.204 The .204 ruger is a awesome round. Necking down .222 mag cases down to .20 was a great idea. HOWEVER,I still like the old .220 swift and especially the improved version of it personally.
It`s a great round for varments, if you chose the correct bullets. Mine love the 32 gn. and 39 gn. Serrias and they prefor excellent on groundhogs, but are to thin skinned for coyote. I have heard guy telling about their kills with the Hornady bullets, but from what I`ve seen of them in groundhog I would not use them eather. I believe the bullet of choice for coyote with this round is the 35 gn Berger.
I have to agree with you on the coyote hunting, anything moving that fast and that light must turn to dust on impact, I'm sure they will come out with a solid copper or somthing for penetration in time.
Husband reloads for his Ruger 204 and put 6 shots in two holes that both together could be covered by a quarter. Dang that this is accurate.
Bunny, My CZ will put 5 of the 32 gn. Serrias under a nickel, but they still won`t kill a coyote unless you can put it in his chest from the side. My .22-6mm won`t do quite that good, but it will drive an 80 gn. .22 cal. bullet through a coyote from end to end at 500 yrds. plus.
3 .204 Ruger I own 3 guns in .204 ruger. A stainless #1 Ruger varminter,Encore 15'' T/C,And a super accurate Cooper arms Montana Varminter! Coyote's have succumed to all three guns. The Cooper is by far the most acurate out the box rifle I have ever owned! Last week I traveled from Montana to New mex. with the Cooper. All yote's Tipped over instantally with 32 gr. blitz king's. I have friends that live in S.W. Wyo. and they thought it was too light a caliber. I made believer's of them! AWSOME Coyote round! By the way, ALL shots were beyond 300 yds! Mueller 5x25 super fine hairs with1 moa dot illuminated Erraticator scope.
I personaly do not believe in barrel burn out much any more. I had a 220 Swift that had well over 1000 rounds down the tube it still would put 5 shots into the low .3" 52gr SMK were the ones this rifle liked the best. Will it happen I am sure it will but I think the 1000 round mark is a little low, unless you are shooting something like the 22-6mmAI that thing will fling an 80gr SMK out there blazing fast. My dad 204 Ruger M77MkII will put 5 40gr Hornady factory loads in to a .3" group.
Catfisher, How many is ALL. I love the 32 gn. SBK`s but only for groundhogs and smaller. I`m not a hide hunter so big holes don`t bother me and I`ve seen 1 get up and go 35 yrds. with an 8 in. hole in her belly. You had to place every shot through the ribs into the vitiales, I want to kill them from any angle.
I reload the 32 Gr V-Max and 39 Gr Blitzking bullets to shoot in a Ruger 77 Target Varmint Gray varmint rifle. A Leupold 6-18 scope is on the rifle. 0.6 inch 100 yard five shot groups with mild powder loads are common . I reload for accuracy not bullet speed for any of my rifles. Since getting the 204 Ruger rifle my two 223 Rem , 221 Fireball, 22-250,and 220 Swift rifles are not shot much when I go prairie dog shooting. Now my main prairie dog rifles are a 17 HMR, 17 Fireball and 204 Ruger. I like low muzzle blast and recoil of the 17s and 204 Ruger rounds.
