.204 Ruger pick up, effective range questions

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TheClasonater

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Hello,

I have huge prairie dog problem on my little 16 acre patch of dirt. Here is my conundrum. My west, north, ans south fence lines are no shooting zones, except for a 12 gauge, of which I loaded me some nice pills. My east fence line borders a 160 acre quarter section. And another 80 after that until the first house that wouldn't be in a lane if I don't want it to be. Both fields alfalfa, with side rolls, no pivots. Shots would be 300-350 max.

I just picked up a 204 Ruger and am wondering if this is simply too much gun. I've blown through my gun budget for the year and a 17 is not in the budget. To me, judging from my dead reckoning, ricochets shouldn't be an issue if I'm careful because of velocity. I do handload, but am sketched out because of the cost of components right now.

What do you all think?
 
TheClasonater said:
Hello,

I have huge prairie dog problem on my little 16 acre patch of dirt. Here is my conundrum. My west, north, ans south fence lines are no shooting zones, except for a 12 gauge, of which I loaded me some nice pills. My east fence line borders a 160 acre quarter section. And another 80 after that until the first house that wouldn't be in a lane if I don't want it to be. Both fields alfalfa, with side rolls, no pivots. Shots would be 300-350 max.

I just picked up a 204 Ruger and am wondering if this is simply too much gun. I've blown through my gun budget for the year and a 17 is not in the budget. To me, judging from my dead reckoning, ricochets shouldn't be an issue if I'm careful because of velocity. I do handload, but am sketched out because of the cost of components right now.

What do you all think?
Click to expand...
That .204 will work just fine. Now get out there and try to prove me wrong!
 
Haha you bet I will, I got about eight inches of snow on the ground and they're popping up through it, and stand out like a sore thumbs, does the 204 disintegrate much on the same lines at 17 does?

The other question i have is snow crust. It's somethin I've never thought about and i haven't needed to really. When the snow gets that 1-2" crust, will bullets react the same as dirt, rock, or ice?
 
I have no experience with the 204 but I’d say try and find the bullet with the most explosive expansion you can and just be sure of what’s beyond your target before you fire.
I go and hunt ground squirrels in narrow draws with my 12ga in the spring, #4s through a full choke really lay em out at good distance. Varmint hunting doesn’t get much more fun that. Good luck
 
It is fun, but one walk the length of the property and they are down until the next day. Got a lotta good twofers last year doin that but they got wise awful fast. The crew had a blast when we built the house doing it.

I have permission to reach out into that field, because that's where they are coming from and I aim to reach out and get as many as I can. This time of the year is best until the first cutting
 
Yea on open pasture a shotgun isn’t going to get you very far. Where I’m using the shotgun I’m on a piece of public ground with narrow canyons coming down the mountain and they burrow into the sides of these canyons that are only about 50yds wide so you just still hunt up and back shooting them on the run then move to the next canyon.
good luck!
 
Don’t know about your bullet dilemma, though I strongly suspect that any varmint type bullet at those speeds is going to shatter at impact.

I’ve used my CZ .204 on Prairie dog hunts. Impressive
 
It's not really a dilemma, I just have never really shot small bore rifles. Kinda odd, I know, but I cut my teeth on a 30-06 and a 12 ga and have never had the urge to shoot anything smaller really. Just don't have the miles on them, that's all. This is my foray into that
 
I've killed 100s of prairie dogs with .204, two different rifles. A Ruger #1 and a Kimber 84M. The #1 likes 32gr Sierra BlitzKings and the Kimber likes 39 gr BKs. Both are explosive on impact and disintegrate quickly with impact on about anything in it's path. Depending on the angle of the shot, a miss will most likely hit dirt and the bullet will disintegrate. Of course, you will need to exercise good judgement with any shot taken, which sounds like you are doing. Have fun.
 
It will either be red clay or alfalfa. Except for snow here for about 2 weeks. Gonna try to get elevated somehow. Probably in the bed of the pickup. Might even get up on the roof when nobodies home. My wife will get a kick out of that I'm sure
 
You're going to have some fun with that .204. I have one (Savage 12FV) and within 300-350 it's pretty much a case of if I can see it, I can hit it. Agree that those fast moving varmint bullets pretty much explode on impact with less ricochet risk than a .22LR
 
Ya'll use a .17 cleaning kit for your rifles? Been thinking about springing for a .20 but the LGS has a .17 kit hanging right on the shelf
 
TheClasonater said:
Ya'll use a .17 cleaning kit for your rifles? Been thinking about springing for a .20 but the LGS has a .17 kit hanging right on the shelf
Click to expand...

I personally hate cleaning kits. I use a coated Dewey stainless 17 cal rod for my 17’s and 20’s, using appropriately Tipton nylon brushes and brass jags with Hoppes silicon patches. I bought the Tipton brush and jag kits many years ago and replace the brushes piecemeal as they wear out.
 
So, I took it out to the range today and son..... felt like a lazer. Very impressed with the recoil as well. I can see why guys have multiple rifles in this caliber. Hopefully reloading components will comeback soon.
 
I’ve used 204 Ruger for my last few prairie dog hunts. One rifle is a Savage Model12, the other is a 26” heavy barrel AR-15.

I loaded 40 grain bullets to about 3500 fps if I remember correctly. Better wind resistance and they could reach out to 600 yards or so with a reasonably flat tradjectory.

32 grain bullets would not effectively reach as far as the heavier bullets so if you are limited to less than 400 yards, the lighter bullets be a better choice.

The 204 Ruger is good medicine on prairie dogs.
 
Its a rem 700 varmint somethin somethin letters with a heavy barrel. I can't remember the letter designation. Ill look it up and reply. I live on a ridge, well more like the top of a hill, and I do experience wind most of the time crosswords.

I have been looking into the 32gn boolits. Today was factory 40 gn vmax, and the persistent wind really didn't touch it until about 300 yds.
 
Armored farmer said:
I like my .204, but all my friends tell me the .17 is just the berries on small game. Flatline from 0 to 125 yds.
I think ill own one someday.
Click to expand...
I've owned four 17HMRs. Sold the Ruger 77/17 and my Sako FinnFire II and keep two Anschutz 1517 models; they are identical except for the stock. I'll be buying a Bergara B-14R 17HMR when they are available mid-year. To say I like the 17HMR would be a gross understatement. I've killed 100s of prairie dogs with them and will do more come spring. My longest shot with the 17HMR was maybe 150, but most are around 100-125. The biggest enemy of the 17HMR at that range is wind. Windy days can be challenging yet manageable. I've also zapped numerous crows at 100+yds. I do see a 17HMR in your future.
 
So, when I can find bullets and powder...... gonna try h4895, h335, and maybe varget when it comes back. Haven't found any negative thoughts across the internet on those powders for this cartridge. All I got left at the moment is 4064, and I ain't touching it.

My mother in law (2 properties down) had somebody at the LGS tell her about a 17 mach 2. Can any of you tell me why a mach 2?? and if standard 17hmr cartridges will chamber and fire in the same rifle. She wants to shoot pds too. :)
 
The 17Mach2 and 17HMR are two different rifles, but both shoot 17gr bullets. The Mach 2 is a necked down 22LR and travels at about 2,000fps where the 17HMR is a necked down 22MAG and shoots about 2500 fps. The Mach2 can be very effective for prairie dogs, but just cannot match a 17HMR in killing power. I have an Anschutz 1502 17Mach2, which is about as good as they come, but I leave it at home when I go prairie doggin'. It is a great squirrel rifle.
 
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