Quote:from looking at my reloading books it looks like i could load my 223 close to the 204 so what is all the hipe on the 204 i do not own a 204 and have never shot one but i am looking for a upper for my ar ...A few years ago I had a custom built AR .223 upper made in a slow twist (1/14) match grade barrel for the purpose of shooting low weight (35 &40gr) bullets close to .204 speeds...Careful selection of powder and attention to loading practices can make it happen...
For 300 yards and under, there is not much difference in overall results, but after than point, the trajectory and bullet stability drops off for the .223, as opposed to the .204 with the right loading, in my experience...For long distance Varmint shooting, I'll still stick with my .204, but for bigger game, I like my .223 for Predators since I would rarely shoot one past 250 yards on any given day...