.204 Ruger VS. 223 Remington

scoutman · 12-15-2007, 08:32 PM

what are the advantages and disadvantages of both. balisticly and use in hunting

samuel · 12-15-2007, 08:47 PM

The smaller diameter allows the .204 to range out there with the .22-250 and out perform the .223 but the 1in12 twist .223 is capable of great performance at 300yds and beyond.It depends on what you want.For hunting the .204 is superior but for target the .223 is better because of lower priced ammo.If you reload the .204 is the way to go.With a toghter twist barrel and heavier bullets the .223 will reach out there but the trajectory is terrible compared to the .204 sam.

two-70 · 12-15-2007, 08:53 PM

bout 8 dollars a box , 223 is so easy to get

Bravo · 12-15-2007, 11:47 PM

Watch I Am Legend and you'll buy a .223 :P

Oddly enough, it took Saving Private Ryan to get me to buy an M1 Carbine...I might actually get an M4 now after watching that movie.

samuel · 12-15-2007, 11:54 PM

If you go by movies you can watch westerns and realise that a .44-40 is all you need.Of course if you actually get out and try shooting instead of going by what you see in movies you might find differences in what really happens and what is in the movies. sam.

LiveToShoot · 12-16-2007, 12:26 AM

Sam... Thanks for the .204 Ruger info. You're helping sway me that direction, as is my friend that I mentioned earlier in another thread.

I reload, and that helps make the .204 Ruger an affordable choice for hunting and target.

thomasbrooks07 · 12-16-2007, 12:36 AM

I wouldnt buy a rifle from just what you saw in a movie. For me I choose my knifes and weapons off what I am looking for it to do, whats the best quality I can afford, and the over all cost to use what I buy. Whats the point in having a rifle if you cant afford to shoot off more then a handfull of rounds lol. I personally like the .223 a lot. I cant say anything about the .204 since I havent fired it but I have heard the ammo is pretty costly. I plan on picking up a .223 rifle at some point but my next rifle would prob be a 1891/30 to go with my M44, or a new shotgun. I have also been thinking about getting a 7.62X39 rifle. lol my wish list is pretty long I just started my collection I have been planing since I was a child. I love firearms my parents hate them so I had to wait to start my collection.

ArkansasHunter · 12-16-2007, 01:01 AM

Get the 204 Ruger and you've got the best of both worlds.
I just watched a show on the OutDoor Channel and that 204 Ruger was eatting up coyotes.
It hammered them HARD !...A.H

LiveToShoot · 12-16-2007, 01:11 AM

When I went out in the woods to try out my friend's 204 Ruger, I was well impressed with it performance. A very sweet rifle, precise shooter and very lethal impact on varmints and medium sized animals (yotes).

The only limitation I found with the 204, to make it an affordable all round small caliber option, was in obtaining a sufficient supply of brass, at a reasonable price, for reloading to satisfy hunting and target shooting needs.

nathangdad · 12-16-2007, 03:57 AM

The history of firearms is paved with cartridges that did not last in the marketplace. I feel the .204 is one of these cartridges as I look at the ballistic tables for what is out there and cannot determine a real need for the .204. You might just buy a "one hit wonder" if you go with the .204. The .223 has staying power for nothing else other than the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of guns already out there in this caliber.
I would put my money in the .223 feeling confident it will not become a high cost specialty cartridge.

samuel · 12-16-2007, 06:40 AM

nathangdad: I wish you would substantiate statements like the .204 becoming obsolete.I see more and more at the range and varmint hunting and everyone is chambering for the.204.I like advice but would like just once for you to back it up with facts.What you stated is backward to what is really happening. sam.

12-15-2007, 08:32 PM	#1
scoutman Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 166	.204 Ruger VS. 223 Remington what are the advantages and disadvantages of both. balisticly and use in hunting __________________ god made all man, but Samuel Colt made all man equal

12-15-2007, 08:53 PM	#3
two-70 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: ponca city, oklahoma Posts: 1,778	bout 8 dollars a box , 223 is so easy to get __________________ What Would Jesus Do ????? Just Ask Him.

12-15-2007, 11:54 PM	#5
samuel Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,087	If you go by movies you can watch westerns and realise that a .44-40 is all you need.Of course if you actually get out and try shooting instead of going by what you see in movies you might find differences in what really happens and what is in the movies. sam. Last edited by samuel; 12-15-2007 at 11:58 PM.

12-16-2007, 12:26 AM	#6
LiveToShoot Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Northwest USA Posts: 2,062	Sam... Thanks for the .204 Ruger info. You're helping sway me that direction, as is my friend that I mentioned earlier in another thread. I reload, and that helps make the .204 Ruger an affordable choice for hunting and target. __________________ "Happiness is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it." -Unknown

12-16-2007, 01:11 AM	#9
LiveToShoot Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Northwest USA Posts: 2,062	When I went out in the woods to try out my friend's 204 Ruger, I was well impressed with it performance. A very sweet rifle, precise shooter and very lethal impact on varmints and medium sized animals (yotes). The only limitation I found with the 204, to make it an affordable all round small caliber option, was in obtaining a sufficient supply of brass, at a reasonable price, for reloading to satisfy hunting and target shooting needs. __________________ "Happiness is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it." -Unknown

12-15-2007, 08:47 PM	#2
samuel Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,087	The smaller diameter allows the .204 to range out there with the .22-250 and out perform the .223 but the 1in12 twist .223 is capable of great performance at 300yds and beyond.It depends on what you want.For hunting the .204 is superior but for target the .223 is better because of lower priced ammo.If you reload the .204 is the way to go.With a toghter twist barrel and heavier bullets the .223 will reach out there but the trajectory is terrible compared to the .204 sam.

12-15-2007, 11:47 PM	#4
Bravo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 1,879	Watch I Am Legend and you'll buy a .223 :P Oddly enough, it took Saving Private Ryan to get me to buy an M1 Carbine...I might actually get an M4 now after watching that movie.

12-16-2007, 12:36 AM	#7
thomasbrooks07 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Washington Posts: 185	I wouldnt buy a rifle from just what you saw in a movie. For me I choose my knifes and weapons off what I am looking for it to do, whats the best quality I can afford, and the over all cost to use what I buy. Whats the point in having a rifle if you cant afford to shoot off more then a handfull of rounds lol. I personally like the .223 a lot. I cant say anything about the .204 since I havent fired it but I have heard the ammo is pretty costly. I plan on picking up a .223 rifle at some point but my next rifle would prob be a 1891/30 to go with my M44, or a new shotgun. I have also been thinking about getting a 7.62X39 rifle. lol my wish list is pretty long I just started my collection I have been planing since I was a child. I love firearms my parents hate them so I had to wait to start my collection.

12-16-2007, 01:01 AM	#8
ArkansasHunter Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Arkansas Posts: 10,678	Get the 204 Ruger and you've got the best of both worlds. I just watched a show on the OutDoor Channel and that 204 Ruger was eatting up coyotes. It hammered them HARD !...A.H

12-16-2007, 03:57 AM	#10
nathangdad Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,437	.204 may not make it The history of firearms is paved with cartridges that did not last in the marketplace. I feel the .204 is one of these cartridges as I look at the ballistic tables for what is out there and cannot determine a real need for the .204. You might just buy a "one hit wonder" if you go with the .204. The .223 has staying power for nothing else other than the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of guns already out there in this caliber. I would put my money in the .223 feeling confident it will not become a high cost specialty cartridge.

12-16-2007, 06:40 AM	#11
samuel Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,087	nathangdad: I wish you would substantiate statements like the .204 becoming obsolete.I see more and more at the range and varmint hunting and everyone is chambering for the.204.I like advice but would like just once for you to back it up with facts.What you stated is backward to what is really happening. sam.