Vartarg vs 20P

[ricco1949]

I know just what you mean on forming VT brass. After forming so many 223 brass to VT brass, I chambered check every piece of VT brass. Many of them would not chamber properly, bolt wouldn't close, hard bolt closure, etc. Those would be discarded. I only kept the VT brass that would function property.

When all my VT brass is gone, I may try a .20 Fireball. Just neck the .221 down to .20. Similar to the .20 Practical forming.

I suspect two likely reasons for the hard bolt closure:

1. Unturned necks as L.Sherm has indicated above.
2. Insufficient annealing of the VT shoulder causing excessive spring back in the forming stage. Brass at the shoulder of the newly formed VT shoulder is very thick and requires proper annealing to stay in place.

Rick M.

 

[Rick300]

I suspect two likely reasons for the hard bolt closure:

1. Unturned necks as L.Sherm has indicated above.
2. Insufficient annealing of the VT shoulder causing excessive spring back in the forming stage. Brass at the shoulder of the newly formed VT shoulder is very thick and requires proper annealing to stay in place.

Rick M.

++1

 

[Blaster 1]

++1

Own 3 20practical and building a 20sploader for this coming pd hunts

 

[Sniper338]

Vartarg or 20SCC

I enjoy making brass for wildcats. If you don't enjoy the process then its not for you. It aint hard. I have the vartarg.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

Well, me being new to the 20's, I was talked into to a 20VT by Rick in Oregon. I was then talked into a 20P by The CZ Kid. He also formed 1K pcs of 20VT and 20P brass for me. Now I have been talked into a 20SCC by L. Sherm. Still haven't shot them, but I think I have to cool factor covered.

All three will be for the rat patch.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Here's my tale of 20P. Buddy and i both built one last year. He also picked up a Vartag, and dies from an estate. He's always messin with the VT brass trying to get it right. 20P is soo easy. He makes 20P also, but the VT seems to be a problem child. I'll stick with my easy keeper.

 

[TheCZKid]

Got to admit, making Vartarg brass from .223 or 5.56 takes some work to master. Thankfully I'm a bit OCD and like a challenge. But, if you want to just buy the brass on AS, it's available, no trial and error necessary. I think the rifle is absolutely a hoot to shoot! Amazing to me that it's not a SAAMI round yet! And it's interesting you can buy dies for it from Redding and Hornady. So, it's really close to being a very standard caliber.

 

[L.Sherm]

If you learn to do the strip bolt method there should be no problem with VT brass chambering, its no different than any other piece of brass.

 

[L.Sherm]

Amazing to me that it's not a SAAMI

Nosler screwed up, they should have saami the VT instead of there 20 Nosler which was a disaster. I know Rick in Oregon tried to talk them into it.

 

[K9TXS]

If you learn to do the strip bolt method there should be no problem with VT brass chambering, its no different than any other piece of brass.

What do you mean by the "strip bolt method"? Not familiar with that term.

 

[L.Sherm]

What do you mean by the "strip bolt method"? Not familiar with that term.

Whatch Alex Wheelers video on his website.
Basically take out the firing pin and plunger you can leave the extractor in but if its easy I take everything out just a bare bolt. 700 or clones are easy to strip.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

I'm planning to shoot the following bullet weights:

-20VT 32-grain
-20SCC 36-grain
-20P 39/40-grain

 

[bobcat93]

The 221 is a little slow, the 17fb is a little light
The .20vt is just right.
I look at it like this..and have both...or had
The .20 practical is absolutely incredible.
If your shooting 150 yards and beyong with an AR go 20 practical
If your shooting with in 200yard go 20 vartarg
Getting the fireball case to function good in a bolt gun in a nuisance. I wish some one produced some proper right and left hand fireball actions.
With mag system
Its stupid we shooters have been asking for them for 20 years now
What do we get..shelf after self of 308win and 6.5 creed rifles...
Every one who wants one of those has it by now..but they wont produce anything else..
Oh PRC cartridges..big deal
More frustration
But dont worrie anything can be fixed if ya throw enough money at it.
If you can track one down and convince some one to sell you a cz527 221 fireball..
You can toss on a pre-fit barrel .
An AR barrel is a snap also..
Build the 20v.t on a 527 action
And an AR in .20 practical..you can always sell them very fast if you get tired of them
I love my 221 cz, my son can have it when he prys it from my cold dead hands. Hahaha
I tossed it on the picnic table for a quick photo ..i dont shoot with the barrel that high
I just realized how goofy it looks
But the photo was to show how the scope looks and fits on that particular rifle.
Its a Leupold vx-lll 4-14x40 AO
And its perfectly at home atop the cz 527

 

[SD guy]

Contemplating a 20.

The VT is way cool.
The 20P brass is monumentally easier to source.

My question is:
Does the cool factor outweigh the work needed to make VT brass?

Thanks in advance.

Yes!

Or at least that is the way I voted. Suppose my reasoning was that I already have a 204 ruger. The 20 P seemed redundant. Sure the best choice is to do both. For me I have only done the 20 VT.

Another right answer is you may not go too far wrong which ever way you decide on.

Wish you well which ever way you decide on!