Sharpshooter243
Well-Known Member
I'm thinking about either building an AR in 204 ruger or getting a rifle in 22-250. I'm not real familiar with these small calibers and was wondering which one would be best for p-dogin'
204 ruger or 22-250
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SBruce
Well-Known Member
Depends on how far you plan on shooting..
Close (out to 300 yds maybe give or take) the 204 would probably be great. Especially if you need to concern yourself w/ richochets. For longer stuff, out to 300 and well beyond; the 22-250 in a bolt action.
22-250 has longer reach with heavier bullet selection and can still be downloaded with light bullets if you want super speed.......simply more versatile. And, I've never found an AR that will shoot as precisely as a good bolt action, especially with well tuned loads. One benefit of the 204 might be reduced cost of components and ammo though
Both good, I just prefer the Varminter (22-250).
Close (out to 300 yds maybe give or take) the 204 would probably be great. Especially if you need to concern yourself w/ richochets. For longer stuff, out to 300 and well beyond; the 22-250 in a bolt action.
22-250 has longer reach with heavier bullet selection and can still be downloaded with light bullets if you want super speed.......simply more versatile. And, I've never found an AR that will shoot as precisely as a good bolt action, especially with well tuned loads. One benefit of the 204 might be reduced cost of components and ammo though
Both good, I just prefer the Varminter (22-250).
matt_3479
Well-Known Member
I like what SBruce said. The 204 Ruger is a sweet little round out to around 350 yards. My neighbors best friend using it in Montana for PD out 350 yards comfortably with the longest being 520 some odd yards. He ended up taking the scope off the 204. and putting a cheaper one to use for 300 yards and closer and went out and bought a single shot cooper 22-250 for 300-600 yards. He was debating between a 243. win and 22-250 but he had a lot of load data worked up from a previous rifle, so went with the 22-250. He said anything past 450-500 yards the 243. would be handy but the 22-250 works. Keep that in mind
Sharpshooter243
Well-Known Member
I have a SP in .260Rem for the longer stuff. I recently traded for a 22-250 but wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it. I also traded for another AR and thought maybe I could switch the barrel out(204 or 1in 8 twist 223)....man this is a tough hobby to figure stuff out in.
DMCI
Well-Known Member
The .204 in my view is an inherently accurate round. I continue to be astonished as to what it will do with some 10X and the 32 grain Hornady red tip. It is lightening fast and hits like a hammer from hell. Currently my favorite light round, next step up from the .17HMR which is also an excellent choice for short range varmints.
The .22-250 was developed as an answer to the .220 Swifts barrel wear and it it's time was an excellent round.
Very popular in middle ground squirrel hunting in Oregon.
Below is classic SAKO model .75 in .204 with various and sundrie accessories. Courtesy Rick in Oregon.
The .22-250 was developed as an answer to the .220 Swifts barrel wear and it it's time was an excellent round.
Very popular in middle ground squirrel hunting in Oregon.
Below is classic SAKO model .75 in .204 with various and sundrie accessories. Courtesy Rick in Oregon.
Seacowboy
New Member
I have one of each, a DPMS upper in .204 that I have just started to break in. Really liking the Hornady 40 grain V-Max's right now. I have not had time to work up a load for it yet, but have been getting 3/4 moa with the factory ammo. I did pick up both the 32 and 40 grain V-Max bullets to play with once I begin load development at the end of the month. So far I have been very pleased with its performance on a handful of crows and one Gray Fox. If your after the pelt, don't use the V-Max.
My 250 I like but may have made a bit of an uneducated buy on. It's a Remmie 700 VTR. Bought more on looks and cool factor with the triangluar barrel and muzzle break than anything else. The stock actually really sucks. The twist rate of 1:14 is throwing 55 grain Sierra Blitzkings excellent downrange. But I would like to have the option of using a heavier bullet if the wind kicks up and isn't an option with my barrel. Terminal performance on groundhogs, and foxes have been quite impressive also.
Guess what I'm getting at in that bit is figure out what size and bullet you want to use or have a range, I am limited to the 50-55 grain range for the 250. I will also need to make some adjustments or buy a new stock for the VTR to avoid its flimsyness and a couple contact points along the barrel. Either round will perform great, just decide on your range and use. Good luck.
My 250 I like but may have made a bit of an uneducated buy on. It's a Remmie 700 VTR. Bought more on looks and cool factor with the triangluar barrel and muzzle break than anything else. The stock actually really sucks. The twist rate of 1:14 is throwing 55 grain Sierra Blitzkings excellent downrange. But I would like to have the option of using a heavier bullet if the wind kicks up and isn't an option with my barrel. Terminal performance on groundhogs, and foxes have been quite impressive also.
Guess what I'm getting at in that bit is figure out what size and bullet you want to use or have a range, I am limited to the 50-55 grain range for the 250. I will also need to make some adjustments or buy a new stock for the VTR to avoid its flimsyness and a couple contact points along the barrel. Either round will perform great, just decide on your range and use. Good luck.
S243 , If you are new to Pdogging and on a tight Budget , I'm saying neither . I would suggest a 223 AR or Bolt ....whatever you feel comfortable with . Much cheaper Brass , way wider selection of Brass and Bullets . If you have deep pockets , I would go with an Accurized 20 Cal AR , and just buy some spare Barrels as I needed them. Most Pdog shooting I've seen is load and shoot as fast as you can , while they are out . A 22-250 will get so hot you will burn your hand on it unless you go to one of the Barrel Cooling Systems , or have multiple Rifles to shoot . I have no experience with rapid fire heating in the 20s .....yet ! 40 Grain Bullets in a 223 are good out to about 450 Yards unless its very windy and then I would want a very heavy Bullet in a Slow Twist ( big Case ) 22 , or 6mm , or 6.5 , and I would take my time shooting . Once you get experience with a 223 , you will see which way you want to go for your next Rifle . Once you Pdog it , there's no going back , you will be hooked !
I have both a 204 REM VLSS and a 22-250 Ruger Varmint. I like both guns but like to shoot the VLSS more. Getting to your Question... I have found that my 22-250 is a farther shooting rife. I reload 50gr Hornady V-max at about 3700 FPS. It has very little recoil and barrel rise so i can stilll see my hits 75% of the time. My 204 however is shooting at 4225 FPS with Hornady 32 gr V-max. With this rifle I can watch 100% of my hits, there is no recoil or barrel rise. Both rifles have turned out to be one hole rifles. With that being said for an all around small caliber I would go with 22-250 but if this rifle will be only for p-dogs i would go with the 204. As for the heat with shooting fast i agree you will need more than one gun or slow down, its not worth shooting more dogs and ruining your barrel, there are plenty of dogs IMO.
Hope this helps.
Hope this helps.
Rockymtnboy
New Member
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2010
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S243:
I think you'll love either caliber, depending on the type of shooting you are using it for. I have owned both for several years now and I have to say I'm really lovin' that .204 for anything up to 500 yds. Great ballistics all around and the key factor for me is that the barrel on a .204 does not burn out as fast as it does on a .22-250.
Don't get me wrong, I love that .22-250 dearly and I keep it handy for those shots that push past 500 yds, but the one I use the most is the .204. I know I'll catch a lot of flack from some guys on here for this, but I even built one in an AR platform and believe it or not, it's keeping up with the bolt action for accuracy. Granted, I had to spend a lot of extra $$$ to get it there, but I love gopher hunting and the .204 in semi-auto has made it even more fun so it's worth it to me. I have a 24" 1-12 twist DPMS barrel using 32 grain VMax bullets, and that thing will drive tacks all day long.
In my experience, I have seen a lot of great shooting .22-250's and a few that are not so great. I have yet to personally see a .204 that has not been a good shooter. Take it for what it's worth.
I think you'll love either caliber, depending on the type of shooting you are using it for. I have owned both for several years now and I have to say I'm really lovin' that .204 for anything up to 500 yds. Great ballistics all around and the key factor for me is that the barrel on a .204 does not burn out as fast as it does on a .22-250.
Don't get me wrong, I love that .22-250 dearly and I keep it handy for those shots that push past 500 yds, but the one I use the most is the .204. I know I'll catch a lot of flack from some guys on here for this, but I even built one in an AR platform and believe it or not, it's keeping up with the bolt action for accuracy. Granted, I had to spend a lot of extra $$$ to get it there, but I love gopher hunting and the .204 in semi-auto has made it even more fun so it's worth it to me. I have a 24" 1-12 twist DPMS barrel using 32 grain VMax bullets, and that thing will drive tacks all day long.
In my experience, I have seen a lot of great shooting .22-250's and a few that are not so great. I have yet to personally see a .204 that has not been a good shooter. Take it for what it's worth.
If it`s only for PD`s the .204 hands down. It will be slightly cheaper to load, but you will get more rounds down the tube with less heat. Range will not be that much different. If you go with a .223 you will not need the 8 twist, and 9 is enough. The 22-250 would be a good choice if it were going to do a fair amount of coyote hunting also. My AR upper in 204 does not like the heaver bullets or Hornady bullets so it`s not my first choice for coyote, but I did kill 1 with it. With the AR you always have a second round ready to go down range and there is something to be said about that.
707ace
Member
I have had three 22-250 over the past 15 years. last year I was bitten by the black rifle bug and purchased a AR with two heavy barrel uppers one in 223 and one in 204. I did most of my squirrel shooting last year with the AR and found that I liked the 223 with hand loads better out to 300. Past 300 I like the 22-250 more than the 204.
I had a stable full of .22-250's. It's a great cartridge but I now have five .204's (three AR's and two bolt rifles). The last .22-250 got turned into a fast-twist .243 AI this year. Reasons? It began with the desire to call my own shots. You can't always see 'em but a lot of the time you can. Second, fur friendly. (Nonissue for pd's only.) Third, less barrel heat. And, fourth, less expensive to reload.
You'll need a fast twist .22-250 to get appreciably more range than a .204 but a fast twist .204 will still keep up. (Run the numbers.) You'll need a muzzle break on your .22-250 to call your own shots and it makes it painful for your shooting partners to shoot around you. Ask me how I know.
My AR's are actually more accurate overall than my bolt rifles. All of them (bolts and AR's)will shoot around 1/2 MOA or less with their favorite loads. For me, when I get past the capabilities of my .204's, I need my .243AI to gain enough range and energy to make a difference.
The AR platform is a different beast but it sure can clean off a pd mound in a hurry! It can irritate your hunting partners though...
I 'm just relating my experience. I hope the .22-250 shooters aren't offended. The .22-250 is still the King of varmint cartridges and the energy of the .22-250 does make a difference on coyotes past 300 yards. But, after some pretty extensive use of both, I like the .204. Its a pretty amazing little cartridge.
You'll need a fast twist .22-250 to get appreciably more range than a .204 but a fast twist .204 will still keep up. (Run the numbers.) You'll need a muzzle break on your .22-250 to call your own shots and it makes it painful for your shooting partners to shoot around you. Ask me how I know.
My AR's are actually more accurate overall than my bolt rifles. All of them (bolts and AR's)will shoot around 1/2 MOA or less with their favorite loads. For me, when I get past the capabilities of my .204's, I need my .243AI to gain enough range and energy to make a difference.
The AR platform is a different beast but it sure can clean off a pd mound in a hurry! It can irritate your hunting partners though...
I 'm just relating my experience. I hope the .22-250 shooters aren't offended. The .22-250 is still the King of varmint cartridges and the energy of the .22-250 does make a difference on coyotes past 300 yards. But, after some pretty extensive use of both, I like the .204. Its a pretty amazing little cartridge.
My brother would say 22-250 has no peer. I say the 204 at least has little competition....
Most posters above seem to be not into or have not used (much) the 39 SBK or the 40 Berger. I started out with the 32 grain because its speed impressed. But then I started looking at the balistics of the 40 grainers and tried the 40 Hornady, which wasn't nearly as accurate.
Not giving up, I loaded both the 40 Berger and 39 SBK. To my amazement, these are extremely accurate and very devastating to much longer ranges than the 32 grainers. Berger for hide saving, SBK for squirrels, Pd's. I would even put them up against a 22-250. I'm getting about 3900fps with them w/H322.
Compare the stats. You should be surprised.
Most posters above seem to be not into or have not used (much) the 39 SBK or the 40 Berger. I started out with the 32 grain because its speed impressed. But then I started looking at the balistics of the 40 grainers and tried the 40 Hornady, which wasn't nearly as accurate.
Not giving up, I loaded both the 40 Berger and 39 SBK. To my amazement, these are extremely accurate and very devastating to much longer ranges than the 32 grainers. Berger for hide saving, SBK for squirrels, Pd's. I would even put them up against a 22-250. I'm getting about 3900fps with them w/H322.
Compare the stats. You should be surprised.
