# .204 Ruger w/ 6x24x44 scope ?'s



## Dogrman1 (Jan 13, 2009)

I have a Remington 700 VLSS Thumbhole in the .204 Ruger. I bought it with a BSA 6x24x44 scope on it. I am thinking about buying a Nikon w/ the BDC. The reason I am looking at a new scope is the BDC, but I am unsure of any real benefits of the 50MM over the 40mm scopes. Any thoughts???


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

I have a Savage 12 BTCSS .204 to which I mounted a Barska 6-24X40 Mil-dot scope. I don't think the effective range of the .204 requires the need for BDC or Mil dots. Just my opinion.

I have since taken the Barska off and put a 4.5-14X40 buckmasters with a fine cross hair on it.

50mm scope will require you to mount the scope higher, which for me doesn't make any sense. I have trouble getting a scope low enough for me to keep a solid cheek weld. Stick with the 40mm they usually cost less too.


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## Dogrman1 (Jan 13, 2009)

Thanks for the advice.


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

doger, how do you like the VLSS? I have one in 22-250 and I absolutely love it. As of right now, it is the most accurate rifle I own. I have a Leupold VXIII 6.5-20X40 with the Varmint Hunters reticle on that one. Kinda the same idea as a BDC. I have put that reticle to use taking longer shots on prairie dogs.


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## Ruthless (Nov 6, 2008)

I would agree that you don't need the 50mm unless you are going to be shooting a lot in low light.

As far as the effective range of a .204 goes...it will reach out 500 yards plus and take down a prairie dog all day long...as long as you do your job...it is by far one of the flatest shooting rounds on the market it just runs out of decent knock down power past that 500 yards mark...

I believe the BDC uses ballistics similar to the .22-250...which would work fairly well with your .204 ruger...I would recommend a scope with a top power between 14 and 20....I have a 7-21X Mil-dot on my .204 and usually use it around 14 power...I would have rather had the BDC or something similar than the Mil-Dot myself...


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## Dogrman1 (Jan 13, 2009)

Laite319 I really like the gun. Very accurate, but it is a little heavy if a person were to use it for a carry gun. As far as setting up for praire dogs of coyote calling it is great. (Tack Driver!!) How well does that reticle work for your Leupold as far as distances accuracy, and what kind of distances have you shot successfully with it?? Just curious, because I'm trying to figure out if it is worth even buying a new scope or not??


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## Dogrman1 (Jan 13, 2009)

Ruthless. Thanks for the imput.


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## Ruthless (Nov 6, 2008)

I was just at cabela's looking for a new scope for my FNAR and came across a sale on the Leupold 4.5-14 Varmint Reticle

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templ ... hasJS=true

Seems like a good price on a great scope


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

dogr, The farthest laser measured kill with the .204 was at 307yds. The varmint reticle is set by zeroing at 200 yds, then using the lower cross hairs in decending order: 300, 400.... It also has dots to help adjust for wind. Also, I would go with the 40mm with a 30mm tube instead of a 50mm with the 1"tube.

Definately get what you want and what you like, I am going to stick to my guns and say unless you are a fantastic shot you won't need dots or crosshairs for the .204.

Ruthless, you must be a very good shot. I would have a very tough time believing that I, now I said I, could hit a pd at 500 with the .204. Any amount of wind would make that a very tough shot. Most folks can't hit a deer with any certainty at 500 much less a pd. I personally wouldn't use it much over 300 on pds. I have been told by a few of the cops I work with that nothing over 150yds for yotes.


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## Ruthless (Nov 6, 2008)

laite319,

A 500 yard shot is hard no matter what you are using but the .204 ruger has just as good a chance as a 22-250 of hitting and killing a prairie dog out to 500 yards - everything being equal. As far as coyotes go, I'd probable say about 250 yards maybe 300 yards with good shot placement and a 39-40 grain bullet. But the .204 is only an ok coyote cartridge, but it is by far the best prairie dog/small varmint cartridge on the market, IMO.

I personally have take prairie dogs out to about 350 yards several times(using a range finder); this year my goal is a 500+ yard kill. Unfortunately I only got out 3 times last year and have only had the .204 for a year.

A .204 Ruger with a 40gr Hornandy bullet still has more velocity and energy at 500 yards then a .22 mag does at 100 yards. It is also traveling faster and only has 30 ft-lbs of energy less than a 55gr BTHP in 22-250. And in my own experience and based on ballistics table the .204 bucks the wind very well, maybe better than a 22-250.

All that said Dogrman1, get a good scope and get ready to kill those dogs out as far as your own skill will let you....because the .204 won't let you down.


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## Dogrman1 (Jan 13, 2009)

Thanks guys for the imput and advice. I have one more question for you guys. What kind of reasonably priced range finder would you guys recommend or do you use??


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## Savage260 (Oct 21, 2007)

Ruthless, thanks for the good info!! I have heard the same things about the .204 being only ok for yotes. I have been told it is a great "calling" gun. When you can bring them in to the 100-150 mark they work extremely well. I can't vouch for that, as I have yet to smack a yote with any thing other than my .17HMR.

I have had opposite experience with bucking wind. Our PD trip this summer we had one day of about 20-25mph winds with higher gusts. I could not get my .204 with 39gr Sierra Blitzkings to hit any thing over about 120yds. I was shooting the 36gr Barnes VG's out of my 22-250 VLSS, and was hitting consistantly out to 300. I am not a very experienced shooter so a lot of it may have just been dumb luck.

Also, on the coyote thing, the guys I work with are shooting the 32gr loads. Would that affect the effective range to any extent?

I love my .204 and after reading your post I am going to start shooting it at longer ranges to see how I can do with it.

Dogrman1, I use a Leupold RXII with TBR. It was reasonably priced, $200-$250 range, if I remember correctly, and it is pretty easy to use. I have ranged deer at over 550yds, and a road sign at over 600. Operation of the menu is a little tough to get used to, but it gives hold over points in inches for shots with both rifle and bow.


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## Ruthless (Nov 6, 2008)

Dogrman1,

I am using a Nikon Monarch 800 about $300...but in reality I have a hard time getting it to work much past 600 yards...just too hard to hold it still enough and find a target it likes...a friend told me to stick it on my spotting scope tripod and try it out...but I figured that would just be a pain...

The Monarch is nothing fancy...just point and click and your range comes up...real simple


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## trikortreat (Dec 10, 2008)

i have the barska 6x24x44 on my model 700 22-250 and it works great.


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