How is the .204 in prairie dog towns?
- Thread starter TimT
- Start date
tahunua001
New member
204 ruger is an awesome praire dog round. it'll have higher velocity, more energy and less wind drift than your fastest 22lr. I remember going out plinking them with 10/22s with decent success so I would imagine that a 204 would be perfect for the job.
FrankenMauser
New member
There is negligible wind drift, out to 150 yards (2 inches at 100 yards, with a 20 mph cross wind). But, past that point, velocity drops very quickly. With the rapid drop in velocity, you get significant drift, as well (32" of drift @ 400 yds in 20 mph cross). In general, past 200 yards, the .204 will have 15-25% more wind drift than a comparable load in .220 Swift (say a 32 gr V-Max in the .204 against a 40-50 gr V-Max in the Swift). The teeny little projectiles are just too light, and don't hold their velocity as well as larger calibers.
That being said....
The .204 is a great prairie dog popper. Second only to the .220 Swift, it is one of the premier "Red Mist" production devices you can take into the field.
Now, Peetzakilla and a few other members will reverse those statements, and claim the .204 is better.
That being said....
The .204 is a great prairie dog popper. Second only to the .220 Swift, it is one of the premier "Red Mist" production devices you can take into the field.
Now, Peetzakilla and a few other members will reverse those statements, and claim the .204 is better.
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Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
Hm.... Peetza's not going to "reverse" those statements, but he will post trajectory data from JBM ballistics, all conditions identical, 10mph wind, 2" target radius, zeroed at maximum point blank range, velocities from Hodgdon load data:
.204 Ruger, 32gr Sierra, 4,000fps
MPBR: 310
300 yards, -2.4, drift 11.1
350 yards, -6.6, drift 15.9
400 yards, -12.5, drift 22.0
.220 Swift, 40gr Sierra, 4,200fps
MPBR: 274
300 yards, -4.0, drift 17.4
350 yards, -9.6, drift 24.6
400 yards, -17.6, 33.5
220 Swift, 50gr Sierra, 3,900fps
MPBR: 291
300 yards, -2.5, drift 10.3
350 yards, -6.6, drift 14.6
400 yards, -12.3, drift 19.8
That matches the LOWEST (common weight) BC .204 bullet versus low to mid-weight BC 220 Swift bullet. The 40gr .204 at 3,700 fps (200 under max published speed) almost exactly matches the 50gr .220 Swift data, within 1/2" in trajectory at 400 and 2 inches LESS wind drift.
The king of trajectory at these ranges is a 35gr 22-250 launched at 4,400 fps. It's like a laser. Not the best wind drift, but that's a number I find dramatically over-stated by ballistics calculators but flat as flat can be...
35gr Nosler, 22-250, 4,400fps
MPBR: 316
300 yards, -1.1, drift 10.1
350 yards, -4.3, drift 14.2
400 yards, -8.8, drift 19.3
.204 Ruger, 32gr Sierra, 4,000fps
MPBR: 310
300 yards, -2.4, drift 11.1
350 yards, -6.6, drift 15.9
400 yards, -12.5, drift 22.0
.220 Swift, 40gr Sierra, 4,200fps
MPBR: 274
300 yards, -4.0, drift 17.4
350 yards, -9.6, drift 24.6
400 yards, -17.6, 33.5
220 Swift, 50gr Sierra, 3,900fps
MPBR: 291
300 yards, -2.5, drift 10.3
350 yards, -6.6, drift 14.6
400 yards, -12.3, drift 19.8
That matches the LOWEST (common weight) BC .204 bullet versus low to mid-weight BC 220 Swift bullet. The 40gr .204 at 3,700 fps (200 under max published speed) almost exactly matches the 50gr .220 Swift data, within 1/2" in trajectory at 400 and 2 inches LESS wind drift.
The king of trajectory at these ranges is a 35gr 22-250 launched at 4,400 fps. It's like a laser. Not the best wind drift, but that's a number I find dramatically over-stated by ballistics calculators but flat as flat can be...
35gr Nosler, 22-250, 4,400fps
MPBR: 316
300 yards, -1.1, drift 10.1
350 yards, -4.3, drift 14.2
400 yards, -8.8, drift 19.3
FrankenMauser
New member
I don't like that comparison. Although the current form is actually handicapping the .204 Ruger more than the .220 Swift, the Sierra 40 gr HP has a terrible BC that can't compete with anything else (especially if you're using the BTSP version of the 50 gr choices).
And we both know that the .204 Ruger and .220 Swift will both smoke that .22-250 load.
I'll be chasing Black-tailed Jack Rabbits and some coyotes tomorrow. When I get back, I'll try to remember to dig up the best head-to-head information I can (or look at your comparison in better detail).
And we both know that the .204 Ruger and .220 Swift will both smoke that .22-250 load.
I'll be chasing Black-tailed Jack Rabbits and some coyotes tomorrow. When I get back, I'll try to remember to dig up the best head-to-head information I can (or look at your comparison in better detail).
Brian Pfleuger
Moderator Emeritus
I was just using the first bullet I saw listed by Hodgdon and stuck with Sierra in JBMs database. 
I think we can probably agree that no matter how you rank them, .204, .220 Swift and 22-250 are all capable of very similar ballistics and would all perform admirably in the hands of a competent shooter.
I think we can probably agree that no matter how you rank them, .204, .220 Swift and 22-250 are all capable of very similar ballistics and would all perform admirably in the hands of a competent shooter.
I love my 204's. Maybe too much since I now have 4 of them. I can't make an honest evaluation of the others since the next smallest centerfire I've owned was a 243 Win. I do however love seeing those gophers explode in the scope, as long as i keep the scope dialed to under 16X........pure fun.
To answer your question specifically, I live in MT, and there is ALWAYS wind. I've not had much trouble hitting with the 204 in the wind, but have yet to try it past 300 yds either, and if it was really windy, I'd just drive a little closer to them. The .22's do 90% of my gopher dispatching anyway....
To answer your question specifically, I live in MT, and there is ALWAYS wind. I've not had much trouble hitting with the 204 in the wind, but have yet to try it past 300 yds either, and if it was really windy, I'd just drive a little closer to them. The .22's do 90% of my gopher dispatching anyway....
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