I have a custom 204 with a 1 in 10 twist for the 40gr+ bullets that has shown evidence of being very accurate. It likes Hornady factory 40gr V-max loads well enough I haven't started loading for it, 3 shots under a dime consistently. I've taken 4 coyotes with it so far out to 340yds and none traveled over 20yds, but all have been hit solidly in the lungs. I built this rifle thinking that it would not blow up bobcats like my 243 and 6mm with the 75gr V-max at 3350fps and 6mm with 70gr BT at 3824fps. Anyone have any field experience with the 204 and different bullets on predators?
Who has experience with the 204 Ruger on predators?
- Thread starter mcseal2
- Start date
I have been shooting the 204 for approximately 5 years. I have shot the 39gr.BK almost exclusively.I have not shot bobcats as we do not have many here in southern Saskatchewan. On dogs they do a great job and there is not a lot of damage.
I loaded over 300 bullets, so I have not loaded for over a year :lol: and would have to look up my data. I know that I used H-4895 powder and CCI bench rest primers. I have heard some real good things about the 35gr berger but have used it yet. The rifle I own is the CZ 527 American with a B & L Elite 4000 on top.
Blessings,
Dan
I loaded over 300 bullets, so I have not loaded for over a year :lol: and would have to look up my data. I know that I used H-4895 powder and CCI bench rest primers. I have heard some real good things about the 35gr berger but have used it yet. The rifle I own is the CZ 527 American with a B & L Elite 4000 on top.
Blessings,
Dan
CatskillCrawler
Handloader
- Jul 30, 2011
- 1,205
- 4
We like the .204. When paired up, my buddy takes all the fox shots, if possible, with his .204 as my 22-250 is too destructive. He has no problem with dogs with no exits using the 32gr BTs on dogs but sample size is small at 3 dogs.
ACLakey
Beginner
- Aug 11, 2008
- 161
- 0
I am trying one out this calling season. In the past I have taken a few with 39gr Blitzkings and had no exits. I am working up loads with the 35gr Bergers and will report the results.
Ridge_Runner
Handloader
- Sep 29, 2006
- 1,390
- 741
have been playing with the ballistic twin of the 204, the 20 tactical, 39 gr sbk's is what it likes, have taken a couple critters with it and seems to show some promise.
RR
RR
- Thread starter
- #7
I've been doing a little more of my own research by using my 204 on coyotes. I keep a journal of all the coyotes I shoot on my computer, here are this months entrys where I used the 204. I've shot 7 with it now since March, 5 this month.
11-1 Shot coyote right across from Merle’s semi parking in pasture. Young dog that crossed in front of me early in the morning and stopped in a dogwood patch at 60yds. I hit him in the neck in front his shoulder with the 204 40gr V-max because that was the only opening in the brush. He died instantly, no pelt damage.
11-3 Shot coyote right west of saddle shed. We were talking after working heifers and sorting replacements and the coyote came down the terass above the pens. I grabbed the 22 mag and tried to shoot him but it was unloaded, so I ran to the feed truck and grabbed the 204 and nailed him when he looked back at 120yds. He hopped around for 10 seconds and then died, good lung shot. No pelt damage 40gr V-max.
11-9 Shot coyote right east of Snokomo school house. I helped Steve last Saturday get cows out of that pasture and we euthanized a paralyzed cow there. The carcass was down to bones tonight (Wed). I parked at the pen and snuck up in to 200yds. 2 coyotes were on the carcass, I knelt and shot one off the bipod ( I love my Stoney point rapid pivot bipod). The other yote ran off and I called a little with Tweety but didn't see him return. When I walked closer to the carcass the 2nd yote came back into sight and circled downwind. I got 2 shots at him stopped within 200yds but he was in heavy grass. I was steady on the bipod and confident in the shots, I don’t think either bullet got through the vegetation to him. I used the 204, 40gr V-max. The dead yote was hit perfect and went 5ft, no pelt damage.
11-10 Got another one in Dave’s cows. He was sitting near Dave’s cows thinking he was hidden in some tall grass. I drove up to where I had a safe shot away from the herd and shot. 204 Ruger, 40gr V-max convinced him to stay there permanently. Shot was approximately 200yds. I shot him in the throat because his head and neck were the only thing clear of the grass. No pelt damage
11-13 Shot a coyote at Hannigans. He has been having trouble with them getting his fall calves, he thinks they got 2. He saw one dragging a new calf while another distracted the cow last week. Anyway, about 5 after we finished working his cows and calves I headed out to call behind his house. I tried tweety with no luck for a while and then heard yotes start howling west of me in Docs. I switched to Thumper and started trying to howl and bark to match the sounds the pups were making, surprisingly it makes a pretty decent pup howl. After about 10 minutes a big male came out of the creek with his hair all bristled up and ticked off. He stopped at 180yds staring at Macy (my blue heeler cowdog/predator decoy) and I hit him quartering toward me with the 204, 40gr V-max. He ran off into the creek and I found him right across it, probably 100yds from the shot. The others kept answering but I couldn’t get them to come in before dark. Really cool hunt, I've never seen a coyote that aggressive. I was a little disappointed with the bullet performance of the 204, it blew up on the shoulder without much penetration, but still got the job done. The entrance wound was about 2" across and not real deep.
All in all, it seems to be working well but with limitations. I'm very confident that this last yote would have dropped in his tracks with the 6mm Rem and 70gr BT load I've been using. Also I'm fairly certain I'd have gotten the 2nd yote off the cow carcass in the grass with that load, I've taken similar shots many times. It doesn't seem to take much vegetation at all to open the bullet and cause a miss. It is pretty darn cool to watch the yote get hit in the scope, and the 204 kicks light enough to allow that. I look forward to getting a cat with it to see how pelt friendly it really is. I plan to use it calling anywhere I think cats are likely, and for coyotes where the grass isn't to thick or tall. For the tournament I'm entering in January, I'll be using the 6mm to anchor them. I'm up to 36 yotes on the year and my record is 40, so I'm going to be trying hard to best it in the next 6 weeks.
11-1 Shot coyote right across from Merle’s semi parking in pasture. Young dog that crossed in front of me early in the morning and stopped in a dogwood patch at 60yds. I hit him in the neck in front his shoulder with the 204 40gr V-max because that was the only opening in the brush. He died instantly, no pelt damage.
11-3 Shot coyote right west of saddle shed. We were talking after working heifers and sorting replacements and the coyote came down the terass above the pens. I grabbed the 22 mag and tried to shoot him but it was unloaded, so I ran to the feed truck and grabbed the 204 and nailed him when he looked back at 120yds. He hopped around for 10 seconds and then died, good lung shot. No pelt damage 40gr V-max.
11-9 Shot coyote right east of Snokomo school house. I helped Steve last Saturday get cows out of that pasture and we euthanized a paralyzed cow there. The carcass was down to bones tonight (Wed). I parked at the pen and snuck up in to 200yds. 2 coyotes were on the carcass, I knelt and shot one off the bipod ( I love my Stoney point rapid pivot bipod). The other yote ran off and I called a little with Tweety but didn't see him return. When I walked closer to the carcass the 2nd yote came back into sight and circled downwind. I got 2 shots at him stopped within 200yds but he was in heavy grass. I was steady on the bipod and confident in the shots, I don’t think either bullet got through the vegetation to him. I used the 204, 40gr V-max. The dead yote was hit perfect and went 5ft, no pelt damage.
11-10 Got another one in Dave’s cows. He was sitting near Dave’s cows thinking he was hidden in some tall grass. I drove up to where I had a safe shot away from the herd and shot. 204 Ruger, 40gr V-max convinced him to stay there permanently. Shot was approximately 200yds. I shot him in the throat because his head and neck were the only thing clear of the grass. No pelt damage
11-13 Shot a coyote at Hannigans. He has been having trouble with them getting his fall calves, he thinks they got 2. He saw one dragging a new calf while another distracted the cow last week. Anyway, about 5 after we finished working his cows and calves I headed out to call behind his house. I tried tweety with no luck for a while and then heard yotes start howling west of me in Docs. I switched to Thumper and started trying to howl and bark to match the sounds the pups were making, surprisingly it makes a pretty decent pup howl. After about 10 minutes a big male came out of the creek with his hair all bristled up and ticked off. He stopped at 180yds staring at Macy (my blue heeler cowdog/predator decoy) and I hit him quartering toward me with the 204, 40gr V-max. He ran off into the creek and I found him right across it, probably 100yds from the shot. The others kept answering but I couldn’t get them to come in before dark. Really cool hunt, I've never seen a coyote that aggressive. I was a little disappointed with the bullet performance of the 204, it blew up on the shoulder without much penetration, but still got the job done. The entrance wound was about 2" across and not real deep.
All in all, it seems to be working well but with limitations. I'm very confident that this last yote would have dropped in his tracks with the 6mm Rem and 70gr BT load I've been using. Also I'm fairly certain I'd have gotten the 2nd yote off the cow carcass in the grass with that load, I've taken similar shots many times. It doesn't seem to take much vegetation at all to open the bullet and cause a miss. It is pretty darn cool to watch the yote get hit in the scope, and the 204 kicks light enough to allow that. I look forward to getting a cat with it to see how pelt friendly it really is. I plan to use it calling anywhere I think cats are likely, and for coyotes where the grass isn't to thick or tall. For the tournament I'm entering in January, I'll be using the 6mm to anchor them. I'm up to 36 yotes on the year and my record is 40, so I'm going to be trying hard to best it in the next 6 weeks.
DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,505
- 6,512
That is a great report. It sounds as if you need to recognise the limitations of the lighter bullet, but know that it works well given the proper conditions. I can't say that I'm terribly surprised. All-in-all, a good report and should be valuable information.
Guy Miner
Master Loader
- Apr 6, 2006
- 17,837
- 6,314
McSeal - you keep good notes on your shooting. Very worthwhile info.
- Thread starter
- #10
Thanks guys, I like to be able to look back on the year and see what works and what doesn't. I keep the same type journal for my other hunting and my catfishing. I'm only on my second year on the hunting side, 3rd for fishing, so maybe down the road I can get some good ideas from comparing them.
I was thinking about my 204 some more today after nailing a crow at 318yds with it. I think my favorite thing about it is that there is just no felt recoil or extremely loud report. I developed a flinch thinking I needed to shoot everything with my 300 win years back with 180gr BT's over a max load of RL22. Recoil was plenty stout for the amount of shooting I was doing from the feed truck or off field rests in awkward positions. Noise was also a big factor. Flinching has never cost me big game, but on some shots at varmints when the adrenaline isn't fully kicked in, or on targets I notice it. I've always been able to shoot my 22 mag really well from any position because my flinch knows there is going to be no punishment from it. I'm starting to put the 204 in the same category, it is just real easy for me to shoot well, even more so than my 6mm and other light recoiling guns. I think my flinch has decided to put the 204 and 22 mag in the same class recoil-wise and I'm good with that.
I was thinking about my 204 some more today after nailing a crow at 318yds with it. I think my favorite thing about it is that there is just no felt recoil or extremely loud report. I developed a flinch thinking I needed to shoot everything with my 300 win years back with 180gr BT's over a max load of RL22. Recoil was plenty stout for the amount of shooting I was doing from the feed truck or off field rests in awkward positions. Noise was also a big factor. Flinching has never cost me big game, but on some shots at varmints when the adrenaline isn't fully kicked in, or on targets I notice it. I've always been able to shoot my 22 mag really well from any position because my flinch knows there is going to be no punishment from it. I'm starting to put the 204 in the same category, it is just real easy for me to shoot well, even more so than my 6mm and other light recoiling guns. I think my flinch has decided to put the 204 and 22 mag in the same class recoil-wise and I'm good with that.
I bought one when they first came out... a 700 ADL that was stupid accurate with the 39 Blitzking... shot two coyotes with it... both sub-200 yard solid shoulder shots (my prefered shot on dogs)... both coyotes flopped around then ran like a mother for a couple hundred yards. Good enough for me... sold it a week later... if coyotes are the game de'jour... i'll take a big six anyday... don't even like the. 22 Centerfires much...
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
I have a CZ 527, .204 Ruger. It is a nice little rifle but the twist rate is 1 in 12 and it does not shoot the Hornady 40 grain VMAX bullets as well as several 32-35 grain bullets. The accuracy of the 40 grain is fine for coyote at about 7/8 MOA and at 3640 fps. However, the 32 grains can shoot 1/2 or better MOA with several different manufacturer's bullets. The Nosler 32 gr BT's are very accurate and fast at about 3980 fps out of my 21.5 inch barrel. I use 26.5 grains of IMR 3031 with a small rifle match primer and the 32 grain Nosler BT.
I have shot a few small animals and one racoon (a large male) with it. It vaporises small animals with the 32 grain bullet. However, even the VMAX 40 grain did not penetrate a large male racoon. I have not shot any coyotes with this rifle yet. I used my Browning .243 with 80 grain BT's for that chore until I bought the .204.
I think that the caliber is poplular enough now that there needs to be some gliding metal bullets developed for larger animals. I don't care about pelts only eliminating coyotes. The Winchester HP softpoint 34 grain Super X ammo also seems to be pretty accurate factory ammo and I need to test it on varmits.
I have shot a few small animals and one racoon (a large male) with it. It vaporises small animals with the 32 grain bullet. However, even the VMAX 40 grain did not penetrate a large male racoon. I have not shot any coyotes with this rifle yet. I used my Browning .243 with 80 grain BT's for that chore until I bought the .204.
I think that the caliber is poplular enough now that there needs to be some gliding metal bullets developed for larger animals. I don't care about pelts only eliminating coyotes. The Winchester HP softpoint 34 grain Super X ammo also seems to be pretty accurate factory ammo and I need to test it on varmits.
- Thread starter
- #14
I think that the caliber is poplular enough now that there needs to be some gliding metal bullets developed for larger animals. I don't care about pelts only eliminating coyotes. The Winchester HP softpoint 34 grain Super X ammo also seems to be pretty accurate factory ammo and I need to test it on varmits.[/quote]
The 34gr factory ammo is what I used to break the rifle in, and shoot the first 2 coyotes. It is real fragile so you need to stay away from bone. Also the BC is terrible, like .167 if I remember right from looking it up on their website. I had trouble hitting with them in the wind.
I'd love to see a tough bullet like that developed for it. I read great reviews about the toughness of the 45gr Hornady, but it drops velocity and BC lower than I want to go. Something that would perform like an AccuBond with a good polymer tip and boattail like the 39gr blitzking would sure make a super coyote bullet. If you got into bone, you'd still have a dead dog.
The 34gr factory ammo is what I used to break the rifle in, and shoot the first 2 coyotes. It is real fragile so you need to stay away from bone. Also the BC is terrible, like .167 if I remember right from looking it up on their website. I had trouble hitting with them in the wind.
I'd love to see a tough bullet like that developed for it. I read great reviews about the toughness of the 45gr Hornady, but it drops velocity and BC lower than I want to go. Something that would perform like an AccuBond with a good polymer tip and boattail like the 39gr blitzking would sure make a super coyote bullet. If you got into bone, you'd still have a dead dog.
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
That would be the ticket. Maybe Nosler or somebody needs to come out with a 36 to 39 grain homogeneous bullet that will shoot accurately in all of the 1 in 12 rifles out there. At those speeds it will kill well enough!
cloverleaf
Handloader
- Sep 10, 2006
- 4,420
- 1,095
Songdog":38x1ku08 said:
Yotes can be a tough proposition, unless you break the spine like anything else. There is another board that debates endlessly whether a 22Mag is enough (NOT if you can help it!) I dont know enough about the 204 to comment further but I will be watching this one. The ole 250 Savage has some 75Gr V-Max's loaded for the purpose- I just havent called one in yet. Its on my bucket list. CL
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
I have a .257 Roberts which can push a handloaded 80 grain BT to about 3300 fps. This is more than adequate for coyotes and is 100 fps faster than my .243 was with 80 gr BT bullets which killed many coyotes over the years.
It is just that I have the CZ .204 and would like to find a capable coyote load for it if possible?
It is just that I have the CZ .204 and would like to find a capable coyote load for it if possible?
Oldtrader3
Ammo Smith
- Nov 6, 2009
- 8,406
- 6
Thanks Dan, I have not tried the Sierra bullets. Maybe I will have to buy a box. I am using IMR 4064 with good results.
- Thread starter
- #20
I also have a box of 39gr BK's and have my first 5 experiments loaded, but haven't had a chance to shoot them on a calm day.
I got the old reliable 6mm out after yote #36 and have shot 4 of the last 5 with it. One of the neighbor's wives borrows it for deer season, so I loaded up my old 100gr Sierra gameking load and dialed it in with that instead of my 70gr BT Superformance screamer load. It shoots really well and that bullet has a good BC for a 6mm hunting bullet (still waiting for the 6mm AccuBond). Anyway, 3 of these coyotes were running away pretty hard at pretty sharp angles. With the 6mm you hear a big SMACK and the yote drops, but I wouldn't have been comfortable taking those shots with the 204 and the bullets I've tried. I don't think I'd have had the penetration to get a kill.
I still like the 204 for coyotes within it's limits. From what I've seen it's limits are anything that prevents you from getting a bullet into the lungs. If the angle, wind drift, etc put the bullet to far back or in the shoulder you will probably run into problems. It does the job, but just isn't as forgiving as a bigger tougher bullet. If conditions are tough I go to the bigger gun. It makes sense, I'd take quartering shot angles on a deer with my 264WM and a 140gr AB that I wouldn't take with the 6mm and 100gr Sierra because I know the bullet will reach the vitals and penetrate any bone it encounters along the way.
I'm kinda rambling, but it's just hard to get a bullet to perform at tough angles and still not destroy fur and exit on clean broadside shots. The reasons my 6mm worked great on the last 3 running yotes are the same reasons my 243 destroyed the only 2 bobcats I ever tried it on. I'm still waiting for a chance to try the 204 on a cat. After deer season and a little more cold to prime pelts I'm gonna set a Foxpro and decoy outside my pop-up blinds and see if I can remedy that. I think it will really shine there.
I got the old reliable 6mm out after yote #36 and have shot 4 of the last 5 with it. One of the neighbor's wives borrows it for deer season, so I loaded up my old 100gr Sierra gameking load and dialed it in with that instead of my 70gr BT Superformance screamer load. It shoots really well and that bullet has a good BC for a 6mm hunting bullet (still waiting for the 6mm AccuBond). Anyway, 3 of these coyotes were running away pretty hard at pretty sharp angles. With the 6mm you hear a big SMACK and the yote drops, but I wouldn't have been comfortable taking those shots with the 204 and the bullets I've tried. I don't think I'd have had the penetration to get a kill.
I still like the 204 for coyotes within it's limits. From what I've seen it's limits are anything that prevents you from getting a bullet into the lungs. If the angle, wind drift, etc put the bullet to far back or in the shoulder you will probably run into problems. It does the job, but just isn't as forgiving as a bigger tougher bullet. If conditions are tough I go to the bigger gun. It makes sense, I'd take quartering shot angles on a deer with my 264WM and a 140gr AB that I wouldn't take with the 6mm and 100gr Sierra because I know the bullet will reach the vitals and penetrate any bone it encounters along the way.
I'm kinda rambling, but it's just hard to get a bullet to perform at tough angles and still not destroy fur and exit on clean broadside shots. The reasons my 6mm worked great on the last 3 running yotes are the same reasons my 243 destroyed the only 2 bobcats I ever tried it on. I'm still waiting for a chance to try the 204 on a cat. After deer season and a little more cold to prime pelts I'm gonna set a Foxpro and decoy outside my pop-up blinds and see if I can remedy that. I think it will really shine there.
