barrel life--- 204 vs 22-250

My money's on the .204 for longer barrel life. Just compare the amount of powder being burned - its almost half of that in the .22-250. Less powder = less heat = less erosion. Some even claim the .20 calibers are even easier on barrels than the .223. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
The 204 is so new that i doubt any one has really found out but the 22-250 is well known for being a barrel burner almost as much as the swift.
BTW any ovr bore catridge will be a barrel burner to some extent, but much of the barrel damage is caused by improper cleaning methods
 
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Here's an interesting study on the issue:

Comparative barrel heating

Some of the interesting conclusions (my interpretation, at least):

Rated from coolest to hottest(barrel heating resulting from firing 20 shots at a fifteen-second cadence):
204 w/40 gr bullets
223 w/40 gr
204 w/32 gr
22-250 w/50 gr

Rated from best to worst, relative performance, barrel heating versus trajectory
204
223
22-250

Interesting excerpts:
"While the 22-250 gives a usefully flatter trajectory than does the 223, the 22-250 also heats the barrel so much faster than the 223 that heating can create a significant problem when shooting conditions are good. Conversely, the striking advantage shown by the 20-caliber (5mm) numbers, compared to either of these popular 22s is likely something of a surprise to many readers ... The big heating difference stems from the fact that these particular 5mms both do a comparatively better job of trapping unburned propellant in the case. Consider the 223 versus the 204. In this set, the 204 has a usefully sharper and wider case shoulder – such a design will trap a far greater percentage of propellant that was not ignited by the primer within the case (primer flash only ignites propellant within about one-half inch of flash hole ... The predictable result is that the 204 will show less barrel heating because less total mass will accelerate into the bore. For the same reason, even when loaded with the same weight bullet, the 204 will generate far less "felt" recoil and sight picture disturbance."
 
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Any chance you can sum that up for us....I got to page 3 and just couldn't go any farther (grin)


Thanks for the summary
 
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22/250 will kill barrels much faster due to it using alot more powder.

.204 is alot easier on barrels, The longer that the round has been out the more and more positives we see in using the round.

I remember when it was new there where alot of non-believers.

Alot of those non-believers are now shooting .204's
 
bullets are becoming alot more easy to get if you are a hand loader.

If not I myself know of 4 or 5 different bullet weights that are available in the sport shop.

I don't think the .204 is one of those rifles that will double as a Deer/coyote gun like a .223 or 22/250.

It is more of a specialized rifle for P-dogs, coyote, fox or whatever.

It is made to be super accurate at long ranges and to be used on smaller (coyote or less) game.

Most times when people shoot it they fall in love with it.
 
available .20 cal. bullets are, but not limited to: 4 choices from Berger ranging from 30 gr. upto 50 gr. all of which are HP's, 3 choices from Hornady ranging from 32 gr. upto 45v gr. including V-max and SP bullets, 2 choices from Nosler that include 32 and 40 gr. BT's, 2 choices from Sierra which are both BK's one of which is 32 and the other is 39 gr., .
So right there you have nearly a dozen choices of bullets and if you add the moly bullets there's more. Also, you can buy loaded ammo. from other manufactures that don't have bullets for reloading. How many choices does one need to be satisfied?
 
My biggest thing is that I CAN use my .224's for double duty on game from woodchucks to deer. I guess in my book the .20 cal will never fill that role...admittedly, like xdshooter stated, it is made for pd's, fox, et al. What I meant about bullet selection was bullets "style's" from high b.c. target bullets, to x'plosive varmint bullets to bullets made to hold together and penetrate on game. Not many choices there in .20 cal, but jump up just .024" and the proverbial doors are literaly blown wide open.

I guess it boils down to the .20's not being able to fill the role that I would ask of them. Not that they are not good for what they are designed for. They just wouldn't do what I would like of them. It's like trying to stretch the 17HMR into a 200yd yote rifle, it just won't happen. There is such a wide choice of .224 bullets available that I can't even begin to justify my going to a .20 in any case.
 
I think it all depends on what you want to do with it. I have both, I use my 22-250 for a calling gun. I am going to start to load my rounds a little hotter, right now around 3960fps.(40g C.T.) Going to go up too 4,100 to 4,200. Now everyone will tell you this will burn out the barrel in recored time, but I may only shoot this gun 10 to 20 times a year if I am lucky.I sight it in every year, and I dont see very many dogs where I call, so at this rate it should last me a life time, and I can still get the speed I want out of it. It would not last very long as a Prairie Dog gun.....LOL /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
I had a 700 VLS a few years back in 22-250 that was a gopher/prairie dog rifle. Thousands upon thousands of rounds through it, and not the slightest loss of accuracy. Held well under 1/2", consistently. Cases lasted forever. It was a flawlessly performing rifle, so I (in my infinite wisdom) sold it. I replaced it with a 700 VSF in the same chambering, and it shoots even better. The name of the game, in my opinion, is not to hot rod it. I shoot 55 grain Ballistic Tips at about 3550 fps. Plenty fast, plenty flat. I never shove more than 50 or so rounds through it before I clean it thoroughly, and am careful to let it cool down, no matter how good the shooting is. I am not sanctimonious about gun care, but the darn things are too spendy to burn out and replace. Even a new pipe is getting up there. I have no experience with, and therefore no opinion on the 20's, but I surely have no complaints with the 22-250. Good luck.
 
For a calling rifle and coyote getter you just can't beat the extra thump and range the 22-250 brings to the table.

Don't like the twenties and will not buy into the fad. Several buddies have bought these and after having a season on them are going back to the tried and true versatility and performance of the 22-250.

We have one 22-250 that has been passed down through the family with thousands of rounds through it, still shoots less than half minute of angle groups.

If I'm going to go sit on a prairie dog town to see how many shots I can take in an hour on a hot day I'll use a 223. Ammo is a lot cheaper than any of the 20's.

I am convinced a 22-250 slightly loaded down will last a lot lot longer than a 20 loaded to extreme max, trying to play catch up to the 22-250's performance.
 
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Don't like the twenties and will not buy into the fad.
Ammo is a lot cheaper than any of the 20's.


I think the 204 is here to stay. And I assume you don't reload.
 
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