• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

20-221AI

Played with 40 gr class bullets in mine and got pretty good results with AA2200 @ about 3650. Went a little higher but that started creating problems. I use 32's in mine because I have a lot of them.
 
I had a problem w/ it feeding from the mag. The rim wouldn’t slip between the extractor & bolt face.. had tweak it just a little, after I adjusted the mag feed lips.
Since the case has less taper than a 221FB, some work was required..
I found the 527 YT videos was a step in the wrong direction..
 
ASbobcat said:
Here is 222Rem data with 40gr bullets from the same 20in bbl. Factory brass, just load and shoot.

The big difference is annealing. Trying to anneal the necks of 221 length cases without softening the case head is very tricky. Less difficult with the 222.
Click to expand...
Good point
 
Gabe, I appreciate the info you have put out here. Love seeing the cartridge and load info. Wildcatting is fun to do, some people may not appreciate it. I also was on a quest to build a cartridge that was low powder consumption and very little trimming.

A couple points you and others have brought up.
1. Feeding as a repeater can be tough. It looks like you have gotten this worked out and something I will definitely implement on a cartridge I put together.
2. Annealing a short case. My cartridge is a 40deg shoulder with an overall case length of 1.250". I anneal every time, have not lost a primer pocket and finally trimmed after 14-15 loadings on most brass. Not sure if its just my combination but I don't feel the annealing weakens the case head. (Through load workup I did loose primer pockets but that was on disposable range brass as I was experimenting. Never lost pockets on new brass.) My annealer is a single flame head annealer. (also home built.)

These cases were primarily built off of new Starline brass, didn't feel the Lapua brass was worth the difference. I am feeding single as I haven't gotten this to feed reliably from a mag so may have to try a Sako or CZ action at some point. I built this specifically to shoot 40gr Vmax but will have to try some Bergers.

Here is a pic just to show the size of the case. I had just dropped this barrel back on this action and added weight to the stock, shot a 10rd group at 100yds. It was cold out and this was also my warm weather load so maybe actually running just a bit slower as I didn't have my chrony up. Out of curiosity, have you tried N110? I just love it on my small cartridges.
1739551464028.png

As I don't know anyone living around me that I can go out and do this stuff with I just have to play and learn a lot on my own. It would be great to live around you and others that do this type of playing. Lol It is great to talk with others from this site and others that are willing to share info. Thanks again for the great info on this and other threads.

Glenn
 
Agree on all points.
Only time I loose a primer pocket is going above what the case is already showing me. Then it becomes a bullet Mach up case, since it won’t fit in a shell holder or hold a primer..;)

Glad you brought something else to my attention-
LAPUA -221FB brass- yeah, case capacity is probably the the most- and the rim is the thinnest I’ve ever seen-
I had problems getting the primers below flush-always have !!
When I did get them seated-the rim was bent- no matter how many/ much I tried.. always ended up bent- this can be checked on a concentric wheel…

So when your “thinking” your seating a bullet @ .003” jam- probably more like .015” +.. that’s how much the extraction rim bends.. for me anyways..
So I’m a Starling guy now, thickest rime I’ve measured-

Make all my brass for each rifle from new if I can (afford it)
I got a great friend who sends me some brass from time to time, I’ll use it (preferably) …

Here’s a tip-
Use 2 tourches to anneal- the brass isn’t sitting in the dwelling time as long- hotter/faster/quicker..to get neck shoulder junction to temp..

I use the amp now, it’s simpler.. for what’s worth Lapua 221FB & made from Hornady 223 brass have the same Aztec code on the Amp when analyzed..


Feeding:



Bout all I got for now…
 
Last edited:
Gabe, what is your opinion on where this is happening?
Are those thinner case rims bending on extraction from the sizing die, or the rifle?
 
RegionRat said:
Gabe, what is your opinion on where this is happening?
Are those thinner case rims bending on extraction from the sizing die, or the rifle?
Click to expand...
Bending in shell holder- either in the press or priming tool..

They ( bent spots) show up on the brass after firing from twisting on the boltface- there will be 2 shiny spots-from shell holder contact-


Most everyone never noticed, or thinking it over pressure….
 
I think you are correct, not pressure
I actually have had plenty of problems with the case rims on my 223 brass. When resizing my wildcat brass i damaged lots of rims until I got my dies worked out. I had built them as well. I also switched to Lanolin/alcohol lube and that has worked amazing. I believed you touched on something about the rim being rough. Since I was switching barrels on these rifles I believe with the rough rims it was effecting my headspace and since eliminating that problem my groups have shrunk. I made a few changes during this time so cant guarantee that was the issue but I believe it was a contributing factor. I guess chalk it up to not knowing a lot about exactly what to do when building wildcats. Lol Some things you just have to stumble through and figure out along the way.

Just to add I haven't had the issue with rims on any other brass.
 
My dies are -
Resize reamer from chamber reamer ( ordered as a set)
Newlon sizer, nitrited on my reamer- Wilson seater- on my reamer
In everything I own-221FB, 20-221AI-20BRAI-6BRAI..


I done been down the “ everyday dies “ & “factory” chambers..


Haven’t tried 110- it’ll be too fast- for my app..
I get a “ up in the neck’ / at the neck shoulder junction w/ a drop tube- fill on mine w/ N120.. w/ 10 lb, it’ll last a lifetime :D
 
This has been a great thread to follow. Case appears to be within a grain capacity or so of a wildcat I built using 223 parent brass. My efforts were based around scaling down the 6PPC case to a 20 cal version.
Gabe, have you tried H4198 in your case?
 
Gabe22BR said:
My dies are -
Resize reamer from chamber reamer ( ordered as a set)
Newlon sizer, nitrited on my reamer- Wilson seater- on my reamer
In everything I own-221FB, 20-221AI-20BRAI-6BRAI..


I done been down the “ everyday dies “ & “factory” chambers..


Haven’t tried 110- it’ll be too fast- for my app..
I get a “ up in the neck’ / at the neck shoulder junction w/ a drop tube- fill on mine w/ N120.. w/ 10 lb, it’ll last a lifetime :D
Click to expand...
I love being able to reload 500 rounds with 1lb of powder at 14gr per rd. I get up in my 243AI, 7mm-o8AI and 308 I keep looking for a hole in my powder measurer as its gone so fast. Keep wanting to do a 300WSM, have everything sitting here but dont need it and just makes me cringe on how much powder it takes. If I was shooting 800 plus yards all the time it would be different. Until then these little cartridges do the trick.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

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.

Classified Ads

Forum statistics

Threads
165,833
Messages
2,204,448
Members
79,157
Latest member
Bud1029

Share This Page

Back
Top