Why is the 204 Ruger so good

[wraith]

well i sold my 243 and purchased a 204 for foxing i have a 7mm for deer just what is it about the 204 that is so good since the time i have owned it not one fox has so much as flinched when shot click thud dead got two good foxes tonight that were close to 300yards and both fell instantley using 39g blitzkings at 3800fps im just blown away how good the caliber is i was going to make a drop chart for it but so far its just point and shoot just fitted a bifrost stock to it and its now one ragged hole at 100yards its a t3 supervarmintwith a sightron s3 scope and a stalon mod cant say enughf good things about it its the most fun i have had shooting in years

 

[Longstrider]

Welcome to the dark side padowan Awesome little things the .204's aren't they? ! I think it's the fact that such a small bullet does exactly what it's meant to do that gets you every time. I launch 32 grainers from my.204 and like you say, foxes only ever move via gravity after you squeeze the shot off. Massive hydrostatic shock is being imparted due to the very high velocity of the bullet. Trajectory almost like a laser too. What's not to like ?

 

[palo]

Back in 2005 I had just sold my 220 swift and went to my local dealer to order a sako varmint in 243.
When he ordered it they told him it would be 9 months before he would get it.
I was disappointed and didn't want to be without a foxing rifle for so long so had a look around the shop and spotted a new ruger varmint in 204.
I knew very little about the calibre at the time as it was so new but I decided to buy it to keep me going until the sako arrived.
I was also blown away with the performance of the cartridge. It was just as effective as my 220 swift but there was no recoil of muzzle flip and I could see all my hits through the scope.
I still have a 204 today, it's a Remmy action lothar barrel in a krg bravo stock and it's great. I think it's the perfect calibre for fox shooting at night . I just set mine 1 inch high at 100 yards and it's just point and shoot out to about 300 yards.
It is also a very accurate cartridge. My ruger varmint was just as accurate as the rifle I have now. I managed a few groups around 1.5 inches with it at 400 yards on calm days.

 

[wraith]

my god is there onley three members on hear with this sweet little gun go out and buy one try one you will not be disapointed

 

[User00033]

There will be more, many of whom will have learned that as soon as a light breeze arrives, things turn to custard!

 

[oowee]

And we cann

There will be more, many of whom will have learned that as soon as a light breeze arrives, things turn to custard!

And it's not legal for the non red fox.

 

[Dickturpin]

I have a t3x in 204...settled on 32 grains at just under 3800 FPS....awesomely accurate combo.....bought in haste but wonder why tikka don't offer a longer barrel

 

[Claret_Dabbler]

I have an old Sako S491 rebarrelled in 204. Lovely rifle, I prefer the 39/40 grain bullets. Very flat shooting and not bad in the wind.

My son loves it, I'll have to give it to him some of these days.

 

[wraith]

And we cann

And it's not legal for the non red fox.

can you explain non red fox 204 can be used on foxes and roe deer in scotland if you can meat the recwirements

 

[oowee]

can you explain non red fox 204 can be used on foxes and roe deer in scotland if you can meat the recwirements

Meles Meles on licence minimum calibre .22 c/f

 

[mealiejimmy]

Meles Meles on licence minimum calibre .22 c/f

There is no minimum calibre for roe deer in Scotland
The requirements are:
a. minimum 50 grain expanding bullet designed to deform in a predictable manner
b, minimum muzzle velocity of 2450 ft/sec
c. minimum muzzle energy of 1000 ftlbs
A 204 can certainly meet the muzzle velocity and muzzle energy requirements, but try finding 50 grain bullets !!
If you can find them, they almost certainly won't group in any of the typical twist rates offered in off the shelf rifles.
So, in practice, 22 centerfires are the smallest practical calibre for roe in Scotland

Cheers

Bruce

 

[oowee]

Roe?

There is no minimum calibre for roe deer in Scotland
The requirements are:
a. minimum 50 grain expanding bullet designed to deform in a predictable manner
b, minimum muzzle velocity of 2450 ft/sec
c. minimum muzzle energy of 1000 ftlbs
A 204 can certainly meet the muzzle velocity and muzzle energy requirements, but try finding 50 grain bullets !!
If you can find them, they almost certainly won't group in any of the typical twist rates offered in off the shelf rifles.
So, in practice, 22 centerfires are the smallest practical calibre for roe in Scotland

Cheers

Bruce

Roe? Black and white ones ?

 

[Andy RV]

I don’t think they’ve twigged on!.... Speaking from experience there’s more reliable calibres than the .22 centerfires for black and white foxes for anything other than true broadside shots, nevermind .20”.

 

[mealiejimmy]

We don't have (as yet) badger culls in Scotland, but please enlighten me
In England where there are badger culls what are the requirements;
calibre, bullet, weight, MV, ME??


Cheers

Bruce

 

[SussexSteve]

Great calibre I’ve had 3 over the last few years and shot a few a thousand plus foxes with it. Still prefer my 243 though

 

[User00033]

I gave up with the 204 Ruger after three eventful years shooting foxes, dogs, rabbits and cats in Australia. Due to the licensing laws in Aus I couldn't get two rifles of the same calibre / cartridge at the same time, so we ended up buying three Tikka Super Varmints in one hit between me and the wife. .204, .223 1:8" twist, .223 1:12" twist. I had been sold on the idea of the .204 by my cuz. It was a mistake.

Bottom line was that the .204 Ruger was fantastic as long as it was dead still. But as soon as the light breezes picked up, it got difficult at the ranges we were forced to shoot due to the wide open, flat terrain. Because it was more of a job than "sporting chance", being pest control, success rates mattered, especially on the foxes. There were a few bad hits with the .204 which didn't go down well, and after a short while it was relegated to shooting rabbits only, because on bunnies it was either a clean miss or death, no halfway inbetween.

The .223s with 55gr and 75gr bullets were considerably more effective in the fickle winds.

 

[Blacknsilver]

I love the .204. Couples with the .243 it covers most of what I want. Even with a breeze picking up because it gets the in a speedy fashion it doesn’t move as much as you think.
So for night time foxing and your distance ranging may be off a little it compensates well. At night at sensible ranges it’s the go to round.
Zero recoil is so nice to see the out come. Noise isn’t much more than the HMR. If you have never shot one then try it. They are a one trick pony. But the trick they do they do it well.

 

[nightcrow]

We don't have (as yet) badger culls in Scotland, but please enlighten me
In England where there are badger culls what are the requirements;
calibre, bullet, weight, MV, ME??


Cheers

Bruce

I think 50gn .222 rem is the minimum.

 

[purdeydog]

There will be more, many of whom will have learned that as soon as a light breeze arrives, things turn to custard!

Out of interest what bullets were you using and distances did you notice the wind affecting your 204 and the custard arriving.

 

[C.J]

We don't have (as yet) badger culls in Scotland, but please enlighten me
In England where there are badger culls what are the requirements;
calibre, bullet, weight, MV, ME??


Cheers

Bruce

The firearms/ammunition permitted under licence are limited to the following • Rifles: a minimum of .22 centre-fire calibre, with minimum bullet weight of 50 grains and minimum muzzle energy of 1000 footpounds

Taken from the controlled shooting guidelines and ammunition should be expanding.

Maybe @dodgyknees would like to comment