I can't stand it!

[Captqc]

Dang Rick,
That new rifle sure sounds sweet! I can't wait for our first Rat-O-Rama! I got the shakes so bad after reading your post that I had to break my .204 out of the safe and stroke her for awhile
See ya soon. Gary

[Verminator2]

Hey Rick, are you having your rat-shoot down here? If so, can I join in on the fun? Can't wait to see that rifle, sounds like it'll be a sweetie.

[Rick in Oregon]

Gary - I know what you mean...I just finished up another 100 204's all with 39gr Blitz King's, just lookin' all purty and ready for Skippy. Between loading, fondling varmint rifles, looking at the calendar longingly, and seeing all this snow on the ground, it is pure torture knowing that the rodents are all safe far underground, and sleeping peacefully.

It will be a while until we have spring green-up, and the little rascals come above ground to meet Mr. 204 and his buddies. Like others have said though, the anticipation is half the fun, so I ask: Are you having at least 1/2 the fun right now??? NOT!

The new rig will be here just in time for our May adventure, and will go to N. Calif. with us too, so Skippy will get to meet it this year. I need a favor though....she needs a name, and my brain is blank. Help me out Capt.!

Verm2: See PM sent.

[Verminator2]

Rick:For some reason I didn't get a PM.

[Rick in Oregon]

Verm2: Check your PM mailbox.

[glenn asher]

If it shoots as good as it oughta, you should send it to me for testing purposes . I have a ratkillin' trip in June......................

[Rick in Oregon]

Glenn: Okay, you got it. The new 204 Rat Whacker will be on it's way, that is just as soon as you send me 72 virgins, a guarantee that we'll never, ever see Hillary again, and reassurance that in heaven (I'm an optimist), there is indeed unlimited prairie dogs and grounds squirrels, along with never-ending supplies of ammunition!

Better send me that UPS delivery address!........

[Rick in Oregon]

Well, after much thought and deliberation, I decided to make this new Pac-Nor 204 barrel a three-groove 11 twist instead of 12. I reason that it should handle the 39's and 40 gr bullets better, and still be okay for the 32 grainers, which is the lightest bullet this barrel will ever see. I called Pac-Nor just in the nick of time too......whew!

Question: Anybody else out there shooting a .204 Ruger with an 11 twist barrel? Just wondering what your findings were. This sounds good in theory, just wondering what real-world results have been with others.

Anyone? Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

[Captqc]

Rick, I think you came up with the name for your new rifle "Rat Wacker" or Rick's Rat Wacker, RRW Gary

[Rick in Oregon]

Captqc/Gary: I got the word from Pac-Nor that it will indeed be an 11 twist 3-groove barrel. The scope should be here in another week, then the loooong wait for the barreled action to arrive so I can get the stock bedded and all ready for Skippy. It should be fine with the 32 grainers, and really shine with the 39's and 40's now.

I've settled on the official name for her. In my best "Elmer Fudd" dialect, it's "Wick's Wat Wacka".......

[TD-Max]

Rick,

I'm just curious why you would go to a Varmint reticle when you seem to prefer to use the turrets?

[Rick in Oregon]

TDM: I like to have both options. For very fast target acqusition, the VHR is hard to beat, and takes the guesswork out of holdover, not to mention the wind.

All my rifles are "zero" at 100 yards, this gives meaning to the MOA marks on the turrets, also for using the VHR. I establish what the values are for the hash marks for each rifle so equipped prior to ever putting the crosshairs on hair.