[mcfadden222]

I'm looking to get a new rifle and have an annoying buddy who has a 204. He thinks its the baddest caliber on the planet. Don't get me wrong I know its sweet as hell but I dont want one just bc I'm tired of hearing about it. I was thinking of a .221 fireball or 20 VT. Do you guys have any experience with these compared to the 204? Or anyting else you can recommend. I kind of want to stay with a 20 caliber unless someone really pursuades me into a 17 fireball or whatever else.

I don't care about limited bullet selection, money, .223, 22/250, 220 swift's, I just want something mean and cool :D

[gshipps]

We must have the same buddy! Problem for me is he married my cousin.

[exbiologist]

.223 WSSM. You can push 40 grainers up over 4500 fps and shove it up his you know what

[JDMorris]

.220 Swift will lower him a notch on the ego poll, so will .223 in a good rifle with good handloads.

[mcfadden222]

nothing "normal" I want an odd ball or a wilcat. Any ideas?

[Maverick223]

I just want something mean and cool.408CT? :p

The .204Ruger is a pain to clean (like any sub-.22cal.) IME. I'd go with a .224 or 6mm diameter projectile (for a varmint cartridge), and would lean towards the .243Win....it'll beat the tar outta that wee little .20cal! Additionally, you might not like 'em but so will a good .220Swift or .22-250Rem., and a .223Rem. will get pretty close if properly loaded and afford much better bbl life than any of the above.

:)

[mshootnit]

220 swift!

Or if you really want to kick some butt... 22-6mm Rem improved
There was an article (I forget the author) on this wildcat, and it was titled "Half Mile .22's"

[scott5]

Hey Mcfadden,
Why not try something in 6MM Remington.
That's almost a wildcat, and you can get a 55 gr. projectile to over 4000 fps.
And you can get a 60 grainer up past 3700 fps.

[pikid89]

.22-243

quite overbore, but some dude on one of the reloading forums had one breaking 5000fps

talk about some serious splat factor on p-dogs

[mljdeckard]

Exactly what is it he thinks it will do that any of these other hyper-velocity cartridges can't do?

One clear disadvantage is that to maximize the performance, you must use factory ammo. You can't handload it to the same velocity.

[memphisjim]

.223 wssm the cartridge alone should do it

[mljdeckard]

(And what's the difference between a 22-243 and a 22 CHEtah?)

[Maverick223]

Why not try something in 6MM Remington.
That's almost a wildcat, and you can get a 55 gr. projectile to over 4000 fps.
And you can get a 60 grainer up past 3700 fps.I really like my 6mmRem. I don't feel it is right for someone that doesn't handload, but he mentioned wanting a odd-ball cartridge, and that certainly fits the bill.

:)

[pikid89]

how about .22 Eargesplitten Loudenboomer---.378 Weatherby necked down to .22

or perhaps even

.17 Flintstone Super Eyebunger --- .22-250 necked down to .17

[slabuda]

Ok Ok I "know" you said .20 cal....

But if you want a wildcat, especially one you can get over the counter some places have a look at 6mm-.284. The ballistics look awesome on it.

Im not up on .221 fireball but I have heard it mentioned more than once as a good caliber.

[husker]

I would get a 243 & make him go set up targets. KEEP walking. NO NO thats to close.

[Coal Dragger]

Just challenge him to a feral hog hunt with the stipulation he use his puny .204, while you use a .30-06 or some other more suitable caliber. Anyone who loses an animal pays the other $1000.00 in cash.

That will shut him up pretty damn quick.

[WardenWolf]

What about .25-06? The velocity isn't as high but the bullets are more than twice as heavy.

[Leaky Waders]

For 22 I'd got for a 22-250.

For a little bigger...one could go 240 weatherby. For a more practical all around flat shooting game fetching round...I'd go 257 weatherby.

No one's going to kill an african buffalo with one round from a 204 ruger anytime soon...weatherby did it with a 257. Maybe a publicity stunt from a good rifleman, but still impressive nonetheless.

LW

[BoilerUP]

22-250AI or 220 Swift AI.

[Lloyd Smale]

good old 22250 will leave the 204 in its ballistic dust.

[mcfadden222]

I do love the 6mm cartridges. A 6x284 is gonna be my next gun after this one. I am wanting to stick with the .20 calibers. Anyone Have any experience with the 20 vartarg?? Thanks for all suggestions btw!

[cfullgraf]

I'm looking to get a new rifle and have an annoying buddy who has a 204. He thinks its the baddest caliber on the planet. Don't get me wrong I know its sweet as hell but I dont want one just bc I'm tired of hearing about it. I was thinking of a .221 fireball or 20 VT. Do you guys have any experience with these compared to the 204? Or anyting else you can recommend. I kind of want to stay with a 20 caliber unless someone really pursuades me into a 17 fireball or whatever else.

I don't care about limited bullet selection, money, .223, 22/250, 220 swift's, I just want something mean and cool :D

It depends on how you want to impress your friend. All of the suggestions so far will out range the 204 Ruger.

The 221 Remington Fireball is a cool cartridge but will not have the same range of the 204 Ruger. It uses less powder, is a little more quiet, and can be used in more compact actions. Similar comments on 20 Var Tag and 17 Remington Fireball since they are based on the same case as the 221.

Shilen makes a 24" heavy AR-15 barrel chambered in 204 Ruger. Easy to build and my 204 Ruger AR shoots 1/2" at 100 yards. Blow your friend away with 19 quick follow up shots.

How about one of the 19 caliber cartridges from James Calhoon?

[txhoghunter]

I just want something mean and cool

^by definition..... .50 BMG :p

But I would say that it does a little more than "equal" a .204 Ruger, about .306 inches more than "equal" ;)....

[mcfadden222]

Oh man those 19 calibers look pretty awesome!!!

[Cop Bob]

I have made many a belted manglem shooters believers with my widdle .17 Rem..

I was fortunate enough to get one that shot TINY little groups right outta the box.. and on small to medium size game... WOW... It's fun to pop a crow at 175yds and watch it turn to a puff of black feathers and nothing hit the ground but a pair of feet and a bloody head...

.220 Swift... same thing.. just something magical about 4000 fps and up...

Or shooting one across a small lake or pond close to water level, the vapor trail is like videos I have seen of FA/18 Hornets on the deck at 600 knots. Dicovered that one resting over the gunwale of a little jon boat..

[D*N*R*]

Sorry duds I mean dudes--a better 204 is your best bet. 223wssm bbl life & amo availibility??? ((204))what ever you buy will become the best cal. ever made.

[HGUNHNTR]

^ bbl life isn't an issue with the .223 wssm any more another cartridge of similar performance, perhaps less. If you have internet access you have ammo access....I'm staring at an order I got in from AIM surplus today.

Check out a 17 Mach4, and pair it up with a Cooper.

[exbiologist]

PTG makes a 20-223 WSSM reamer.

[Cop Bob]

PTG makes a 20-223 WSSM reamer.
OOOOHH.... That's interesting... any velocity/load data available on it?

[451 Detonics]

22 CHeetah...52gr JHP at 4300fps. It is the .308 case necked done to .22, a serious overbore. Mine will hold 1/2 inch at 100 yards, use to do much better but about 1500 coyotes and 1000 groundhogs have taken their toll on the barrel.

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z271/reloader1959/rifles/cheetah1.jpg

[mcfadden222]

Oh man that 22 cheetah is sweet. Ammo availability is not a concern to me Bc I live within a few miles of the best gun store in the US. Looks like I have a lot of research to do!

[451 Detonics]

The CHeetah is a wildcat, strictly a reloader's cartridge however new brass is available.

[lobo9er]

270

[NG VI]

.223 WSSM. You can push 40 grainers up over 4500 fps and shove it up his you know what



It's a hair bigger than the .20s you are looking for, but you can use it for much larger game as well as varminting, which it will probably do with considerably more authoritah.

And there are a lot more bullets available for you to load. Make it do whatever you want.

[joed]

Mean and cool is the 220 Swift. I wanted one a few months ago and settled on a .22-250, sorry I did. The .223 WSSM is just as cool but it's a dying cartridge.

I guarantee you will out shoot your friend with a Swift, and you'll be doing it with a cartridge that has been around for about 80 years.

Spend 30 minutes and look around the internet for facts on the Swift.

[SwampWolf]

If you want something really different that will silence your buddy's .204 Ruger (and his hearing), P.O. Ackley referenced a cartridge with the moniker .22 Eargesplitten Loudenbloomer that propelled a 50 grain, .22 caliber bullet downrange with a m.v. of 4,600 fps. The cartridge is made by "necking down the .378 Weatherby Magnum case, with a sharp-cornered, 40 degree shoulder" and loaded with 105 grains of H570. Barrel life probably is measured in however long it takes you to sight your rifle in. Still, if you insist on having the baddest of the bad.... :D

[Geno]

I also like the 6mm Rem (AKA .244 Rem). I developed a handload for 95 grain projectiles that launched at 3,371 FPS with no signs of pressure. FWIW, if that isn't good enough, give up the ghost and buy a .257 Wea Mag and work-up some 75 grain HPs. The effect (impact) will astonish you!

Geno

[Maverick223]

Geno, have you tried the new Superformance powder in that 6mmRem/.244Rem.? It is touted as giving an additional couple hundred FPS (though probably less for a heavy bullet like 95s)! I am itching to give it a shot as soon as my current canister is expended.

:)

[pbkluther]

another vote for 22-250

[megadeth1957]

Mean and cool is the 220 Swift. I wanted one a few months ago and settled on a .22-250, sorry I did. The .223 WSSM is just as cool but it's a dying cartridge.

I guarantee you will out shoot your friend with a Swift, and you'll be doing it with a cartridge that has been around for about 80 years.

Spend 30 minutes and look around the internet for facts on the Swift.
+1 this what you should do

[kludge]

How about a .20 Ackley Hornet? I think that would be very cool,

OK, so it's not quite 4,200fps... but you'll use a lot less powder.

[trstafford]

The 22 Cheetah used 308 Bench Rest Brass which has a small rifle primer, gives more consistent velocities and better accuracy but could fail to ignite in colder weather. I was listening to a gun podcast recently were the rep from Laupua said they make BR brass.

The number One gun that I dread selling was my Savage chambered for 22-243, ranks at top of the dumbest thing I have done.

[okiewita40]

I will make another vote for the 22-250.

[Pistol Ranch]

The new Guns & Ammo has an article on the .204 and .22-250. A good read and the .22-250 is the winna (I.M.O.)

P.R.

[OKcarburetor]

451 Detonics that rifle is beautiful. What is it exactly? Looks like I see a recoil lug between the barrel and action but I could be wrong.

I know the OP wants something "cool" but it's hard to argue with a .243 or 25-06 with lightweight bullets

[Maverick223]

^Looks like a Cooper to me. What you note as a "recoil lug" is actually the contour of a Mauser type receiver...the recoil lug is machined into the action.

:)

[dagger dog]

Do a true oneupsmanship move on him and go with 14-222, shoots a 11.4 grain hollow point @ 4,465 fps with 505 ftlbs energy! Then really put it on him when you make your own HP bullets.

[OKcarburetor]

^Looks like a Cooper to me. What you note as a "recoil lug" is actually the contour of a Mauser type receiver...the recoil lug is machined into the action.

:)

I see, I like it even more now. :)

[451 Detonics]

451 Detonics that rifle is beautiful. What is it exactly? Looks like I see a recoil lug between the barrel and action but I could be wrong.

It is a Remington 700 with an older Weaver T-10 scope.. The stock was done by Mike Cross, he said for a field gun this lower grade wood would do just fine...

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z271/reloader1959/rifles/chee4.jpg

http://i188.photobucket.com/albums/z271/reloader1959/rifles/chee3.jpg

[jiminhobesound]

You want something different, but not real different? I did not see any mention of the .225 Winchester.

[BrocLuno]

22-250 and you can both shoot store bought ammo. Should be an interesting side by side?

[Maverick223]

OKcarburetor; or I could be completely wrong...the "CRF claw" that I saw being a shadow...the "recoil lug" that you saw being exactly that...and the stock simply a excellent example of aftermarket parts availability for the R-700.

:)

[benzy2]

I'm lost here. You want .20 caliber but not .204? Not much out there really. You could look at something like 6br, or even 22br. There are lots of hot .22 caliber rounds. You can go from ultra fast to very high BC and anywhere in between. You can look for a wildcat all you want, but in the end, a lot of factory made chamberings are done so because they are a quality design. .22-250 is going to stick it to the .204 in a lot of ways. What the .204 does better, something like say a .22hornet necked down to .204 would do even better. I would personally probably go out, buy a 1:9" twist quality .223 rifle, load up some light bullets for exploding varmints, and load up some 69gr loads for longer shots and have fun. But that may be too plain for your taste. Rather have something that sounds cool than something practical.

[BoilerUP]

I still think a 9-twist 22-250 is the ticket, with an AI version if you want a few more FPS...but a 20-250 gives you 1. something quite unique, and 2. amazingly flat ballistics.

40gr .204 V-Max @ nearly 4300fps - with a muzzle velocity of 4250fps that's only 12.6" drop @ 400yd. Compare that to a 40gr .224 V-Max with a 4000fps muzzle velocity that drops 18.4" @ 400yd. Also, the 20-250 has 8" less drift with a 10mph wind vs. the 22-250.

http://www.rmvh.com/20-250%20-%20Why%20the%2020-250.htm

[OKcarburetor]

OKcarburetor; or I could be completely wrong...the "CRF claw" that I saw being a shadow...the "recoil lug" that you saw being exactly that...and the stock simply a excellent example of aftermarket parts availability for the R-700.

:)
No worries :)

that's one of the prettiest 700's I've seen though.

[Sunray]

"...want an odd ball or a wildcat..." You reloading?

[Maverick223]

^ I sure hope so! .200Uberboomer-Costsalot is mighty hard to find at the local Large-Mart. ;)