lets talk .204

[crank]

I have 5 hours of watch and a computer. I am planning to order up a CZ527 varmint in .204 Ruger within the next couple of weeks, but would like any feedback on some of the other contemporaries ie. Remington,Savage, etc... I have not seen anyone recently discussing this caliber and I am surprised that there has not been a larger interest. If you own something in this caliber I would appreciate your feedback as the only firsthand account has been a friend of mine I see infrequently and who has yet to produce any test targets. He swears his Savage and then his CZ have both been possesed of unnatural accuracy. I am a stubborn S.O.B. that loves itty-bitty calibers but doesn't trust a single opinion. I want to expand the opinion base on this one.
Thanks
Mark

[imported_lunde]

I have a rifle in this caliber (Cooper Arms M21 Montana Varminter), and have two more rifles (Cooper Arms M21 Phoenix and Dakota Arms Serious Predator) on the way. I wrote up my summer's varmint hunting experiences for the 6mmBR.com web site. See: http://www.6mmbr.com/gunweek047.html

[HEUER]

The 204 is fast and flat, but I think that the .223 Remington round can do just about everything that the .204 can do. There also many option as far as factory loaded ammo in 223 from varmint loads to tactical rounds at reasonable prices. The CZ and Savage are excellent choices, I lean towards the Remington 700 VSSF / PSS. If you don't care about ammo prices and variety, then the .204 may be for you.

[crank]

Outstanding article and a strong incentive to save some money to order one. I have always admired their rifles but the price tag has kept me at bay because the few people that I have met that own one do not seem to be particularly dedicated shooters. This led me to hold off because I felt that the rifles were not being shot to their potential and I wondered if they were as capable as they appeared. I have recently undergone a radical change in my attitudes towards buying and now I am finding myself leaning heavily towards new, higher quality arms than the workhorses I typically owned. I must be suffering from a midlife crisis.
Thanks
Mark

[imported_lunde]

If you reload, .204 Ruger ammo availability doesn't matter much. If you don't reload, and don't plan to, going with .223 instead is wise.

I use the Sierra 32gr BlitzKing bullet, and because it's working so well, I doubt that I'll try anything else, either a heavier bullet weight, such as the 39gr offering, or another brand, such as the Hornady V-Max.

I used both .223 and .204 Ruger this summer, in the field, and found that .204 Ruger, even with the light 32gr bullet, was flatter shooting and bucked the wind better than my 40gr bullets (.223).

[crank]

I will probably only run factory through any new rifle simply to break in the barrel. I shoot very little now (active-duty Navy) but I won't skimp on ammo or optics. I have been gunsmithing for almost two decades and have seen too many great rifles hobbled by inferior ammo or optics. I don't have my shop set up anymore and I am not as free to rework stuff as extensively as I used to. My recent purchase of a new CZ452 17HMR only further endeared their product to me. That is why they are my top choice for value and outstanding accuracy. Although I wish they would offer the synthetic stock with the .204 chambering.(yes, wood is beautiful but I might scratch it and cry). I do know that I have a fanatical passion for putting together ammo that will be as "blueprinted " as I can get. I agree with the choice of the 32gr bullet as it maximizes the velocity advantage and will probably do the same. If I want heavy, there is always my .375H&H which will hopefully perform well with a 270gr BT. I wish to acknowledge and thank Heuer for his reply regarding the .223 but I have owned them in the past and respect the cartridge but have little interest for rebuilding my diminutive collection. My eventual spread on centerfire calibers will be .204,.308,8x57,30-06,.375H&H and .408 Chey-tac. Now as any self-respecting afficionado will admit these are subject to change if something calls to me but this is what I want. although the .375 will get rebarreled to .338 Lapua at the first sign of poor accuracy. I have become very fickle after working on thousands of customers weapons and seeing all the better mousetraps that people swore would be the ticket for the ultimate rifle. Gotta have some variety but not too much when your wallet is light more often than not.
Mark

[C.G.]

Originally posted by shaw:
My eventual spread on centerfire calibers will be .204,.308,8x57,30-06,.375H&H and .408 Chey-tac. Now as any self-respecting afficionado will admit these are subject to change if something calls to me but this is what I want. although the .375 will get rebarreled to .338 Lapua at the first sign of poor accuracy. I have become very fickle after working on thousands of customers weapons and seeing all the better mousetraps that people swore would be the ticket for the ultimate rifle. Gotta have some variety but not too much when your wallet is light more often than not.
Mark

Now here are two calibers in which I am interested: .408 Chey-Tac and .338 Lapua. I am not sure if I can afford to shoot them, though. Have you thought of 6.5 Grendel? It has a relatively flat trajectory and at the moment shoots better than I do.

[crank]

Sorry I ducked out for a bit. I do like 6.5 caliber but don't have a need to evenly fill my caliber requirements. The spread I laid out is for some overlap in the .30 and .323 bores but that is because the rifles are all very varied in application. At the extremes of calibers these will be dedicated to heavy barrels for long haul shooting but the middle ground will be varied for those rare opputunities when I actually lug the darn thing afield for hunting or more paper punching. I forgot to mention I have a .44Mag Ruger bolt gun as a short range thump. I did the two fridge-sized safes full of long guns years ago and now I am focusing hard on only owning what I can enjoy rather than say I have one of everything.
Mark

[imported_lunde]

BTW, First Stop Guns (in Rapid City, South Dakota) listed just today a Cooper Arms M21 Varminter in .204 Ruger for $1049. Very nice wood on it. See: http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976633271.htm