.20 Cal information and help
- Thread starter mule
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One that does not have a .3743 @.200 datum dimension. Something with a .3800-.3804 ish. Or, you will be buying a SB die and it won't be Practical any more. If you like to mess with brass and love a challenge, have at it. ETA: I will say that the 1.774 dim is spot on.
A Redding bushing die will not size the base enough for this reamer:
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You definitely don’t want .3800-.3804 @ .200. Those dimensions are more inline at the boltface. At the .200, .3762-.3769 is fine. It’s not really that much an extra chore to run the brass through another step. Actually a SB 223 body die is good to have on hand if are converting range pickup or once fired mil. 223/5.56 brass.
Messing with brass.....like this....LOL. Being “practical” is overrated.
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^^^ Yep, looked at the 20-222 reamer wrong. What was I thinking, .3800 would be huge! Of course, you are correct. This is what happens when you get up at 0330................
And the extra step isn't necessarily bad, just shouldn't be necessary. I'm more aggravated with me for not seeing this ahead of time.
And the extra step isn't necessarily bad, just shouldn't be necessary. I'm more aggravated with me for not seeing this ahead of time.
long40shot
Gold $$ Contributor
204 Ruger
That second photo looks like my avatar
It’s a rimmed 17 Javelina that I made from necking down the 357 Max case and what a PITA to make. The 17 Saunders Jet and 14/221 Walker were gravy compared to that one.
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hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
BIB bullets
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I have a couple thousand .204 cases that I bought new for about $.50 each. That will take care of my 20-cal brass needs for the rest of my life. Looking at what I spend to shoot varmints every year, that brass cost is a drop in the bucket. Damned if I'm going to spend my time scrounging brass at the range, buying custom dies and worrying about which reamer my smith needs to use when my 204 sends 32's loaded with standard RCBS dies downrange at 4,000 fps and they all go in the same hole at 100 yards.
I'm trying some Lake City stuff now, just to see how it does vs Lapua.
I still had to use the SB body die on the new LC 18 brass that I used to make my last few 20P cases.
Yes, me as well, just want to see how it shoots compared to Lapua.
redrockranger
Silver $$ Contributor
At the top of the home page is a listing of cartridges. the 20 cal 's are first. A informative and good read. I used the Weaver print shown for my 20 Practical. My favorite PD rifle. A later to 350 yards. Check it out. Much info.
Just want to mention that Hornady sells a $55 set of 20 Vartarg dies (https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011077269?pid=217103) that work just fine and are no more expensive than any other basic die set. You can also buy Lake City brass that has been formed into 20 Vartarg for $45/100pc from Sleeping Giant brass (https://sleepinggiantbrass.com/20-vartarg-brass) and some other places too. The 20 Vartarg is no more or less work than a 204 or 20 Practical.
GAnderson
Gold $$ Contributor
The same goes for the 20Tac...still don't know why so many think there is a major forming process to this cartridge...take 223 brass, run it thru the Redding form die, load it and shoot it. Been doing this for years...I do the same for 20Practical, run 223 brass thru bushing die, load it and shoot it. If anyone is adding forming steps to the 20Tac, I certainly don't know what it would be for.
Another reason to go 20vt would be brass. The shorter the case the more choices you have, meaning you could use 222rem mag, 204, 223, 222 and 221 to form your brass. If you go 204 then you pretty much need 204 brass period
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