Rechambering Question

[Rick in Oregon]

Mike, as you have the perfect rat rifles in 20VT and 20SCC covered, use the 204 for when the range gets long, or the wind is up as it always is in the afternoon. That's what I 'save' my 204's for, and it seems to be an ideal combination.

When I'm out for rockchucks, I take two rifles, usually my 20VT and my 11T 204 with the 39gr SBK. If the Vartarg won't stretch out, the 204 always does the job with the faster, heavier bullet. Dozens of rockchucks can't be wrong.



You already have what could be called the ideal caliber selection right now. Don't over complicate it, just load up and get out to the rat patch.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

Mike, as you have the perfect rat rifles in 20VT and 20SCC covered, use the 204 for when the range gets long, or the wind is up as it always is in the afternoon.

I'd just be shooting another 32-grain pill with a 12T. Brass isn't cheap either per 1K when I was originally going to setup with this gun. Then you and your accomplice steered me into the VT, SCC and The P! I need to make a decision on have a plan for this 204, rather than looking at it every day, scratching my head.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Then you and your accomplice steered me into the VT, SCC and The P! I need to make a decision on have a plan for this 204, rather than looking at it every day, scratching my head.

Ha!
Just tryin' to do you a solid, buddy!

Does that Savage 12T 204 shoot the 39gr SBK well? Most 12T 204's do, so you could consider it your 'windy day' or LR rat rifle. Best part is.....you already own it.

But if brass cost/availability is an issue, the 20P or 20T would be an option, but as has been said, rechambering a factory barrel is really not cost effective when a new quality barrel is just a few bucks more.

Be careful Mike, soon you'll have too many rifles in too many calibers to keep track of, and there's just so many rats to launch skyward with them. (Good thing they make more every spring! )

 

[Evan]

sounds like just more of the same regardless of what you rechamber in. A 20 P or T is not much different than a 204 or a 20 SCC. Splitting hairs there.

Here’s a different approach: get a PPC bolt head and rechamber it to a 20 Grendel/ARC (starline or premium brass available) and way more performance on the table.

 

[jcm24m]

Change the bolt head and chamber a 20PPC.

 

[jds holler]

Change bolt head, and make a 5mm Bee!! jd

 

[Mike in Oregon]

Ha!
Just tryin' to do you a solid, buddy!

Does that Savage 12T 204 shoot the 39gr SBK well? Most 12T 204's do, so you could consider it your 'windy day' or LR rat rifle. Best part is.....you already own it.

But if brass cost/availability is an issue, the 20P or 20T would be an option, but as has been said, rechambering a factory barrel is really not cost effective when a new quality barrel is just a few bucks more.

Be careful Mike, soon you'll have too many rifles in too many calibers to keep track of, and there's just so many rats to launch skyward with them. (Good thing they make more every spring! )

EXACTLY!

I haven't even shot it yet, Rick

 

[alf]

Why not a reduced load with Blue Dot or 4227?

 

[extremeaccuracy]

I thought so too.

But learned from other posts that it's very temperamental and not enough meat around the primer to prevent rapid pocket expansion.

I don't want to take away from this thread but I would love to hear more about the problems with 22 TCM brass and "rapid pocket expansion" issues you mentioned.
The parent cartridge for the 22 TCM is the 223 Remington. I've been using the 22 TCM brass for the 14 TCM Extreme cartridges and 12 TCM Extreme cartridges and have ramped it up to pretty high chamber pressures.
I would love to hear more from others who have experienced the primer expansion problems you mentioned about the 22 TCM brass. I have not seen it at this point in any of my 14 or 12 caliber work using the 22 TCM brass as a parent cartridge for those rounds.

Thanks for any information you can share in its regard,

Carl C.
Extreme Accuracy
www.14caliber.com

 

[Mike in Oregon]

I have made up my mind.

I have decided to do a Criterion prefit in a 20P with factory contour from NSS.

Thank you for all the input, guys.

 

[ricco1949]

I don't want to take away from this thread but I would love to hear more about the problems with 22 TCM brass and "rapid pocket expansion" issues you mentioned.
The parent cartridge for the 22 TCM is the 223 Remington. I've been using the 22 TCM brass for the 14 TCM Extreme cartridges and 12 TCM Extreme cartridges and have ramped it up to pretty high chamber pressures.
I would love to hear more from others who have experienced the primer expansion problems you mentioned about the 22 TCM brass. I have not seen it at this point in any of my 14 or 12 caliber work using the 22 TCM brass as a parent cartridge for those rounds.

Thanks for any information you can share in its regard,

Carl C.
Extreme Accuracy
www.14caliber.com

Carl:

You are absolutely correct.

I confused the 22 TCM with the 5.7x28 cartridge.

I believe it was the latter that I have read comments re: inferior primer pockets....maybe due to brass quality combined with head size.

I was contemplating the 22 TCM and the 5.78x28 as modern replacements for 22 K-Hornet when I read the comments awhile back.

Based on the negative comments I decided to pursue a .150 short 20 VT instead. I've yet to build one but may this spring.

Sorry for the confusion.

 

[extremeaccuracy]

Ricco1949,

Thank you very much for the clarification. I was quite surprised to hear you were experiencing primer pocket expansion issues with the 22 TCM brass and wanted to gather any data you might have if that problem was occurring on your end.

Early on, I did experiment with the 5.7x28 brass but moved away from it due to similar concerns regarding the base web strength and the actions commonly used with it. For those reasons, I transitioned to the 22 TCM as a parent case for my projects.

I do believe the .150 short 20 VarTarg case will place you right in the sweet spot for the .204 caliber in terms of optimum efficiency and velocity overlap.

Please keep us posted if you decide to go that route. I think it will provide a very effective case capacity for your 20 caliber project.

Thanks again, and I wish you the very best of luck with it.

As always, stay on target,
Carl C.
Extreme Accuracy
www.14caliber.com

 

[ricco1949]

Ricco1949,

Thank you very much for the clarification. I was quite surprised to hear you were experiencing primer pocket expansion issues with the 22 TCM brass and wanted to gather any data you might have if that problem was occurring on your end.

Early on, I did experiment with the 5.7x28 brass but moved away from it due to similar concerns regarding the base web strength and the actions commonly used with it. For those reasons, I transitioned to the 22 TCM as a parent case for my projects.

I do believe the .150 short 20 VarTarg case will place you right in the sweet spot for the .204 caliber in terms of optimum efficiency and velocity overlap.

Please keep us posted if you decide to go that route. I think it will provide a very effective case capacity for your 20 caliber project.

Thanks again, and I wish you the very best of luck with it.

As always, stay on target,
Carl C.
Extreme Accuracy
www.14caliber.com

I have deleted the erroneous post to avoid any further confusion.

 

[AckleymanII]

Years ago, we used Blue Dot powder in the 17 Remington, 221 Fireball, and 223 to get reduced velocities for sage rats. There is no reason you could not do the same with the 204 Ruger.

AA1680 is very, very easy on throats in the 221 Fire ball and 17 Ackley Hornet.

 

[Paul's Black Rifles]

Years ago, we used Blue Dot powder in the 221 Fireball, and 223 to get reduced velocities for sage rats. There is no reason you could not do the same with the 204 Ruger.

I have, I don't recall anything but good results. I should revisit those rounds.
My purpose was to shoot "gophers" when I didn't have a 22 handy.
Paul