20-250 vs 20BR vs 20PPC for predator

[skeet_man]

I'd really like to get into predator hunting now that I have some land to hunt.

In NYS, if you are hunting predators during deer season, in a "shotgun zone", you can only use rifles that are sub-22 caliber. This would affect about 40% of coyote season.

Smart money is probably to just buy a 204 ruger, but thought there may be other/better options.

Savage action could accommodate any of the four, could use a Rem action if I went with the 20-250 or 20BR (I'm a lefty, and the only bare LH action rem offers is with that bolt face, not the smaller one).

 

[SmokinJoe]

Of those two, I would go with 20 BR. Both are way overbore and barrels won't last long at all. If you want to go with the 223 family, then 20 Practical is easiest followed by 20 TAC and 20-223AI. The 20-223AI isn't giving much up to the larger cartridges (40 gr @ 4000).

 

[B23]

They all have their place, it just depends on what it is you want from this rifle. For some, having a gun chambered in something they make and sell factory ammo for is a big plus and with the 204 being fairly popular, you can generally find ammo for it at most shops.

This past fall I sold my CZ 527 Varmint 204 to a good friend of mine and he slayed coyotes with it all winter shooting factory Hornady Superformance 32gr Vmax ammo.

I currently have a 20-222 and fast twist 20-250, both, will lay waste to coyotes with no problem, the 20-250 just kills them more deaderer and do so at further distances. The downside to the 20-250 is they aren't much for barrel life, I'm guessing it'll be around 600 rounds and the throat will be toast.

I'm sure the 20BR and 20PPC are great as well, my only concern with those two would be how well they feed as a repeater.

One you didn't mention, but is also an exceptional little 20 cal is the 20 Practical AKA 20-223. The 20 Practical feeds smooth as butter and is extremely easy to make and load for.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I'm building a 20 PPC on a Howa Mini action. One of the few factory actions that offer a PPC bolt face.

 

[xswanted]

20-250 hands down for coyotes.

Hard to be the 250 case for feeding.

Load it down a bit and your barrel life will stretch out some.

 

[msalm]

I'm building a 20 PPC on a Howa Mini action. One of the few factory actions that offer a PPC bolt face.

I'm doing the same but going with 20 Grendel. Should be good for another 1-200 fps over the ppc, same dies and more/cheaper brass available.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I'm doing the same but going with 20 Grendel. Should be good for another 1-200 fps over the ppc, same dies and more/cheaper brass available.

I thought about the 20 Grendel but went with the PPC because I already had a bunch of Norma 6 PPC USA brass on hand and I didnt want the thick neck walls of the Grendel brass. I prefer 20 cal neck walls to be less than .012" thick for better neck tension control with those little bullets. The Norma brass comes made with thin .011" neck walls from the factory so I went with a .2258" neck reamer. Chamber will probably end up around .2265"-.2268" after polishing. I will turn the neck walls down to arounf .0095" or .010" for easy chambering and even better tension control.

Barrel is a 1 in 10" twist so I can shot 50gr bullets if i choose. The long neck of the PPC case ensures that the base of the bullet does not protrude down into the body of the case. Along with the small flash hole for better controlled ignition, I believe the long neck is also a big reason the PPC design is so inherently accurate.

 

[Hotshot]

Skeet, how far are you planning to shoot those coyotes?
204R with 40 grain of your choice will do the job well out to 400+yards.
I have 20BR and 20-250 for long range prairie dog shooting. The 20BR 10 twist will send 40's down range at 4200fps. Never shot a coyote with it but performs well on pd's 600-700. I shoot single shot so can't comment on feeding from a magazine.
The 20-250 should feed well and with a 9 twist barrel I get good groups out to 1200 yards shooting 55 grain Berger or Badger Bob custom bullets. I don't know how much energy remains at those long distances.

 

[Doug30racer]

i am waiting for my 20 -250 being built, then hoping to join in on the higher speed fun.

 

[nmkid]

I'll go with my 22 Creedmoor with 80 Nosler's.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I'll go with my 22 Creedmoor with 80 Nosler's.

22 cal is dead and gone man. Step into the light and join the 20 cal revolution

 

[B23]

22 cal is dead and gone man. Step into the light and join the 20 cal revolution

Or, get/have both.

 

[nmkid]

Yes, I have both!

 

[nmkid]

Sorry the picture came out so stupid large!

 

[nmkid]

Yes 2 are better!

 

[nmkid]

Whoa! I better get some coffee!! I'm always bitching to myself about guys that post large pictures and now I've done it myself!!

 

[expiper]

haha,,,,relax and have a donut with your coffee ,,,,the "practile" is the most sensible of all,,,yours shoots great,,,Roger

 

[Stepsjframe]

I have a .20-250 set up with 40 grain bullets. 1 1/2" high at 100 yards, hits 1/2" low at 300 yards. That's at 4125 fps. I don't have the twist for the 55's. You might get 3700 fps with the 55's.

 

[searcher]

Maybe some considerations should be the distance you have available as a maximum you are likely to shoot. You are right about the .204 Ruger as being a good off-the-shelf compromise. Unless you have access to some large fields, I'd guess your shots would probably be inside 300 - 400 yards. The .204 Ruger or .20 Practical would do well using 39 or 40 grain bullets. Don't need a 22/250 for that and you would be burning far more powder, more muzzle blast, noise, and would need a brake to clearly see your hits. If you wanted a gun that would be capable of cleanly taking down those coyotes well beyond 400 yards - I'd opt for the .20 BR. over the .22/250 as it will compete with the performance of the 22/250, often be more accurate unless you utilize a custom reamer in the 22/250 - and because the barrel will probably last twice as long or more than the 22/250. As for the .20 PPC, as it does little that the .204 Ruger or .20 Practical will. Great Lapua brass is available for all of these, and a few hundred pieces, while expensive, will last the life of the barrel, assuming 20+ reloads shooting "under max" loads and proper shoulder length control. If you were to ever plan on taking that rifle on a Western hunt for prairie dogs or squirrels - you would be glad to have opted for the .20 Practical or variant that uses .223 brass as the parent case due to the cheap cost of cranking out a thousand rounds for the trip. (once-fired L/C brass would cost around $100.00 or less as compared to $1,000 for Lapua in the other calibers) And one just doesn't have any inexpensive brass choices in the BR or PC. I think if I were looking for a coyote gun that would only be used for 40% of coyote season, shots inside 400 yards and wanted left hand, I'd probably at least consider just looking at a factory .204 Ruger - maybe from Savage. Buy the whole gun for what an action would cost and more than adequate to hit coyote-sized critters to 400. But we do all love to go down the rabbit hole, don't we? I'm still down there.