Teesh, go with more power, 6X20 or 6X24. This cartridge really begs for optical power.

I'm sure VarmintGuy will agree (he'll probably say to go with 8X32) and driver will have no real opinion, being as VarmintGuy really likes the .204 and has alot of experience with it and driver has absolutely no idea what this cartridge (or just about any other, besides the .223 so it seems) can do.

teesh, I have three 204's that I use for prairie dogs. One is a 15" barreled encore with a 3x9 burris, the rifles have a 6.5x20 and a 6x18. If you shoot any distance at all I would recommend at least a 12 power.

Hello Teesh,
Not really sure what the phrase of "begs for optical power" means, but would suggest a scope of power enough to find the target yet not so powerful that mirage and "shakes" as in pulse beat, interfere w/ your placing the shot.
I shoot a Rem. 700 w/ Krieger 30" barrel, 22-250 1/8 twist and use an old Weaver T-16 or Weaver T24 w/ 1/4moa dot. The scopes are attached w/ the Leupold QRW system and easy to move on and off and come back to zero without much hassle. Wish it had a 1/8 moa dot at times for the bigger dot seems to hide a bit more of the target.
I prefer the fixed power scopes due to ability to move the scope tube further forward as in prone shooting. That power ring takes up some inch or more in forward placement of the scope and once in prone position, eye relief can be a problem w/ the variables. Weaver still makes the fixed power versions and I believe go up to 36X, but field of view and mirage problems really show up then.

Lots of good optics out there these days and there is some junk as well. Burris seems to do well, B&L series showing up more and more at the long range prone matches these days also. Leupold obviously still high quality scope, no such thing as a used Leupold you know!, and I use a MK4 M1 16x for long range shooting and it is one tough scope, but glad I bought mine some years ago. In closing, personally I would go with quality scope in the 16-24 power range and if shooting off bags, bi pod, rest, etc. the variable power ring will not be that much of an issue with you. Good Luck

quote:

No not everyone on the board knows this and that appears to include you.

That is just too funny, but I'll let it go. If you're honestly that stupid it's not worth my time.

driver: Your over abundance of concern with mirage while Varminting leads me to point out this and to question you on it - do you only Hunt Varmints in the summer? Or in months with a "U" in them?
Where I Hunt Varmints they are out all year long and mirage seldom if ever interferes with my trigger time!
Again I point out to you that the effects of mirage do not "go away" when a Varminter turns down the power or uses their quick change mounts to change to lower powered scope!
My advice to you and to others who may be contemplating which power scope (and/or power RANGE scope) to mount on their Varmint Rifles is to go with more power!
More scope power means more hits - its that simple!
More hits means more dead Varmints and more fun for the Varminter!
Increasing the power of ones scope or using a fixed power scope of more power does not negate the effects of mirage - thats not what I am saying. Nor, does the use of a lower power setting or a less powerful scope negate the effects of mirage!
I highly recommend and AM happier when using higher powered scopes for Varminting. I have been this way for decades now - happier and more successful - with the more hits business that is!
Also, and this may seem overly obvious to most Varminters but more scope power allows for a Varminter to have a higher success rate at longer ranges as well!
Long range success provides a saitisfaction and a happiness that is very much a part of why I Hunt Varmints year round with the higher power scopes.
Go with the higher powered variables is my advice - it has sure served me well for all mannner of year around Varminting going on 4 decades now!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Again I point out to you that the effects of mirage do not "go away" when a Varminter turns down the power or uses their quick change mounts to change to lower powered scope!

Correct VG! but the effects in the scope do and you can see your target better without all the wavy little lines dancing around.

My advice to you and to others who may be contemplating which power scope (and/or power RANGE scope) to mount on their Varmint Rifles is to go with more power!
More scope power means more hits - its that simple!

Not so! a 10X will give you plenty of magnifiaction and the effects of mirage in the scope will be less than say 16X or 24X. Just becuase you have a higher power scope DOES NOT mean more hits! yet you might be able to see your target better does not mean a hit.

I'm by no means the person to listen to as I'm sure there are a few folks that will light into me for posting but hey that's fine but I do have some time behind a rifle in the dog towns and while the rifles I use are dual purpose I find that the 4X - 16X variables cover most everything, if you want to get up close and personnal in the morning crank it up then when you start to get those cool wavy lines dancing around you can back it off, later you can go call some coyotes and I'm sorry but I have found that even a 4X is sometimes too much when a dog is running in and doesn't feel like stopping! Most of the folks I hunt with and myself just leave the scope on 10X, but hey this is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth. Later,

Kirk

quote:

Originally posted by Ksmirk:

Not so! a 10X will give you plenty of magnifiaction and the effects of mirage in the scope will be less than say 16X or 24X. Just becuase you have a higher power scope DOES NOT mean more hits! yet you might be able to see your target better does not mean a hit.

Kirk

Not so! The crosshairs on most 10x scopes will almost cover an entire p-dog at 350 yards. Go further than that and it's a little difficult to say the least. Being able to see your target better doesn't mean more hits, but being able to better see where those crosshairs are sitting does. That's easier to do with 20x plus. IMHO

I have to agree that most scopes will cover a p-dog size target from 300 out! while most of the shots at pasture maggots (At least were we shoot) are in the 50 - 200 yard range so I was just stating what I thought would be normal situations. Now when they get to thinking and stick around out there 400 plus we DO turn that magnification ring on up! My Nikon has larger crosshairs but the Bushnell 3200 and B&L 4000 we can pretty much stay on 10X. Later,

Kirk

I have enjoyed all the fussin you boys are doing. When I was 13 years old I started shooting prairie dogs with a Rem. slide action 22 LR w/ weaver J 4 scope. The following year I got a Win. Mdl.70 270 Win w/ a K4 scope and shot a few PDs with 100 Gr handloads.. I`m 70 years old now and thru the years have look for the perfict PD rifle .There is no such rifle. But it has been fun to get 17 HM2, 17 HMR,17 Rem.204 Ruger, 22LR, 22WMR, 22 Hornet,221 Fireball ,222 Rem,223 Rem,22-250 Rem,220 Swift,and 243 Win. varmint rifles. I have also shot a few PDs with the 25-06 and 308 Norma Mag. --- The 204 Ruger w/ Leo 6-18 X scope is one fine prairie dog rifle.--The 17 HMR is good for PD pup shooting. The 243 Win w/Leo 6.5-20 for long shots. But I think I`ll hve to try out the 223 WSSM round befor I could say which is best.

quote:

Originally posted by Ksmirk:
Not so! a 10X will give you plenty of magnifiaction and the effects of mirage in the scope will be less than say 16X or 24X. Just becuase you have a higher power scope DOES NOT mean more hits! yet you might be able to see your target better does not mean a hit.

I'm by no means the person to listen to as I'm sure there are a few folks that will light into me for posting but hey that's fine but I do have some time behind a rifle in the dog towns and while the rifles I use are dual purpose I find that the 4X - 16X variables cover most everything, if you want to get up close and personnal in the morning crank it up then when you start to get those cool wavy lines dancing around you can back it off, later you can go call some coyotes and I'm sorry but I have found that even a 4X is sometimes too much when a dog is running in and doesn't feel like stopping! Most of the folks I hunt with and myself just leave the scope on 10X, but hey this is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth. Later,

Kirk

It doesn’t always mean more hits, a lot depends on the shooter.
No amount of magnification can make up for a lousy shooter!
Use whatever works for you. More power means more opportunities for hits.

quote:

Originally posted by VarmintGuy:
Again I point out to you that the effects of mirage do not "go away" when a Varminter turns down the power or uses their quick change mounts to change to lower powered scope!
VarmintGuy

Exactly why I use variable power scopes.
A 6X18, 6X24, or a 8X32 covers 10X doesn’t it?
When you want to “examine†a distant target, you simply crank it up.
When mirage starts being a problem, you crank it down.

I replaced all of my fixed power scopes with 6X18’s, 6X24’s.
Simply more versatile than a fixed power scope IMHO.

I wouldn’t put less than a 6X24 on a .204 Ruger.
If you’re going to put less magnification on it, you might as well buy a .223…

If we were talking strickly pasture maggot killers I'd agree with ya but he also mentioned coyotes and if you can call they can pop up on you PDQ and it dang hard to find a dog in the scope on 6X when he's only 20 - 40 yards away moving looking for that dying rabbit. Later,

Kirk

quote:

Originally posted by Ksmirk:
If we were talking strickly pasture maggot killers I'd agree with ya but he also mentioned coyotes and if you can call they can pop up on you PDQ and it dang hard to find a dog in the scope on 6X when he's only 20 - 40 yards away moving looking for that dying rabbit. Later,

Kirk

quote:

Originally posted by teesh:
WOW.........theres some serious flaming going on here. But let me break in here and ask a question to those of you who "DO" like the .204.
What power scope would you suggest or do you use?
I've been looking at getting a Savage or Remington in .204 (I don't care for detachable mags, they ruin the look of the gun, just my opinion) and was looking at a scope in the 4-14 range.

Is a 6-20 power range more condusive to gound squirrel and dog targets or will the 4-14 be enough?
Thanks....and sorry to interrupt.

No mention of coyotes here.
Unless by “dogs†he means coyotes. I took “dogs†to mean PD.
If he indeed meant PD, then I stand by my original statement.

If by “dogs†he meant coyotes then it depends entirely on where he will be hunting and how long/short the shots will be. A 4X14 or so might be better if many close (under 100 yards) shots will be anticipated.

Here is a link to a Simmons 4X14X44SF Master Series for $187 shipped.
$209 for illuminated reticle.
Simmons 4X14

Here is a link to Natchez for the Simmons Prarie Master scopes on deal.
Natchez Simmons

Yeah..........by "dogs" I was referring to prairie dogs. But it was good you pointed that out.

Well eventually we will all be on the same page! I guess it just depends on what part of the planet and the terms used. Whatever you do get the best glass you can afford, it will make a difference down the road. Later,

Kirk

Holy crap. Y'all are some kinda funny, thats for sure!

Anywho... grew up in western Nebraska and moved back there for a time after getting out of the service. Use a .223 Rem to send a few thousand prairie dogs to the great pasture in the sky. Worked pretty good for me; never heard any of them bitchin' about what I was shooting them with Buddy of mine recently got me back out in the varmint fields (been doing the High Power and F-Class thing for several years now) this spring down in Oregon blasting sage rats w/ .17 HMR's and some leftover 6mm BR loads I had along... yee-haw!

I will admit that half the fun was the graphic hits where I got to watch the acrobatics. I'm pretty hard into the Savage thing these days, so I'm looking at a 12VLP-SS for my next varmint rifle (just finished building a pseudo 'SPR' AR-15 and intend to get a brake on it, but not sure if I want to be chasing cases all over cow pastures), and am seriously considering getting it in .204 Ruger and slapping my idle Weaver V16 w/ dot reticle on it... so here's my question(s) (finally);

1) I recall hearing early on that unfired .204 brass was sparse (basically to get a lot of .204 brass... you had to buy a lot of factory ammo first).... how do you guys feel about the availability of brass and components? Ever hit any extended 'dry spells'? LC .223 brass is cheap and plentiful, but I've done got screwed by some vendors of 'once-fired, 100% processed' stuff once or twice too many to go that route again.

2) Again, early on I started hearing tell of people not being able to reproduce the factory loadings in terms of velocity... which would be a real pisser as I'd love to fill the bins and the powder hopper on my Dillon 550B and go to town with one of these. Have people figgered this one out yet?

TIA,

Monte

Monte: Brass is everywhere now and relatively cheap!
At first ( for MANY months!) bulk brass was not available anywhere at any price. Factory ammo or 222 Magnum cases were the only options.
Nosler is even making 204 Ruger brass now.
My handloads are shooting very flat and very fast.
I have no complaints what so ever on the performance of my three 204's as ballistically they are simply outstanding!

Flippy: I agree that the more scope power on a 204 Ruger Rifle the better. It can be used - and used well!
But I still contend that turning a variable scope down in its power range will not do anything useful for a Colony Varminter!
The physical EFFECTS on your bullets intended POI by the mirage will not be diminished by turning your 6x24 variable down to say 6 power from 24! The MIRAGE is still there - you may be looking at a somewhat more "in focus" target, but the MIRAGE effect (the apparent position of the target not being its TRUE position!) is there (and in the SAME amounts) at both 6 power or 24 power!
I have found it best (over the decades!) to go ahead and crank up the power and adjust for mirage effects (if neccessary) by the "hold into" method.
The "repositioning" of ones target by the mirage effect is usually more constant on a given day than say the wind and usually much much less anyway!
Higher powered scope images in mirage conditions is disconcerting, but easily dealt with.
If I can do it - you can!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Flippy: I have never owned an 8x32 variable power scope. But I have shot Varmints (Rock Chucks and Prairie Dogs) with them. A couple of my Varminting buddies have the 8x32 Nightforce type scopes on their Rifles. And I think Bausch & Lomb makes an 8x32 that I may have used a time or two at ranges and on Colony Varmints.
A 204 Ruger with a 32 power scope on it is gonna be a wicked tool for Colony Varminting!
Yes indeed!
I have three Varminters with straight 36x Leupolds on them and I can have a fun and an effective day afield shooting Colony Varmints with them.
Let me reiterate - as its been some time since I made mention of this - NOTHING, I repeat NOTHING, gives me a case of the "proud of myself grins" as badly as sucking a mature Prairie Dog back up out of the mouth of his den as he is "barking" at me from 350 yards distant, with only his forehead and eye above the rim of his mound!!!
Varmint Valhalla this!
I have been known to "cease" firing after such a shot has been attempted so I can march forth to that exact mound to see if that wary Prairie Dog has met his demise after my shot, or not. Sometimes when this shot is attempted at the "peeking over the mound" Prairie Dogs the impact of the bullet will send the Prairie Dog cartwheeling into the air - but sometimes the shot will hammer the Varmint back down into its tunnel. You just can't (at least I can't!) make this type shot with a 4x12 scope - at least not on a basis regularly enough to make it worth while trying!
New Prairie Dog Hunters are often miffed to drive up to (first mistake?!) a Prairie Dog Town that gets Hunted regularly and they observe a couple hundred Prairie Dogs jump into their mounds tunnels! This is the norm and I have found one way to still have a ton of fun at these type locales. And that is to be able to see the Prairie Dogs just peeking over the rims of their mounds! And by see them I mean one needs a powerful scope to discern the eye and forehead of these Varmints out at 300 yards and beyond.
The accuracy and flat trajectory of the 204 Ruger and 20+ power in ones Rifle scope makes for "good medicine" when this scenario befalls the astute Varminter!
I once tried a few shots at Priairie Dogs with a fixed 45 power (Siebert boosted Leupold) scoped Rifle! I think that particular scope and power was more than necessary and actually was slightly detrimental to "having as much fun afield as possible" with it.
There is an upper limit in scope power, I am sure, to "normal" Prairie Doggin (not the 2,000 yard kind!), and 32 power would be useful and fun for a lot of Colony Varminting with a 204.
Long live the amazing and wonderful 204 Ruger cartridge!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy