[brownie]

Picked up a Remington VTR in 204 Ruger this week. Here's the specs on the rifle. It's a Rem 700 action.

Barrel Length: 22" (559mm) with built in muzzle break
Empty Weight (without optics): 7.5 lbs (3.41 kg)
Overall Length: 41.625" (1057mm)
Trigger: remington X-Mark Pro
Stock: Injection Molded Plastic with rubberized inserts
Finish: Matte Blue
Price: $805 Suggested Retail

The 204 Ruger cartridge was introduced in 2004. The two most popular bullet weights are:
32 gr. V-Max= 4047 fps
40 gr. V-Max= 3774 fps

The .204 Ruger gives all the favorable characteristics of the .22-250 in a low recoil, quieter, fun-to-shoot package. I picked this one up as my prairie dog, coyote killer when I go out with the predator callers who come into the shop.

Using the 40 grain V-Max bullets, the first 5 rounds went inside a nickel at 100 yds. Moved the group to POA/POI on the scope turrets and started hitting the steel prairie dogs at the range at 300 yds with no effort at all.

Flat shooting, setting the scope to hit 1.3" high at 100, it's dead on at 200, 1.5" low at 300, then 5.5" low at 400 and 26" low at 500. It looks to be a 400 yd rifle on little critters, and 300 yds on Coyotes ballistically.

I like this rifle, it shoots flat. The trigger is something around 2 pounds with no creep at all and just flat out is fun to shoot. I've gathered the reloading components and it's only going to cost .27 cents a round to shoot the 40 grain bullets.

Brownie

 

[FLRon]

Very nice Brownie! That round really gets into some high velocities, not to mention being quite affordable even at today's prices.

Enjoy your new rifle!

 

[T.S.]

Brownie, nice rifle.

Will you be putting any optics on it, or are your eyes still good enough to hit what you aim at without them?

I have finally put optics on both of my AR's ... sux getting older. :thumbsdwn

But, the mounts are such that I can still use the iron sights, which I use just to stay in practice. :thumsup

 

[brownie]

FLRon,

The first 60 rds cost a buck a piece but now I have brass to start reloading with while the components are on their way dropping it to .27 cents a round from now on :thumsup

TampaSsgt,

I put a Bushnell 4200 Elite 6x24x40 on top of this one:

http://www.opticsbestbuy.com/Bushne...fle-Scope-w_Adjustable-Objective-426243A.html

Seems 18x would have been enough as I turned the power down to that setting for the sight in and was whacking the steel prairie dogs at 300 yds better than on 24x from the bench.

I don't expect I'll be shooting this much past 300 in northern Az on the dog towns but I've got the extra power should a 400 yd shot present itself.

I can still hit the 500 yd shots on steel plates with the M1a iron sights right now, but that should change here in the next years unfortunately. I've trained three shooters on their M1a's in the last 3 months to shoot irons also, and though they are considerably younger than I am, they can't hold a tighter group at 100 than myself yet.

As you know, it's all in the training--and having been trained by the DI's on the island back in the late 60's on that rifle, it seems I still have a leg up on the younger pups who haven't had the pleasure of that experience :rolf

Brownie

 

[Jim45]

That is a very nice rifle Brownie, best of luck with it. I was also wondering about your Barrett, did you receive the scope that was ordered, and have you taken it out to the range yet?

Jim

 

[T.S.]

As you know, it's all in the training--and having been trained by the DI's on the island back in the late 60's on that rifle, it seems I still have a leg up on the younger pups who haven't had the pleasure of that experience :rolf

Brownie

Pleasure huh?? :rolf​

 

[Devilfrog]

Nothing like having a PI DI "encouraging" you to do well on the range :rolf

 

[brownie]

Jim45,

I've got the Leupold 4x14 they recommended for the class in November here but haven't had the time to get it set up on the Barrett yet.

TampaSsgt,

That picture cracked me up, oh the memories of it all flooding back

Devilfrog,

Yes sir, their physical encouragement while snapping in and then shooting week will never be forgotten. :laughing

Brownie

 

[jimmills]

Ah, that brought back a flood of fond memories garnered on the "island".

Like having the entire 80 man platoon (241) put into the sixth count kneeling position for 35 minutes at the rifle range. Ever try to maintain that position with an M1 Garand while a DI is sitting on your back? Highly motivational!

Jim

 

[T.S.]

Ah, that brought back a flood of fond memories garnered on the "island".

Like having the entire 80 man platoon (241) put into the sixth count kneeling position for 35 minutes at the rifle range. Ever try to maintain that position with an M1 Garand while a DI is sitting on your back? Highly motivational!

Jim

Ah, memories ......

 

[Red Dawg]

Front leaning rest position. Wasn't a marine (spent time in the Air Force) but my DI spent a lot of time standing watch as we spent a lot of time in that "leaning" position. :laughing

 

[T.S.]

I swear that I personally pushed South Carolina ( Ft. Jackson ) several feet below sea-level while I was there!!

 

[Red Dawg]

By the way, Brownie, nice rifle, Sir. :thumsup

 

[usmc7980]

I've seen several of those and they are all shooters. My only suggestion would be to change the stock out and bed the action. It will do wonders on that rifle. You could always just stiffen up the forearm of the factory stock with some carbon arrow shafts and fiberglass resin, if you like the factory piece.

 

[sgtlogan]

I have one in .308 cal. my stock is in a desert camo look. Very nice shooter. I just wish .308 was not so expensive nowdays. I am trying to decide on a scope to be used here in florida. Do you think I will need much more than 3x9 or should I look at 6x24x40. I have my eye on a Millet scope for around $300.

 

[sgtlogan]

Oh yes......I guess I am just spoiled cause I was a Hollywood Marine beat up in San Diego.....