Ruger 204

Buckeye Bill · Dec 18, 2011

Hello,
Friend has a Thompson Center Encore rifle with a 204 barrel on it. He is looking for some cash at Christmas time. I enjoy the T/C platforms and own both pistol and rifle configurations.

I have never fired a rifle in Ruger 204. Any fans of this round out there? Would not be reloading it but would buy factory ammunition.

I do hunt predators and might like to include this rifle in my harem of shooters.

Is the Ruger 204 here to stay?

mattsbox99 · Dec 18, 2011

I believe it'll stick around.

I have a Rem 700 in .204. Its got almost no recoil and if you're using less than 10x magnification, the sights will stay on target through recoil so you can see the impact on prairie dogs. Its remarkably flat shooting, on par with the .220 Swift. Less recoil and far cheaper to shoot than the Swift. I reload for mine, but I think factory ammunition is on par with .223 varmint loads.

Divernhunter · Dec 18, 2011

I would say it is here to stay. I have one in a Savage varmit and really like it. Factory ammo is really good and it is very hard to actually get reloads to shoot as fast.

Buckeye Bill · Dec 18, 2011

In have an AR with a 20 inch heavy barrel and I can also watch the round impact without much recoil. What the heck, I think I will move on it. The price is right and he can use the cash. I have a scope that might work well for this set up. Thanks for the info.

mattsbox99 · Dec 18, 2011

You won't regret it, its a fun cartridge. Its got surprising knock down. I shot a muley doe with mine several years ago.

picketpin · Dec 18, 2011

I shoot/shot various 17s for a bunch a years. Essentually the 204 offers what the 17 Remington does but with a slightly heavier bullet.

The big selling point it the virtual lack of recoil. With the 32-34 grain factory ammo and just about any sporting rifle there is so little recail that you can watch the bullet hits and not be carried off target in the scope all the way up to about 18 power.

There is JUST enough recoil in most rifles with the 42-45 grain bullets to carry you off target under the ever so slightly higher recoil.

The thing shoots FLAT, or at least out to 250 or so. Those tiny little pills have a terrible BC and shed velocity really fast. But if you hold the shots within 250-300 yards max you will be pleased.

I've killed quite a few ground squirrels with the 204 and the occassional coyote inside 250. The light bullt just goes in, makes a tiny hole and blows up. Seldom and exit hole on anything as big as a badger or coyote. It blows squirrels and jack rabbits all over the sage brush. ;-)

It has reached the "It'll be around for a while" group when it was accepted and chambered by multiple national manufacturers.

Unlike the most of the Ruger propriatary cartridges still made only in Rugers, it'll be here twenty years from now.

I own 3 of the them. An "AB" #1 as a walk around in close varmint rifle.
A #1 "V" for the longer shots. I bought the "B" because......................

Ross

If had existed long ago when I started building custom 17s, I might have built custom .20s. ;-)

It is a VERY niche cartridge but within that niche a TON of fun.

Ross