Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
Ron,
There's a copy of the 20VTT print in the Terrific Twenties book by Kindler. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll scan and email to you.
Let me know,
Rick
.20 Caliber vs. .22 Caliber.
- Thread starter onelastshot
- Start date
Ron,
There's a copy of the 20VTT print in the Terrific Twenties book by Kindler. If you can't find it, let me know and I'll scan and email to you.
Let me know,
Rick
LA50SHOOTER
Sworn To Protect The Constitution.
Rick, Thank You - Much appreciated.
a forum member provided me a PTG reamer print which I appreciate.
Right now I'm kind of in a remote location but when I get back onshore I plan to try to follow up.
I already have some Lapua .222 Rem. brass in hand for the project & want to be able to build a proper dummy-round and make arrangements for barrel chambering once my Krieger barrel arrives. - When I started parts procurement I had to decide if I was going with the 20 VT or the Turbo, and I've decide to go with the Turbo chambering. (Both are excellent from what I've read).
Thank You - Ron -
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
I'm in agreement with all said about the merits of the .20 Practical. seems some have worries about "premature" barrel life - with one poster saying he replaces barrel at 5,000 rounds. I have put significantly over that amount on a barrel (Hart) which I shot just two days ago on the end of a multi-day hunt and that A/R still shoots inside 3/8" in no-wind conditions using either the 40 V-Max or the 39 Blitz King. Very little throat erosion per my bore scope. I have run lt-32 powder exclusively. Had dialed in on a bunch of squirrels at 350 yards on a hillside. Just went from squirrel to squirrel, knocking them down like bowling pins - 9 out of 10 in about 30-40 seconds. I have run nothing but bare bullets since the barrel was new as I had too much bullet slippage in the neck when using moly because the necks are so small on this caliber. I swap out the gun when the tube gets warm and I "semi-clean" the barrel after every 100 rounds, only doing a major clean with copper remover when done with a shoot. Running them hot will significantly reduce the barrel life. These will easily hit 600+ yard squirrels when conditions/expertise prevail and using the 39's and 40's. My best shot a few days ago was 500 and the wind was blowing. I couldn't have reacted after the first miss with my bolt gun fast enough to get that hit. I don't expect to get the same number of rounds as a .223, though I really don't think it will be that many less. Regardless -for me, 8,000 to 10,000(?) rounds is a lot of fun and twice over what I got on my target rifles. I'm thinking hard about a .20 hot-rod for one of my bolt guns.
A 20 Vartarg with 32 grain V max only needs 4 MOA at 400 yards and will lift a ground squirrel at that distance. My favorite varmint cartridge. Deadly on coyotes too.
Last June, "Humble Henry" Rivers, and pal Joe, accompanied me on a prairie dog shoot in East central Wyoming - it was crazy good - best dog population I had seen in 25+ years . . . it was, "like the old days" (pre-1990), North of Fort Peck Res., NC MT!
"Humble" took several .20 Cals: Prac.; .204; Vartarg - the VarTarg was a total surprise: lobbing 40 GR. BT, it was
impressive to, as "Humble" called it, "way over yonder", or, about 350+ yards. The .222 and .223s didn't stay out for long, before the 20 cals. re-emerged - especially, "in the wind", the .22s were comparatively lacking. My 20BR, .204, and Joe's .204 rubbed salt in the wounds of most .224s. Initially a .20 Cal. skeptic, Henry, drove home convinced . . .
The only .22s to hold up well were my .220Swift, Ack, Imp. (52 Gr. at 4150 FPS - RL-17), and Joe's .22/250 shooting 40 Gr. V-max, at a whopping 4020 FPS (yep, I had to "eat crow", as I called BS, then attached the MagnetoSpeed for a few shots). Joe was shooting the [maximum] Hogdon DATA for CFE223 from the Hogdon web-page. As I recall, the MS chronograph recorded his MV within a few FPS of the Hogdon DATA.
At that velocity, despite the lousy BC, I had to tip my hat, as , out to 400 yd., Joe was able to put a serious hurt on the p-dogs - even in a little wind.Back to the point - the 20VarTarg exceeded any expectations - it's performance was impressive.
RG
Have you had any luck at 600 yards with your 20VT? Just curious. I've got a serious 20VT fever and plan on having a lot of fun with it, working up numerous loads, and journaling the process but want to put things into perspective and keeps my projections realistic.
ReloadingBum
There is a considerable difference in the BC and downrange performance between a 40 gr 22 cal and 40 grain 20 cal
The 20 VT is not the solution for 600 yards. 400 yards on a calm day......
Thanks for sharing your knowledge, experience.
Sherm.....long time no talk to. Hope you are doing well!
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
I am doing good. I just ran the numbers a 40 Berger in a 20VT and a 55 in a 22-250 are pretty much identical at 600
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
Hope all is well with you
I'm well, thanks. Several years ago I was invited to shoot Pdogs in Wyoming by a guy who owned a 22-250. He insisted I needed a more powerful cartridge than a 20P because of the persistent windy conditions and actually took offense when I suggested the 20P compares pretty well to a 22-250.
B23
Gold $$ Contributor
If you use a higher BC bullet like the 53gr Vmax or Sierra 55gr Blitzking and do your comparison, though the little 20 cal FB case puts up a valiant effort, there is no comparison between the two and as it should the 22-250 walks all over it in drop and wind drift.
Even a standard 223 with the 53gr Vmax compared to a 20VT shooting 40gr Bergers the 223 has a few inches less drop not to mention wind drift is substantially more with the 20VT.
Even a standard 223 with the 53gr Vmax compared to a 20VT shooting 40gr Bergers the 223 has a few inches less drop not to mention wind drift is substantially more with the 20VT.
It seems we have different opinions of the definition of considerable or downrange performance.
Using computaions of JBM ballistics, and with actual field experience, the differences are not as large as commonly touted.
Using 40 gr Nosler BT, my bullet of choice for both the 204 and 223, both at 3750 fps (chronongraphed) and a max safe charge on hot days)
204 - 400 yard drop = 15.3 inches
223 - 400 yard drop = 16.3 inches
400 yard drop - difference of 1.0 inch
204 - 500 yard drop = 33.8 inches
223 - 500 yard drop = 36.2 inches
500 yard drop - a difference of 2.4 inches
204 - 400 yard 10 mph drift = 4.6 inches
223 - 500 yard 10 mph drift = 5.1 inches
400 yard drift- a difference of 0.5 inch
204 - 400 yard 10 mph drift = 6.2 inches
223 - 500 yard 10 mph drift = 7.0 inches
500 yard drift - a difference of 0.8 inch
A difference certainly but a fairly minor one, certainly not enough to cause concern in the PD and squirrel shooting fields where there are many other factors at work.
drover
I’ve owned 2 20 tacs, 2 204’s, 2 223’s, 1 222 and a very short stint with a 22-250. The 20’s are my favourite in the small calibers. 223’s are tough due to just such ease of loading but the 20’s aren’t far behind in that category.
the 20’s are my main coyote rifle, varmint rifles and more enjoyable in the target rifles as well. I prefer them in every way minus long range work. Out too 500 though I prefer. We do the occasional small cal target shooting at 600-1000 and the 22’s are better for this.
the 20’s are my main coyote rifle, varmint rifles and more enjoyable in the target rifles as well. I prefer them in every way minus long range work. Out too 500 though I prefer. We do the occasional small cal target shooting at 600-1000 and the 22’s are better for this.
nmkid
Gold $$ Contributor
That is about it!
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
I view the differences between the .20 practical and the .223 (for varmints) like this. They are like having a different tool to approach the same job - and each one is better, given certain conditions. The .20 Practical tends to shoot 32 to 40 grain bullets (on average) better than a .223. The .223 will shoot heavier bullets when needed (or wanted) without having to go to a fast twist that becomes detrimental to lighter bullets (such as when wanting to shoot 50-grain bullets in the .20). Yesterday was a good example of why it is nice to have both. Yesterday, it was dead calm in the morning, working up to 105 degrees. Squirrels everywhere within 350 yards. Used the 32 V-maxes in the .20, first doing "sweeps" of those within 170 yards with no dial adjustment - then adjusting for those further out as needed. As the day wore on, the wind came up a bit - I moved to 40-grain bullets - and ultimately 55 Blitz King bullets in my .223 by the end of the day. A heavier bullet would have been even better in the .223 (and a better example), but I'll give up wind drift and drop over impact performance - and there just aren't any great varmint bullets in .223 over 55 grains that shoot well in my rifles. Could have done it all with with one rifle - but I like to shoot the lightest bullets the conditions will allow- and the .20 Practical does have limitations unless shooting 50 grain bullets - and that brings on different limitations. Easy to build another upper when using an A/R - especially now that we have several great barrel manufacturers offering them in .20 Practical. That one gets to use the same parent brass is a big plus. To me, a .20 Practical with a 1-11" twist and a .223 with a 1-9" twist gets it done within 500 yards. Beyond that, I'm wanting to use bigger bullets out of bigger calibers - like 6 Br, .243, etc. Mind you - that is only because the young squirrels might only be 1" in diameter when standing. Shooting either a .20 or a .223 in a 10 MPH "full value" cross wind makes wind calls that much more critical out there at 400 + Yards. Not using wind flags at a minimum will keep one missing pretty regularly. if I were only shooting ground hogs - I'd see no reason to go with the Practical over a .223 at all - other than to just have fun with yet another gun.
Upgrades & Donations
This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.