I am going to buy another rifle. I want a .204 and can't decide on whitch one, I have mostly Rugers now (rifles and shotguns) but have heard alot about CZs and Savage. Any advice?

One of the Savage model 12 series rifles would be hard to beat.

I have a Remington 700 ADL synthetic with a 24" barrel that I think is a very representative platform for the 204. I did pull it out of the factory synthetic stock and glassed it into a 700 laminated MR stock, but other than that it works really well, except when the wind is blowing 40 mph. If the wind is blowing, I opt for a longer/heavier bullet from a rifle with a larger diameter bore. I'm hoping that the 25 WSSM in a 25" 1 in 14" twist #3 Pac-Nor will prove to be pdog death on windy days.

Jeff

I have a 26 inch 204 barrel for my Encore!

I can shoot .330 groups with it!

I think that's about as good as anyone can get with any rifle!

It depends on what you want to do with it... First, the Savage and CZ are neck and neck for out of the box accuracy. The Savage, which weighs considerably more, is geared towards shooting off of a bench or from a fixed position rest. The CZ's are a bit lighter and more easily carried. They make for a great "walk around" varmint rig. I opted for the CZ in 221 Fireball and I absolutely love it. It fit's my varmint hunting style much better.

Mike Shreeve: I presently own and shoot three Varmint weight Rifles in 204 Ruger caliber!
I am thrilled with the function and accuracy of all of them. The first 204 Ruger I could get my hands on was a Ruger 77 V/T!
Yeah I had to settle for a "Ruger" I thought to myself when the cartridge was first introduced and I began looking for a 204!
Was I ever happy with this Rifle though, once I got it out to the range and into the Varmint fields!
It had a splendidly crisp trigger and shot the only ammo available back then (Hornady factory) into VERY impressive five shot groups at 100 yards! Many right at .500"! Then with my handloads it really started performing, it has shot groups as small as .374" (5 shots 100 yards).
Next I came across a Remington 700 VLS in 204 and had to have it! Once in my possession I again was stunned by its accuracy with Hornady factory ammo! Then I tried ONE handload recipe that had been recommended to me by a poster on this forum. It has shot groups as small as .398" (5 shots 100 yards) with this load.
Next I came across another Remington in 204 Ruger, this one though was in the new Remington XR-100 model. Same regimen with this Rifle as the other two! It shot factory ammo VERY well and load development was also EASY as pie with this Rifle! It has shot several groups in the 3's and its best group (out of not very many made!) is to date .322" (5 shots at 100 yards)!
Love the 204 Ruger!
I have seen now 4 different 204 Rugers manufactured by the CZ company shot by my buddies in the field! I have shot most of these in fact myself at Varmints! THEY are accurate as well and the trigger jobs done on them made them pleasant to shoot!
If your main concern is ACCURACY then hands down I would advise you to find a Remington XR-100 in 204!
By the way I have since purchased another XR-100 in 223 Remington caliber. I went "all out " with my efforts to make accurate ammunition for this 223 Rifle, and I was well rewarded! Using LaPua brass, Federal Match primers and Berger 52 bullets I quickly made what I think is the smallest 5 shot 100 yard group I have ever made with a factrory Rifle (non-40X Rifle!)!
This amazing group measures .121"! I made this group using un-fireformed brass and a brand new load I have never tried before! I followed up that "lucky" group immediately with another measuring .326" (same load)!
So yes the Remington XR-100's are very capable of excellent out of the box accuracy.
These Rifles have very comfortable well designed stocks, superb triggers, look wonderful and perform quite well accuracy wise!
26" barrels are a bonus on these as well!
My good friend Lou out in the Puget Sound area just shot a 5 shot group measuring just at .250" last week as he was doing load development for his new XR-100 in 204!
Good to very good accuracy is just about universal in all the 204 Rifles that I and my friends own.
Granted I do not know anyone who owns a savage in 204 so no comment there.
Best of luck with whichever Rifle you choose but I KNOW you will be happy with the ballistic performance of the 204!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Mike,

I don't think you could go wrong with either one...

Bi Mart down in Ashland had some Savage 12s with the black tupperware stock for $429.00 as did GI Joe's in Medford...

Good Guys Guns off of Barnett in Medford had some CZs in 204 the last time I was in there...
They were in the $500.00 Range...

cheers
seafire

I have 4 204's but this Cooper is my favorite. Boringly accurate. Shoots 5 shot groups in the 2's. Nothing to screw with, gr8 trigger, no bedding issues, and the bonus of gorgeous wood.
And yes that's a cheap assed mueller sitting on top. I know others may do just as well but dammit I luv this thing.

CZ hands down! Best out of the box accuracy I have seen in medium priced factory rifles. The group of guys I shoot with own and shoot,1, 375 H&H,1, 243 Win, 4, 223's, 2, 221 Fireballs, and 1, 17 Remington. All of these rifles are so accurate, that they have infected the whole group with a CZ virus, "gotta have more"!

Jerry

Boy!! These are good answers to my question and I appreciate all your help. Last night at the gun club I asked our local smith what thought he said his choice would be Ruger. I was leaning that way but after reading your replies I'm not so sure. I do like the trigger and the look of the Ruger varmint and I will be shooting from a bench. I have two Ruger Mark IIs but they heat up pretty fast so I will be using them for a carry guns (I did change the triggers in both of them).With the right load they will shoot sub .500 gruops when I can do my part Sooo!I will have a closer look at all the other options and I thank all of you for the help.

I love Those CZs they do shoot excellent and they aren't as heavy the varmint 527s only weigh a touch over 7lbs but for bench rest and if you don't care how heavy the savage mod 12 low profile is nice and the long range precision varminter is really nice weighs 12lbs you can see your bullet impact and you can change calibers and they have the accu trigger I have a ruger M77 target in 220 swift also it shoots great all depends on what you like and the rem xr100 is nice.But for out of the box accuracy and price the savage is hard to beat

Mike: I would highly recommend the CZ 527 as well. It is based on a mini-mauser action, accurate as hell and for the money, that single set trigger is hard to beat. I own two CZs, one a CZ 550 American in 7x57mm and the other a CZ 527 Lux/American in .223 Remington. The regular trigger feature is highly and easily adjustable by most nimrod gun enthusiasts for pull weight, creep and overtravel. I adjusted both of mine to break at 3 pounds and each is like breaking a piece of glass. After cycling that bolt with a fresh round up the snout, push the trigger forward until it clicks and now you have a set trigger, set by the factory to break at 12 ounces. For bench work these things are fantastic. I would highly recommend going to a shop which carries the CZ line and handle one. By the way www.whittakerguns.com has four CZs in the used rifle rack, two of them are .204 Rugers. One is the American model in a maple stock for $389 and the other is a Varmit model selling for $419. I can't do a CZ/Savage comparison because the I've owned a Model 340 in .30/30 and that is not a fair comparison, and I currently own a Stevens Favorite in .22 magnum, and that too is not a fair comparison. Tom Purdom

Hi 7x57 I have a 527 22 hornet and it is the best shooting 22 hornet I ever owned and being a gunsmith I tried them all,it even outshoots the anshutz I had! I had a k hornet too but now I have a 221 fireball and thats a rem 700lvsf and shoots unbelievable I just ordered a CZ 527 204 varmint for myself also my friend just bought a 221 cz american and it shoots great he loves it.I haven't shot their 22s yet but I think I'm gonna get the 453 varmint after the 204 if my wife doesn't kill me!

fireball10x- it really looks as if the CZ bug has bitten you good. To be completely fair about it all, virtually every manufacturer who mass produces rifles will turn out a lemon or two in the process. You just don't hear about many of them in the CZ line. My little brother bought a CZ 527 in .221 Fireball and loves it for popping p-dogs out to 250 yards or so. He also owns a CZ 550 Full Stock in 7x57mm and a CZ 550 American in 9.3x62. My little 527 began as a Lux model with the iron sighted 23.6 inch barrel. I glassbedded the action area as I do on all my bolt rifles and then discovered that although the rifle was a tack driver, I just didn't like the Lux model all that much. So, I ordered one of the CZ-USA's aftermarket stocks in fancy grade American Walnut, did some minor inletting on the barrel channel to allow the rear sight to seat into the stock, glassbedded the action area, freefloated the barrel and I found I had a rifle more accurate than when it was in the Lux mode. That is why I call it a Lux/American. The stock looks like someone cut a chunk of chocolate marbel and is absolutely beautiful. Anyway, I do like the CZs! Tom Purdom

Well! After a BUNCH of looking I finally ordered a CZ VARMINT KEVLAR. I will mount a Burris 6-24x44 and start working up a load,for me thats the fun part. I will also need case prep tools for 20 cal.
Thanks again for all the help and info.


MIKE

Good choice you won't regret it.I got the varmint with the walnut stock loading for it now let you know how it shoots

I own 2 .204's - one an off the shelf Reminton 700 VSSF and the other a WhiteOak AR-15 upper on a Rock River lower receiver. Both shoot under 1/2 MOA. The remington shoots in the high .2's and the WhiteOak Ar in the high .3's- low .4's. I have also shot a Ruger Varmint in .204 and a Kimber in 204 Ruger. Both of these guns also shot 1/2 MOA or better.

I have found that W748 (28.0 grains) works OUTSTANDING with 39,40 gr bullets in all of the rifles mentioned above. R-15 also works well.

From my experience, it is hard to go wrong with the caliber. I have also found that the performance of the off the shelf rifles in 204 Ruger exceeds many of the custom match guns that I have built.

Good luck ...