CZ 527 .204 Ruger for deer

[pacecars]

I am considering buying a CZ 527 Varmint in .204 Ruger for Coyotes, pigs and deer. This is in Florida and the deer average around 100 lbs for does with the bucks being a little larger with an occasional 185 lb buck. Has anyone used the .204 Hammers on any of these critters or Pronghorns? If so what bullet and what twist in your rifle? The rifle has a 1:12 twist so I will be using the 39gr hammer hunter. I know some will say it is too small for deer but I think it might be perfect for surgical precision with little recoil. I am past the point where I have to shoot a deer when I go. I likes to pick my shots and will let a deer pass if I don’t feel comfortable with the shot plus’s it will be backed up by eaither a Freedom Arms .455 Casull or a Linebaugh built Ruger in .500 Linebaugh.

 

[Lilly001]

Just like a .22 hornet.
It’s capable, in the right hands, but why?
If you are into novelty I guess that as long as it’s legal and you take the steps of shot choice go for it.
And let us know how it works out.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Are there any non-Varmint or non-FMJ .204 bullets?

In other words are there any heavy for caliber controlled expansion bullets available for .204 Ruger?

You would want the heaviest most well constructed bullet available for deer.

 

[pacecars]

There are many people using the Hammer bullets and Barnes has some .204 bullets. They are intended for Coyotes which most of our deer aren’t much bigger than them

 

[Lilly001]

I’m sure that in your hands it will work.
I would advise against it for the other 99% of the Hunter population.
Unless you are very familiar with your weapon and load there are a lot of bad scenarios that could occur.

 

[Jester896]

there is still more mass in a coastal deer than a coyote...wish I could offer more but it sounds like you are close to the right track. We have to use .22 or larger so I'm not sure many in GA would answer you

think I have some nickle cases if you need them.

 

[Big7]

NO !!

 

[Gator89]

there is still more mass in a coastal deer than a coyote...wish I could offer more but it sounds like you are close to the right track. We have to use .22 or larger so I'm not sure many in GA would answer you

think I have some nickle cases if you need them.

FL regs say no rimfires allowed for deer, which 204 is not.

 

[Jester896]

FL regs say no rimfires allowed for deer, which 204 is not.

yes Sir...GA regs say .22 cal and above centerfire IIRC

 

[Dub]

Most of the guys I've deer hunted with have used more gun than needed...which is fine, unless it is more gun than they can handle.

I think specifically of one of them who shoots .300 Win Mag. He's just hunting same woods as the rest of us did....never been out West and seldom, if ever, hunts big clearcuts or powerlines. Shot at the range with him a couple times and wasn't impressed at all with what had going on.

Maybe I've been lucky, but I've shot a pile of .300WinMags (other people's and a couple of my own) over the years and they tend to be really accurate....and each of them was shooting either PowerPoint, CoreLokt, Fusion or similar....in 165gr or 180gr.

This guy was shooting softball groups at 100yd and carrying on about accurate his gun was.
Could only wonder how well he'd shoot if he toned it down to a .308, .7mm08 or similar.


Some of the modern bullets have really sold me on using less rifle...and better bullets.

That being said....I don't recall seeing stout bullet offerings in .204. I see some in .224.....but not for .204.

I wonder if special cleaning rods would be needed for a .204 ?
You may already have that covered, though, if you already shoot .17

 

[bighonkinjeep]

I'll say it.
Just.because you can doesnt mean you should. By Ga. Regs a 25acp is legal for deer and the right shot from a high velocity .177 air rifle "can" kill one. Where do we draw the line?
.204 Just aint enough. Will it die? Maybe or even probably sooner or later. Can you put one high shoulder and anchor it right there? Maybe. When I hunt, maybe aint enough...
I owe more than maybe and sooner or later to the game I hunt.

 

[Bowyer29]

I believe if we said a million deer have been killed with a .22lr we would not be lying.
If its legal, you do you.

 

[Gator89]

A FL deer will runoff crippled from an errant shot the same as a GA deer will.

Caliber cannot overcome all bad shots, but the smaller the caliber results in a smaller margin of error.

The smallest caliber I would deer hunt with is my 6.5 Grendel.

JM2CW

 

[Jester896]

The smallest caliber I would deer hunt with is my 6.5 Grendel.

JM2CW

that ain't so small

 

[earlthegoat2]

No big deal to me what a hunter uses but I like big cartridges.

One of the bucks I shot up north this year managed to keep a 450 BM bullet I shot it with inside his hide….from a 10 yd distance.

The bullet stayed together and mushroomed perfectly. I really can’t believe it didn’t exit since all my other deer kills have produced through and throughs with the same bullet and load.

I like exit wounds. It is for this reason I use large cartridges. A doe I shot down here didn’t produce an exit wound from a 180 gr 300 Win Mag. Dropped right there but I have had 20 ga slugs penetrate stem to stern on deer before.

 

[pacecars]

I have killed several deer with a .223 out of an AR-15 and most were DRT and the longest one went was 10 yards. I have also shot deer with a .375 H&H Mag and a .45-100 loaded with a 585 gr bullet on top of 100 grs of black powder and they have all worked well

 

[Big7]

Still a BIG NO.

 

[Dub]

I have killed several deer with a .223 out of an AR-15 and most were DRT and the longest one went was 10 yards. I have also shot deer with a .375 H&H Mag and a .45-100 loaded with a 585 gr bullet on top of 100 grs of black powder and they have all worked well

I fully believe you know your deer and are gonna take the clean shots.

Lawd knows we've seen you roll through some big bore hand cannons.

It'll make for some some pinpoint shooting where you'll be placing the bullet right on a particular tuft of hair that your eye locks onto.