.204Ruger VS 22-250 Age old Question

[6tmile]

Originally Posted by Fordevr

What features do you not like about the .204 that makes you go back to the
22-250? Starting in oct I'm gonna start a tread where ppl can post coyote pics they have shot and we can see what causes damage and what doesn't. For that to work ppl will have to post them all not just the good ones...��

The 204 is a fine cartridge for yoties but I have had more follow up shots and more runners with it compared to the 22-2 fitty. I find the 2fitty just anchors them right where they stand. My son shoots a 204 and after 2 seasons of shooting yodel dogs he is thinking of getting a 22250 this year just for the same reason I stated earlier. Great idea on the post the damage thread! But to show how much damage is done to the fur picture should be taken after the critter is skinned.

[Fordevr]

Originally Posted by bucksnbears

Coyotes/cartridge/bullets will
L always be a contraversial subject.
Coyotes ain't a varmint!
I've shot 100's and have been involved in coyote tournaments where l00'smore have been shot.
The ONLY plastic tipped bullet that what I would be comfortable seriously hunting coyotes with in smaller calibers is a nosller ballistic tip.
V-max bullets are the worst!! (good for prairie dogs though)
Coyotes are tough and need a good/stought bullet.sure, millions of coyotes have been killed with v max type bullets but I've seen WAY too many get away.

Although I couldn't disagree more with you about vmax bullets(killed many instantly with no flopping with 32vmax in the .204 perfect with no damage) I am excited to try the nosler ballistic tips because they fly very well in my .204

[Ranch11]

Originally Posted by bucksnbears

I,d have a .204 if someone would make a good 35 grain bullet in a soft point.
Seen WAY to many getawy getting shot with light jacketed varmint pills

X2, way too many runners after being hit in the boiler room. I've switched back to a 243 with 80 or 87 grain deer bullets and it's been good. Even the 100 grain heavy bullets work well.

[Fordevr]

Originally Posted by 6tmile

The 204 is a fine cartridge for yoties but I have had more follow up shots and more runners with it compared to the 22-2 fitty. I find the 2fitty just anchors them right where they stand. My son shoots a 204 and after 2 seasons of shooting yodel dogs he is thinking of getting a 22250 this year just for the same reason I stated earlier. Great idea on the post the damage thread! But to show how much damage is done to the fur picture should be taken after the critter is skinned.

I like it! Show entry and exit so both sides of the yote with fur and with out. Video of the dog dropping is just gravy but would be nice.

[bucksnbears]

Dammit!! I wish I could post pics of coyotes I,ve skinned after shooting them with a 17-204...
It's beautenoust at it's finest

Bottom line is a coyote is a tough critter and there are way better pills than those made for prairie dogs.

Vmaxes are cheap to buy, hence the popularity.
Ai,nt many serious (die hard) hunters that I know (and I know lots) that shoot a plastic tipped bullet unless it's a heavy for the caliber pill. Even a coyote deserves a good, humane killing!!
As for a 22-250, my favorite bullet is Sierra's most excellent
55 grain game king #1365

[brendan's dad]

I had a 204 Ruger and took a few yotes with it. I sold it with the intent of getting a 223. Decided to use my 260 remington instead. Loaded up some 85 grain sierra's to 3100 fps. That load has the identical POI at 100 yards as my 130 grain accubond load so I never need to adjust the scope. The 85 sierra's are so effective that after I shoot the yote, it walks directly to me and dies at my feet, best yote gun ever!

[Fordevr]

I'm not trying to start anything because that's not the guy I am but ppl that think 32 or 40 gr. vmax outta a .204 isn't a humane fast death blows my mind. I pride myself on marking Bang flop kills with no suffering and although I recently decided to try a 40 gr nosler ballistic tip for the last 5 yrs all my yotes have been takin with a .32 gr vmax and out of 30 kills I have had one runner that was my fault because my scope came lose and I shot it in the ear. This was
A single evening at 2 stands. 3 bang flops and no exit wounds. There was one huge entrance hole from a 25 yard shot. If you have runners something's up. Factory ammo and no worries.

[stob]

Originally Posted by brendan's dad

I had a 204 Ruger and took a few yotes with it. I sold it with the intent of getting a 223. Decided to use my 260 remington instead. Loaded up some 85 grain sierra's to 3100 fps. That load has the identical POI at 100 yards as my 130 grain accubond load so I never need to adjust the scope. The 85 sierra's are so effective that after I shoot the yote, it walks directly to me and dies at my feet, best yote gun ever!

my 6.5x55 with 95gr v-max at 3100fps does the same thing ... how do they know???

[Fordevr]

The 22-250 wins but not by much when it comes to factory ammo.

https://youtu.be/Br-spn2RILg

[Olive skate]

Originally Posted by bucksnbears

Dammit!! I wish I could post pics of coyotes I,ve skinned after shooting them with a 17-204...
It's beautenoust at it's finest

Bottom line is a coyote is a tough critter and there are way better pills than those made for prairie dogs.

Vmaxes are cheap to buy, hence the popularity.
Ai,nt many serious (die hard) hunters that I know (and I know lots) that shoot a plastic tipped bullet unless it's a heavy for the caliber pill. Even a coyote deserves a good, humane killing!!
As for a 22-250, my favorite bullet is Sierra's most excellent
55 grain game king #1365

Agreed!

[Stinky Coyote]

if the .22-250 and the .223 had a baby, you'd get the .204 ruger

trajectory and pbr closer to the 250, as well as grenade/frangible bullet effect for the most part, but the energy and lethality more like a .223

i didn't see much trouble killing with .204 but never had a .22-250, i've killed a bunch with a .17hmr so the .204 is a pretty big hammer by comparison

[Blockcaver]

I had my .204 Ruger with 3800 fps reloads with 39 gr Sierra Blitz King and my .22-250 with 3650 fps 55 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips. Both rifles were Cooper single shot Varmint models with Leupold 1" VX3 scopes (14X and 20X) on them. With identical zeros the .204 was flatter and shot slightly tighter groups from 100 yds to 500 yds with stops at 200, 300 and 400 yds too. All 5 shot groups and rifles shot alternating groups. Not a lot of difference but the .204 won the test that day. I don't have the overall aggregate around anymore but the .204 was <0.3" MOA and the .22-250 <0.4" MOA for 25 shots with each rifle. The .22-250 is no more, converted to a fast twist .22 BR, as the barrel finally got shot out.

And I hunt coyotes by calling with a .223 Kimber Montana with 70 gr Bergers most of the time.

[ruger300]

35 gr Berger varmits are my bullet of choice. No more pelt losses and bang flop performance every time if I do my part on the trigger.

[Stinky Coyote]

Originally Posted by ruger300

35 gr Berger varmits are my bullet of choice. No more pelt losses and bang flop performance every time if I do my part on the trigger.

from recollection this is the go to fur takers combo for .204 hunters, predator masters forums etc. it's been that way quite some time, never seen it and really liked the 39gr sierra blitzking performance but the reloaders that harvest fur for the dollar all spoke very highly of the combo you just mentioned

[Kale_M]

I have done all my coyote hunting with a 204. Shot them with a few different bullets.

40gr vmax — not the most accurate out of my gun. Did blow up a few dogs with this.

32gr vmax. — never shot any dogs with this. But super accurate

35gr Berger’s — accurate, fur friendly, lacks some down range power I find.

40gr Berger’s — currently shooting these. Very good. Fur friendly and pack a punch out there at 300 yards. Buck the wind great as well.

39gr SBK — when federal made factory loads with these they were so good. So accurate, fur friendly and really jelloed the dogs. Federal stopped making factory loads but I have about 200 to reload so I will get to using them when I run out of 40gr Berger’s.

[Bergerboy]

22-250 coyote load of choice
64gr Berger
42 Grains of Superformance
WLR primer
Crony results at 3500fps

No running, no exit.

204 does work good but too many runners. Like others said, coyotes are tough as hell.

[cody j]

Would anyone’s answer change if hunting in an area where wolves might be seen ?

[tikka250]

Originally Posted by cody j

Would anyone’s answer change if hunting in an area where wolves might be seen ?

If wolves were involved I would be jumping up into deer gun calibers. Personally I'd be taking my 270 but any med sized deer gun would do the job.

[cody j]

Yeah a deer gun is better if you are specifically targeting wolves I’m think more along the lines of a person hunting coyotes in an area where you could see a wolf, would that change their 204, 22-250 choice?

[helluvahunter]

I have both but in wolf country I would go with the 22-250 with 55gr Ballistic tips

[tikka250]

Originally Posted by cody j

Yeah a deer gun is better if you are specifically targeting wolves I’m think more along the lines of a person hunting coyotes in an area where you could see a wolf, would that change their 204, 22-250 choice?

If wolves are a genuine possibility I would take the 22-250 hands down and I would outfit it like I would if I planned to take a deer. Barnes tsx bullets or any equally hard deer style bullet instead of the usual varmint pills.

[Stinky Coyote]

Originally Posted by cody j

Would anyone’s answer change if hunting in an area where wolves might be seen ?

couple situations to move up to 6mm or better, you could check the cougar hotline before you head out and see if open as chances to call them also and technically big game from recollection so you'd wanna be legal on bullet diam.

then wolves, step up the pill size and weight, as a few said, deer guns

i personally went to the 6.5 Grendel, it does it all, it's still louder than the .204 for having more coyotes continue to come from other directions after shooting the first one but it's a lot quieter than most other options and i'm big game legal with enough bullet to even step up to elk or moose once in awhile but the varmint loads are 90 grainers going about 3000 fps out of the Grendel

the 6.5 Grendel is AR(.223 rem/5.56 nato) length cartridge with about the same ft/lbs as the .220 swift which is a little stronger than the .22-250, the Grendel/Swift run about 1800 ft/lbs muzzle energy, the .22-250 is about 1650 ft/lbs, so the 6.5 Grendel lands between the .22-250 and .243 in this regard as the .243 closes in on 2000 ft/lbs muzzle energy

lots of argument for the .243 here also if you're after a long MBPR, while still staying big game legal, and can shoot down to 55 gr pills too

[6.5 shooter]

If wolf was on the menu why not a 6mm BR? easy on pelts, 55-108 gr. pills and going at a speed that would knock down most critters on the NA continent....
And if you want to punch paper? it will do it better then most.

I think the Grendal would make a great choice as well, in a bolt gun you could seat the bullets way out there and have a weee bit heavier bullet if the need arose.

[Stinky Coyote]

Originally Posted by 6.5 shooter

If wolf was on the menu why not a 6mm BR? easy on pelts, 55-108 gr. pills and going at a speed that would knock down most critters on the NA continent....
And if you want to punch paper? it will do it better then most.

I think the Grendal would make a great choice as well, in a bolt gun you could seat the bullets way out there and have a weee bit heavier bullet if the need arose.

Yup, or other short 6's like the dasher or the brand new ARC that Hornady just released which if the OP likes factory ammo options and these shorter AR length cartridges appeal then the 6.5 Grendel and 6mm-ARC will be good choices, the 6mm-ARC is essentially a 6mm Grendel, they bumped the shoulder back just a touch to differentiate it enough from the Grendel, it's going to be a big winner very quickly though as military unit already fielded it for a year before hornady released it and they adopted the cartridge. So it will become very popular very fast. If need a little more speed or mainstream cartridge with factory ammo offering then .243 and 6mm Creedmoor. i'd skip the .204/.223/.22-250 and step into the 6mm/6.5mm arena's though, much more versatile being able to cross over for big game work also