Help me decide

AdamT

AdamT

Well-known member
I've been putting together another AR recently. I've got my lower done, and have the upper, hand guard, and a 5.56 complete BCG. The only piece I need other than the barrel is a charging handle. The original plan was to do a 20" 6.5/.264 so I would need a bolt and some mags to finish that route. I've been thinking really hard though about going with 22" target crowned barrel in .204 Ruger. The main role for this rifle was to be a lighter weight semi auto calling rifle for coyotes (fox and bobcats also if they show up). Could also be used for groundhogs but main purpose was for calling. When planning to go 6.5 I thought I may use it for whitetails also and target shooting on occasion but again main purpose was for calling predators. Help me decide between the two please.

Lower parts list:
Aero Precision lower
Geiselle super dynamic enhanced trigger
Battle Arms Ambi Safety
Ergo grip
Magpul MOE rifle stock and MOE trigger guard
Rest of the lower parts are standard

Upper parts:
Aero M4 Enhanced upper
Aero 15" Quantum M-LOK hand guard
PSA M16 chrome lined carrier, HPT/MPI bolt

Rifles I currently have if it helps:
Rem 700 BDL in 222
Rem 7 Predator in 223
(2) AR's in 5.56 (both carbine setups w/ 14.5" barrels & pinned muzzle devices)
AR in 6.8SPC (20" barrel)
Rem 700 Buckmasters in 270

Edit to add the barrel for the build will be a BHW, ordered from Ritch
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Originally Posted By: Bob_AtlDo you reload ?
6mm has a boat load of projectiles to pick from..

I don't but have access to all the equipment, would just have to get corresponding dies.
 
I'm going to put my vote in for the 204. Things happen awfully fast when predator hunting. Sometimes you have literally seconds to make your shot. Fast and flat gets my vote almost every time. With a 204 you can point and shoot from 50 to 300 yards without having to worry about bullet drop. Running shots are simpler too. My two cents.
 
6x6.8 or a 6X45 would be in my rack if I were in your shoes. The 6X6.8 would be better for deer and is a hammer on coyotes.

Greg
 
You've got 2 uppers chambered 5.56, a 6.8spc "|(which I deer hunt with) and a .270. Since you more than likely have some 5.56 brass around I would start reloading and get a .20P barrel.

But, the next barrel i buy WILL be a 6x6.8. There's no telling when that will be. After that is a .20P. And a .358 MPG, etc., etc.
 
Of your two choices I think you'd enjoy the 204 more as a calling rifle, esp if you shoot a bobcat or fox. The laser like trajectory, as has been mentioned, means just one less thing to think about at the moment of truth. I carried a 264 last season, and while accurate and effective I missed a couple at around 150 yds I couldn't figure out. Likely I shot just high as that would be the high point of the rainbow trajectory.

As has been mentioned the 6mm offerings offer spectacular performance. A little much for fox for sure and a handloading proposition, and not really a beginner handloading job IMO. But I LOVE my 243 lbc, and will be carrying it this season. Flat shooting 55 gr at 3500 fps+, and switch to 85's at 3000 fps for deer or antelope. My BHW barrel shoots them both to the same poi at 200 yds, so I can interchange ammo at will. FWIW I shot a large stray tomcat in the yard with a 55 gr Varmageddon hp at very close range and it did not exit. So it should be a fur friendly coyote round. The 6x6.8 that Greg mentioned above will offer basically the same performance or maybe a hair more speed with the light bullets and it seems to be a little more popular.
 
After some thought and debate and rethinking and more debate, I went with the .204 Ruger. It's a 22" BHW 1:10 twist standard profile with target crown, ordered from Ritch. Since I've never done any reloading other than pulling the lever as a kid, and all the components are at my dads house, and he hasn't done any loading in probably 20 +/- years, availability of factory ammo played a big factor. Another factor was the main purpose of the rifle, predator calling. Although I don't save fur. If I ever wanted to have a mount done, smaller holes would be nice. The 6.8SPC AR and .270 Win 700 fill the role of whitetail hunting good enough for now. I probably will build a 264 upper or some 6mm variant next and just share this lower.

Any suggestions on ammo. I've never messed with the 204 round. Thought about trying the 32gr and 40gr VMax Superformance loads.

Thanks guys.
 
my upper likes the 32gr vmax - but thats a 24" DPMS bull barrel 1:12. Factory 32gr vmax is about 3/4 MOA and will hold that out to 200 yds (the furthest i've shot it).


handloading for the 204 is a cakewalk. with 32gr vmax you're looking about a (approx) 3-4 grain min/max spread on charge weights, so you're talking 8-9 groups to shoot a ladder. and since you're loading for an AR - Full length resize, trim/chamfer/debur, then just powder/primer/bullet. easy-peasy. you will probably have to get a special powder funnel - most of them are .22 caliber and up, but not a huge crisis there.

honestly the hardest thing to find right now is brass. so make sure whatever you fire you save!

small rifle primers, powders (varget, 4895, cfe223, w748, etc) and bullets are relatively easy to come by.

HTH
 
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