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204 Ruger for Coyotes

Old 04-01-2013, 06:51 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by CalHunter
There's some truth in that and some not. Advertising does try to sell you on some wazoo super expensive gear because that makes them money. Lots of authors write all about the name brand (expensive) gear they use in a hunting article when you could do the same with your grandpa's rifle, jeans and a comfortable flannel shirt.

On the other hand, using the above logic about only needing one rifle could be extrapolated to mean you only need one size and type of bullet, etc. Carried to an illogical extreme, you only need grandpa's 30-06 for deer, rabbit and pheasant hunting, etc.

For us gun nuts, that would be pure torture, having to own only one gun. There's probably a happy medium somewhere for everybody, depending on your checkbook and how many guns you "just have to own because."

So if you're a 1-gun hunting guru, more power to you. If you're a gun nut with an unlimited size checkbook, that's a nice place to be. And if you're like the rest of us who have some financial limitations but still like to acquire new guns & calibers "just cause," do your research and enjoy that special feeling of buying another gun.
CalHunter, thank you for the comments and I agree with everything you said.

Everybody has their "thing" and mine happens to be guns, hunting, and fishing (like several other people on the forum). Guns are my hobby and an investment. I enjoy learning about them, taking care of them, and adding new components. One day, I look forward to passing them down to my kids. Sadly, I'm not a gun nut with an unlimited checkbook (come on powerball ticket! ), but I do what I can and within reason. Like a lot of guys I know, I work very hard so that I can more than meet all of my husband and father duties and pay cash for every gun I own. Plus, I'm grateful to live in a country where we can buy almost any gun we want. It's fun and rewarding and I look forward to the next one!

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Old 04-02-2013, 10:40 AM
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I know what you mean. It's just plain fun to play around with different calibers and rifles. If you handload, the possibilities seem almost endless. Part of the fun is experimenting and finding out how well something works or how much you can dial it in. Enjoy and let us know how that 204 works out.
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Old 04-02-2013, 05:02 PM
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Just got it today! I plan to put a scope on it and dial it in this week and take it out this weekend. Hopefully, I can follow up Sunday or Monday with pic's of some yote's.

I don't reload yet, but I've been thinking about starting. I think it would be fun. When I do, expect some questions from me on this forum!
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Old 04-03-2013, 03:38 PM
  #24  
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Jfarleyx....You can find the Blitz King Bullets at www.sierrabullets.com for reloading and go to any major Site/Store and find Federal Loaded Sierra Bullets and for lots of info on the .204 Caliber go to www.204ruger.com for lots of help on reloading or Shooting the .204 Rifles!
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Old 02-09-2014, 05:30 PM
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40grain hornady vmax I will challenge any 223 shooter to put more groups tighter than 204 ruger. 22-250 is closest thing and research aling with experienxe will teach you. It may not blow the hind quarters out but your yote isnt goin far. I will put my tc dimension 204 to any 223. Ive shot 223 for years in military, yeah open sight but Ive learned the 204 retains more KE. If 223 is your style so be it but don't believe the na sayers just because they "don't know".
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Old 02-10-2014, 08:21 AM
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Originally Posted by K9 fever
Ive shot 223 for years in military, yeah open sight but Ive learned the 204 retains more KE. If 223 is your style so be it but don't believe the na sayers just because they "don't know".
God bless the information age, or rather, the MIS-information age.

If you're talking the 40grn V-max factory round, using the Super-performance powder, then sure, it has higher energy down range than a standard 223rem. BUT, sitting next to 223rem Super-Performance rounds, the .223rem wins out on downrange energy.

The .223rem loads carry over 15% more downrange momentum than the .204 (17-19%).

Let alone, let's talk about playing with light bullets at long ranges in general. If you're shooting a 223rem at "long range" then you know enough to increase your bullet weights. 75grn .223rem Hornady Super-performance has 25% more energy at 300yrds than the 40grn Hornady SP .204R. Wind drift and responsiveness with the little pills start getting hairy as well.

Not knocking the .204R, it's a great round, and I'd recommend it to coyote callers at any turn. But let's not lie and try to make it into something it's not.
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Old 02-10-2014, 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by K9 fever
40grain hornady vmax I will challenge any 223 shooter to put more groups tighter than 204 ruger. 22-250 is closest thing and research aling with experienxe will teach you. It may not blow the hind quarters out but your yote isnt goin far. I will put my tc dimension 204 to any 223. Ive shot 223 for years in military, yeah open sight but Ive learned the 204 retains more KE. If 223 is your style so be it but don't believe the na sayers just because they "don't know".
At long range BC outruns velocity every time, check the BC of the 75 gr. A-Max and Berger VLD's.
RR
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Old 02-10-2014, 03:41 PM
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I know that ...Deleted by CalHunter..., Mr. Nomercy all you need to do is go to hornady website. 29inch drop at 500yds 204. 39 inch drop with same 40grain weight for 223. So who is misinformed. Oh yeah more energy down range. And the last but most important point, less wind drift for the 204 due to better vallistic co. If you cant put the first round in the target use your 223 semi auto to plunk away till u hit right.

Last edited by CalHunter; 02-12-2014 at 01:31 PM.
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Old 02-10-2014, 04:49 PM
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Originally Posted by K9 fever
I know that ...Deleted by CalHunter..., Mr. Nomercy all you need to do is go to hornady website. 29inch drop at 500yds 204. 39 inch drop with same 40grain weight for 223. So who is misinformed. Oh yeah more energy down range. And the last but most important point, less wind drift for the 204 due to better vallistic co. If you cant put the first round in the target use your 223 semi auto to plunk away till u hit right.
Look man, you cannot compare a 40 gr. 20 cal to a 40 gr. 224 cal bullet, it's not apples to apples, due to the SD, the 40 is a heavyweight in 20 cal, and a lightweight in the .224 class. My guess is you have no clue about long range ballistics, but you think you do. That vallistic co. You mentioned, is actually ballistic coefficient a simple measurement of how well a bullet slips through the air, compare the 40 gr. 20 to a 75 gr. 224, I have a 20 tac (the clone of the 204 on a 223 case) I shoot a lot at beyond 500 yards, but not with a 20 cal.
RR

Last edited by CalHunter; 02-12-2014 at 01:31 PM.
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Old 02-10-2014, 04:53 PM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by K9 fever
...all you need to do is go to hornady website.
I remember my first beer...

To help alleviate your misinformation...

Comparing the 40grn loads in 204R and 223rem is a moot point, mostly because there is no reason to use a lowly 40grn pill out of the 223rem for coyotes, whereas 40grns is about is heavy as you'll find for the .204R. If you're worried about downrange energy, 40 or 45grn pills is the best you'll get out of the .204R, whereas you can FAR exceed that performance in a .223rem with heavier pills.

Beyond that, take your own advice, to to Hornady's website and learn about their Super-Performance powders, and loads using them.

Hornady Super-Performance Ammo and Powder

Comparing the 40grn Super Performance .204R V-max to the .223rem 40grn Single base .223rem "standard load" is apples and oranges. Similarly, take a look at the energy of the 40grn SP vs the 45grn standard load listed for Hornady. ~50 extra ft.lbs. at the muzzle, doesn't that make you ask questions?

Without a doubt, Super Performance loads in the .204R can catch up to LIGHT BULLET loads in the .223rem, but if you factor ANY OTHER POWDER, in other words, use a standard load, the .204R falls behind. Standard loads in the .204R will run 3800-3850fps (reading straight from Hornady's published data), compared to the published 3900fps for the 40grn pill with Super-Performance powder.

Compare apples to apples, either using both standard powder or super performance powder in both rounds and high BC bullets in both rounds, and the .223rem Smashes your .204R.

We had another new user making this same arguement around here a few months back comparing the .270win to the .30-06 (or was it .308?), also confused about what the "Super-Performance" meant, and inappropriately selecting superlight bullets in one and an "ideal bullet weight" in the other.

I'll gladly lay down a rifle on a firing line beside that Dimension of yours at 500yrds on any day and we can discuss the long range performance of your 40grn .204R. Shall I bring my .45-70 to give you a sporting chance?

Welcome to the party.

Last edited by Nomercy448; 02-10-2014 at 04:58 PM.
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