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Any advantages of a .204 over .223?

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Sparky View Drop Down
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    Posted: February/14/2011 at 12:40
Looking for some feed back on the Ruger .204 vs the .223. I have a chance to pick up a very good deal on a new in the box DPMS in 204 with the JP trigger, but I am not sure if it is that much better to justify it. I know the 204 is flatter shooting and does not damage the pelts as much. I mainly do target shooting and some PD shooting. Target shooting is mainly out to 300yds now and occassionaly out to 800yds.

Thanks,

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SD Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/14/2011 at 13:42
What do you want to know?  I have AR's in both .204 and .223.  With a 39gr bullet, drop is almost identical to my .22-250 with a 55gr bullet, .223 drops off faster.  Don't have my notes with me for specifics.  Both are great p-dog round.  Pelt damage has been the same for me using a 39gr in .204 and .55 gr in .223. 

Probably the biggest thing I have noticed between the 2 is the difference in brass.  I use Winchester almost exclusively.  .223 brass has always been good.  Flash holes clean, pockets good, very few pieces with bent necks etc.  With the .204 brass, the flash holes needed to be cleaned up and primer pockets were not as uniform.  This could very well be due to the amount of .223 brass they manufacture.  Larger volume = keep dies in better condition.  That is my guess.  2 others I shoot p-dogs with have noticed the same thing with their brass from both Win and Rem.  Lapua brass would be a good fix for this (if they even make .204 brass) but there are a lot of things that would be nice.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/14/2011 at 13:47
john, you can buy .204 brass made buy norma, that would be a big step up
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SD Dog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/14/2011 at 13:53
Agree that it would.  I have quit a bit already.  I don't mind the prep work, but it was very necessary with that lot#.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/16/2011 at 23:03
SD Dog I was wondering if it is that much better or different than a 223. Since I already own a several 223s and if it is not that much better I just can not see owning one. Plus when I go out PD hunting then I would have to carry another cal of ammo.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tip69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/18/2011 at 08:33
204 is faster and flatter.  Weather it's enough to make you get one is up to you.  If you're shooting at a running coyote for example, lead is less and that can mean more hits.  I can tell you my son thinks that's a good deal!  See the General Hunting forum!
take em!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pyro6999 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/18/2011 at 08:34
how is performing in cross winds guys? those lighter bullets make me leery. the 55gr bullets i shoot out of my 22-250 drift enough at 300yds as it is.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JLud Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/19/2011 at 12:22

Having owned both, didnt see a reason for the 204 and sold it.  Nice round, but you can get 223 in 40 grain vmax rounds if you want, then only giving up 400 fps or so. 

One thing to keep in mind, is that the 204 ammo could be easily mixed up with 223, something you have to keep an eye on.  204 is a lot more expensive to buy if you dont reload.  For ease of operation, think just 223 makes life a lot easier.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SamC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/19/2011 at 14:36
Originally posted by JLud JLud wrote:

Having owned both, didnt see a reason for the 204 and sold it.  Nice round, but you can get 223 in 40 grain vmax rounds if you want, then only giving up 400 fps or so. 

One thing to keep in mind, is that the 204 ammo could be easily mixed up with 223, something you have to keep an eye on.  204 is a lot more expensive to buy if you dont reload.  For ease of operation, think just 223 makes life a lot easier.

That's why my latest rig is chambered in 223, cost and availability of ammo is better in 223 for me than 204.
Sam

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sparky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/19/2011 at 15:13
The more I look the more I am less inclined to get the 204.

I was talking with some individuals and they liked the 204 up to 300 to 400yds and said that after that it really loses steam and gets blown around. Plus barrel life it less with the 204. If that is the case then I am going to stay with my 223.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote biggreen747 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/19/2011 at 15:52
When it comes right down to it the .223 may not be the best at anything but it's good enough at everything that it's hard to justify something else if you already have a good .223. Especially if you handload and have all dies and brass already for the .223. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cheaptrick Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/20/2011 at 07:49
Originally posted by biggreen747 biggreen747 wrote:

When it comes right down to it the .223 may not be the best at anything but it's good enough at everything that it's hard to justify something else if you already have a good .223.  
 
I concur!  Excellent
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tip69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: February/20/2011 at 09:12
Originally posted by biggreen747 biggreen747 wrote:

it's hard to justify something else if you already have a good .XYZ.  


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tjtjwdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/05/2011 at 13:38

I own both so the way I see it is, for varmint shooting I would stick with the 204.  Comparing 40gr 223 rounds to 40gr 204 rounds it is just a superior round.  Check it out.

If I were doing some target work with the rifle as well, I would stick with the 223.  The 22 cal bullet is used in match competitions and there are some darn good heavier bullets that will shoot just as good and hit harder, although it will require a 8 twist barrel.
 
Accuracy wise, both rounds are very capable of sub 0.5 MOA.
 
HTH
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/05/2011 at 15:57
I'm inclined to go the other direction and pick up a .243  for my next rifle,  I had one that I bought right before Christmas but one of the boys thought it would be a good Christmas present for him and I let him have it.  I have always had .223 and never felt more than curious about the .204 so no driving need for me to have one.  I also hate small primers probably becuse I have big hands.   Calibers I would like to have - .243 &  7mm08 possibly a 22-250 its very appealing cause it is so much faster than a .223 but I'm not sure it will do anything the .223 wont.
I'd really kind of like to have a 17 HMR too but I have not decided that is practical either with .22 and .223 in hand.   I tend to like to shoot the heavy bullets out of the .223 because they retain more energy at distance, like 69gr SMK 77gr smk 75 gr BTHP the lightest I shoot is the 60 gr AMAX and those seem to kill critters pretty well so I have a hard time justifying something else unless it will run heavier bullets than 77gr, but I dont have any prairie dogs to shot, so if I did I might really want a .204  & a 17 hmr a lot depends on how many bullets you will shoot at a time because big volume cases make guns hot quickly which is one of the reasons people like the .204 no recoil and about the same amount of powder as a .223. 
 


Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - March/05/2011 at 16:11

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tip69 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/05/2011 at 21:21
you should go out tomorrow and get a .17HMR.  By far my favorite!  I like .204 too.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BoilerUP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/06/2011 at 14:20
I often hear folks say the 204 gets blown around...40gr .204 bullets have a much higher BC than 40gr .224 bullets and are traveling at a higher velocity; they should be affected much less than bullets of the same weight fired from a 223.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tjtjwdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/06/2011 at 23:58
Originally posted by Urimaginaryfrnd Urimaginaryfrnd wrote:

I'm inclined to go the other direction and pick up a .243  for my next rifle,  I had one that I bought right before Christmas but one of the boys thought it would be a good Christmas present for him and I let him have it.  I have always had .223 and never felt more than curious about the .204 so no driving need for me to have one.  I also hate small primers probably becuse I have big hands.   Calibers I would like to have - .243 &  7mm08 possibly a 22-250 its very appealing cause it is so much faster than a .223 but I'm not sure it will do anything the .223 wont.
I'd really kind of like to have a 17 HMR too but I have not decided that is practical either with .22 and .223 in hand.   I tend to like to shoot the heavy bullets out of the .223 because they retain more energy at distance, like 69gr SMK 77gr smk 75 gr BTHP the lightest I shoot is the 60 gr AMAX and those seem to kill critters pretty well so I have a hard time justifying something else unless it will run heavier bullets than 77gr, but I dont have any prairie dogs to shot, so if I did I might really want a .204  & a 17 hmr a lot depends on how many bullets you will shoot at a time because big volume cases make guns hot quickly which is one of the reasons people like the .204 no recoil and about the same amount of powder as a .223. 
 
I have a 17 HMR and it is fun to shoot, but due to the cost of the ammo, I can shoot a 204/223 for darn near the same cost.  But for a rimfire, they're fun. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tjtjwdad Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/07/2011 at 00:10
Originally posted by BoilerUP BoilerUP wrote:

I often hear folks say the 204 gets blown around...40gr .204 bullets have a much higher BC than 40gr .224 bullets and are traveling at a higher velocity; they should be affected much less than bullets of the same weight fired from a 223.
 
Last year I took my 204 out for the 1st time shooting ground squirrels in central Oregon.  I had to limit my 204 shooting to 300 yards and beyond because anything close was no contest.  There were 0-20 mph winds varing between 75-125 degrees.  The longest one canned was estimated at 500 yards Google Earth.  I have a laser now so next year hopefully I'll have a more accurate #. It is a flat shooting phenominal round, capable of superb accuracy and the best part is you can see the impact thru the scope.  IMO, the only 223 rounds that can do that are the heavier match grade bullets with fast twist barrels, otherwise the 204 will out run and out perform it.  Just better ballistics...
 
HTH, 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RifleDude Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/07/2011 at 07:22
I use both .204 and .223 for shooting prairie dogs.  I've made many shots past 700 yards with both.  The .204 is vastly superior to .223 when both are shooting typical varmint pills (in my case, 39 gr SBK for .204 and 50 gr. NBT).  .204 is much flatter shooting, basically covering the same ground as .22-250, except with less powder consumption, less heat, and less barrel wear.  You can spot your shots at long distance through the scope with .204, but you can't with other fast stepping varmint rounds unless you weigh the rifle down or use a brake.
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