204 Ruger-Dying in popularity?

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pyscodog

Active member
A year or so ago, I sold all my 204 stuff and then ask the question about the caliber dying out. Most replies were no its not. Now I see all the post of members selling their 204 stuff and I have a barrel that is for sale and not even one reply. SOOO, I ask again, "Is the 204 Ruger dying in popularity?"
pyscodog
 
A year later and still NO...my opinion, of course.

I am debating whether or not I should take BOTH my .204 s to this years PD wars...did last year but a little more cramped for space in 2011.

Check back next year..just for grins.
 
its just like everything new that comes out thats the latest and greatest. everyone with money burning a hole in there pocket will get one or two then when things get a little harder to find they sell off. thats when i look for deals. sooo what kind of 204 barrel? lol
 
I think it may not be quite as popular as before, but I still ENJOY SHOOTING mine! Economy & gas prices probably have more to do with why your stuff isn't selling. To each their own, but I think that the .204 is hard to beat for predators and a pleasure to shoot! I sure have been having some trouble just recently locating some new unfired brass, so somebody is out there shooting them!
 
Mine is certainly NOT for sale, and I am actually contemplating getting another. I'm sure the initial "newness" and novelty of the cartrige has worn off, but I don't believe its going anywhere, it way too much going for it.
 
I just bought two 204 barrels off of here, lol. These two will become AR barrels.

I love the round. Very flat, accurate, and AR compatible. Burns modest amounts of powder. Cheap bullets are available. For me, for a pdog round it's a tossup between the 204 and the 223 AI. Both very good to 400 yds and beyond if the wind cooperates.

The biggest handicap is the twist rate most all the rifles come in. I don't know why, when they knew they would offer 40 gr bullets, they made the rifles with a twist that barely stabilizes those bullets. If they would have come out with 1-11" or 1-10" rifles instead of 1-12", it would be a lot better. A lot of guys want the heavier bullets for predators only to find their rifle won't shoot them well.
 
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I don't think it is dieing, but I do think it is fading a little. After all it still is a specialty caliber on par with the .17s and the only factory .20 caliber available.
 
I look at the .20 cal as I look at the .17 cal. There was a lot of hype when it came out but after people realized it had drawbacks it died.

The .20 however is better then a .17 so I think it's here for now. Will it last? Hard to really say.

I don't own one and won't after my experience with the .17 years ago. After trying the .17 Remington I came to the conclusion that anything smaller then .224 is just to finicky with wind, humidity and temp.

But to all you .20 cal owners, I wish you luck and hope it hangs around if that's what you like.
 
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As I've said before, the .204 is a 'specialty' cartridge and most people that try to push past the intended envelope wind up expressing displeasure with the results...

It was intended for high speed Varmint level pest control and trying to adapt it to Predator control, while doable, is starting to hit that edge of it's intended use...

Certainly, since Berger came out with their 35gr HP bullets, it's use for larger Predators (Coyotes) makes it more palatable and successful, but pushing 40gr and up bullets and expecting marvelous results is being a little polyanna...

At 4000+ fps, it's a hard cartridge to beat for shooting Prairie Dogs and similar rodents at long ranges....Larger bullets and faster twist barrels equate to slower speeds, and IMHO, are better served with a .223 size bullet..
 
I think the craze has peaked much like the 17 craze. Not that it's a bad caliber, but I think you may start seeing less options in 204 caliber rifles being offered.
 
I was one of the first to own one in the group of hunter's I go with. Now we have quite a few more .204's on the rack...maybe were just behind the trend. As long as the reloading components are available they are here to stay in our circle. Absolutely love them.
 
Wouldnt even think of selling mine! I've dropped coyotes in there tracks with mine running a 32 gr nosler out to 400ish yds. I plan on buying another once my bank account lets me.
 
I like mine, I just bought too heavy of a rifle. 1 coyote at 300 yds, and the rest closer in calling range, no run offs, But I get tired of toting it.
 
I have two .204s. Was just wondering if I should sell my .22-250 and get a third. Oh yeah, FWIW: a .204 40 gr. bullet (V-Max., for example), will actually drift less in wind than the same type 55 gr. .22-250. And the ability to see your shots is another plus. As far as the .204 not being an adequate coyote round: that may be still open to debate. Mine are fine as part-time predator rifles (mainly larger Eastern 'yotes at no more than 200 yards) and mainly groundhog guns, and at least a 24" barrel would be recommended to get the most out of the .204. If one had a .22 cal. centerfire and never hunted anything smaller than coyotes, I wouldn't sell it to get a .204 if I couldn't afford both.
 
Originally Posted By: Orneryolfart357I like mine, I just bought too heavy of a rifle. 1 coyote at 300 yds, and the rest closer in calling range, no run offs, But I get tired of toting it.

That's the very reason I quit using mine for awhile, then I bought a Kimber Montana in 204. Absolutely perfect.

I don't think the caliber is going to fade out, it's to good of a caliber and almost as cheap to shoot as a 223. Like the 17's, most folks thought they could buy a box of shells off the shelf and go shoot Coyotes. NOT! Just like the 17's it requires handloading with specialty bullets like Berger, Nagel, ect. The guys that use the 17's for Coyotes are pelt savers, not Coyote shooters so the 17's and 20's work great for them.
 
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