204 Ruger ?

Squeeze

New member
OK, so it's a disease, Black Rifle Disease that is!

I miss having a 204 Ruger chambered rifle, since I converted my Savage 16(factory 204R) to 260 Rem. So to feed the disease, and fill the hole, I am building a 204 Ruger upper, and am looking at barrel vendors. It will have a .75" GB, threaded for a suppressor(5/8-24), probably about 22" with a rifle length gas port. The question is, what twist rate should I be considering? I think my Savage was a 1:10", which did a great job with the 35 gr. Bergers, and 32 gr. Sierras, I use. This is a P-dog/small homestead varmint rifle, so no need to push heavy bullets. One barrel vendor only lists 1:10", and another lists 1:11" or 1:9", but no 1:10"??? OK, so one vendor is an easy decision, but the other isn't. Any recommendations?

Squeeze
 
All my 204's , and other 20's, are 1:10. Both factory and custom. They handle everything I need. Ritch can get you lined out on your specs for a barrel.

Greg
 
I've been more than pleased with my 22" BHW 1:10 shooting 32gr Hornady Superformace VMAX factory loads. I bought 150 rounds when I finished my rifle and haven't shot them up yet to start loading other bullet weights. These shoot pretty good so I don't know that I'll change for the price I got the factory stuff for.

My barrel came from Ritch, talk to him, you won't be disappointed.
 
I have a 20" shilen it's a 9 twist and I can shoot everything out of it. Very accurate. I've shot the 32 max and 35 and 40 berger and the 40 vmax all worked great but I'm liking the 40 vmax the best I'm getting just under 3700 fps with them.
 
I have been very pleased with my McGowen Precision barrel in 204 I went with 1/10 twist and also threaded it 5/8" they offer 1/9, 1/10, 1/11, 1/12 twist and it cleans like a dream. That being said I am also very happy with my BHW but it is a 6X6.8 not a 204 but the caliber should not matter. Either one of them makes a great barrel and I would buy from them again with out question.
 
I have a 20" threaded .204 from black hole weaponry that shoots 40 gr vmax factory Hornady quite well. Pretty well priced quality barrels.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleUpPretty sure your factory barrel for the Savage model 16 was a 1x12.

Thanks for the correction. I did some digging, since this model is out of production(16 FSS-internal box mag), and you are correct. It is a 1:12" twist. That is good news in that I had 39 gr. Sierras shooting well out of this 1:12", I should be able to get them shooting well out of a 1:11" or a 1:10". Prefer the 1:11", for the lower pressure/higher velocity.

Squeeze
 
40 V-max in BHW 1:10" shoots very well for me in a 22". Factory loads and hand rolled. Really haven't tried a bullet it didn't like (sub-MOA), but I like the 39 SBK and 40 V-max over the others for mist-ifying varmints ;-)


I'm sure folks get tired of seeing it, but it's the only pic I have of it - bottom rifle is 204R under my matching 6.8SPC upper.

BDCD2468-A174-4E8F-99D9-570F4AA706A0_zpswzirk6ig.jpg
 
I use a upper built by Predator Technologies with a 1 in 9 twist. I built it specifically to shoot the 45gr Hornady bullets I like though, I wanted the heavy ones. It pushes the factory loads 3325fps from the 22" barrel. It puts them in a ragged hole off the bench, and I've been very happy with the performance on coyotes. I've been using that bullet for years from my 1 in 10 custom bolt gun and have taken a lot of coyotes with it. Since I got the AR the bolt rifle doesn't get used calling anymore, I went to the 40gr Hornady V max Superformance ammo in it. It shoots even better and is great on varmints. It will blow up on grass if it hits some on the way to a coyote, and put a fist size entrance wound in one up close. I have had it splash on the shoulder also at longer ranges. I seldom use it for coyotes anymore unless it's what I happen to have when one shows up while I'm after something else. Sure hammers smaller varmints though.
 
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