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.204 Ruger
I am wanting to get a rifle in the .204 Ruger, but the cheapest I could find so far is almost 60 cents per round.
As I would be using this for non-comp target shooting, that's a bit high. So my question is, what can I expect to pay in reloading .204, and/or where are good places to find low priced .204 Ruger ammo?? Thank you for your help. |
RE: .204 Ruger
204 costs about the same as 223 to reload, for a middle of the road costing reloads say using H4895 powder and sierra game kings comes out to 22 cents a shot not including the cost of the brass assuming you are loading once fired casings, if you buy new brass then add another 12 cents per shot which would put you up to 34 cents per shot. good luck
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RE: .204 Ruger
Hi Jade:
My .204 ruger loads come in at $.22 each. The problem, at least for the time being, is the least expensive bullet is the 32gr Hornady vmax at about $.12 each, 50%+ of the cost. If Rem or Win comes out with bulk bullets, I could get the cost down to about $.14 each. These costs will come down a few cents as I was paying a fortune for once-fired cases. Midway now has 500 case packages of unfired win brass for about $65. Good luck CE |
RE: .204 Ruger
So if I hold off buying the gun untill the end of summer or early fall, would that allow time for the costs to drop?
I'm also considering the same rifle in .223, are the eloading costs similer? |
RE: .204 Ruger
Hi Jade:
I don't know if anyone will actually produce a $.05 bullet for the .204 (like the Rem 55 gr PSP, $94.99/2000). I checked the price, and these bullets went up $15/2000 since I bought them last, at Midway. The advantage of the .223 is that you can purchase once fired Lake City cases for something like $30/1000. If you can get along with once-fired cases, the .204 will always cost considerably more than the .223 to reload. I like the .204, but there isn't much performance difference between them. The .223 is probably going to be better for your situation. CE |
RE: .204 Ruger
Okay, thanks a lot CE.
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RE: .204 Ruger
You need to ask if the .204 really offers you something the .223 don't....
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RE: .204 Ruger
I tried to talk my brother out of a 204, but was really impressed by its perfromance 200 yards and above. You got speed, you got amazing flatness. And claims about 223 barrel life. I ain't buyin that one though. I was really sceptical about the flatness until I shot it.
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RE: .204 Ruger
id dont care for the 204 much and would deffinately choose the 223 over it anyday, as for being flatter shooting yeah it is flatter shooting then a .223. but any skilled shooter who knows how to use hold over techniques can easily make up the difference in trajectories.
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RE: .204 Ruger
The price of shootign pretty much decided for me, At this point I'll probably go with the .223 Rem. However, by the end of spring things may have changed, so we will see.
My shooting budget has to work around a shotgun in the near future, so the new rifle is on hold untill after that. |
RE: .204 Ruger
HDW, did it not shoot well for you? Or you just don't like it for other reasons. Hold over techniques are ok. But when firing at something in a hurry, its a poor tradeoff for flattness IMO. I love the .223 but love new toys with a new twist also.
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RE: .204 Ruger
Agreed, something new and different then most would be nice.
But as it stands, the .223 looks like it will be the choice. |
RE: .204 Ruger
ORIGINAL: bigcountry HDW, did it not shoot well for you? Or you just don't like it for other reasons. Hold over techniques are ok. But when firing at something in a hurry, its a poor tradeoff for flattness IMO. I love the .223 but love new toys with a new twist also. the rifle i shot was a buddies kimber the accuracy was great, I dont like it for other reasons. for example the big hype is that its shoots over 4000 fps big whoopty doo i can think of 3 other cartridges right off the top of my head that are capable of that same velocity with heavier bullets and higher ballistic coefficients that would be just as flat shooting and in most cases flatter shooting to longer distances. to me the 204 is just another salesman cartridge like the WSM's and WSSM's, you know something new to boost sales..... also i havent seen any real advantages of the 204 that would make me choose it over my favored 22-250. |
RE: .204 Ruger
it over my favored 22-250 Everybody likes to use the word hype. I am not sure why people don't like new offerings. I figured they would be glad to have choices. Choices are good. I say bring on more products. I was reading a while back some articles in old Rifle mags when the 300win mag came out. The word hype was there in several postings. People all upset saying a 30-06 is much better. Then ammo price. If everyone had that attitude of always looking back, we would never advance in anything in america. Its like plasma TVs. People complain about the price and saying theres better out there. Current draw, whatever. But with any new technology, you have to start somewhere. The price will go down, the performance will improve, the heat and current draw will be at a more managable rates. Usually high end buyers are the ones that pay for development, so later you only pay for components. Same with WSM's. |
RE: .204 Ruger
ORIGINAL: bigcountry it over my favored 22-250 Everybody likes to use the word hype. I am not sure why people don't like new offerings. I figured they would be glad to have choices. Choices are good. I say bring on more products. I was reading a while back some articles in old Rifle mags when the 300win mag came out. The word hype was there in several postings. People all upset saying a 30-06 is much better. Then ammo price. If everyone had that attitude of always looking back, we would never advance in anything in america. Its like plasma TVs. People complain about the price and saying theres better out there. Current draw, whatever. But with any new technology, you have to start somewhere. The price will go down, the performance will improve, the heat and current draw will be at a more managable rates. Usually high end buyers are the ones that pay for development, so later you only pay for components. Same with WSM's. I have to agree with you, you made a very valid point. maybe after its been around for awhile and i get more experience with it my attitude will change. But like ive said before in other posts i am very discriminant when it comes to new stuff. but i dont really see the 204 having less effect on barrel wear compared to the 22-250 being that they both share similar friction resistance in the barrel along with similar velocities so that being said asfar as barrel wear goes i feel they will be about the same. |
RE: .204 Ruger
i get more experience with it my attitude will change. I admit, I got one for my brother, but have went to buy one for myself, then backed out. |
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