22-204

Think 222 Rem Mag Improved 30 degree.

I re-chambered a Savage 223 barrel in 2006 and the accuracy is very good, I think better than the original 223 chambering. Velocities run the same as the 223AI but no fireforming. I'm still shooting the same barrel but I just coyote hunt with it, it dotes on 40gr NBT's and works perfect for pelt hunting. I have also built a 6mm-204 and a 25-204, the 6mm was built for Lead frees as the state was talking about going lead free but didn't happen, it is now a 20 Practical and the 25-204 is my goto deer rifle duplicating 250 Savage and 257 Roberts original factory loadings.
 
It's very similar to the mag. Shoulder angle different.1 gr powder difference. I think 22-204 would be more practical, easier to find 204 brass.
 
It is similar but very different from the 222mag...the 204 shoulder is significantly taller than the 222mag and therefore adds a significant increase in powder capacity...shoulder angle different as noted above. I was able to get 3735fps from a 55gr bullet...currently using the 53gr Vmax and the accuracy is awesome. No problem with 3/8" groups at 200yds and 1/4" and smaller at 100yds. It is very easy to make...run 22 expander in 204 brass, load and shoot. One of the easiest wildcats I have ever went with. Have coyote hunted with it this year and it has performed beyond my expectations.

Gene
 
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Thx sir. Info I was looking for. Couple questions: what barrel length? Will it have any issues in ar15 magazine with col? Did you mean 3735fps?
 
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Yes you will have issues with AR mags.. I run 40gr NBT's right at 4000 fps out of a 22" barrel with an OAL of 2.395.

If you want to get more than 223 velocities out of an AR mags (2.260) you would be far better served by a 223AI, 22 Grendel, 22 Nosler or 22-6.8.

When I built my 204 Wildcats none of those or their brass were available, and 222 Rem Mag brass was unobtainium, and I could build all three without having to have custom dies made.

2021 22-204 coyote
IreIAf.jpg
 
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Originally Posted By: TjkillerThx sir. Info I was looking for. Couple questions: what barrel length? Will it have any issues in ar15 magazine with col? Did you mean 3735fps?

Yes, it was 3735fps...this is from a 24" barrel on a Rem 700. I am currently having an AR barrel chambered in this and will see how it does. It is nothing more than a 204 necked up to .22, so I don't see it having any problems...the 204 feeds fine in an AR.
 
Originally Posted By: varminter .223Subscribed......but neither of those velocities seem right???

The velocity was indeed 3735fps with a 55gr bullet...actually got it higher than that but toasted primer pockets...currently running the 53gr Vmax and running it at 3685fps with bughole groups.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSYes you will have issues with AR mags.. I run 40gr NBT's right at 4000 fps out of a 22" barrel with an OAL of 2.395.

If you want to get more than 223 velocities out of an AR mags (2.260) you would be far better served by a 223AI, 22 Grendel, 22 Nosler or 22-6.8.

When I built my 204 Wildcats none of those or their brass were available, and 222 Rem Mag brass was unobtainium, and I could build all three without having to have custom dies made.

2021 22-204 coyote
IreIAf.jpg


AWS, what issues will be encountered in AR mags? I am having an AR barrel chambered in this and have loaded some "dummy" rounds and they fit fine in AR mags. I have had a 204 in an AR and it ran fine...why will the 22-204 not run in AR mags? Thanks

Gene
 
You only have 2.260 to work with and other than light bullets you are going to have to seat them very deep. I load my 40s to 2.395.
 
You could always us the stainless 223 mags from ASC that give you a nominal 2.316. If you need longer loadings you can window the front of the mag like they do in high power and can run 2.400 in most AR lowers. (It has to be the STAINLESS version)

I can't see a single reason to limit yourself to 2.260 in anything other than a run of the mill 2.260 and even then why not have options? They run standard length cartridges without a hitch. I shoot my 204's out of them with no issues.

Greg
 
AWS, I just had to seat the 55's a tad shorter for the AR mags...the freebore on the reamer is only .030
Everything loaded for my bolt rifle has the base of the bullet even with the neck shoulder junction...in the AR mags, by bullets are just slightly below the neck shoulder junction...I have shot this seating depth in the bolt gun to see if accuracy would degrade and it hasn't.
So I guess what you are saying is that you never had any feeding/cycling issues running this cartridge in an AR...you just were having to seat bullets a lot deeper than you liked...is this correct?
I just checked my length and in my bolt gun I am running them at 2.330 and the length to fit in my AR mags is 2.280, so I am .050(just shy of 1/16") below the neck shoulder junction and accuracy with this seating depth in the bolt gun still shoots as accurate as the 2.330 length...so barring no feeding/cycling issues I am wondering why this won't work in an AR.
 
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Originally Posted By: GLShooterYou could always us the stainless 223 mags from ASC that give you a nominal 2.316. If you need longer loadings you can window the front of the mag like they do in high power and can run 2.400 in most AR lowers. (It has to be the STAINLESS version)

I can't see a single reason to limit yourself to 2.260 in anything other than a run of the mill 2.260 and even then why not have options? They run standard length cartridges without a hitch. I shoot my 204's out of them with no issues.

Greg
Greg, yes the ASC's would allow for even longer seating depth...my mags aren't even ASC mags and I am able to still get them to 2.280 which is obviously longer than than the 2.260...so I could even go with the ASC's and get them even longer if I needed to.
I see no reason why they won't work in an AR...I will found out though as soon as the barrel is done. If the accuracy is half of what this cartridge is in my bolt rifle, it will still be plenty accurate in the AR.

Gene
 
Originally Posted By: G AndersonOriginally Posted By: GLShooterYou could always us the stainless 223 mags from ASC that give you a nominal 2.316. If you need longer loadings you can window the front of the mag like they do in high power and can run 2.400 in most AR lowers. (It has to be the STAINLESS version)

I can't see a single reason to limit yourself to 2.260 in anything other than a run of the mill 2.260 and even then why not have options? They run standard length cartridges without a hitch. I shoot my 204's out of them with no issues.

Greg
Greg, yes the ASC's would allow for even longer seating depth...my mags aren't even ASC mags and I am able to still get them to 2.280 which is obviously longer than than the 2.260...so I could even go with the ASC's and get them even longer if I needed to.
I see no reason why they won't work in an AR...I will found out though as soon as the barrel is done. If the accuracy is half of what this cartridge is in my bolt rifle, it will still be plenty accurate in the AR.

Gene

I bet dollars to donuts you'll have a shooter that will run fine with what you have for mags.

Greg
 
I am running a .030 freebore reamer, 69's at 3150 shoot a bullet hole group...no kidding. 3250 fps was 1/2". 9T Shilen

60g Sierra and TMK shot bullet hole groups, but I did not check the speed.

I think that Gene has hit a home run....out of the park!

I am going to do a 6/250 next...Thanks AWS for all your help in the project!
 
Originally Posted By: GLShooterOriginally Posted By: G AndersonOriginally Posted By: GLShooterYou could always us the stainless 223 mags from ASC that give you a nominal 2.316. If you need longer loadings you can window the front of the mag like they do in high power and can run 2.400 in most AR lowers. (It has to be the STAINLESS version)

I can't see a single reason to limit yourself to 2.260 in anything other than a run of the mill 2.260 and even then why not have options? They run standard length cartridges without a hitch. I shoot my 204's out of them with no issues.

Greg
Greg, yes the ASC's would allow for even longer seating depth...my mags aren't even ASC mags and I am able to still get them to 2.280 which is obviously longer than than the 2.260...so I could even go with the ASC's and get them even longer if I needed to.
I see no reason why they won't work in an AR...I will found out though as soon as the barrel is done. If the accuracy is half of what this cartridge is in my bolt rifle, it will still be plenty accurate in the AR.

Gene

I bet dollars to donuts you'll have a shooter that will run fine with what you have for mags.

Greg

I am betting on the same thing Greg...
 
Originally Posted By: ackleymanI am running a .030 freebore reamer, 69's at 3150 shoot a bullet hole group...no kidding. 3250 fps was 1/2". 9T Shilen

60g Sierra and TMK shot bullet hole groups, but I did not check the speed.

I think that Gene has hit a home run....out of the park!

I am going to do a 6/250 next...Thanks AWS for all your help in the project!

Keith, another one bit the dust last night to the 22-204...Dead right there.

I have to say that in the beginning I too was skeptical of the velocity claims...but I am not beyond trying something out just for the sake of trying and seeing exactly what a cartridge will do. Having plenty of 204 brass...why not? I truly think that every so often a cartridge comes along or is "wildcatted" and it is just ballistically efficient. It boils down to bore size for a given cartridge, modern powders available, good bullets as well as a lot of other things. Why is the PPC the winningest cartridge going in shortrange benchrest? It is ballistically right, that is why. For some reason the 22-204 is "just right"...speed is there and the accuracy was something that really impressed me. You are right, this one was hit out of the park!
For those that doubt the velocity, that is fine...I too doubted in the beginning...couldn't get my head wrapped around the "claims"...but I now have first hand knowledge of it and do not need to post outrageous velocity claims on the internet just to be doing so...what I post is what I see on my chronograph. I have no reason to doubt AWS getting 4K with 40gr bullets and therefore it should be noted that getting 3700 from a 55gr bullet is certainly realistic...and I too thank AWS for having a lot of insight into this cartridge. I will post what the 22" AR15 barrel does once it gets chambered and I get it up and running.

Gene
 
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