204 Ruger

[qmurphy]

Has anyone ever bought this caliber for Coyotes, and regretted it? What do you wish you would have gotten instead and why?

I've read way to many debates about what the best coyote cal is, thought I would try this approach to the question....

[catnthehat]

I personally don't own one but I know quite a few friends with them and don't recall anyone saying a negative thing about them when it comes to coyotes.
Cat

[FCLightning]

Have used a 204 with 32 gr. VMax, a 223 with 40 gr. VMax and a 257 with 75 gr. VMax. They all make the coyotes just as dead. Didn't see a difference between the 204 and 223 as far as pelt friendly - the 257 was a little rough on them.

[tikka250]

have yet to hear anyone go to a 204 and regret it as far as performance on coyotes goes.

[100zero]

My buddy shoots a 204 for his coyote gun and loves it. No issue dropping the dog. My coyote gun is a 22-250. I've only shot gophers with it so far, I need better coyote spots I guess.


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[qmurphy]

Thanks guys, extremely helpful, just helped put my mind at ease.

[densa44]

She killed a yote at 375 yards. She loves it, no recoil or muzzle blast.

[wolf308]

204 is great.

[Ronji]

I own on. Its awesome.

[Opa]

I have one in a Ruger Hawkeye - fantastic piece of equipment for coyote. Low recoil, low muzzle blast, and blazing speeds. 32gr. V-max drops them like a bad habit. I have even taken a wolf with it.

[heretohunt]

Originally Posted by Opa

I have one in a Ruger Hawkeye - fantastic piece of equipment for coyote. Low recoil, low muzzle blast, and blazing speeds. 32gr. V-max drops them like a bad habit. I have even taken a wolf with it.

How did that go Opa? I shot one with mine last year just to try it. I believe I was under gunned. The first shot broke his shoulder and he dropped but then got up and kept going. Then I planted one behind the shoulder from close range. I was surprised how long he lived after that. There were others in the pack that I would have shot if I had a bigger gun but I chose not to.

[fish_e_o]

i killed a coyote with mine it only took 4 shots

the rest of them just ran with flesh hanging off


great cartridge though just not for coyotes

[waterhaulerhunter]

I can never understand how people have had such extreme different results with the same cartridge. I've used the 204 ruger a bunch on coyotes and it is an excellent coyote gun with very little to no fur damage and it's always put them down no problem out to some pretty good distances. Yet other says that it is nothing more than a gopher gun. The only time it has never done the job is when I made a poor shot. So are the people saying it's a poor coyote cartridge making a couple poor shots and giving up on it? It just confuses me.

[Benelli1]

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

i killed a coyote with mine it only took 4 shots

the rest of them just ran with flesh hanging off


great cartridge though just not for coyotes

Must have been great shot placement I suggest you get out and do some serious target practice. 204 is more than adequate for coyotes and ballistics are as good or better than a .223.

[tchardy1972]

Biggest problem is see with the 204 is very soft bullets and extreme speed with the 32 grainers. As a fur buyer I see all sorts of damage and a splash on the shoulder blades with a 204 is every bit as bad as anything else. The 223 or 222 is still the best of both worlds. The hornet is even more fur friendly.

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by Benelli1

Must have been great shot placement I suggest you get out and do some serious target practice. 204 is more than adequate for coyotes and ballistics are as good or better than a .223.

i wish i had the picture of a coyote with it's ribs exposed biting my boot while i had to slit it's throat because a 204 isn't meant for coyotes

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

i wish i had the picture of a coyote with it's ribs exposed biting my boot while i had to slit it's throat because a 204 isn't meant for coyotes

What bullet are you using?
That is definitely not typical performance of the 204.

[45/70/500]

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

i wish i had the picture of a coyote with it's ribs exposed biting my boot while i had to slit it's throat because a 204 isn't meant for coyotes

I wish you had posted that picture because with out the picture i say your story is BS

[kiute]

I have not been impressed with my .204 on coyotes but I think if I could find a bullet that held together better it would work well. I'm back to using my 22-250 with 55 gr. Nosler ballistic tips.

[fish_e_o]

Originally Posted by Battle Rat

What bullet are you using?
That is definitely not typical performance of the 204.

32 v-max and 39 SBK both bad splashers

very typical of my experiences with the 204.

Originally Posted by 45/70/500

I wish you had posted that picture because with out the picture i say your story is BS

i wont post it, it's not flattering for the hunting community.

there was a witness, i know he's on this site from time to time. you're going to hurt my feelings guys, a round that is known to splash splashes like crazy and i'm called a liar

[J0HN_R1]

Originally Posted by 45/70/500

I wish you had posted that picture, because with out the picture I say your story is BS.

Really ?

[fish_e_o]

well what people don't know is i have stocks in all other cartridges besides the 204



i mean really... i don't care what people use, i've used a 22lr more than once.

lying to make the 204 look bad? it's not bad, it's best purpose isn't coyotes though.

[tikka250]

Originally Posted by fish_e_o

32 v-max and 39 SBK both bad splashers

very typical of my experiences with the 204.


i wont post it, it's not flattering for the hunting community.

there was a witness, i know he's on this site from time to time. you're going to hurt my feelings guys, a round that is known to splash splashes like crazy and i'm called a liar

i believe you dont worry
the one downside to using light frangible bullets for coyotes is that... well they tend to be frangible i have found with things like the vmax and blitzkings if pushed into the 4000fps range they have the tendency to get splashy real fast. i try to keep mine below the 3800 mark as well as keeping shot placement off of the hard thick shoulders.

[snapshot300]

I have had good luck with the 40 grain Vmax any where from 40-350 yards, had one that tried to get up for a couple of seconds it was down before I could shot again the rest have all been bang flops.

[Opa]

Originally Posted by heretohunt

How did that go Opa? I shot one with mine last year just to try it. I believe I was under gunned. The first shot broke his shoulder and he dropped but then got up and kept going. Then I planted one behind the shoulder from close range. I was surprised how long he lived after that. There were others in the pack that I would have shot if I had a bigger gun but I chose not to.

It was a wide open chance within 150 +/- yds,, so I had the confidence to neck shoot it. DRT!!! I would have thought twice if it would have been further away and in a more difficult circumstance.

[Battle Rat]

Originally Posted by snapshot300

I have had good luck with the 40 grain Vmax any where from 40-350 yards, had one that tried to get up for a couple of seconds it was down before I could shot again the rest have all been bang flops.

Same bullet that I use and same results on close to 30 yotes so far.

[snowshoes]

Used a Tactical 20 on coyotes for 3 years, followed by a 204 for the next three years. Also shot a few with a 20 VT just to change things up. All were loaded with 38 gr. Wildcat's or 35 gr. Berger's. So over 6 years of using a 20 Cal. for coyotes, it may seem this would be my "go to" coyote caliber but honestly the 204 hasn't been out of my gun cabinet since 2013. Sold the 20 Tactical and 20 VT but still have a 204.
After using various 22 calibers for coyotes since the mid 1970's (and a 6mm Rem. prior to that) I went back to a 223 in 2013/2014 and see no reason to switch again.
They all knock coyotes down but personally I prefer a 52 gr. Berger out of the 223.

[ishootbambi]

Originally Posted by tikka250

i believe you dont worry
the one downside to using light frangible bullets for coyotes is that... well they tend to be frangible i have found with things like the vmax and blitzkings if pushed into the 4000fps range they have the tendency to get splashy real fast. i try to keep mine below the 3800 mark as well as keeping shot placement off of the hard thick shoulders.

I've heard this term before. It makes absolutely zero sense to me. What the hell is a splash? The bullet has to travel through the skin, through muscle and then hit bone. Assuming the bullet disintegrates when it hits that bone....how does the hole explode in the hide? Are you telling me the bullet fragments bounce backward and blow out the direction they came from? Are you telling me the skin blew the bullet apart? How does this work?

The only exit I've ever seen from my coyote gun was a glancing blow. I shot one facing me that suffered from a little wind drift. Rather than squarely hitting him in the throat it tore his neck open. Killed him right quick, but with a couple hundred dead from that gun it was my only fur damage. It was certainly not a splash, just a glancing hit. Someone prove this phenomenon please. It defies the laws of physics.

I don't think it matters, but I don't shoot a 204, although I do believe it just might be the perfect coyote cartridge within 400 yards.

[Dr. Phil A]

Own a TC Pro Hunter. Love it. Nothing like shooting gophers at 200 yards. Pigeons and magpies come apart.

Coyotes need to be out past 100 yards or more. Hornady 32 grain factory ammo has left a few under the 100 yards very dead but messy.
First coyote I shot with it was about 50 yards. Had to shoot three more to patch it up.

Did a Texas heart shot on a coyote running away from me. No exit but was like a bag of mush when I picked it up.

Best was 300 yards just under the chin. Pin hole and a dead coyote.

The close shots are still moving fast and the energy has to go somewhere. I hit one at about 30 yards and I could have put a football where his chest and stomach had been.

[tikka250]

Originally Posted by ishootbambi

I've heard this term before. It makes absolutely zero sense to me. What the hell is a splash? The bullet has to travel through the skin, through muscle and then hit bone. Assuming the bullet disintegrates when it hits that bone....how does the hole explode in the hide? Are you telling me the bullet fragments bounce backward and blow out the direction they came from? Are you telling me the skin blew the bullet apart? How does this work?

The only exit I've ever seen from my coyote gun was a glancing blow. I shot one facing me that suffered from a little wind drift. Rather than squarely hitting him in the throat it tore his neck open. Killed him right quick, but with a couple hundred dead from that gun it was my only fur damage. It was certainly not a splash, just a glancing hit. Someone prove this phenomenon please. It defies the laws of physics.

I don't think it matters, but I don't shoot a 204, although I do believe it just might be the perfect coyote cartridge within 400 yards.

cant tell you the perfect physics of it but essentially the bullet fragments so fast that it dosnt make very deep before pretty much turning to dust and blowing up just under the skin causing a massive "splash" effect on the coyote without doing any major killing damage. short answer is the bullet fragments too fast and it blows skin to kingdom come without doing any lethal damage.