# .204?



## torf (Mar 11, 2002)

Anyone have any experience or information on this caliber? Me and a couple friends are going to go prarie dog shooting this summer and i'm looking for a good varmint gun. I have a single shot 22-250 but i'd like a semi-auto or bolt and i'm looking at a .204. I'm just wondering if anyone out there has owned/shot one and what they think.

Another question i have is would a .17 be enough for a prarie dog? I've never hunted the things and don't know their exact size since i actually haven't even seen one since i was about 8.

P.S. I'm not trying to start one of those threads where we argue back and forth about whats lethal and humane.


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## 204ruger (Jan 4, 2006)

I just bought a .204 about amonth ago now. I lOVE IT? Very low recoil, ammo is affordable, and it is flat shooting.

I bought a Ruger bolt action M77 mark II. This is Rugers standard rifle, but it is very accurate. I can hold a pattern at 200 yards under an inch. I would highly reccomend the .204 Ruger.


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## tykempster (Jan 28, 2006)

If a .17 isn't useful for Prairie Dogs, what is it good for? At longer ranges they have bad wind drift though. At close ranges they won't tell the diffrence from a .22 caliber or larger.


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## torf (Mar 11, 2002)

Yeah i guess i just wasn't sure since i've never gone after dogs.


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

I've heard that the .204 tumbles past 200 yards is this true?


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

Torf, if you ask a question like "would a .17 be enough for a prairie dog", the whether it is lethal or humane is part of the equation. To leave that out is to receive no truthful answer. Besides you didn't say if you were talking about the 17 Rem or the 17 HMR. Both are accurate, lethal, and humane on prairie dogs out to certain ranges for each. IMO the 17 HMR is okay out to 100-125 yards with a 150 yard stretch at times. Beyond that it starts to get iffy. Never shot a 17 Rem but I believe 250-300 yards is fairly safe depending on conditions. My rule of thumb is if the caliber or bullet will not result in a 90% instant kill rate I move up to something bigger or shorten the range.


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## marcus_rubbo (Dec 11, 2005)

.204 wont start tumbling at 200yrds.....


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## Longshot (Feb 9, 2004)

If you are looking for strictly a prairie dog rifle and already have a 22-250, I would suggest the Savage 10fp in 223. A heavy barrel is nice for extended shooting and is easier to keep your scope on target to see your bullet hit. It is also hard to beat the price of 223 factory ammo.


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## torf (Mar 11, 2002)

Gohon all i said is i didn't want to start a big argument, i assumed that there would be someone out there who would know if it would be a suitable gun for prarie dogs, since i've never shot one. And you answered my question, thanks. By the was i was talking about the HMR. Thanks guys for your suggestions.


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