.204 Ruger
Encyclopedia
The .204 Ruger is a centerfire rifle
cartridge
developed by Hornady and Ruger
. At the time of its introduction in 2004, the .204 Ruger was the highest velocity commercially produced ammunition, and the only cartridge produced commercially for bullets of .204 inch/5 mm caliber
.
from the .222 Remington Magnum
, which has the second largest case capacity in the family that began with the .222 Remington
. Only the European 5.6x50 Magnum is larger, which itself is a lengthened version of the 222 Remington Magnum. The 222 Rem Mag provides about 5% more usable (below the neck) case capacity than the most popular member of the family, the NATO 5.56×45 mm (.223 Remington). To make the 204 Ruger, the 222 Rem Mag case was necked down
to .204 inches (5 mm) and shoulder moved forward and angle changed. Bullets available in .204 caliber range from 26 to 50 grains (1.7 to 3.25g), and although the selection is limited, it is growing as the cartridge gains wider acceptance. The Hornady
factory load is listed at 4,225 ft/s (1288 m/s) with a 32 gr bullet. To achieve these velocities, the factory uses a proprietary powder
composition known internally as SMP746, specially formulated by Primex, and not currently (2010) available to handloaders
. The propellant features a de-coppering agent that
helps prevent fouling. Reloading data from Hornady, using commercially available powders, indicate velocity peaking at just under 4200 ft/s (1,280.2 m/s) with the 32 gr bullet in longer barrels. Many AR-15 rifle manufacturers, including Remington, now offer the .204 Ruger as an alternative chambering alongside the usual 5.56x45/.223 Rem.
revolver
cartridge, introduced in 2003 for the Super Redhawk
. With the backing of a major gunmaker and a major ammunition company, the round was an instant success, with other ammunition makers and firearms makers quickly producing offerings in the new caliber. Ruger's initial offerings included the bolt action Model 77 MKII
, and the single shot Ruger No. 1
, and Hornady offered loadings with 30 gr bullets.
The .204 Ruger has proven to be a very accurate and efficient cartridge: an early tester reported 1/2 MOA
groups at 100 yards with the Hornady loads and a Ruger #1 Varmint rifle. This is not surprising, considering that the first cartridge in the family, the .222 Remington, was a top benchrest shooting
cartridge for many years after its introduction.
The .204 Ruger was intended primarily for varmint rifles, which require bullets with flat trajectories but not much mass or kinetic energy. The .20 was "splitting the difference" between the popular .22 varmint rounds such as the .220 Swift
and .22-250 Remington
, and the tiny .17 caliber rounds such as the .17 Remington
and the .17 HMR
. The resulting cartridge provides somewhat higher velocities than any of these, giving a maximum point blank range of more than 270 yards.
Second, the ammunition used to achieve the 4200+ ft/s was only available from Hornady using a special powder not available to the general public. Handloaders typically achieve velocities more in the area of 4050 ft/s (1,234.4 m/s) using a 32 gr bullet. Note that handloads using a 40 gr bullet in other commercial cartridges such as the .220 Swift
and .223 WSSM
also achieve similar velocities to the .204 Ruger. The advantage of the .20 caliber .204 is that it achieves these velocities using less powder, less recoil, less heat, and better air resistance than the heavier cartridges. The 204 Ruger has a maximum range of approximately 500 yards (457.2 m).
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
cartridge
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
developed by Hornady and Ruger
Sturm, Ruger
Sturm, Ruger & Company, Incorporated is a Southport, Connecticut-based firearm manufacturing company, better known by the shortened name Ruger. Sturm, Ruger produces bolt-action, semi-automatic, full-automatic, and single-shot rifles, shotguns, semi-automatic pistols, and single- and double-action...
. At the time of its introduction in 2004, the .204 Ruger was the highest velocity commercially produced ammunition, and the only cartridge produced commercially for bullets of .204 inch/5 mm caliber
5 mm caliber
This article lists firearm cartridges which have a bullet in the to caliber range.*Length refers to the cartridge case length.*OAL refers to the overall length of the cartridge.All measurements are in mm .-Rimfire cartridges:...
.
Characteristics
The 204 Ruger was developedWildcat cartridge
A wildcat cartridge, or wildcat, is a custom cartridge for which ammunition and firearms are not mass produced. These cartridges are often created in order to optimize a certain performance characteristic of an existing commercial cartridge.Developing and using wildcat cartridges does not...
from the .222 Remington Magnum
.222 Remington Magnum
The .222 Remington Magnum was a short-lived commercially produced cartridge derived from the .222 Remington. Originally developed for a US prototype military rifle in 1958, the cartridge was not adopted by the military, but was introduced commercially in sporting rifles.-Development:The .222 Rem....
, which has the second largest case capacity in the family that began with the .222 Remington
.222 Remington
The .222 Remington aka the Triple Deuce/Triple Two/Treble Two is a centerfire rifle cartridge introduced in 1950, and was the first commercial rimless .22 cartridge made in the United States...
. Only the European 5.6x50 Magnum is larger, which itself is a lengthened version of the 222 Remington Magnum. The 222 Rem Mag provides about 5% more usable (below the neck) case capacity than the most popular member of the family, the NATO 5.56×45 mm (.223 Remington). To make the 204 Ruger, the 222 Rem Mag case was necked down
Wildcat cartridge
A wildcat cartridge, or wildcat, is a custom cartridge for which ammunition and firearms are not mass produced. These cartridges are often created in order to optimize a certain performance characteristic of an existing commercial cartridge.Developing and using wildcat cartridges does not...
to .204 inches (5 mm) and shoulder moved forward and angle changed. Bullets available in .204 caliber range from 26 to 50 grains (1.7 to 3.25g), and although the selection is limited, it is growing as the cartridge gains wider acceptance. The Hornady
Hornady
Hornady Manufacturing Company is an American manufacturer of ammunition and handloading components, based in Grand Island, Nebraska.The company was founded by Joyce Hornady in 1949 and is currently run by his son Steve Hornady who took over after his father's death in a plane crash in 1981.Hornady...
factory load is listed at 4,225 ft/s (1288 m/s) with a 32 gr bullet. To achieve these velocities, the factory uses a proprietary powder
Gunpowder
Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
composition known internally as SMP746, specially formulated by Primex, and not currently (2010) available to handloaders
Handloading
Handloading or reloading is the process of loading firearm cartridges or shotgun shells by assembling the individual components , rather than purchasing completely assembled, factory-loaded cartridges...
. The propellant features a de-coppering agent that
helps prevent fouling. Reloading data from Hornady, using commercially available powders, indicate velocity peaking at just under 4200 ft/s (1,280.2 m/s) with the 32 gr bullet in longer barrels. Many AR-15 rifle manufacturers, including Remington, now offer the .204 Ruger as an alternative chambering alongside the usual 5.56x45/.223 Rem.
Development
The .204 Ruger was the second Ruger-named cartridge produced by a partnership between Ruger and Hornady, the first being the big bore .480 Ruger.480 Ruger
The .480 Ruger is a revolver cartridge, introduced in 2003 by Sturm, Ruger and Hornady. This was the first new cartridge introduced by Ruger, and was at time of introduction the largest diameter production revolver cartridge, at .-Design:...
revolver
Revolver
A revolver is a repeating firearm that has a cylinder containing multiple chambers and at least one barrel for firing. The first revolver ever made was built by Elisha Collier in 1818. The percussion cap revolver was invented by Samuel Colt in 1836. This weapon became known as the Colt Paterson...
cartridge, introduced in 2003 for the Super Redhawk
Super Redhawk
The Super Redhawk is a line of double action magnum revolvers made by Sturm, Ruger beginning in 1987, when Ruger started making weapons using larger, more powerful cartridges such as .44 Magnum, .454 Casull, and .480 Ruger.-The introduction:...
. With the backing of a major gunmaker and a major ammunition company, the round was an instant success, with other ammunition makers and firearms makers quickly producing offerings in the new caliber. Ruger's initial offerings included the bolt action Model 77 MKII
Ruger M77
The Ruger M77 is a bolt-action rifle produced by Sturm, Ruger & Company. It was designed by Jim Sullivan during his three years with Ruger. The rifle features a traditional Mauser-style two-lugged bolt with a claw extractor.- Design and features :...
, and the single shot Ruger No. 1
Ruger No. 1
The Ruger No. 1 is a single shot rifle, with Farquharson-style internal hammer falling block action, manufactured by Sturm, Ruger. It was introduced in 1967. An underlever lowers the block allowing loading and cocks the rifle. A falling block action is an inherently strong design, and the Ruger...
, and Hornady offered loadings with 30 gr bullets.
The .204 Ruger has proven to be a very accurate and efficient cartridge: an early tester reported 1/2 MOA
Minute of arc
A minute of arc, arcminute, or minute of angle , is a unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth of one degree. In turn, a second of arc or arcsecond is one sixtieth of one minute of arc....
groups at 100 yards with the Hornady loads and a Ruger #1 Varmint rifle. This is not surprising, considering that the first cartridge in the family, the .222 Remington, was a top benchrest shooting
Benchrest shooting
Benchrest shooting is a sport in which very accurate and precise rifles are shot at paper targets from a rest or bench from a sitting position. Benchrest shooters are notoriously detail-oriented and constantly trying to further the accuracy potential of the rifle through experimentation. Nearly...
cartridge for many years after its introduction.
The .204 Ruger was intended primarily for varmint rifles, which require bullets with flat trajectories but not much mass or kinetic energy. The .20 was "splitting the difference" between the popular .22 varmint rounds such as the .220 Swift
.220 Swift
The .220 Swift is a semi-rimmed rifle cartridge developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935. It was the first factory loaded rifle cartridge with a muzzle velocity of over...
and .22-250 Remington
.22-250 Remington
The .22-250 Remington is a very high-velocity , short action, .22 caliber rifle cartridge primarily used for varmint hunting and small game hunting, though it finds occasional use on deer. This cartridge is also sometimes known as the 22 Varminter or the 22 Wotkyns Original Swift...
, and the tiny .17 caliber rounds such as the .17 Remington
.17 Remington
The .17 Remington was introduced in 1971 by Remington Arms Company for their model 700 rifles.It is based on the .223 Remington, necked down to .172in , with the shoulder moved back. It was designed exclusively as a varmint round, though it is suitable for smaller predators. There are those such as...
and the .17 HMR
.17 HMR
.17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, commonly known as the .17 HMR, is a rimfire rifle cartridge developed by the ammunition company Hornady in 2002. It descended from the .22 Magnum by necking down the .22 Magnum case to take a .17 caliber bullet, and it is more costly to shoot than traditional .22...
. The resulting cartridge provides somewhat higher velocities than any of these, giving a maximum point blank range of more than 270 yards.
Velocity
Ruger's claim to being the velocity king with the .204 was based on two points. First, other 4000+ ft/s cartridges were wildcats, not commercially produced; the 5mm/35 SMc, for example, can reach 4800 ft/s (1,463 m/s) using a 30 gr bullet. Although the SMc cases prove to be almost impossible to form and dies both forming and reloading are extremely expensive to obtain.Second, the ammunition used to achieve the 4200+ ft/s was only available from Hornady using a special powder not available to the general public. Handloaders typically achieve velocities more in the area of 4050 ft/s (1,234.4 m/s) using a 32 gr bullet. Note that handloads using a 40 gr bullet in other commercial cartridges such as the .220 Swift
.220 Swift
The .220 Swift is a semi-rimmed rifle cartridge developed by Winchester and introduced in 1935. It was the first factory loaded rifle cartridge with a muzzle velocity of over...
and .223 WSSM
.223 WSSM
The .223 WSSM is a .224 caliber rifle cartridge created by Winchester and Browning based on a shortened version of the Winchester Short Magnum case.- History :...
also achieve similar velocities to the .204 Ruger. The advantage of the .20 caliber .204 is that it achieves these velocities using less powder, less recoil, less heat, and better air resistance than the heavier cartridges. The 204 Ruger has a maximum range of approximately 500 yards (457.2 m).
| .204 Ruger 32 GR V-MAX 83204 | Muzzle | 100 yd | 200 yd | 300 yd | 400 yd | 500 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velocity/Energy (fps) / (ft-lbs) |
4225/1268 | 3645/944 | 3137/699 | 2683/512 | 2272/367 | 1899/256 |
| Trajectory (inches) | -1.5 | 0.6 | 0.00 | -4.1 | -13.1 | -29.0 |
| .204 Ruger 40 GR V-MAX 83206 | Muzzle | 100 yd | 200 yd | 300 yd | 400 yd | 500 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velocity/Energy (fps) / (ft-lbs) |
3900/1351 | 3482/1077 | 3103/855 | 2755/674 | 2433/526 | 2133/404 |
| Trajectory (inches) | -1.5 | 0.7 | 0.00 | -4.3 | -13.2 | -28.1 |
| .204 Ruger 45 GR SP 83208 | Muzzle | 100 yd | 200 yd | 300 yd | 400 yd | 500 yd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velocity/Energy (fps) / (ft-lbs) |
3625/1313 | 3188/1015 | 2792/778 | 2428/589 | 2093/438 | 1787/319 |
| Trajectory (inches) | -1.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | -5.5 | -16.9 | -36.3 |
External links
- .204 Ruger info at Hornady website
- Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.