22 PPC or 20 PPC: Varmint hunting

[SHall]

Guys, I would like your input. I bought an old Stolle Teddy action from Clay Spencer a while back when he closed shop. I have McMillian A-5 stock to put it in. The boltface is for a PPC. I am going to hunt varmints: from groundhogs up to coyotes. The distance will be up to a very maximal of 500 yards. I have thought about 20 PPC no turn for a long time. I would probably go with a 1-8 twist barrel for up to 55g bullets. I had several 17 Remington's years ago and found them a pain to reload for. Time consuming to even pour powder in the extremely small diameter case neck! For you guys that have 20's. is there any hidden shortcomings of the 20 cal like this? My other choice is just a no turn 22 PPC and shoot up to 80g VLD bullets in a 1-8 twist. Also, is the 20 cal. harder to tune on average? More cleaning required for the 20 cal? What ever advise you can give will be mich appreciated as I dont have any experience with a 20 cal. Samuel Hall

 

[NorCalMikie]

Never had either of the PPC rounds but, I would go with the "22 PPC" over the 20 caliber version.
Any of the 20s or even smaller can be a real PITA to load and tune. You get use to loading a 22 or anything bigger, then drop down to a 20 or smaller and you end up working with an entirely different animal.
That 1/10 th. of a grain powder that you throw in a larger caliber round will end up being a monster in a 20 or smaller caliber. You end up destroying brass and beating the bolt open. That's my reasoning for the 22 over the 20 PPC. You could always build a 20 and see for yourself. Sometimes we just have to try something to see the results.

 

[ab_bentley]

Never had either of the PPC rounds but, I would go with the "22 PPC" over the 20 caliber version.
Any of the 20s or even smaller can be a real PITA to load and tune. You get use to loading a 22 or anything bigger, then drop down to a 20 or smaller and you end up working with an entirely different animal.
That 1/10 th. of a grain powder that you throw in a larger caliber round will end up being a monster in a 20 or smaller caliber. You end up destroying brass and beating the bolt open. That's my reasoning for the 22 over the 20 PPC. You could always build a 20 and see for yourself. Sometimes we just have to try something to see the results.

Loading and tuning weren't the issue with mine, but an extremely short barrel life was. Somewhere in the area of 550rds with a melonited barrel to boot.

Adam

 

[ND shooter]

I have both ( switch barrel Panda). 22 is definitely easier. Both very accurate!! And as said above, 20's are a whole different animal to deal with, let alone the 17's. To do again I would stick with the 22 and just have fun and more time to shoot.

 

[XBBR Shooter]

Guys, I would like your input. I bought an old Stolle Teddy action from Clay Spencer a while back when he closed shop. I have McMillian A-5 stock to put it in. The boltface is for a PPC. I am going to hunt varmints: from groundhogs up to coyotes. The distance will be up to a very maximal of 500 yards. I have thought about 20 PPC no turn for a long time. I would probably go with a 1-8 twist barrel for up to 55g bullets. I had several 17 Remington's years ago and found them a pain to reload for. Time consuming to even pour powder in the extremely small diameter case neck! For you guys that have 20's. is there any hidden shortcomings of the 20 cal like this? My other choice is just a no turn 22 PPC and shoot up to 80g VLD bullets in a 1-8 twist. Also, is the 20 cal. harder to tune on average? More cleaning required for the 20 cal? What ever advise you can give will be mich appreciated as I dont have any experience with a 20 cal. Samuel Hall

I would suggest a 22 PPC with a 12" twist. 500 yards is really marginal for woodchucks with this power level, and it is not enough to nail coyotes at that range.

The 12 twist will allow you to use the 53 V-Max and 55gr Sierra BlitzKings reliably. The 80gr ,224' bullets sound good on paper, but will act like ice picks on game at 500 yds.

 

[SmokinJoe]

If you plan to shoot the 53 V-Max, you should probably get an 11 twist barrel as some 12's won't shoot them, or get a 9 twist & you should be able to shoot up to 75 A-Max.

 

[TAJ45]

Sam, I met you a half dozen years ago, before you became "famous"...
saw you shoot and have been reading about and after you since, from time to time. You aren't going to wreck an action or yourself . You are well beyond the reloading teething stage.

Sure, you go with a smaller capacity case, a smaller error will equate to a larger % of error, then a faster powder . . . you full well understand. You aren't working with the Shrew or similar.PPC is well above the VT capacity - I feel you can handle it.

As a side note, why not consider having the bolt opened up for a 20BR?
That would give it more legs.

Now would be a good time to give X Caliber a try if you haven't yet. If a 20, an 11 tw for sure for 40gr. But, I'm sure you know that. Tell us what you build.

 

[Phil]

Just a side note,

I have some .20PPC dies that I would sell, IF you decide to go that way.....

Phil.

 

[Wirelessguy2005]

The 20 ppc is a very capable cartridge and extremely accurate to boot. I prefer the ackley improved version of it for a little extra performance boost and better brass life (20 Blitz). The cartridges was easy to work up a load for and it liked several powders from H4895, 8208xbr,Accurate 2520, to LT32. it performs well with the 39 Sierra and the 55 Bergers.

 

[TAJ45]

The 20 ppc is a very capable cartridge and extremely accurate to boot. I prefer the ackley improved version of it for a little extra performance boost and better brass life (20 Blitz). The cartridges was easy to work up a load for and it liked several powders from H4895, 8208xbr,Accurate 2520, to LT32. it performs well with the 39 Sierra and the 55 Bergers.

I'm with you on at least a 30° shoulder, in theory for sure. I would also try to keep the necks as long as possible.
AB, I believe you on the bbl life but just shake my head wondering why so short, esp melonited??? Was it a Shilen??

 

[nakneker]

I just had a 20Beggs made, you just run 220 Russian brass in neck sizer, load and shoot. Velocity is not far behind the 20ppc, barrel life is longer, loading is easy, lapua brass and it's very accurate. Sabier forum has a few threads on it. I was debating the PPC too and ran across the beggs. Dies are easy to get from Gene Beggs, nice guy too. Just throwing that out there.

 

[SHall]

You guys have really got me thinking! By the first few posts here, I had about decided on the 22 PPC, it appeared to be less trouble, then more of you chimed in favoring the 20 cal. Economically, I would be much better off with the 22 PPC. I have bullets, cleaning accessories, dies, and even picked up a good used reamer with go, no-go gauges for $50 a couple of years ago. It is not a no turn though, has a .244 nk! I know someone that has a no turn 20 PPC reamer to borrow and my 22 PPC dies should work with smaller bushings. I would need bullets and 20 cal cleaning accesories. Now if I just could find a cheap Sendero or LV contour barrel, 1-8 twist for either, that might help make up my mind. Samuel Hall

 

[expiper]

Sam,,,,you know how a 6mmBR/Dasher will do at "any" distance,,,I would forget about going smaller,,,go with a 6mmGrindel,,,,it uses 6.5 Grindel cases made by Lapua ,,,just neck em down and you have aprox the same ballistics as a 6mm BR !!! and it is PPC size rim,,,,use aprox 1# lower on your powder measure from BR data,,,you allready have every 6mm bullet to shoot in it and 6mm bbls are readily available and last 3 to 4 times longer than the lil' stuff,,,,and you know how accurate the 6mm's are,,,Roger

 

[watrob]

I shoot both 22 PPC with 70 gr VLD's and 6.5 Grendel 100 gr BTHP's, if you have PPC dies go with the 22 PPC but the bolt action Grendel has more legs then the 22 PPC but it's also alot more expensive to run.

 

[tooter]

Posted this on another thread, but thought it appropriate here to follow-up on Wirelessguy's comments (note though I've yet to seriously run 39-40 BKs or V-maxs with this 9 twist):

Shooting a 1-9, three groove X-Caliber 26 in. barrel chambered for a 20-Blitz (40 degree, 20 PPC) with 55 Bergers. It consistently shoots three shot bug holes at 100 yds. when I do my part ---- MV running 3600-3670 fps depending on powder selection, and well under pressure limits.

Attached Files:

• 
  a" data-thumb-height="50">
• 

 

[SHall]

Tooter, I love 40 degree shoulders, the 20 Blitz has my attention. Who has a reamer and where can I find bushing FL dies, if I decide to go with it?

 

[GAnderson]

You will like the 20 Blitz...I have one and it really is a shooter. Contact Wirelessguy2005 on here and he will get you set up. You just use Norma 22PPC brass, neck it down to 20, load and shoot...case comes out formed perfectly. I have it shooting 39 and 40gr bullets over 4000fps. Contact wirelessguy for the reamer, dies and other particulars.

Gene

 

[GAnderson]

Tooter, the information on your target says you are turning your necks...are you using Lapua 220 russian brass?

Gene

 

[tooter]

As Gene said, wirelessguy (http://www.customreloadingtools.com/) has reamer and Whidden die sets readily available ----

 

[tooter]

Gene, yes I'm using Lapua 220 Russian brass since I have a stockpile on hand. Since starting the Blitz project, I've accumulated 200 pieces of Norma brass but just haven't gotten around to loading them.
Gotta love this 20 Blitz ---- it's a screamer, and with the high BC 55 gr. Bergers, as accurate as any benchrest PPC!