204 or 223 for Prairie Dogs

[JSHKS]

I just fell onto a Swift. I usually don't have "adult supervision" when colony varmint hunting. I had a 22-250 that I was pretty hard on. The Swift always interested me. Lol, plan is to bring no more than 40-50 rounds total.

There are some articles out there claiming equal or close to equal windage and elevation for the Swift and 204R.

 

[Sprocketman]

Although I'm usually a "more powder is better" kind of guy, there is just something elegant about smaller cartridges. And the 20 cal 40 gr vmax has an impressive b.c. Maybe sometimes less is more.

 

[mtnhntr86]

I always ran a 223 or 22-250 for our PD hunts, but I haven't been in years. I never would have thought of taking the 204 out. With the availability of ammo for the 223 and the amount of 22-250 that I have loaded up for just such an occasion it would just make more fiscal sense.

Our group typically runs 204s for coyotes, foxes, woodchucks, etc - I would have never even thought of taking it for PDs. Will have to look into this - the feedback in this thread was insightful.

 

[jtweten]

Both

 

[cowboyhunter]

My vote is 223 , with proper twist rate barrel and medium to heavy weight bullets you can have alot of fun .
Brass , bullets and reloading supplies going to lean towards the 223 side also

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I always ran a 223 or 22-250 for our PD hunts, but I haven't been in years. I never would have thought of taking the 204 out. With the availability of ammo for the 223 and the amount of 22-250 that I have loaded up for just such an occasion it would just make more fiscal sense.

Our group typically runs 204s for coyotes, foxes, woodchucks, etc - I would have never even thought of taking it for PDs. Will have to look into this - the feedback in this thread was insightful.

Why not the .204 for PD????
The .204 was my first choice when I hunted in SD for PD. Would shoot the 204 with SBK 39gr and switch back and forth with the .223 SBK 55 gr and Hornady Zombies 50gr. Wait for barrel to cool down.

When hunting Hogs or Yotes use the SGK 65gr. .224.

My first choice to hunt chucks out to 500 yds after 2004 was the Ruger .204 with SBK 39gr. Thought it was better than a 22-250 with 55gr. for wind and hitting. power

 

[436]

Hi. I am looking at getting a prairie dog gun and am looking at a 204 or a 223 for caliber. I am leaning towards the 204 but am curious how the 204 does in the wind and it's effective range. Thanks

The .204 is a great cartridge, especially with things like Yotes, but the number of rounds fired at prairie dogs and sage rats is a little rough on them, the .223 Rem I think would serve you much better in the long run, and if you wanted a little more range on windy days then the .223 Rem with a nice 26" 1-8 twist barrel, and 80gr bullets is just the ticket for poodle towns. I'm assuming you're talking about a bolt-action rifle. Good luck Cheers.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Why not the .204 for PD????
The .204 was my first choice when I hunted in SD for PD. Would shoot the 204 with SBK 39gr and switch back and forth with the .223 SBK 55 gr and Hornady Zombies 50gr. Wait for barrel to cool down.

When hunting Hogs or Yotes use the SGK 65gr. .224.

My first choice to hunt chucks out to 500 yds after 2004 was the Ruger .204 with SBK 39gr. Thought it was better than a 22-250 with 55gr. for wind and hitting. power

If anyone knows about the .204 39gr SBK it is Remmty!!! Yote Killer!!

 

[Dean2]

I know this wasnt the question but for real high volume shooting it is impossible to beat the 22 Horn, 221 Fireball and 20 Vartarg and 17 Fireball. I have used everything you can think of on gophers and the like. If you are loading anyhow, the Dillon 550 does a great job of loading thousands of very accurate raounds in short order. You can fire at least twice as many 221 FB as 223s without overheating the barrel.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

I know this wasnt the question but for real high volume shooting it is impossible to beat the 22 Horn, 221 Fireball and 20 Vartarg and 17 Fireball. I have used everything you can think of on gophers and the like. If you are loading anyhow, the Dillon 550 does a great job of loading thousands of very accurate raounds in short order. You can fire at least twice as many 221 FB as 223s without overheating the barrel.

At what range though? for al your shots? You need the 233 a 204 to reach out and touch them,

 

[Dean2]

At what range though? for al your shots? You need the 233 a 204 to reach out and touch them,

22h to 250, 221, 17 FB and 20 vartarg I can run to 400. I can't get consistent hits past 400 with the 223 or 204 either so I don't see any drawback to burning half the powder.

To consistently hit past 400 I have to move up to 243 or bigger. For long distance gophers a 7mm of some sort is pretty hard to beat.

 

[Sprocketman]

Hmmmmmmm...... Is it 17 FB, 204, 221 FB, 223, 22-250, or 243 for dogs? I think the answer is YES.

 

[DUCKMAN11]

Fast twist 223 for 70-80gr bullets when it gets windy. And a 20practical for when it's not as windy. I'm not knocking the 204ruger at all but with the 20practical on the market and metric crap loads of great 223 brass available you could reload for both cartridges with a simple swap of a bushing. I like the 20practical for saving hides in fox country also.

 

[BrentM]

Hi. I am looking at getting a prairie dog gun and am looking at a 204 or a 223 for caliber. I am leaning towards the 204 but am curious how the 204 does in the wind and it's effective range. Thanks

Love my 204s but wind has a profound affect on it. I run 39/40 grain and would say inside 500 and up to 10 it's not bad. 2.3 moa, for example. Now running a 223 with a 88 eld it's .4. There is 1100 fps difference in those 2 rifles. So if you want flat and fast, 204, if you want to fight the wind, 223.