204 ruger 1 bullet for all your hunting .

[MachV]

Put a 204 barrel on an old Savage left hand tacticle but it only likes 32 grainers....great for prarie dog pups ,not so much for anything bigger.
Now the other Savage tacticle in 20ppc likes the 39 grainers and will reach a ways.....maybe have to dig it out this winter?

 

[204_ruger]

I cant shoot that far here. If I go down in the bottoms it's all fields. I sold all my 39gr bking to another member on here. I have 45gr hornady & nosler 40gr bt both to shoot at paper. Other than that all Berger bullets from now on.

 

[DSheetz]

Reemty , A lot of years ago I bought wooden stretchers from M&M Fur out of South Dakota then I got to making my own from 1" x 4" that had the shape of the nose so that they looked really nice when they were put up . They were long enough for the big mountain coyote . The edges were rounded so that the furs laid nice and you could pull the furs down tack the legs to the stretchers and then open them up to get a good stretch for the proper width then take a heavy cord loop it around the base of the tail then pull it down and tie it off on the bottom of the stretcher so that the back laid flat also . I should maybe do a little write up on handling fur on ramblings post . It's an art form .

 

[Reemty J]

[Did a drive by-on the pheasant property right before dusk, north side had a fox a little over 200 yards, she stood and looked at me, got bored and continued hunting. Just enough time to chamber a 39 SBK in the 204 and a couple barks she stopped and Ka-Pow......... broadside shot, came out kinda ugly big as your fist, but that is the 4th pheasant eater killed within a mile Hard to keep a bullet inside an 8-9# fox

 

[DSheetz]

Fox don't offer much resistance to keep bullets in .

 

[204_ruger]

I have some 30gr Berger for my 204. I dont know what they would do to a fox. But I bet it wouldn't be good.

 

[Reemty J]

I picked up a couple hundred 24 grain NTX bullets was thinking of using them for 1st shot or on fox couple different powders get it going 4300-4400 FPS bet that is a shock at 100 yards to a coyotes system, still think the 39 SBK is best for 100-500 yards though, still my main bullet in this 204 caliber

 

[Ohlongarm]

I picked up a couple hundred 24 grain NTX bullets was thinking of using them for 1st shot or on fox couple different powders get it going 4300-4400 FPS bet that is a shock at 100 yards to a coyotes system, still think the 39 SBK is best for 100-500 yards though, still my main bullet in this 204 caliber

I haven't killed a pile yet ,of yotes with the 204 ,however I'm with you the diminutive 24 204 disrupts their doo,doo big time. Shown below less than ideal shots with the 24 grain NTX,both DRT,don't recommend it, but when they run I oftentimes shoot with good results,the one was shot in the butt and the 24 grain destroyed him. The other shot speaks for itself. These were early, and late spring 85 yards respectively.The one hit rearward for all intention should have been a runner,but DRT,go figure

 

[DSheetz]

The hydraulic shock most likely paralyzed it , as high as it was hit , till it bled out internally for the one in picture #drt1.jpg . It may have even knocked it unconscious as I have seen so many times with HP bullets from my 223 .

 

[204_ruger]

I just sold close to a 1000 ct 39gr bking. I like the 39gr very well. I am shooting the 35gr Berger. I have also tried the 40gr Berger also a very good bullet. What predators I have killed . The 35gr Berger has done less pelt damage. But that's my 2 cents worth. On the ones I have shot. If I wasnt saving the fur. And just wanted to kill them. I would be shooting the 39gr bking. I have been shooting crows. They fly down go into the chicken house. They carry chicken eggs off. They fly up to a limb on the oak trees. Then they eat it. I have never seen a crow do that. But these crows will. My 204 is by back door. The crows dont care too much for the Berger bullet.

 

[Reemty J]

I am going to try some loads with the 24 grain NTX-just boroned them last nite.
1. with 26 grains Reloader 10X ---2 - 3 shot groups....est 4150 fps
2. with 29 grains AA2230 -------2 - 3 shot groups...est 4300 + fps.
idea is, for shooting fox, possibly not as destructive and want to try it on 1st shot when calling coyotes...just curious is all.................... ...want to see if they drop, when the gun goes Ka-POW........

 

[DSheetz]

I think it's a good idea to experiment with different bullets and loads to figure out what works best most of the time for what job .

 

[Reemty J]

Funny story.........for you people in the 60's-70's that remember the Batman show.....the bird preserve I manage, the original owner would tell a story about shooting pheasants and he would use the term "Blam Blam" for when he shot.......now we have 5 owners and the head one tells stories and when he shoots it is "Ka-POW, Ka-POW" makes me laugh.......................so from now on when I get a coyote or fox, it will be with a Ka-POW!!!!!!

 

[204_ruger]

I am going to try some loads with the 24 grain NTX-just boroned them last nite.
1. with 26 grains Reloader 10X ---2 - 3 shot groups....est 4150 fps
2. with 29 grains AA2230 -------2 - 3 shot groups...est 4300 + fps.
idea is, for shooting fox, possibly not as destructive and want to try it on 1st shot when calling coyotes...just curious is all.................... ...want to see if they drop, when the gun goes Ka-POW........

What do you think of the 30 gr Berger hp out of the 204 ? Would they do the job? I have few boxes . Loaded few different powder type to try grouping . Have been shooting 35 gr Berger. I did try the 40 gr Berger also. I like them too.