Any body have any experience of the Howa .204 in varmint with thumbhole laminate stock?

How does the .204 compare with the .20 Tactical?

I have looked at those too -- as I have a Howa Weatherby that just shoots.

Overall quality for the buck is excellent.
I feel like they are a better deal for the money than Remington or Winchester.

My only hesitation is that the ones I looked at were Long Action -- chambered in a very short action cartridge.

Best regards

John

The Howa's I've seen seem to be a good value but I've never shot one.
As to the difference between the .204 and .20 Tactical the main one would be the .20 Tact is a wildcat and the .204 has been legitimized. You'll have to have a .20 Tactical built for you with the exception of Cooper, (or Dakota if they are still in business?) and you can buy a .204 over the counter.
I have both, the .20 tact uses a .223 parent case while the .204 is using the .222Mag case. Both are improved a bit with the shoulders moved from the parent cases position. The biggest beef with the .204 is that in their concern for pressure issues Hornady and Ruger designed the .204 with a throat like a giraffe, in spite of that a lot of them shoot real well anyway. Ballistically there is very little difference between the two especially if both are using custom chambers and premium barrels.
My .204 is chambered using a minimum spec, zero free-bore chamber and both with 32 grain or the 40 grain bullets I usually use in both rifles the velocities are within a few fps of each other.
Add to that the .204 dies would cost less being standardized and what-not.
Both are great rounds.

P.S.
Ya might look at the .204 CZ 527 Varmint with the HS Precision Kevlar stock. For the money the ones I have are exceptional shooters, aluminum bedding block, single set adjustable trigger etc. Probably not as pretty as a Howa but IMO a great value just the same and a true mini Mauser action.

Thanks for all the info folks

NW, just in case you'd be interested I was in York Guns last weekend. If .204 is your thing they have a second hand Ruger Varmint at £475 - there's a picture on their web site.

Regards,

Tim

A 20 Tactical is a lot more practical that the 204 in my book, but the 204 is a factory round and the 20 Tactical is a wildcat...

Remington is supposedly looking at doing a 20 Fireball, and also a 17 Fireball is being launched this year...

for their bore size, they give little velocity loss to the 204s and yet use a lot less powder in the process.. being both more economical to handload ( once you purchase the brass that is).. and I bet will yield a longer barrel life...