SUN + SQUIRRELS + BADGER = FUN WITH 204'S! (Pics)

[razor100]

what kind of pace can you keep up shooting the 39 grain blitz kings at 3980 fps without melting the barrel? looks like a target rich environment where restraint must be exercised!

[Rick in Oregon]

razor: Yep, restraint must be exercised out in the alfalfa, but as long as common sense wins out over the urge to 'machine-gun' the rats and only shoot the more challenging targets to make it more interesting, barrels for my 204's don't heat up as much, maybe even less than all my .223 Rem rifles I've used for many years just for this purpose.

Some guys are not happy if they don't shoot 300 CF rounds a day. I'm perfectly content with shooting anywhere from 100 to 200 shots. But I clean in the field while barrel cooling, roam about w/handgun, visit, and maintain each rifle after a set number of shots, depending on the rifle and caliber.

I've seen a nice custom 22-250 with a just broken-in barrel get completely toasted by an over enthusiastic shooter in exactly one day of shooting Skippy on this same ranch. Good caliber to be sure, but not ideally suited to sustained fire of colony rodents, as our acquaintance found out that day. It went from a sub .5 MOA rifle (easily better), to about a 4" rifle in a matter of hours just from barrel heat and the subsequent erosion in the throat. Bummer, true. Your point is well taken nonetheless.

Here's one of those cleaning/cooling sessions:



Another reason for restraint is when you get home and consider all those empty cases need to be loaded back up for the next upcoming weekend outing. Ya shoot 'em, ya gotta load 'em.

[razor100]

is the 17 Mach IV a better volume gun than the 204 Ruger?

[Rick in Oregon]

razor: Yes and no. The 17M4 shooting the preferred 25gr bullets is good to around 400 yards on our squirrels and PD's. The 204R on the other hand, is good out past 500 yards easily, and with a good rifle, optics, and the heavier bullets, the 204R is better for the longer range it offers.

As for pure volume shooting, yes, the 17M4 burns half the powder with 3/4 the range capabilities, so in that light alone, it is more suitable for high volume shooting, but one must still use restraint in a target rich environment, as barrel heat will become an issue if not paid attention to properly. But the 17M4 heats up less quickly than both my 204's.

[Gube]

Wow, great story and pics. Makes me want to head out into the prairie dog fields again. I'll be heading out today for some vaporizing action with my son and daughter.

[Rick in Oregon]

Gube: Thanks for the encouraging words. Don't be bashful about posting some pics of your adventure with your daughter when you return from the PDKF. (Prairie Dog Killing Fields) Our season of ground squirrels is over for the year, and I'm already pineing away for next spring, and that's a long way off.

Good luck on your shoot!

[sniper model 12]

I the course of the day, how many rounds did ya pop?

I would love to spend a day "rat plinkin' " with my 204! We don't get that kind of action round here in Ohio.

good shootin' and great pics

[Captqc]

Hi sniper, it depends upon the conditions but as a rule we shoot around 100 - 150 rounds of .204 and perhaps 200 - 250 of .17 hmr in a day. Some times we just go with .22 lr and expend about 500 rounds each. It's good to shoot the .204 till the barrel needs cooling then break out the .17 hmr or .22 lr. Our general practice is that if the barrel is too warm to hold onto then it's time to let her cool off. Hope that helps. Gary

[razor100]

ive heard that the 22lr wont make clean kills on a p dog even at rimfire distances? not expecting it to do a triple gainer like a centerfire but friends have said they just fall over. do a lot of yours make it back into the hole?

[Captqc]

Razor, we see a few make it back to their holes but I think it's due to shot placement rather than the ability of the .22. We make clean kills out to 50 yards with a .22 pistol and to 100 yards with a .22 rifle. We always strive to make a clean kill and the .22 will get the job done. Hope that helps, Gary

[Rick in Oregon]

razor: If you use a 22LR for PD's, use good ammo for consistent clean kills, and only hollow points, never use solids. Don't try to stretch the range, and you should have good resullts as the good Captian mentioned.

In virtually all my rimfire 22's, I've found that the WW Power Point is hands down the best killer on rodent sized targets, and very accurate to boot. I've got a good number of 22 handguns, and it functions in all the autos, and seems to be the best of the breed.

Don't expect stellar accuracy from the hyper veolcity 22's.....it just 'ain't happening.