.204 Ruger

James M · #1 05-23-2008, 01:57 PM

I was thinking about buying one for coyote killing. I'm currently looking at this Remington 700 SPS Varmint. Anyone use it or have any opinions on it. The one I might buy is used in mint condition for $430.

http://www.remington.com/products/fi...PS_varmint.asp

JohninAB · #2 05-23-2008, 02:01 PM

On the 204 I have experience on it. Great round, fur friendly, will flop a coyote at 300 no problem, no recoil can watch the hit thru your scope. Great, great round. Will be testing it on gophers once I get to the farms end of June.

gube · #3 05-23-2008, 03:15 PM

The 204 is my favorite varmint round. I now have two of them and plan on getting a third. This little caliber has uncanny accuracy and lots of bullet selections now for re-loading. Super flat, incredible carnage in a prairie dog field, fur friendly on yotes, and extra giggle factor

when you can see your impacts through the scope.

Prdtrgttr · #4 05-23-2008, 03:43 PM

I have the 204, but in the regular SPS. These are great guns for the price. Plus, with a little extra money, you can have all kinds of upgrades. Additionally, with the cheap, black tupperware stock, you won't feel bad painting it in all shades of camo.
A friend of mine has the 204 SPS as well and both of our guns did not shoot the 40gr bullets well.
Currently, I am shooting 35gr Bergers in front of 26.5grs of H4895. With this combo, I can put 5 shot groups under an inch.
Good luck with your purchase and let us know how she shoots.

davem · #5 05-23-2008, 04:04 PM

how loud are these, I hesitate to shoot my 22-250 because it is astonishingly loud.

Dave

Booner Sniper · #6 05-23-2008, 04:15 PM

I have a Rem 700 SPS Varmint, I have been shooting the 32 gr Hornady factory for now until I get enough brass to reload it. But I'm really impressed with how good the factory loads shoot, under 1 MOA at 100. They are far less noisy than my 22-250. Took it out for gophers on the long weekend, now that's a good time! lil pricey but for a treat it was a blast!! Seem to work pretty good on the dogs too. Gonna be adding a laminated thumbhole in place of the factory plastic stock.

Eagle Eye · #7 05-23-2008, 05:04 PM

I had the 700 SPS varmint in 204 until a few days ago. It shot very well, which is typical for a Remington. However, I found it far too heavy and unbalanced to use in the field. If I didn't hold the sling on the slung rifle with two hands while walking, the barrel quickly went south and the weight was around 10# loaded. Not a fun gun to carry.

The 204 Ruger round itself is nothing short of superb and I highly recommend it for everything from gophers to coyotes. I use the Hornady 40 gr V-MAX bullet. I chronographed it on Friday at an average speed of 3600 fps using a max book load of Varget powder.

I now carry a CZ 527 American Varmint in 204 Ruger with a 6-18x40mm Leupie scope on top. It grouped .75 MOA right from the box off the bench using the above mentioned existing load I had worked up for the Remington 700 SPS. It carries and balances very well and is IMO, much better suited to the roll of a walking varmint rifle. Well built and great fit&finish as well. It is a fun gun for sure.

Skinnydipper · #8 05-23-2008, 05:22 PM

I tend to agree with Eagle Eye, for a carry gun the CZ 527 American in either the varmint or standard weight get my vote. I got one last year in .204 after much thought and very happy with the decision. I did like the Remington light varmint stainless as well, but the clip on the CZ for me was a plus.

I love the .204 almost enough to give up the 22-250.

Eagle Eye · #9 05-23-2008, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skinnydipper

I did like the Remington light varmint stainless as well, but the clip on the CZ for me was a plus.

I love the .204 almost enough to give up the 22-250.

Just to add to what you stated.....the Remington LVSF has been discountinued and is getting hard to find in the right caliber (204 Ruger). A lot of people objected to the LVSF's blind magazine and the rather odd feeling grip. I wish Remington would soon introduce a trim and slim varminter but that would involve the need for a new action. They did bring out the Model 7 Predator but I for one dislike any rifle with camo paint on it. It is also heavier than it should be for a walking rig.

As for the 22-250, I dropped that cartridge a long time ago because of the blast and noise. Besides, the 204 Ruger has numbers that pretty much copies the 22-250 in every way....except for the noise and blast.

Bushmaster · #10 05-23-2008, 06:59 PM

I have the SPS but not in varmint. And I like it !! But a clip would definitely be better, cause the shells are so small and my hands,....wellll, aren't !!

But very accurate.....all I shoot is factory Hornady ammo, in 40 gr. flattens coyotes, with no pelt damage (so far) and gives gophers flying lessons.

Iron Brew · #11 05-23-2008, 09:04 PM

I've been getting interested in this cartridge. I wish stevens would release one in .204. Anybody heard any rumblings they will???

catnthehat · #12 05-23-2008, 10:38 PM

Savage builds them , don't they?
Cat

Pioneer2 · #13 05-24-2008, 05:45 AM

Does the Rem SPS have the regular 700 trigger or something unadjustable?[X-Mark] On another forum a guy was PO'ed at factory hex screws that had also been epoxied over to prevent adjustment without a smith doing it?Anyone played with one? Harold

Stinky Coyote · #14 05-24-2008, 07:54 AM

1st off, probably no better cartridge for a coyote 'caller'. Might not be the best 'truck' or long range prairie cartridge (.22-250 and up to the 6mm variants better suited here) but the .204 is the perfect callers caliber for coyotes period imo. Get the trajectory of the .22-250 but the hitting energy of the .223 and get the added benefit to watch the impacts in scope.

Having said that, i think a callers gun needs to be light weight and quick handling as probably 98% of called coyotes are shot inside of 300 yrds and maybe 90% under 200....at least thats how it is for me...not sure for everyone else? Another requirement i like is detach magazine for in and out of the truck all day doing 10 calling set ups etc.

Cz American is what i shoot too. Factory 32 gr v-max at 4030 fps and 5 under an inch no prob....still spot impacts in scope even with such a tiny gun. Detach mag. Only knocks against the cz is agricultural action (not smooth...but can be smoothed up cycling with jb bore paste a few hundred times) and no stainless or synthetic stock.....but love the size/weight for a calling gun....almost perfect but then again...what gun is?

If tikka chambered the camo stainless t3 lite in .204 and you got the high capacity magazine for it....that probably would be the perfect callers rig. I would look at trading my cz up for that combo....but not if have to do .223 or .22-250...the .204 rocks. with 1.5" high at 100 yrd zero i've held on points of interest (twigs, small dark spots) in the snow at 330 yrds and it hits close enough to look as though i hit dead on.....close enough to hold dead on a coyote to 330 yrds....at 350 your still on fur! Pretty nice to know that you can just point and shoot to basically anything you've called in as your more than likely well inside 300 yrds.

Good luck in choice, i saw an sps varmint yesterday, nice rig but not sure i'd use that one for a carry/calling gun.....more static stuff though...yup!

So is this gun for calling or for more static type coyote shooting? That should help you pick better.

gube · #15 05-24-2008, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Savage builds them , don't they?
Cat

Yes they do, I have two.
A 12 VLP and a 12 BTVSS. Heavy guns but my favorites for prarie doggin. My next one will be in a CZ-527 or a Tikka lite for a walk about yote rifle.

Eagle Eye · #16 05-24-2008, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinky Coyote

Only knocks against the cz is agricultural action (not smooth...but can be smoothed up cycling with jb bore paste a few hundred times) and no stainless or synthetic stock.

Somethings have changed Coyote......CZ does now make a varmint model with an HS Precision kevlar stock (complete with aluminum bedding block) and it has a 24" matte varmint contour. It weighs about 7.5# without scope. They also make it in a nice looking laminated version with the matte barrel. As for the action, yours may be an older one..the product continues to improve. The one I just bought (American Varmint model) was silky smooth right out of the box and so was another model I was handling (a regular American model without the varmint weight barrel).

You mentioned a number of the same things I find with the 204 and I am impressed with the velocity you get with those 32's. I shoots 40's for better wind bucking and better terminal results....maybe I'll have to try the smaller ones.

My other comment is about Tikka.....they make very nice rigs but I don't like the "one size fits all" action. When I buy a compact walker in the tiny 204 or 223 size, I don't want a 30-06 or magnum sized action with baffles in it to make it small. I don't care for the plastic parts in the action either.

Good shooting everyone.

Stinky Coyote · #17 05-24-2008, 05:39 PM

my cz shot the 40's about 1 1/4 on the same day it put 5 into 3/4...back to back comparison and may 5 shot groups of each to see

cz is smooth unless you cycle it with authority...has that changed?

i had a tikka varmint stainless in .204...best days it shot 1/2"...if it had been sporter weight i would have kept it and ditched the cz....it was same as cz with the 40's...liked the 32's better (all factory hornady stuff btw)

forgot about the new savage 25, that would be on my list to check out if shopping right now forsure...magazine looks like same type/design/material as tikka's...and thats a good thing imo...