Wind & 204 Rugers

[AZ Bullet]

When I talk to friends about my beloved 20 cal, the first thing they say is it can't buck the wind. This is were my eyes start spinning to the back of my head. Are there any charts on 204s and wind? I know shooting them would be easier to show them but they would complain the bullet is too small or light. They shot the 22-250 and the 220 swift.

[WrzWaldo]

Yes there is.

http://wrzwaldo.org/reloading/public/204-VS/

Grab a copy of PointBlank and show them.

http://www.huntingnut.com/index.php?nam ... icle&sid=3



With a 10 MPH cross wind.

A 40 grain V-Max with a 3800 fps muzzle velocity will move about 7.75 inches at 300 yards.

A 40 V-Max out of the swift with a muzzle velocity of 4100 fps will move about 10.28 inches at 300 yards.

Sadly for your buddies the same holds true for the 22-250. The bullet with the higher BC almost always wins this battle.

They can move to a heavier bullet, but then they really get spanked on trajectory.

Code: Select all

Load Data
~~~~~~~~~

Name: .204 Cal,  , 40 grn
Ballistic Coeff: 0.275
Bullet Weight: 40
Velocity: 3800
Target Distance: 250
Scope Height: 1.500
Temperature: 70
Altitude: 500

Ballistic Data
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Range  Elevation  Velocity   Energy     ETA         Drop      Max Y  10mph Wind Deflect
  0 yds   -1.50 in  3800 fps  1282 fpe  0.000 sec    0.00 in  -1.50 in    0.00 in
 25 yds   -0.52 in  3698 fps  1215 fpe  0.020 sec    0.08 in  -0.58 in    0.06 in
 50 yds    0.31 in  3599 fps  1150 fpe  0.041 sec    0.31 in  -0.52 in    0.20 in
 75 yds    0.96 in  3501 fps  1089 fpe  0.062 sec    0.71 in  -0.42 in    0.44 in
100 yds    1.44 in  3407 fps  1031 fpe  0.083 sec    1.29 in  -0.26 in    0.78 in
125 yds    1.74 in  3314 fps   975 fpe  0.106 sec    2.06 in  -0.06 in    1.24 in
150 yds    1.83 in  3223 fps   923 fpe  0.129 sec    3.03 in   0.21 in    1.81 in
175 yds    1.71 in  3135 fps   873 fpe  0.152 sec    4.21 in   0.53 in    2.50 in
200 yds    1.37 in  3048 fps   825 fpe  0.177 sec    5.60 in   0.92 in    3.29 in
225 yds    0.81 in  2963 fps   779 fpe  0.201 sec    7.22 in   1.37 in    4.20 in
250 yds    0.00 in  2879 fps   736 fpe  0.227 sec    9.09 in   1.91 in    5.23 in
275 yds   -1.08 in  2797 fps   695 fpe  0.254 sec   11.23 in   2.52 in    6.42 in
300 yds   -2.44 in  2717 fps   655 fpe  0.281 sec   13.66 in   3.23 in    7.75 in
325 yds   -4.10 in  2638 fps   618 fpe  0.309 sec   16.37 in   4.04 in    9.22 in
350 yds   -6.06 in  2560 fps   582 fpe  0.338 sec   19.39 in   4.95 in   10.82 in
375 yds   -8.35 in  2484 fps   548 fpe  0.368 sec   22.74 in   5.96 in   12.58 in
400 yds  -10.96 in  2409 fps   515 fpe  0.398 sec   26.41 in   7.10 in   14.46 in
425 yds  -13.98 in  2335 fps   484 fpe  0.430 sec   30.49 in   8.37 in   16.55 in
450 yds  -17.42 in  2263 fps   455 fpe  0.462 sec   34.99 in   9.79 in   18.84 in
475 yds  -21.29 in  2192 fps   427 fpe  0.496 sec   39.92 in  11.36 in   21.33 in
500 yds  -25.61 in  2122 fps   400 fpe  0.531 sec   45.30 in  13.11 in   23.99 in
525 yds  -30.39 in  2053 fps   374 fpe  0.567 sec   51.13 in  15.02 in   26.82 in
550 yds  -35.72 in  1986 fps   350 fpe  0.604 sec   57.53 in  17.14 in   29.90 in
575 yds  -41.45 in  1919 fps   327 fpe  0.642 sec   64.32 in  19.42 in   33.07 in
600 yds  -47.90 in  1854 fps   305 fpe  0.681 sec   71.82 in  21.97 in   36.57 in
625 yds  -55.08 in  1791 fps   285 fpe  0.723 sec   80.06 in  24.80 in   40.39 in
650 yds  -63.00 in  1730 fps   266 fpe  0.766 sec   89.05 in  27.91 in   44.48 in
675 yds  -71.68 in  1671 fps   248 fpe  0.810 sec   98.78 in  31.32 in   48.84 in
700 yds  -81.12 in  1613 fps   231 fpe  0.856 sec  109.28 in  35.03 in   53.44 in
725 yds  -91.33 in  1556 fps   215 fpe  0.903 sec  120.55 in  39.06 in   58.26 in
750 yds -102.31 in  1501 fps   200 fpe  0.952 sec  132.59 in  43.42 in   63.29 in
775 yds -114.56 in  1449 fps   186 fpe  1.003 sec  145.90 in  48.26 in   68.78 in
800 yds -127.92 in  1399 fps   174 fpe  1.055 sec  160.32 in  53.54 in   74.60 in


Load Data
~~~~~~~~~

Name: .224 Cal,  , 40 grn
Ballistic Coeff: 0.200
Bullet Weight: 40
Velocity: 4100
Target Distance: 250
Scope Height: 1.500
Temperature: 70
Altitude: 500

Ballistic Data
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Range  Elevation  Velocity   Energy     ETA         Drop      Max Y  10mph Wind Deflect
  0 yds   -1.50 in  4100 fps  1493 fpe  0.000 sec    0.00 in  -1.50 in    0.00 in
 25 yds   -0.57 in  3950 fps  1386 fpe  0.019 sec    0.07 in  -0.58 in    0.06 in
 50 yds    0.21 in  3806 fps  1286 fpe  0.038 sec    0.27 in  -0.53 in    0.24 in
 75 yds    0.85 in  3666 fps  1194 fpe  0.058 sec    0.63 in  -0.44 in    0.56 in
100 yds    1.32 in  3531 fps  1107 fpe  0.079 sec    1.14 in  -0.30 in    1.01 in
125 yds    1.63 in  3400 fps  1027 fpe  0.100 sec    1.83 in  -0.11 in    1.59 in
150 yds    1.74 in  3273 fps   952 fpe  0.123 sec    2.71 in   0.14 in    2.33 in
175 yds    1.65 in  3151 fps   881 fpe  0.146 sec    3.80 in   0.44 in    3.23 in
200 yds    1.34 in  3031 fps   816 fpe  0.171 sec    5.10 in   0.82 in    4.28 in
225 yds    0.80 in  2915 fps   755 fpe  0.196 sec    6.63 in   1.26 in    5.49 in
250 yds    0.00 in  2802 fps   697 fpe  0.222 sec    8.42 in   1.80 in    6.89 in
275 yds   -1.08 in  2691 fps   643 fpe  0.249 sec   10.49 in   2.42 in    8.49 in
300 yds   -2.46 in  2584 fps   593 fpe  0.278 sec   12.86 in   3.15 in   10.28 in
325 yds   -4.16 in  2479 fps   546 fpe  0.308 sec   15.55 in   4.00 in   12.27 in
350 yds   -6.20 in  2376 fps   501 fpe  0.338 sec   18.58 in   4.96 in   14.46 in
375 yds   -8.65 in  2276 fps   460 fpe  0.371 sec   22.03 in   6.08 in   16.94 in
400 yds  -11.54 in  2178 fps   421 fpe  0.404 sec   25.91 in   7.35 in   19.67 in
425 yds  -14.87 in  2082 fps   385 fpe  0.440 sec   30.23 in   8.80 in   22.66 in
450 yds  -18.73 in  1990 fps   352 fpe  0.477 sec   35.08 in  10.44 in   25.93 in
475 yds  -23.03 in  1898 fps   320 fpe  0.515 sec   40.38 in  12.27 in   29.40 in
500 yds  -28.07 in  1810 fps   291 fpe  0.555 sec   46.41 in  14.38 in   33.32 in
525 yds  -33.86 in  1726 fps   265 fpe  0.598 sec   53.19 in  16.78 in   37.63 in
550 yds  -40.41 in  1645 fps   240 fpe  0.643 sec   60.73 in  19.48 in   42.31 in
575 yds  -47.72 in  1566 fps   218 fpe  0.689 sec   69.03 in  22.50 in   47.30 in
600 yds  -55.93 in  1491 fps   197 fpe  0.738 sec   78.23 in  25.89 in   52.67 in
625 yds  -65.18 in  1420 fps   179 fpe  0.790 sec   88.47 in  29.70 in   58.48 in
650 yds  -75.72 in  1354 fps   163 fpe  0.844 sec  100.01 in  34.02 in   64.83 in
675 yds  -87.50 in  1292 fps   148 fpe  0.901 sec  112.78 in  38.84 in   71.61 in
700 yds -100.59 in  1235 fps   136 fpe  0.960 sec  126.86 in  44.19 in   78.81 in
725 yds -115.30 in  1184 fps   125 fpe  1.022 sec  142.56 in  50.17 in   86.51 in
750 yds -131.63 in  1139 fps   115 fpe  1.087 sec  159.89 in  56.78 in   94.66 in
775 yds -149.72 in  1099 fps   107 fpe  1.154 sec  178.96 in  64.08 in  103.24 in
800 yds -169.68 in  1065 fps   101 fpe  1.223 sec  199.92 in  72.09 in  112.22 in

[rayfromtx]

http://www.eskimo.com/~jbm/calculations/traj/traj.html

This link will provide you with a ballistics calculator that will show the 204 to be superior in wind bucking abilities to many common rounds with heavier bullets. The 32 grains get blown around some but the 39 and 40 grain bullets perform quite well against the 6mm and even the 308 out to 500 yards. The bottom line is that longer heavier bullets will outperform the 204 at some point. The higher initial velocity will lose out to bullets with better ballistic coefficients. This calculator will give you a chance to find where that point occurs. Usually to outperform the 204 means punishing your shoulder and using more powder and more expensive components. The calculator has a huge database of bullets available and loading manuals can give you an idea of velocities that are acheivable with bullets that you may not be familiar with.

A for instance for comparison. I went prairie dog hunting with some guys last week that were shooting 65 grain vmax bullets at 3400 fps from a 6br. I was shooting 40 grain bergers at 3900 fps in a 204 ruger. Our wind drift was the same but they had 9 inches more drop at 500 yards. I could spot my own hits while they could not. The easiest way to sell the 204 is to take your friends hunting. My friends will have 204s next time we go hunting.

[Captqc]

AZ, great info from wrz and ray! That junk about the .204 and wind really chaps my ... Awhile back a "gun writer" by the name of Charles Petty said that if there was anything stronger than a mouse fart the .204 would be blown off course! My experience is that the .204 does just fine, you just have to know how it reacts in the wind and adjust just like any other round. Actually, I find that I tend to over compensate for the wind on my first shot and have to give it less english to make my shot. Gary

[AZ Bullet]

Wow thank you for the great info and sights. I will be making copes and look at the sights. After shooting a 222 all my life and now a 204 what a difference. I shot over alot of p-dogs at first. It's hard not putting the crosshairs over a target at distance.The 204 can let the air out of p-dog fast. Thanks for taking the time finding the info.