Opinions Please: The absolute best 20 cal barrel for a Savage

[Monty Montana]

For those of you who may have swapped out factory barrels in your 204"s can you give me any results for what barrel you chose and how did it work out... while you are contemplating I would really like to shoot the heavier .20cal bullets.
Accuracy
How does it handle heat?

Thanks for any comments.

Monty Montana
PS Savage LRPV, Jewell trigger, McMillian A3 stock

 

[germanlongbow]

I have MullerWorks, Lilja, Krieger, and a PacNor 20 cal barrels. Tried a Douglas once with a 204 Ruger and could never get it to shoot anything. Changed barrel to a Lilja, rechambered to a 20 Practical and never turned back. Love the Krieger and PacNor. Not much for the Mullerworks, tried the 8 twist in 20 br. Loved the 32 and 40 gr but horrible instability with the 55 bergers. My current 20-250 with PacNor 1x9 twist 28 in fluted 1.250 bull barrel sits in a Surgeon 590/McMillan combo. Most accurate rifle i have. Its a bit case overbore, but its fast enough at 3850 fps. Helps having gunsmiths as friends so rechambering is an easy fix.

 

[Dave Berg]

I put custom barrels on what were a .223 and two .204 Rugers. Had PT&G build a Tactical 20 reamer because at the time the quality of 204 brass sucked and I got a case of 20 Tac from Graf's for really cheap. First two were McGowan 11 twists at bargain prices several years ago ( I don't shoot anything over 40 grains). Ship them the reamer and have the barrel pretty quick. They're both very good and most likely shoot better than the varmint stocks they're in are capable of. Third one was a Lilja 3 groove, again in an 11 twist that my local gunsmith fit and chambered for me. Significantly more expensive but wicked accurate in a quasi benchrest stock. I can't really tell you how much of that is barrel difference vs a more repeatable stock but I would guess that with a custom action in a real benchrest stock that barrel would shoot as well as my custom 6 BR's. I have another Savage VLP that I bought on here coming soon and unless the .223 barrel on it is good enough to win in factory class It will be another Tac 20 - probably a McGowan .

Cant help you with heat. I'm not in a hurry.

 

[chuckshooter]

I have a pacnor 12t on a my savage 204 and it shoots 40 gr vmax's out of it very well.. I have shot at least 500 rounds a year out of it since 2008, so it's holding up fine.... however I am starting to move to smaller cartridges...have a shilen 12t on a rem 40x chambered in 20vt shooting 32 gr vmax's , I have a pacnor 12t on a martini chambered in 20 ackley bee that shoots 32 gr vmax's. I have a kreiger 11t that I plan on putting on another savage that is currently a 223 soon. I don't think I can get away with any shorter case..( ease of cycling the round) so I plan on making it a 20 practical. I already have one on a rem xr 100 and love the case. less powder, less heat, less recoil.. I would rather shoot the 20p, 20Vt, or 20ab when i'm shooting all day compared to the 204... but back to the barrels I do have a couple of kreigers on 6mm's so here's how i would rate them, they all shoot great but when it comes time to clean the kreiger is the easiest, next is the pacnor's and then shilen.
I don't have a douglas so can't rate that one. when I look at them thru the bore scope it's hard to see much differance , I did just order two more 20cal 11t Kreiger's if that says anything

 

[5spd]

Ive used CBI, McGowan and BHW barrels on the 20P Savage rigs Ive built.
All of them printed dinky holes at the range as well as any one that cost $200 more.
I used heavy varmint and heavy sporter barrels and they shot the same with the heavy varmint taking a tad longer to cool VS the heavy sporter bbls. I ran them the same without mercy on p-dogs and saw no difference in shooting.

 

[centershot]

Shilen makes pre chambered barrels in just about every configuration. I bought one for my Savage in .223 AI. Just screw it on and headspace.

 

[Monty Montana]

For those of you who may have swapped out factory barrels in your 204"s can you give me any results for what barrel you chose and how did it work out... while you are contemplating I would really like to shoot the heavier .20cal bullets.
Accuracy
How does it handle heat?

Thanks for any comments.

Monty Montana
PS Savage LRPV, Jewell trigger, McMillian A3 stock

Mucho Gracias...

fine info, however you all failed...nobody offered to buy me one just like theirs to prove the point. moving along here, the decision has been made, check was put in the mail an hour ago and this is what I ended up ordering.

Pac-Nor 26", Target weight contour ( 1.117 to .850), 1:8.5 twist to stabilize the heavier 49 to 69 grain bullets.
Thanks for all the input...class act the folks who lurk on this site and graciously share experiences, good, bad and in between.

Camp fire is all ways lit, coffee is all ways on and some very nice Tequila is close buy...stop in anytime gentlemen...just don't kick my dog or disrespect my wife.

Monty

 

[nmkid]

very nice Tequila is close buy

Now you're talking. One tequila, two tequila 3 tequila floor!!

 

[chuckshooter]

If I had known about the tequila I might have offered you my Kreiger barrel but It's just a 11t

 

[1raggedhole]

I would recommend the Criterion. Been very happy with my 6BR barrel from NSS.

 

[redrockranger]

Adams and Bennett. The best out there.

 

[carnivore]

Criterion barrels have served me well. My 204 Ruger is capable of .5 MOA accuracy.

 

[stacy]

YOU NEED TO TALK TO SHERM AT X-CALIBER ABOUT THERE 20 CAL BARRELS I THINK YOU WILL BE SHOCKED AT WHAT YOU'LL SEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Phil]

For me it`s Bartlein and Pac-Nor.

I have heard great things about Muellerworks, but have not yet tried them, Krieger is always a good choice, but none of these has found their way into my safe either.

X caliber is making waves, but I`ll wait for the jury`s decision before I get too far off of the beaten path, not trying to re-invent the wheel, just make it go faster.....


Phil.

 

[P72]

I like 1-11 twist for my .20's. I only shoot 40 VMAX bullets. I if I wanted to shoot heavier bullets I would get some type of .224 caliber.

I wanted to get a good deal and do business locally. I think rifle barrels are sort of like truck tires - they wear out and need to be replaced and then get used to spike together railroad ties to make garden retaining walls.

McGowen gave me a good deal. My Miller twist program indicates a 1-12 might be marginal for a 40 grain bullet so I went for a 1-11. I have put 3 inside the same hole @ 100 and hit small rodents at 400.

 

[Tommie]

Chevy

 

[Monty Montana]

Chevy

Now you went an did it...all these fine experienced opinions ( just what I asked for, thank you guys) and then you start using foul language...geez really "chevy" you must own a tow truck business recommending something like that.
Back to the Tequila.

Monty

 

[mikeinct]

I'm w P72 on the 1 in 11 twist...Pac-nor did mine 12 years ago...I run the 39 Gr Sierra Impact plated w WS2..Benchmark powder...The little Sako Varmint Tac 20 has held up very well..Best groups were in the .25 to .33 Back when the Gun & I could find time to shoot...Mike in Ct

 

[AckleymanII]

X Caliber makes a very fine 20 caliber barrel.

 

[JohnD]

My brother has a Criterion on one of his Savages that will absolutely shoot bug holes with the 39 gr. SBK. And I like what I hear about X-Caliber. Waiting on my first in .20 Practical any time.

John