I have just bought a used Howa 1500 in .204 and I am very pleased with it. I have had .223 and .17 Remington in the past and they are both great. I enjoyed the lack of recoil with the .17 Rem and the flat trajectories , I also shot many foxes with the .17 and they dropped on the spot .
The .204 is the same kind of velocity and lack of recoil as the .17 Rem but with bullets that buck the wind and drop better . I have only shot 40g factory rounds so far and went out today and ranged a crow at 358 yards and Strelok said the drop was .7 mil dots , lead down, bipod out ,took the shot and almost immediately its dead and flapping with nerves.. Then spotted two Magpies at a ranged 260 yards and .3 mil dot allowance and shot it off shooting sticks, I have only seen two other times when something has blown apart with such magnitude, once when I shot a magpie with the .17 Rem from 20 yards and once when I chest shot a wood pigeon that had a crop full of acorns with a 58g ballistic tip from a .243.
I recently had a 22/250 and I find the .204 sweeter to shoot , so little recoil and very accurate. Unless anyone wanted to shoot small deer I think the .204 is the best vermin round available. The downside is none of my local dealers have factory ammo and I had to order them at 1967 Spud which came today, great service from them thank you. So if you don't reload then maybe a .223 would be a better option.