What caliber?
#2
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 567
RE: What caliber?
How much will you practice? 223 will be the cheapest to shoot
Will you ever want to deer or antelope hunt? 243 would be better
What is the longest shot you will take?
Do you reload? I do, and prefer the .243 with 55-70 gr pills for yotes and prairie dogs.
Some will disagree with me, but I feel like the .204 ruger is a specialty gun that may be a fad. They are more expensive to shoot and ammo availability and choices are somewhat limited.
Will you ever want to deer or antelope hunt? 243 would be better
What is the longest shot you will take?
Do you reload? I do, and prefer the .243 with 55-70 gr pills for yotes and prairie dogs.
Some will disagree with me, but I feel like the .204 ruger is a specialty gun that may be a fad. They are more expensive to shoot and ammo availability and choices are somewhat limited.
#4
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: kentucky
Posts: 577
RE: What caliber?
for ranges out to 300 yards I use my 223 on anything up to coyote size animals this caliber has enough power to kill them quickly and is accurate in every rifle that I have ever owned.For a multi-purpose rifle for big game up to deer size animals and smaller the 243 is great,you can kill a coyote at 5 to 600 yards(if you can hit it,they look pretty small that far away)and take a whitetail up to 350 or so with good shot pacement(368 is my longest shot,nikon rangefinder,rem.700 sps 243 cal.,whitetail doe) and not worry about long tracking jobs.I have no guns chambered in 204,but ballists show it to be flat shooting and powerful enough for coyote sized animals,the cartridge is based on a 223 that is necked down to .2045 if I am right,the smaller bullit gets greater velocities than the other two but as a downfall it losses energy quicker,you decide which is best for your type of hunting for extreme long range varmints and predators the 243 would be at the top of the list for me,you might also look at the 22-250 it is about the same as the 204 but its been around a lot longer,the 223 is the cheapest to shoot ammo is about half as much as the others and for target shooting you can easily find full metal jacket ammo. for it cheap.Hope this helps.CALL'EM IN CLOSE AND KILL'EM ALL
#5
RE: What caliber?
the cartridge is based on a 223 that is necked down
but I feel like the .204 ruger is a specialty gun that may be a fad.
InYourOpinion, what "specialty" purpose was the .204 meant for?
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: kentucky
Posts: 577
RE: What caliber?
howler I think we are both correct the 223 was also made from the 222 and originally called the 222special before it became the 223rem that we know today.anyway all these small calibers are great performers in accurate rifles,and the coyote cant tell any difference from a 14caliber wildcat to a 243,when you pick his dead carcass up he is still dead.CALL'EM IN CLOSE AND KILL'EM ALL
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 567
RE: What caliber?
Howler--I was referring to the.204 as a speciality becauseit is truly a varmint round. Where as the .223 is an affordable plinker and a .243 is a commonvarmint/deer round. I don't have any problem with withrare, fads, or specialityrounds. I load for my 6mm-06and 25-308.Those arewildcats that aren't any better or as practical as a .243, 25-06, 260, but their mine and I like them.
I was just making a suggestion. Without knowing whatSolo already has, it is hard to suggest. If a person aready has a 25-06 or 260, then I would say go with the .204, but if this is a 1st rifle, probably a .223.
My varmint guns include a 17 hmr, 218 bee, .243, 6mm-06, and 25-308. I just traded my .223 for a donor action and traded a .222 for a .308. Hopefully will add an AR to the collection in the next year.
I was just making a suggestion. Without knowing whatSolo already has, it is hard to suggest. If a person aready has a 25-06 or 260, then I would say go with the .204, but if this is a 1st rifle, probably a .223.
My varmint guns include a 17 hmr, 218 bee, .243, 6mm-06, and 25-308. I just traded my .223 for a donor action and traded a .222 for a .308. Hopefully will add an AR to the collection in the next year.