# .204 Ruger for Pronghorn...



## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

I just thought that I would start another thread on minimum calibers. Since it is post season I figure why not.... Anyhow I noticed online that Hornady does make slow expansion rounds for the .204Ruger. I would definitely not recommend rapid expansion for big game. My .204 Ruger is the most accurate gun that I have ever held. Whenever I question whether it is me or the gun on other calibers I just shoot my .204 and it becomes clear that other rounds are just not as accurate.... Perhaps I got lucky and just set up the perfect combo... 

Now for all those shot placement gurus...From a bench I can explode golf balls all the way out of 200 yards 8 out of 10 shots. Has anyone ever tried the .204Ruger on pronghorn? I have heard of the micro rounds like the 22 Hornet and the 218 Bee on deer, but the .204 has only been around for about 7 years. 

All of the pronghorn that I have killed in the past do not handle the trauma of a bullet very well. Probably not recommended to use a .204 Ruger, but is it capable? Should we consider a minimum caliber rule like Wyomings .24 rule?


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

Please don’t.

The .22 guys know that they are handicapped and keep it close and use the heaviest premium bullets.
I don’t think you can get there with a .204 bullet.

Utah does just fine without a law. I like to think it’s because our hunters care about a clean kill and know how to accomplish it. They are familiar with their game.
I imagine Wyoming enacted their law because they got tired of three legged or otherwise wounded antelope running (or lying) around after the hunt. Antelope have always been a favorite target of folks that may not be familiar with their prey (how was that for PC?).


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## elkfromabove (Apr 20, 2008)

Cooky said:


> Please don't.
> 
> The .22 guys know that they are handicapped and keep it close and use the heaviest premium bullets.
> I don't think you can get there with a .204 bullet.
> ...


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

I love the .204. It's a fantastic round for Rock Chucks and P-dogs (vermin). I've shot thousands of rounds. I have 4 friends that I hunt with that also shoot .204's and they love them. It seems to be that Ruger came up with a round that is just flat out accurate no matter what manufacturer makes the tube. As far as taking an antelope I personally wouldn't. I only shoot the 32 grn. V-maxs and I hear they "can" splash on larger predators such as yotes. If you shoot the larger/heavier bullet and know there's no chance of "splash" and get enough penatration for a clean kill then go for it. Like I stated I wouldn't , I just don't have the knowledge............... yet. :O•-:


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

The only bullet that I might try on antelope is the 50 or 55 gr bergers, but even then they are made for varmints and probably are made to expand rapidly. 
I have stated in other threads that I have been looking for a load in 204 that works perfectly on the coyote, but still haven't found one that I would trust 100%. I still use my 204 for coyotes and have found that longer shots have a more deadly effect then the <100 yards. Which to me would suggest that a slower bullet speed would probably benefit it better. 
I now have loaded up some 39gr speer TNTs going around 3400 fps. but haven't had the chance to put one on a coyote.
In my mind the 204 should only be used for smaller game, really nothing bigger than a coyote, but i'm sure with proper bullet selection and placement can be used to take maybe an antelope.

I also argee with Al, the 204 is so accurate its scarey! I love it for PDs.


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## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

I've killed two deer with a .17 Rem, just to see if I could. I know, I know, but I had two guys with .06s ready to fire if anything went wrong. Still not a smart idea. I think I'd have more faith in a .17 than a .204 for putting down an antelope. I don't think a .204 would be a good idea for anything bigger than a coyote.
However Nambaster, if you ever get in a bind on your next antelope hunt and need a .257 Weatherby laser, I got ya covered. You know where I live.


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## Nambaster (Nov 15, 2007)

.257 Weatherby? I still want it to be a hunt........ 

Realistically I have my .204 Ruger dialed in perfectly to about 300 rounds loaded by my buddies father in law. So buying a box of Hornady 50 grain slow expansion rounds doesn't really seem that urgent. I am just beating the bush and wondering what everyones opinion on the matter is... 

As far as the prarie dogs and coyotes go... The dogs get airborne and the coyotes do loose wind at a distance. I haven't been fortunate to get any close shots. yet.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I have used the hornady v-max, nosler bt, bergers, barnes VG, and now speer TNTs. 
They all perform awesome on PDs. But for coyotes the worst one is the v-maxs, they just seem to "splash" on coyotes. 
I have shot alot of coyotes within 100 yards and almost all of them have run off. The ones that dropped dead are the ones I have hit in the front in the chest. But every and I mean every one I have shot at beyond 100 yards has dropped dead. Which is why I believe that slowing the 204 down might be better for coyotes.


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## cfarnwide (Sep 10, 2007)

Nambaster said:


> Should we consider a minimum caliber rule like Wyomings .24 rule?


No. Too many rules on the books already in my opinion.

I believe it was WyoGoob that brought up a point to me last year. Under the Wyoming rule, there are some calibers that DO meet the .24 rule but fail in the muzzle velocity rule. Really, where would you draw the line? It just seems silly to me. If your confident in your choice of caliber why not? Id rather be confident with a .204 rather than being apprehensive of shooting a .338. Which, I am... I despise recoil! :lol:


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

It seems that the biggest obstacle to overcome would be that of bullet performance. Like was mentioned in other posts, the V-Max style bullets have a reputation for splashing so that bullet would be out out of the question. So the next logical choice would be to go to a bullet with a lower propensity for splash which would likely be a Berger in my mind. BUT I dont think that bullet would have enough weight retention to cause a DRT type of kill (maybe a head shot though). So the only real choice would be a bullet that is not currently manufactured (to my knowledge) like a Barnes TSX or Nosler Partition. But since they dont make those in .204 diameter, it will only be theory at this point.

Which leads me to my question, why doesnt anyone make a high quality / high weight retention bullet in .204 diameter? Seems like coyote hunters would be overjoyed by a TSX 40gr bullet.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

At the expo last year, I stopped and talked with the boys from Barnes bullets and asked if they had any plans to make a heavier bullet for the. 204. They told me that at this point the werent planning on it. And that it was to difficult for them to do so while using just copper.


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## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

It seems strange that a bullet .224” in diameter can be made long enough and strong enough to hold together on impact but a bullet .204” in diameter can not.

Is the pressure of the .204 high enough that the longer bearing surface may cause problems with higher or erratic pressures?

Are the real world velocities of the .204 enough faster that the methods used on larger diameter bullets just don’t work?


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