About the 204. ruger

Question

Does anyone own this gun? what do you use it on? do you like it and do you suggest it?

Answer 1

Did you realize shooting cormorants is a federal crime?  I don't think it should be, as they are an invasive species, but you shouldn't post that online just to be safe.

Answer 2

I do not own this gun.  It has good energy for a .20 caliber gun; and the terminal ballistics are similar to a .223. It is a high velocity varmint and predator rifle that is a flat shooter. Jeff Quinn at Gunblast.com usually offers up a fair review of firearms, and does so on this particular caliber of bullet and rifle. Below is a link to the site.

Answer 3

The .204 is a caliber designed to shoot varmints, at long range. In a 40  grain bullet it will fly 100 or so fps faster than the .223. In its 32 grain version it flys about 400 fps faster. The 32 grain round drops about 2 inches less than the .223 at 500 yards,

The .204 is a slightly slimmer bullet, and has a slightly better balistic coehificiemt, than the .223, but the difference is very small.

I do not own a .204, but have see that the ammo is expensive in comparison to the .223. Both rounds will require scope adjustments at 500 yards, so if I have to fiddle with the scope to make the shot, whats an extra 2 inches.

I did not see the point in adding this caliber to my collection of guns as that unless you reload, the ammo costs too much to shoot. I find that my AR style auto rifle shoots just as well as a my bolt, and I regularly practice 200 yard shooting with bulk military ammo. For long range varmints, I like the heavier bullets that buck wind better. My .223 guns handle bullets up to 75 grains with no problem making them good for coyote.

In all I guess that if you reload, and live where varnints are 500 yards out, and you require a light bullet that won't destroy a pelt, then the .204 reigns superior. I dont know too many shooters that do this, in fact, in the varmint hunting world, the most popular calibers are .223 for a short action, and a 22-250 for a long action.

No offence to those that own a .204, as that it is a great caliber, but often I think new calibers come out to sell new guns.

The .204 has a nitch that it fills, and unless you are in that nitch, it really is not the best caliber. I assume that you are not in that nitch otherwise, you would not have the question.

To the guy who does not like his bushmaster, I find my bushmaster to be very good at long range; I own a 16 inch commando carbine. It however pales in comparison to the Armalite T model I shoot. Trade up, and you will never look back.

PS I do own a few handi rifles too, and if you were to get a .204 and did not like it, you could buy a new barrel in an array of calibers for your shooting fun.

Hope this helps.

Answer 4

I have an NEA Handi-rifle in ruger .204 Its a single shot, but realistically, thats all thats ever needed.  After it goes "boom" whatever you were shooting at runs away if you don't kill it.

The handi-rifle is short and slips in and out of my truck window easily. I've found no adverse problems due to the shorter barrel.  The round itself is awesome, I usually use the Hornaday 40 gain bullets, but have seen them as low as 25gr. and as large as .60 gr.  I can consistently make 250 yard shots with this weapon/round.  

I use mine for predator/varmint control on the farm. I shoot cormorants, herons, otters, 'yotes, 'coons, etc with it.  I prefer it over my Bushmaster .223 carbine, which I feel has never been that accurate ( my particulari rifle, not the weapon in general).