Bullet break up .204

[shootmup]

Hi I have been using a .204 for Foxing with lots of success haven't had any run of till last night . I'd shot four foxes so thought here starts another good night , I changed to a new box of ammo Hornady 45 gr sp but had three foxes run of which im sure I had hit . Was just wondering if the bullet heads might be harder or any other explanations or is it just bad luck or shity shooting.!!

[garyw]

i used a few sp in a .22br they just drilled through- stopped and switched to blitzkings then vmax .still have a box somewhere but they may be used just for plinking.

[pork chop]

the 45 gr sp is harder than the ballist tip bullet ,they were designed that way for fox / coyote shooting.sounds like bad bullet placement it does happen.out of intrest did you rezero for the new load

[Jamie]

I use 32 and 40 grain Hornady V-Max heads and although I haven't shot loads, the ones I have shot, (all in the chest) have dropped on the spot....

[shootmup]

the 45 gr sp is harder than the ballist tip bullet ,they were designed that way for fox / coyote shooting.sounds like bad bullet placement it does happen.out of intrest did you rezero for the new load

Yes did re zero only 6 clicks down.

[pork chop]

Yes did re zero only 6 clicks down.

what bullets did you shoot the first four with .when i first got my 204 i lost the first two i shot ,i was using a 223 before and usally just aimed for the shoulder did the same with the 204 and lost them both now just hold back off the shoulder and no more problems putting them down.

[soother223]

my mate had the same problem when he first got his, at the time he was using 40grain remington factory rounds. 32grain hornady factory worked ok which was what he used until he developed his own home load using 40 grain noslers.

[griffshrek]

Never had runners but I did get a problem with one fox shoulder shot with the .204 ( 32gr nosler@3915fps) it created a large coffee mug size surface wound about 2" deep . It did put the fox down but not dead( nearly dead), I have shot other foxes through the shoulders without this happening.

 

I ♡ my .204

[Montey]

My 204 Howa only shoots Rems in 32g at 200yards that's .25 moa consistent but its no good with any other factory or home load! I've always dropped charley out to 260yards with the Rems but because the other loads won't group I won't use them I've found my 204 to be very load persific Just changed to a new one Howa action and Ruger 25and3quter inch barrell it's locking really good on the 40g Rems as in 5shots in 3holes at 200yards ! My Howa only spat them out to a patern Point is try the Horndays on paper a Lott it could be they aren't hitting wear you think your putting them Good luck I love the 204 on foxes and I could use 243win or308 but the 204 works for me

[tisme]

I've had a runner with my .204. I shot it at 30 yards through the chest and saw the splash behind. The 39 gr BK didn't expand when it hit the fox and once I found it 75 yards away it had very small hole in one side and out the other. So not all ammo expands as expected.

[gbal]

I've had a runner with my .204. I shot it at 30 yards through the chest and saw the splash behind. The 39 gr BK didn't expand when it hit the fox and once I found it 75 yards away it had very small hole in one side and out the other. So not all ammo expands as expected.

 

It is a complex design issue-varmints differ in body resistance,and where bullet impacts,and cartridges firing the same bullet do so at different speeds-and impact is at different distances(=speed/energy).30 yards would not be very usual,and 600 too far,so the design of the best bullets will be optimised/compromised for intermediate distances,probably more like 200yand 3000fps for 204.Nor are all 'varmint' bullets in the same calibre meant to be identical.....contrast crows and coyotes (mostly USA oriented,of course).

Hardly surprising there are surprises especially with applications outside the design envelope for that bullet.Most do rather well,thankfully!

Gbal.

[simon6ppc]

hya pal, ive just put a post on here having the same problem with soft point bullets through a 22.250,i do believe some times it is how the bullet hits the target as over the years ive used ppc,s and 22.250 on foxes and some times a grenade has gone off and some times you cant find the hole,but at the moment the spsx soft points that i am using shoot top groups but are going straight through the fox,ive been told to slow them down ,mite be right,atb simon..

[shootmup]

Since the night in question I changed to40grain hornadys and every Fox has laid there. Will go back to using 45 grain soon as I think it was just bad shooting on my part which since owning the .204 doesn't happen much. I do hope they catch on a bit more .Best night this year 17 Foxes !!

[Alycidon]

I've had a runner with my .204. I shot it at 30 yards through the chest and saw the splash behind. The 39 gr BK didn't expand when it hit the fox and once I found it 75 yards away it had very small hole in one side and out the other. So not all ammo expands as expected.

 

 

Depends if it hits any bone, if it does then those 39s do come apart well.

 

We have all had that with all sorts of bullets and have also had Bergers and A MAX expand like hell. Good placement is always the key, center of front shoulder always gets the job done easily.

 

A

[Finman]

I've only had one fox run, and that one was shot at 287yds. I found it 50 yards further with half it's lung hanging out of the exit wound... All the other foxes I shot, I never had an exit wound, but they where 60-160 yds away. The bullet that always works in my book is the 39gn SBK, and I've stopped looking since I've had that load developed.

 

Best wishes

 

Finman