I have a chance to buy a .204 in a Remington 700ADL. What do you think of the .204 ruger? Does it have enough spunk to kill a coyote? What distances is it lethal at?

I didn't have a chance to try the one I borrowd on coyotes, on woddchucks it was amazing! It simply turned them off. No tail twitches, no exit wounds, no floping around.... they just went from on to off. It killed faster than my .22-250

Zero 3 fingers high at 100, it will be 3 fingers low at 300.

But I kinda like the tail twitches! A sure sign that they're not going anywhere.

I have a CZ American 527 in 204. It is a neat efficent little cartridge. Should be plenty of power out to 350 yards or so for any coyote I would opt for the heavier bullets.

I have not shot a coyote with mine yet but I would not hesistate to do so.

The .204 is an eye opening little chambering for the varminting crowd!! The eceptionally flat trajectories, the accurracy(afterall it was based on the 222MAG so accurracy was a given!!!) the "lack of noticable recoil" and the amazingly "do the deal" ability of the SIERRA 32's and 39 grain bullets laves this one at the top of the heap for just plain darn fun!!! The 700 ADL synthetics....never saw one that wouldn't shoot in the .6-.75" range!! .222 Remington to 30-06!! That's more than I can say for a lot of the "pricier" rifles out there!! Try it out!! Bet you'll like it!!! GHD

You'll love the thing!!! I have a 700 VLS tha shoots in the 2's and 3's allday. If you reload try 14grians of BLUEDOT with the 32s! This load will go in the .1's and is still getting 3400 fps. Not bad for a reduced load. Good Luck. 338vt

338vt, you need to bring that rifle to a BR match. You will win.

I shot a fox yesterday with a .25-06 at 225 +/- yds. Couldn't find him when I came out of recoil and thought I might have missed. I walked out there in the sleet and freezing rain and found I had hit him in the left front shoulder and he was quite dead.

With the .204 you can watch the impact and see them fall on the spot due to the very light recoil and fast bullet. I haven't retired my .22-250s yet, but I might with the .204 around.

I'm thinking of a Contender with a light 20" barrel in .204 and a K6 Weaver would be a great walking gun...Hmmm...not too late for a Christmas list addition!!

Got two of them
One factory contender barrel 23" for my son.
One Match Grade Machine Contender SS 23" for me. I have pretty much retired the 22-250 unless I know the yotes will be out there...way out there. I have a Weaver K15 on mine becasue it is strictly a prairie dog gun, my sons has a Mueller 3 x10 Extreme...both make 400 yd. shots on small dogs regularly.

Eddiharren
Never liked benchrest matches, and the groups are only 3 shots , Although I have been in one or two.

I had been shooting I4198 and thought I'd try some Benchmark for grins. Turns out they both shoot almost identical trajectory and the accuracy advantage goes to the Benchmark. Seven shot groups: 100 yds = .56", 200 yds 1.75" 300 yds 3.75" with a 7mph variable crosswind. At 100 I was 1.75 high, dead on at 200 and 3.5" low at 300. Velocity around 4100fps wth 32gr Hornady.

I'll have the opportunity to shoot a 'yote early January in Wisconsin, can't wait.

Regards,
Jimno

Lowrider;Just curious,I have a 25-06 on a ruger 1v and in my opinion it kicks like hell to be shooting such a small bullet.It kicks harder than my .280 on a ruger 77.w/regards

Gophershooter,

The .25-06 I used on the fox does kick a bit, but it is a 24" Encore and about 6.5 lbs. I have a rebarreled Springfield 24" in .25-06 and a 700 BDL with a 22" also and they kick less than my BDL 280s with 120 gr....I think my 280 Mtn Rifle in a Rem plastic stock kicks more than any of them. I carried it a bunch in Alaska and I put together some 175 gr loads in case I needed them for bear and they really smack ya a bunch!! Hunt safe!!

quote:

Originally posted by groundhog devastation:
The .204 is an eye opening little chambering for the varminting crowd!! The eceptionally flat trajectories, the accurracy(afterall it was based on the 222MAG so accurracy was a given!!!) the "lack of noticable recoil" and the amazingly "do the deal" ability of the SIERRA 32's and 39 grain bullets laves this one at the top of the heap for just plain darn fun!!! The 700 ADL synthetics....never saw one that wouldn't shoot in the .6-.75" range!! .222 Remington to 30-06!! That's more than I can say for a lot of the "pricier" rifles out there!! Try it out!! Bet you'll like it!!! GHD

GHD:

I have a 243 ADL sitting right here, that will break your statement that ya never saw one that wouldn't shoot in the 0.6 to 0.75 range... unless you are talking in Feet there instead of inches...

Handloading it has gotten it to shoot a few loads very tight... but normal factory ammo or specs and it throws them all over the place....

I have a take off barrel from a 260 VLS I bought for $75.00, that has never been shot thru... the gunshop owner got the rifle cheap because 260 VLS es were not selling well... He spun the barrel off as he was going to turn it into a 6PPC....

That barrel and a Boyd's Laminate Stock... should clean this ADL up nicely....

cheers
seafire

MThuntr: I have killed several Coyotes with my various 204's. Yes in my opinion they have more than enough "spunk" to lay them low.
The speed and flat trajectory of the 204 also helps make contact easier and the lethality factor is at least OK to good on Coyotes.
I have to tell you about the first Coyotes I killed with my first 204 last year. I had been sent ahead to verify permision to Hunt Antelope on a huge ranch in SE Montana. I needed to be there on the Thursday before the Sunday Antelope opener. I got that task done and was waiting for my Hunting companions by passing time Hunting Prairie Dogs, Badgers and other high plains Varmints. That first night I slept out on the prairie in the back of my VarmintMobile. I slept in a remote corner of the huge ranch far from the main ranch house.
Well at least I tried to sleep! The incessant and in close howling of several Coyotes kept me awake virtually all night! Several times I contemplated getting up and getting dressed and getting my then new Ruger 77-V/T in 204 and my spotlight out and mowing them down! I kept hoping they would shut up or move on - they never did!
Finally with the first light in the morning and the howling still in full swing I did get up and loaded my Ruger with factory Hornady ammo! I walked to the edge of a dry wash and set up on the cut bank with my Harris low swivel model bi-pod in full extension. I made only a 20 second long set of squalls on my Primos Raspy Coaxer hand call when two large Coyotes appeared on a 10 foot high bank up the draw from me. I was in the prone position already and held on the further of the two Coyotes that was around 250 yards out. At the shot it dropped in its tracks. I slammed another round in the chamber and tried to get the rapidly retreating second Coyote in the scope. At 400 yards the second Coyote stopped and I turned the power up on the Sightron 6x24 power variable to full power. I tried calling that Coyote back into "range" but all I accomplished was getting it to sit on its haunches and look in my direction and yip for its partner.
The 204 was new to me then and I was not as yet fully cognizant of its abilities!
After a while I decided what the heck I held just at the top of the Coyotes head and squeezed one of! That Coyote spun in a small circle and went down in a few seconds!
Later that day I shot another Coyote in a drive by situation as well as a large Boar Badger!
All were killed with one shot apiece!
The next few days I spent in the Powder River country shooting Prairie Dogs with the rest of my factory lot of ammo.
This Hunt took place in early October of 2,004 and the only "brass" that was available to make handloads with was by shooting the factory ammo! And factory ammo was still "rare" to find back then in my corner of Montana.
That Hornady factory ammo shot quite well in my 204 and was quite lethal on Coyotes as well as smaller Varmints.
I was even tempted to try to harvest my Antelope with it that year!
I am sure I could have done so but opted to stick with my 270 Sendero for the opener.
Anyway I taught those two Coyotes a lesson for their part in keeping me awake all night!
I have no hesitation what so ever using the 204 on Coyotes.
I was so impressed with that first 204 Ruger that I have bought two more 204 Varminters since then!
Long live the 204!
Way to go Ruger and Hornady!
Good luck if you decide to try one!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I purchased a .204 M700 VS SF.

After a trigger job and replacement firing pin & spring, the thing has turned into a remarkable light varmint rifle. So far targets have been 20oz plastic bottles filled with water, which makes a decent PD simulator. The effect is instantaneous and spectacular.

Rifle is very accurate with hand loads and remarkably efficient. I recommend it as a perfect bigger brother to the .17 HMR.

D.

DMCI*: My good friend Dan out in Enumclaw, Washington State just bought one of these same Remingtons! He mounted a Leupold 6.5x20x50mm on it and is waiting for good weather to shoot it!
How does yours shoot at the range, group wise?
Good luck with your 204 and be sure to try the Sierra 32 gr. bullets if you are gonna Hunt Varmints with it.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

seafire, Some clarification in order!! The ADL SYNTHETICS were cheap, great shooting guns!! I have seen some wood stocked ADLS that were a "project waiting to happen"!! For the money the synthetic ADLS have been about as pleasant a thing as I've tinkered with!! And yes, those groups were handloaded in all the calibers.
As far as your smith "ruining" a VLS .260......shame on him!!! Good for you though!! At least you're moving up to a superior long range chambering!! If I had 25 VLS .260's tonite, I'll bet I could have them sold by Friday!!! ......and discounting wouldn't be needed!! GHD

I Googled this up...

Thought you boys might be interested in it...

cheers
seafire


The newest .20: Ruger's .204 varmint vanquisher
Guns Magazine, Oct, 2004 by Dave Anderson


Save a personal copy of this article and quickly find it again with Furl.net. It's free! Save it.
The new .204 Ruger is a varmint shooter's dream cartridge. It shoots flatter and resists wind drift better than the .22-250 Rem., better even than the mighty .220 Swift. It does so with a third less powder, meaning longer barrel life, less cost, lower recoil and milder report.
Like many avid varminter, I've come to depend on two classes of .22 centerfires. For windy days or for ranges over 300 yards, I like a big-case .22 such as the .22-250 Rem., .22-250 AI, or .220 Swift. Problem is, these speed demons burn a lot of powder. On days when a lot of shooting is expected I leave the blazers at home and select a .22 Hornet, .222 or .223 Remington. Smaller powder charges mean less barrel wear and less time waiting for barrels to cool. The lower recoil and milder report leave the shooter feeling fresher at day's end.
The .204 Ruger combines the laser-like trajectory and resistance to wind drift of the Swift with the milder report, lower recoil and longer barrel life of the .223. Now that's a worthwhile concept.
An Old Idea?
Uncommon in America, .20-cal. rifles and cartridges actually go back a long way. German, Swiss and Mexican cartridges in .20 cal. date back to the late 1800s. Since these countries use the metric system of measurement, and since .20 cal. is approximately equivalent to 5 mm, it was a logical enough choice. People do like to use round numbers.
.20 cal. wildcats popped up now and again in file U.S., often promoted by wildcatters bored with standard cartridges. Shortly after the .222 Rem. appeared in 1950, C. H. Stocking of Minnesota necked the case to .20 caliber. With bullets of his own making he used the .20-.222 extensively for a couple of decades.
In 1965 Bob Forker developed the 5 mm.223. He candidly stated his motivation was simply to come up with something that hadn't been done before. Forker had to persuade P.O. Ackley to make him a barrel and RCBS to make dies. With no bullets commercially available, he swaged his own jacketed bullets in 31 and 36-gr. weights, using dies from Frank Hemsted and Ted Smith (SAS Dies).
Another wildcatter, G. O. Ashley, had an article in the 1973 Gun Digest on "The Little Twenty--a Wildcatter's Wildcat!" Ashley based his .20 on the .222 Rem. Magnum case, calling it the .20-28A, 28 referring to powder capacity. In appearance and performance the .20-28A is very similar to the new .204 Ruger.
The Gun Control Act of 1968 was a blow to wildcatters. It probably set back development of the .20 caliber by 30 years. Previously anyone could buy swaging dies, bullet jackets and lead, make oddball bullets not readily available from the big outfits and sell them by mail order. Alter GCA '68 banned mail-order sales, many of these small makers found it uneconomical to get the required license, keep detailed records and ship through FFL dealers. Ashley's 1973 article makes reference to bullet makers forced out of business by GCA '68.
Major bullet manufacturers have given us an excellent .selection of bullets. Nonetheless they need a reasonable sales volume to justify the costs of tooling up for a new bullet, especially for a new bullet diameter. Someone has to convince them there is a market.
Bullets Galore
In the smallbore field, that someone is Todd Kindler. Kindler is a devoted varmint hunter, experimenter and an enthusiastic, articulate advocate of small bore cartridges. He says these light-recoiling, fun-to-shoot cartridges are ones you'll actually use, while the big-bore magnums we talk about so much mostly sit on the rack. Kindler's business, the Woodchuck Den, stocks and sells an amazing array of products for the small caliber enthusiasts. He publishes a quarterly report, Small Caliber News, with articles by and for small caliber enthusiasts. The Den and the magazine have become "small bore central" for information, data and equipment on calibers under .22.
Fortunately Walt Bergen rounder of Berger Bullets, and Sieve Hornady of Hornady Manufacturing, are avid shooters themselves. Kindler was able to persuade them to produce .20 cal. bullets even at a time when sales prospects must not have looked very good. Thanks to them we now have several superb bullets and the prospect of more to come. The Tactical .20 has become Kindler's best-known and most popular wildcat. Based on readily available .223 brass, it provides impressive performance. I've shot one extensively through an AR-style upper built by Lee Mosher of ISSI. The Tac .20 should remain popular as long as surplus .223 brass is readily available at modest cost.
Ballistically, Ruger and Hornady have taken .20 cal. performance a step further. The .204 Ruger case resembles the .222 Rein. Magnum case in appearance and capacity. Like Todd Kindler's Tactical .20, it has a 30-degree shoulder. In terms of water capacity (filled to the brim) Tactical .20 cases on hand averaged about 28.5 grains. My .223 Ackley Improved cases hold 32.5 grains of water, while fired and resized .204 Ruger cases average 33.5 grains water capacity. Factory ammunition is loaded with the sleek, beautifully-accurate Hornady V-Max bullet weighing 32 grains and the claimed velocity is 4,225 fps. Shooting Fun
The test rifle on loan from Ruger is the model 77 Mark II Target Rifle with laminated stock and 26" stainless heavy barrel. I used the Ruger rings to fit a Leupold VX-II 6-18 x 40 scope--the Competition model with target turrets--a most excellent, reliable scope. Other than cleaning the bore and checking action screws for tightness I shot the rifle just as it came from the box. The two-stage trigger is especially pleasing, and after initial take-up it breaks cleanly and consistently at 2.75 pounds. Functioning proved to be smooth and completely reliable. Ruger offers the .204 in five variations of the model 77 and No. I single shot. Rate of twist on Ruger .204 rifles is one turn in twelve inches.
Initial shooting was on a bright spring day, and the temperature was a crisp 38 degrees E Twenty rounds over the CED Millennium chronograph averaged 4,021 fps with the screens centered ten feet from the muzzle. I was a bit disappointed the average wasn't closer to the claimed 4,225 fps. but I suspected temperature was a factor. A couple days later it warmed up to 68 degrees and I chronographed another 20 rounds from the same lot of ammunition These averaged a more pleasing 4,126 fps. I still have one box of ammunition from the same lot and when the temperature gets above 85 degrees, I'll see what the remaining 20 rounds will do.
Accuracy proved superb from the start. Five-shot groups at 100 yards averaged .57", with the biggest group .74" and the smallest group .42". All this with off-the-shelf equipment and ammunition, no carefully developed handloads, no bedding, tweaking, tuning, adjusting or fussing. What equipment we have today!
This isn't meant to be a reloading article, but I had .204 Ruger dies from both Hornady and RCBS on hand and couldn't resist loading a few rounds. I used Hodgdon H-335 powder since it had given excellent results in the .223 Ackley Improved, a case similar in capacity to the .204. For bullets I had some of the discontinued 33 gr. V-Maxes and the 40 gr. Berger with its long boattail and high ballistic coefficient. As my loads haven't been pressure-tested I prefer not to list them. In this rifle, using my components, I'm satisfied velocities of 4,200 fps with 33-gr. bullets and 4,000 fps. with 40 gr. bullets can be safely achieved. Use only loads from reputable loading manuals which have been pressure-tested and found to be safe.
Re-Thinking?
For thirty years my Ruger 77V in .220 Swift with Weaver K10 scope has been my number one hotshot, flat-shooting varmint rifle. I first used 55 gr. bullets loaded to 3,800 fps, and more recently, as 40 gr. bullets became readily available, I loaded them to 4,300 fps. Trajectory charts show the .204 Ruger shoots as flat as the Swift and resists wind drift as well. And that, my friends, is running with the big dog. What the charts don't show is how much more pleasant the .204 is to shoot. Report is noticeably milder, and recoil is so light the sight picture barely moves, allowing the shooter to see the bullet strike.
As the yuppies say, there's no such thing as a free brunch. Cubic inches count in both engines and cartridges. Logically if we burn less powder we have to give up something. What we give tip here is energy. The Swift achieves its ballistics with heavier bullets than the .204, and these heavier bullets carry more energy. I'm not about to retire my Swift; I can imagine circumstances such as coyotes or rockchucks at 400 500 yards when I'd feel happier with the Swift's heavier bullet. For most of my varmint shooting the .204 already has more than enough energy. On gopher and prairie dog shoots I think the .204 should prove just about perfect.
I'm convinced the .204 will be a huge success. Added to the success of the recent .17 rimfires, it seems Todd Kindler's persistence in promoting smallbores is finally paying off.
These charts compare velocity, trajectory and wind drift out to 500
yards for two loads for each cartridge. In .220 Swift: 40 gr. Barnes
XLC, ballistic coefficient (BC).175, muzzle velocity of 4,300 fps;
and Hornady 55 gr. V-Max, BC 0.255, muzzle velocity 3,800 fps.

In .204 Ruger: Hornady 32 gr. V-Max, BC 0.192, muzzle velocity 4,200
fps; and 40 gr. Berger, BC 0.239, muzzle velocity 4,000 fps.

VELOCITIES (RANGES IN YARDS)

CARTRIDGE MUZZLE 100 200 300 400 500

.220 Swift 40 4,300 3,602 3,004 2,479 2,013 1,605
gr. Barnes XLC
.204 Ruger 32 4,200 3,573 3,028 2,545 2,111 1,724
gr. Hornady
.220 Swift 55 3,800 3,361 2,964 2,601 2,265 1,956
gr. Hornady
.204 Ruger 40 4,000 3,511 3,075 2,678 2,315 1,982
gr. Berger

BULLET TRAJECTORY:
SIGHTED AT 250 YARDS. PATHS MEASURED
IN INCHES ABOVE OR BELOW LINE OF SIGHT.

CARTRIDGE 100 200 300 400 500

.220 Swift 40 +1.3 +1.3 -2.5 -12.1 -30.4
gr. Barnes XLC
.204 Ruger 32 +1.3 +1.3 -2.5 -11.7 -28.8
gr. Hornady
.220 Swift 55 +1.5 +1.5 -2.6 -11.8 -27.8
gr. Hornady
204 Ruger 40 +1.3 +1.3 -2.4 -11.0 -26.1
gr. Berger
Sturm, Ruger & Co., (520) 541-8820,
http://www.ruger.com.
Hornady, Inc., (308) 382-1390, http://www.hornady.com.
Leupold & Stevens, Inc., (503) 526-1400,
http://www.leupold.com.
The Woodchuck Den, (330) 897-0614
http://www.woodchuckden.com.
Berger Bullets, Inc., (714) 447-5449,
http://www.bergerbullets.com.

Another Google Contribution for you guys with 20 caliber interests....

cheers
seafire

http://www.6mmbr.com/20Caliber.html

very interesting article!

I like the 20 BR and the Vartag Turbo.. followed by the 20 Tactical...

quote:

My good friend Dan out in Enumclaw, Washington State just bought one of these same Remingtons! He mounted a Leupold 6.5x20x50mm on it and is waiting for good weather to shoot it!

I have only had a chance to shoot handloads (26.5 10X, F205M, 32grain Hornady Vmax, Win Brass) and it shoots remarkably well at he 70 meters range that I sighted it in for (at least initially.) 1/4" groups at that range. I picked 70 meters after consulting my ballistics software and checking various sight-in distances for this long range flat shooter. This gives me point blank on squirrels to about 200 yards. (+/- .5 moa) if I remember correctly.

Scope by the way is a Horus Falcon 14x variable with h-25 lit reticle.

DMCI*: That is some fine shooting there at 70 meters!
Good for you!
Two of my friends called me this afternoon with news from their 204's that they got to finally shoot today! It was a bit windy, wet and gray for them at their range near Cumberland, Washington. Louie and Dan (my friends) were mostly interested in barrel break-in but did get some group impressions in as they were doing so.
Louie's Remington XR-100 in 204 Ruger fired one group of three shots at 100 yards that was a one holer! It measured .250" outside to outside of that one hole! He has a big variable on his Rifle but I forget which power.
Dan has a Remington 700 VSSF in 204 Ruger and he has a big Leupold 6.5x20x50mm on it. He only shot 20 rounds but declared how well it shot in his clean and shoot barrel break in regimen!
They both can't wait to get out to the range on a better day with the now fireformed brass!
I am still "sitting on" my newest XR-100 in 223 - waiting for a windless day! I could be here til spring - waiting!
Wishing YOU continued success with your Remington!
Long live the 204 Ruger!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Hey guys, give me a sales pitch on the Rem. XR100. I'm wanting a new rifle to play with and I'm thinking this is what I'll try, either a 223 or the 204. The reason I would buy the 223 is because I have a ton of 223 stuff, but I will have a 204 sooner or later. Thanks, BA

VarmintGuy: thanks for the great story on the dog hunt! I picked up a 204 ADL for $317 about a month ago. No chance to shoot it yet. I am taking it to my smith this weekend for a new firing pin assembly and shroud, and a trigger job. Cannot wait to get it up and running!

Bill Adams: Keep an eye on this space for an update on what I am gonna post here. I did not get to try my handloads in this XR-100 today due to high winds - but this Rifle is definitely a shooter!
Heres a copy of the post I made on another thread in case you missed it!


Posted 30 December 2005 23:31
Jay Johnson: Thank you for the heads up on the Reloader 10X and the AA 2460 I have noted those recommendations in my loading log book.
By coincidence I just got home from the range with my first results with the XR-100 in 223.

TODAYS RANGE RESULTS WITH XR-100 in 223 REMINGTON!
Well I woke up this morning with "In-law-itis" if you get my drift!
The wind was very near zero at my home at 0700 hours so I packed the VarmintMobile in record time as this is the first no wind conditions I have seen in 12 days!
My private range is 20 miles south of me and by the time I got to my range the wind was back - WITH A VENGEANE! It began to blow at 15 MPH+, and it was a rather cold 25 degrees! (Luckily the wind was directly at my back while shooting and my range is in a six foot deep abandoned irrigation canal so this dissipates the effects of wind to a great degree!).
I decided to put the NOW wasted morning to use as best I could. This Rifle had not been sighted in or barrel broke in so I got that done with the Federal factory FMJ ammo I have a BUNCH of. All went well and when I had done my barrel break-in my final (only) 5 shot group at 100 yards measured .502" with the FMJ ammo!
I was thrilled with this - especially as this Federal ammo has never really shot that well in any of the 223's I have tried it in and/or used for barrel break-in!
So even though I didn't get to shoot either of my Berger bullet test handloads it was a grand morning. On my travels to and from the range I saw Mule Deer, Antelope, a cow Moose, Geese, Mallards, Bald Eagles, Whitetailed Deer, a Fox, a Muskrat and some Pintail Ducks that are somewhat rare to see here abouts. No Coyotes sneaking around or I would have "blooded" this new Varminter!
Long live Remington!!!
It was GREAT to get out of the house and great that my new Rifle shot so well in the poor conditions!
Love that XR-100 trigger!

Hope this helps Bill Adams! I was so happy with my first XR-100 in 204 Ruger that I had to have this one in 223! I wheeled and dealed on this one and came up with some mad money besides so I got in on this one "right" as my old firend Jack would say.
Please be advised though that somewhere in these recent threads my "new" friend Groundhog Devastation got his hands on a friends XR-100 that was not performing well at all - at least to date. If I recall correctly he was miffed at the poor trigger and its initial load testing (with factory ammo) was in the 2.000" range at 100 yards!
This one Rifle that GHD is familiar with was definitely not up to all the great reports I have seen and heard about the XR-100 to date!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks VarmintGuy, reading some of your posts is what started to get my intrest up on the XR100. I have a pair of Ruger M77's with varmit barrels in 223 and 22-250, and a custom made benchrest 220 Swift. I'm thinking of trading both Ruger's and getting a pair of the Remington's. The gun shop were I go is closed till next week and then I'm fixen to to some trade'n (I hope)

Bill Adams: Good luck in your trade attempts!
Your custom 220 swift - what can you tell us about it?
Action?
Barrel specs and maker?
Scope?
How does it shoot?
Etc?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Bill Adams, Anytime you can trade two Rugers for a real rifle(Remington or Savage or whoever....just not Ruger!) do it!!! GHD PS: This ought to fire the natives up!!!

Hey Varmint guy, My benchrest Swift is pretty much a "bargain basement" rig. It has a 26 in Shaw, really heavy barrel.The barrel is 1.25 in across the front. It is mounted on an Interarms Mark X Mauser action. It has nice cherry wood with a monte carlo stock. I have a 36X Baush & Lomb 4200 Elite scope with Leupold bases and rings. This old gun shoots good. It will shoot one ragged hole groups most of the time, by this I mean dime size groups with no fliers. That is about as good as I can shoot. I have that "high dollar gun" on my wish list, but I don't know when I'll come up with one. I also bass fish a lot, and in the spring and summer I help coach a girls fastpitch softball team. I have to many hobbies! My load for the Swift is 37.5 VV N550, 52 Sierra bullets, Norma brass, and Fed. Gold Medal primers. It also will shoot 40 Vmax real well. Thaks for the exchange of info. BA

Bill Adams: Good for you and your accurate 220 Swift. I bet with that large a barrel the recoil on that Swift is quite manageable!
I have shot, over the decades, just some splendid groups with the Sierra 52 grain bullets!
They are a consistent and impressive performing bullet at the range!
I no longer use the Sierra 52's for my flat land Colony Varminting as they are just to infrangible and prone to ricochet.
Long live the Sierra 52's though!
Wishing you continued success and happiness with your accurate Swift!
In my mind its not the price of the Rifle its the performance of the Rifle that counts!
And as to the fine VihtaVouri powders - I simply have to get out of my mindset that "oohhh these IMR and Hodgdon powders will do just fine"!
I have only recently tried my first tests with VihtaVouri powder and it performed wonderfully for me!
I bought a Sako single shot bolt action Rifle a few years back in caliber 6mm PPC from an estate thing. The Rifle was new and unfired and came with new dies and new brass but no powder or bullets. I looked around for recommendations and about the only powder anyone recommended was the VihtaVouri N133 powder.
Well load development was over "immediately" as that Rifle with that powder made five shot 100 yard groups as small as .212" WITH NOSLER bullets!
24 power Leupold on this Rifle.
I have so many friends that recommend the VihtaVouri powders in various calibers that there simply is no reason for me not to step up and use more of it.
I have some tests loads for my new 223 already made up using the VihtaVouri powder and I hope they perform half as well as my 6mm PPC does!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy