How far out is the .204 good for ?

[Overkill338]

Just curious if they can reach 600 yards with any accuracy at all ? Seems like the poor BC on those bullets would kill it, and it would probably be going sub-sonic shortly passed 600.

 

[whitely]

I've hammered prairie dogs out to 550 yards, as have many of my friends with the .204. I shoot the 39 gr blitzking, loaded to around 3800 fps. This has a published BC of .287. At 600 yards, it is still going around 2100 fps. It would hit a 1300 fps break velocity somewhere around 950 yards. It would go subsonic near 1100 yards.

 

[canderson]

I have a remingtion LVSF (22" barrel) shooting 40gr. bergers that I have shot out to 400. That combination will always shoot 1 moa at the range with moderate wind (10 or less mph). I ran the ballistics on the 30,35, and 40 berger with the sierra infinity. Here are the results with the old BC that was printed on the box.
30gr. 600yd. vel. 991 muzzle vel. 3850 BC 0.156
35gr. 600yd. vel. 1101 muzzle vel. 3650 BC 0.184
40gr. 600yd. vel. 1391 muzzle vel. 3550 BC 0.236


The data for the 40 gr. is accurate for 200 feet above sea level. The 30 and 35 gr. data was derived from a reloading manual and my experience with the 40gr. The reason that I have not tried the 40gr. farther than 400 yds. is my scope has run out of adjustment. I will be trying a tapered base in the near future. FYI, I am building an AR with a 204 barrel and will be trying the 50 gr. bergers when it is completed. My hope is that I will be able to shoot the 50's out to 600 with 0.5-0.75 moa accuracy. I hope this helps you.

 

[Overkill338]

Thanks, that does help.

 

[topwater225]

I will chime in with what I have found in my limited "play"time.

I developed and confrimed my drop chart for 35 gr Bergers at a speed of just over 3800 fps.

I can setup a 10 inch steel plate and go back to 550 (that's as far as I have tried) and dial the scope for 9.25 MOA and it's like clock work.....ding....ding...ding......

 

[linksmechanic]

I hit the 630 plate at my range all day long. Same as the guy above me: ding ding ding

 

[Overkill338]

I found out more about the competition I was wanting to go to. Factory rifles shoot at paintballs at 200 yards, and everyone shoots at eggs at 500. Would a heavy Berger in a Remington VS SF II .204 be enough that I could hold my own ?

 

[canderson]

A remington might shoot a 40gr. berger but, a 1-9 twist barrel is recommended for the 50 gr.

 

[Overkill338]

A remington might shoot a 40gr. berger but, a 1-9 twist barrel is recommended for the 50 gr.

A 40gr V-Max has a better BC than the Bergers. Will that get me out far enough and is the Remington rifle going to have acceptable accuracy ?

 

[canderson]

It probably will, I started out shooting the berger's. I shoot a few V-max and they shoot well also. I never did find the best load for them. I guess I got lazy at that point in the game. Hope we helped you.

 

[gube204]

For most of the factory tubes out there, the 39 gr sierra BK is the King for long range accuracy. It has a nice high BC of .287 and is not to picky with different load applications. The 40 V-max on the other hand seems to be just on the edge for stabilizing in the 1in 12 twist tubes. The odd ones do okay, but alot of them can't get under 1 MOA. I have one 204 that will print out 1/2" or better groups, and another one that is an inch or more with the 40 gr V-max. They both do very very well with the 39 gr BK's.
Here is a link that shows the ballistics, and B.C.'s of the 20's. (Scroll to the bottom.)
Twenty Caliber Cartridge Guide

 

[Overkill338]

I've changed my mind about the .204. I think I'm going to buy a 22-250 Ruger Target rifle from a member here. I like my Rugers.

 

[glocksig]

Love my .204, Savage using 39 g BK at 3960. I popped one dog at 566 yds. Topped with a horus scope this thing is deadly.

 

[Two-0-four]

I''ve got a Remington 700 VLS in .204 and using 32gn V-Max I've taken a groundhog at 572yds and many others between there and the muzzle. Lots of fun to shoot and uses much, much less powder than the 22-250.