204 Ruger options? Tikka? Ruger?

[Ohlongarm]

I recently purchased a CZ varmint 25.6" barrel love it, balance is great, trigger is great and it shoots great. Factory 32grain Vmax shoot great but I like the 39 Sierra blitz king reloads, the rifle shoots that bullet really good and it has the best BC of any 20 caliber bullets (.287). 3850+ velocity out of that 39 SBK bullet. Really knocks the soup out of a coyote. 1/2" @ 100, right on @ 200, 4.5" low @ 300........ I dislike Ruger triggers, they are heavy crap.

That's the round that I dropped a coyote with at 1420 feet,a factory HSM.My longest shot ever with the 204.

 

[Shooter 69]

Stay with the tikka. It's a shooter. Great trigger. If you want it lighter . Get a yo Dave spring for around $20.00 with shipping. You can probably find a different configuration on gunbroker.com . Plus you can do so many things to up grade them.

 

[diamonddave2]

I have a Ruger Ultralite in 204 and an AR with a White Oak Armament upper in 204. I really like both of them. I got the Ruger first and it liked 32 grain Hornady Vmax factories but really didn't like the 40 grain Vmax. The 32 grains shot between .5 and .6 inch groups. The 40 grains were 1.5 inch and up. After a few boxes of factory loads, all I've shot have been reloads. Currently I am shooting Berger 35 grain in both rifles. Like Old Turtle said, most 204's that I have been around really have a definite preference for one bullet over others. I wanted to shoot 40 grains in both my rifles but neither one of them shot them well. I will always go with what the rifle likes over what I like. Right now, the 204 is my favorite calling caliber.

I also have a 204 Ruger AR upper that I have a love hate relationship with. It shoots most anything half MOA or less (best loads 3/8"), but doesn't feed well. I've tried several magazines. What's your experience?

 

[Bud LaRoche]

a 22 inch barrel is all you need in that caliber,my farthest shot 1340 yards dropped its target in its tracks,nothing to be gained by a longer barrel length.

What were you shooting at 1340 yards that dropped in it's tracks ? What bullet? That's a loooooooooong shot with a 204

 

[Bud LaRoche]

I recently purchased a CZ varmint 25.6" barrel love it, balance is great, trigger is great and it shoots great. Factory 32grain Vmax shoot great but I like the 39 Sierra blitz king reloads, the rifle shoots that bullet really good and it has the best BC of any 20 caliber bullets (.287). 3850+ velocity out of that 39 SBK bullet. Really knocks the soup out of a coyote. 1/2" @ 100, right on @ 200, 4.5" low @ 300........ I dislike Ruger triggers, they are heavy crap.

How does the 39SBK do on coyote shoulder around 250-300 yards ?

 

[Joe Entrekin]

How about a Howa 1500 in 204R?

 

[lisasman]

I own two Tikka 204s, the hunter model and the varmint model. Both are absolute tack drivers and would not hesitate to get the compact. Tikka still makes the 204 in several models it's just that Beretta is not importing them to the U.S. The bolts are buttery smooth, the trigger breaks like glass and out of box accuracy would be hard to beat. There is a large variety of after market barrels for them. With that being said, I bought a CZ 527 in 17 Hornet and would not hesitate to get one in 204, the single set trigger will make you smile. Although not quit as refined as the Tikka it is a wonderful gun. Those would be my first two choices followed by a savage. Best of luck.

 

[jrock]

I don't have any of the options on your list. I have a Savage model 12FV and that thing is a tack driver. It has a 26" barrel and I can get 4000 fps with 40 grain Vmax.
I liked it so much I built and AR with a 24" bull barrel and it is also 1/4 MOA gun. It is my first AR and I just decided on a load. I didn't have any feeding insues for the first few mags but have noticed a coulpe that get jamed up vertically into the breech. Next two or three shots hit high before it settles down. I think its due to damaging the rounds. I've been trying to set the adjustable gas block as well. Not sure what the issue is at this point. I'm using the 10 round PT&G mags.

 

[kfreeze]

My savage 16 in 204 shoots really good. I run the 32 grn bullets just for flat shooting and not haveing to worry about dialung or hold over. I live in MN where 300 yds is a long shot most of the time so it works perfect. Zero'd at 100 yds it hits 3 1/2" low at 300 yds. I just run a max load of 748 and a 32 grn nos bt and it gave me 1/2 moa at 300 so I left it alone. I have an ar in 204 also and built one in 204 for a friend. You have to play with mags a little sometimes or ssnd down the inside part on pmags that the case shoulder hits on a 223 case. That seemed to help get them to feed good.

 

[Ohlongarm]

What were you shooting at 1340 yards that dropped in it's tracks ? What bullet? That's a loooooooooong shot with a 204

Correction 1340 feet,I'll leave those shots of 1340 yards for some of the others here.

 

[bubbaonpc]

Love my T/C .204 Ruger...and comes ready for Silencer. 26-45's shoot sub MOA and the SMK's make one big hole. Grab a box of "dawgs" in 34gr and you'll eat the middle out of a 1" circle...you will have an occasional flyer, but that comes with "cheap" bulk purchase. I'm gonna purchase a HOWA in .204 just to see if it shoots as well as my Grendel. I don't think you can go wrong with ANY .204 purchase...most fun I've ever had shooting and playing with loads. Good luck and enjoy it !!

 

[Mackinaw BOB]

I have the CZ 527 American. I have shot nothing but 40 grain VMAX through in and it makes me smile every time I shoot it. I like it so much I've been on the look out of one in 223. The set trigger is amazing. Can't go wrong with the CZ. Me personally, If I was in the market for another 204 I wouldn't even look at anything but another CZ

 

[Ohlongarm]

How does the 39SBK do on coyote shoulder around 250-300 yards ?

With a 50 yard zero ,one of my best sight in protocols,here's what you get.
50 yd -0
100yds 0.8
200 yds 0.2
250 yds- 1.4
300 yds -4
At 300 yards your ft pounds of energy will be @ 650 this will drive the the 39 BK through the shoulder and will flatten out under the skin on the opposite side in most cases,the yote will be drt,or within 50 yards.My 1/4 shot dropped him in his tracks,at that range it was still packing over 400=ft pounds of energy.

 

[Reemty J]

I have not hit one in the shoulder yet; but will try to on next one I shoot and let you know. Has to be someone on here that has though..... at 200 and 300 yards on soft steel plates it really makes a crater hole.