Ruger put together rifle is due to testing AR Comp powder from Alliant...

it is supposed to be a Temp Insensitive version of RL 15 with a slightly faster burn rate according to Alliant...

the factory hasn't tested it in the 204 according to a conversation with Ben Ammonette at Alliant... however with ALL the Bullets I have tested in the 204.. it consistently is the accuracy winner... nothing but little ONE hole groups..

that and my GoTo bullet in this caliber has become the 32 grain Nosler Lead Free Ballistic tip...its a very long bullet for its weight being lead free...

winter weather has prevented a chronograph session with the combo...but for little bitty holes at short or long distances ( 300 yds tested so far) these two win top honors in this Ruger's 20 Stainless Light weight barrel...

the barrel was a gift as a take ...set it up for Seafire Jr.

When I had my 204 I shot 35 grain bergers for coyotes and they are VERY fur friendly. I think I only had ever exit a coyote and it left about a dime size exit but other than that just a .20 cal entry hole and a very dead coyote with insides that looked like they were put in a blender. When shooting prarie dogs or jack rabbits I shot the 39 grain berger bullets.

Are you guys using small rifle or small rifle magnum primers?

I like my 204 alot, good caliber. But I like my 17 Rem quite abit more however. Fantastic calling cartridge IMO.

Different strokes I guess. They all go bang and kill stuff.

Std primers are fine

nearly 200 coyotes under my D-Tech .204's belt. I'm another fan of the 35 gr. bergers, althoguh I used the 40 gr. Bergers some as well. I use H-4895 over Rem. 7.5 primers.
Have switched to my .223 D-Tech now though, since I got a suppressor on it. It seems to work pretty well too.

I use nothing but Rem 7.5BR Primers in all my 20's and my 17 Rem.

Have three 204's now and plan on getting another. For yotes the 35 & 40 gr bergers and the 45 gr hornady sp's are the perfect medicine. For p-doggin, I prefer the 39 gr BK.

I just run the 40 grain nozler, for everything.....

Nosler BT I presume...I havent even looked at those, but I laid in a stock of 40 Gr. V-maxes...dat sound OK?

Yup, vmaxes are ok, but the BT's are more better. And you'll eventually be switching anyway, to the nozzies or to the boyguhs.....(joizee accent)

The 40 gr V-max's are hit and miss with most factory 12 twist tubes as they are right on the edge for stabilization. I have found that most tubes work well with the 39 gr BK's. The 40 gr nosler Bt's tend to be a bit more stable than the V-max's as well. Even the the hornady 45 gr SP's are more stable than the 40 V-max due to its shorter overall length. The only way to find out is to give em a try. If the 40 v-max gives you "bug holes", then consider yourself one of the "lucky ones".

I've got two T/C 17 Remingtons, but with Savage bringing out the Predator in left hand in .204 Ruger, I WILL have one of those before the year is out!! And I may go back and get another one in 6.5x284, too!!

I will purchase one also.

I had a couple bum factory .204s so it took me a while to warm up to it, but a 700 with a PacNor barrel made me a believer. I shot the first barrel out. Since a lot of my rodent whackin' is at modest distance and I acquired a .17 HMR that does it well with less garage time (cleaning, reloading) thus more shooting time, when I rebarreled the .204 this last time I went light ... 23-1/2 inch factory sporter contour, fluted, stuffed in a McMillan Hunter's Edge stock. Yeah, callin' rifle indeed.

Unlike the first PacNor barrel, the new one shoots the 40 grain VMAX well. Soon as I shoot up my other ammo, that's what I plan to switch to. Interestingly enough, other than that one difference, the two builds with different length and contour of barrel both like exactly the same handloads.

Basically, I run a 39 or 40 grain bullet with 27.5 grains of Varget or a 32 grain bullet with 28 grains of H335, all with WW cases and Rem 7-1/2 primers. I'm loadin' with RCBS X dies so there's no trimming ... it's so simple it's almost too simple.

Tom

Try the Berger 35 gr Match HP with 28 gr of H4895.

Ever have any temp. sensitive issues with H335?

I ask because I have...but always when you chamber a round into an already Hot barrel from extended shooting, and let it sit a miute or two...pressures go crazy! Ive shot Sage rats out there, so I'm familiar with the kind of volume you are shooting...figured you might have seen this issue....

I am happy with the 40 NBT pushed by 27 grains of Varget in my 204 AR. Shot off bags it keeps 4 in 1/2", usually one opening it up to 3/4" which may be me speeding up the pace seeing the tight group.


This is in a gun that the factory says won't shoot anything over 39 grains.

Allen

Ingwe - the 40 VMax is very destructive on rock chucks. The 35 Berger somewhat less so, but still very effective.

A .204 is much fun to shoot, but I have to admit that I don't like handling the itty-bitty bullets when handloading. Still, a pound of powder does create a lot of ammo.

Guy

Soooo...it oughta give our Mt. Gophers a real "lift"....

I'm not sure. I definitely had a problem but there were several potential contributing factors. The firing pin hole in the bolt on my .204 is a little sloppy, I had a weak firing pin spring, I was using soft Fed 205M primers, and H335. Plus pushing my loads a little too hard.

In any event, I started out the day quite early (almost frosty) and shot up some leftover shells with H335, then switched to part boxes with other powder and finished those up. When I switched back to new shells with H335 (same load, I think ... it was a few years ago and I'm going by memory of how it all went down) the temp had gone up 25-30 degrees and I may have left my range bag w/ my ammo exposed to sun.

I fired a couple shots, no problem, then pierced a primer which vented back through the bolt and out through the trigger. WTF? Fired a few more shots w/o any problem, then it happened again. That f*cked the gun ... firing pin would not stay back. Basically it smacked the sear surface together hard enough to break one of them. The .204 was done for the day.

My gunsmith checked things out ... the firing pin spring was weak. He set me up with a GreTan firing pin plus a heavier than factory firing pin spring. I had to send the trigger back to Jewell for repair. And I switched to Rem 7-1/2 primers.

The firing pin hole is still a touch sloppy but I've put some thousands more rounds downrange without piercing another primer.

I just don't push the .204 anymore, not like I used to push the .223. Fixin' stuff is expensive and I don't like having my gun out of commission.

Tom

Thanks for that input...the issues Ive had were with middle of the road loads in a .223 and it did more than vent gas back through a ruptured primer, it damn near welded the case to the bolt face, all three times I saw it happen,we had to use pliers to get the case off the bolt..

In case you are wondering, once I would blame on a snafu in my reloading room, twice...never, the third time was a pard shooting a mid-load, and he's conscientious as all get out....

Always the same...shell sat for a couple minutes in a hot chamber...never an issue otherwise...

Lets see how I do describing what was happening to me.

Because the firing pin spring was weak, upon firing apparently the pin was being pushed back because each case had a little tit of primer face protruding back into the bolt face.

If the pressure went up just a teeny bit ... not necessarily excessive so far as what the gun would contain, but too much for the primer face metal to hold back w/o firing pin support, then that little tit got the top sliced open and the case full of powder would vent back through the bolt body.

I don't usually shoot my rifle to the point it gets hot, but when I do, I've always gotten that weird twitch and decided to clear the chamber so I don't have a powder charge heating up. Yeah, I think H335 would be among the worst that way.

Most of our shooting around here doesn't lead to really heating up a gun. A few times, but those were rare ... rarer than I wish. Its good fun when y' gotta defend yourself from wave after wave of marauding squirrely bastages.

Tom

You MAY, or may NOT, have issues with 40 Hornadys, they are a fuzz longer than the others at that weight range, and the twist rate (nominally 1-12") is very, VERY marginal for a bullet that long. My two .204s don't like 'em at all, they don't keyhole, but they shoot like poo. The 39 Sierra, a bit shorter, shoots great, but for publicity purposes, the .204 was designed for the 32s (4200FPS!!!!!!!) and the Hornady 40s might not be a good choice.
The differences don't look like much, but they sure make a difference in how they shoot. Here's a pic I took, that they use on www.204ruger.com , they liked it so much, they made it part of the site.

The best load for speed AND accuracy, with the heavier bullets, in my SAVAGE rifle, was/is 27.5 IMR4895/Rem 7.5 primer/Winchester cases, all under the 39 BlitzKings.

IF your rifle will shoot the 40 Hornadys, it'll shoot 'em like a house afire. If it doesn't like them, it'll shoot all to schitt. It all depends on the ACTUAL twist rate of the barrel. A lot of the factory pipes actually measure 1-12.25" twist or slower, not the stated 1-12". Savages, CZs, and some Remingtons are notorious about that. Ruger seems to be able to stick with the actual 1-12", or so the posters on that website seem to be seeing. I'd listen to 'em, they've been at it awhile now.

Load is duly noted...Thanks!!! Ive got a buttload of IMR 4895....

We will frequently heat a barrel to the point where you can't touch it, occasionally Ive heated the gun to the point where you couldnt touch the floorplate, and once we got a heavy Ruger bolt gun ( .223) so hot that it cooked off a round.

Soooooo...I kinda got to pay attention to what happens in a truly "hot" chamber....

ingwe, you are going to love that 204. I've got a 34gr. load, 35gr. load, 37gr. load, and a 45gr. load. My favorite is the 37gr. bullets by CRT with the Berger 35gr. a close 1st. I was using H4895, but recently switched to IMR 8208 XBR which I consider the 204's friend. After mouthing all of that, I'm still a 17 Rem. fan. 1st.

A recent critter that fell to the 204 and a 37gr. CRT bullet. No exit.

Your Ingwe-ness, if you get into trouble with the 40s, lemme know, and I'll scrounge up my 32gr. data for you. My rifles tend to like the 32s better than heavier bullets, YMMV, of course, but I've not had any issues hitting PDs with the 32s, even on the Rosebud, where the wind is always howling. I even shoot coyotes with the 32 Nosler BTs, it's a teeny-tiny hammer on dumb coyotes (the only ones I can get to sit still long enough to hit). I like the VMs pretty well, but the Sierras are a touch more tender on pasture rats, and the splatfactor is a little more noticeable with the green tips. The BTs splat 'em good, but are a touch "harder" than the VMaxes.

If you have to go 32, try H-322 or Benchmark, but H4895 will work, it just won't go as fast. H-322 is the ticket.........

OK thanks guys! You got me chomping at the bit...might even hafta do a little fur hunting next year.....


And yeah...it can be windy on the Rosebud...you oughta try the Rocky mountain front on for size! If the wind stops blopwing up there, all the cows fall down.,....

This is the first 100 yard group i shot from the AR-15 204 i built with a Shilen 1&9 twist. Sierra 39 gr BK , 26 gr H4895 , Rem 7.5 , Win Brass. Whistle Pig taken with same load at around 200 yards , never even moves after shot. DOA on the spot.

When my barrel and action are sitting at the smiths ( now..for instance...) you guys arent helping me qwell my anticipation!

If hunting Coyote fur is your passion, you are going to love that 204. It might be a perfect caliber for those hairy beasts, although the 17 Rem has a higher fun factor.

Some loads to ponder while you wait. All from the Bobcat smacker in the previous photo.





Not quite the groups bea175 displayed, but the best I can do with that light weight.

Those will do!

I'm I going to have to get a 204 now? Of course I'd go aftermarket tube, that factories twist it too slow.

They are great out to about 350, past that I go heavier, and keepin mind I use 39 grainers.

I routinely bang steel to 800 with mine......

.204 is a great fur gun and a pretty good killer...

K22,

What are your accuracy speeds with 8208 and the 35 Berger?

Thanks...

I haven't been able to get my Bolt Guns to shoot the groups i get from the AR'S . A well built AR never ceases to amaze me on how well they will shoot and group.

Curoius


Why is the 17 more fun than the 204?


I have both and I , for paper, haven't seen any difference although the 204 is 13# and the 17 is 10#...may have to shoot them side by side but suspect your reason for liking the 17 better is impact on a critters?


Thanks

Allen

I grab my 17 centerfire over my 20Tac just becuase it is more fur friendly on foxes. Call 10 fox to 1 coyote. I have fun with little calibers, but if I lived somewhere there was a pile of coyotes I would run a 22-250 and call it good

I have the 17 Remington , 204 Ruger and the 20 Practical and can't tell a whole lot of difference in the killing power of the three

Sorry I meant for Yotes when I said 300 max, for Pdogs I add some to that, but with Kansas winds I got with the 243 if I'm reaching out past 450-500.

A 7lb 18" midlength AR in .20 Vartarg is my "holy grail" of calling guns, just can't find anyone who is willing to build it.......Guess I'll just keep dreamin'....grin!


X-VERMINATOR

Because it has been my favorite caliber since my first one in "71". My 17 and 204 together wouldn't weigh what your 204 weighs.
With rifles that light, there is a noticeable difference in recoil between those 2 calibers. Slight, but noticeable. I'm sure that at 10 to 13 lbs. it would be hard to tell.

Thanks for the clarification.


I am going to the range tomorrow to try a possible "new" 204 and will warm up with the 17 ar . Should be a closer weight comparison.

Allen

all you should need would be a barrel , White Oaks should be able to help you with this

Ya 10-4, chambering a barrel is not the problem. Can't find someone to take on the full build. Seems no one is confident that they can make it feed.


X-VERMINATOR

Don't know bout ya'll but I've a dozen or so single shots.
and

Ya gotta love the 20's.

I've taken varmint, hogs and deer with my Cooper Classic in Tac 20 and 40 gr. v-max.



Shoots like a laser beam. Get 3850 +/- fps using 24.5 gr. Reloader 10x.

Lately I really become enamored of the 20 Vartarg.............

A short while back I was checking the zero on some "deer rifles" before I went to my lease.

Took my Cooper Model 21 Varminter in 20 VarTarg along for some "light entertainment" while waiting for the barrels to cool between groups.

Here are three different groups shot at 100 yds.

First two are 5 shot groups, each RL7.





The 10 shot group is H-4198.



Love those Coopers.



Cooper Model 21 Varminter, 20 VarTarg

I've had funcky issues with H 335 in the 223 also... I admit to never using it anymore... with a zillion other powders available for the 223, I just pick something else..
I had one gun messed up back enough TWICE with H 335 loads, that I ended up just giving it to a gunsmith buddy.. he wanted a 222, so he was more than happy to repair the action and replace the stock since it was all free...

I've burned up some of the H 335 I have left over, but with that, it has been with loads under what is listed as max.. in fact in the 223, I load it with 24 grains of H335 and a 50 grain bullet,

I shouldn't be so cheap... and just throw it out instead...

I think I have a pound and a half left..

too many freaky things have happened with H 335 to me, that I use anything else BUT H335...regardless if it has been a bread and butter powder for the 223 for eternity..