.20 Cal information and help

[flatlander]

First 20 cal rifle I built for myself was a 20 VarTarg on a M700CDL that was purchased as a 17 Fireball. Loved shooting that little cartridge, but the R-P brass I bought from Midway sucked bigtime. A fair percentage of that box of 500 had very shallow primer pockets - as in too shallow to allow seating primers flush with the casehead. This was before Lapua started making 221 FB brass, but even then, with a .232" neck diameter, I'd have needed to neck turn Lapua. Finally sold it to a fellow shooter who was headed up to S. Dakota on a prairie dog safari.

Next 20 was a 20 Tactical on a Howa Mini. Used a Bartlein 1-9tw #2 sporter contour bbl, and really enjoy shooting this one too. I bought two 1-9 Bartleins off their inventory list, the 2nd one being a #3B contour, which I'm going to use for another 20 Tac on a M700. I keep thinking about doing another 20VT, only this time building one on another Howa Mini action...even if I have to turn Lapua case necks, it would make a fine little light weight walking varmint rifle...

 

[L.Sherm]

Problem is if you dont already have the brass or can buy enough off of somebody Lapua discontinued 221 FB brass

 

[searcher]

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.

About a year ago was the last time I bought lake City brass (1x fired from Military contract sale), it cost me $309.00 for 4,800 pieces - or 6.4 cents each. Seeing how it is appropriate to size and trim all brass before firing - even new, the only extra step on once-fired military brass which takes about 5 seconds per round is to swage the primer pocket on my table-mounted reamer. So - it takes me about 2.8 hours to perform that dreaded task on 2000 pieces. So your 2,000 pieces of brass cost you about $1,000 versus my $128.00 - or $872.00 more for the same amount. I don't mind getting out in the shop for a little solitude - especially if it pays me $311.00 per hour to end up with brass that performs as well as, and outlasts new factory brass in my A/R's. But - as you say - if it came to scrounging brass at a local range - count me out, too. One seldom has any idea of the history of what one picks up. I tend to do batches of anywhere from 2,500 to 5,000 at a time - which will last me several seasons -depending on how much I get out - so it does add up- despite brass being very inexpensive in the overall scope of shooting. I think of the pocket reaming as paying for my new barrels. We all have our ways of looking at this, don't we? As for calibers - I love the .20 Practical!

 

[KY_Windage]

About a year ago was the last time I bought lake City brass (1x fired from Military contract sale), it cost me $309.00 for 4,800 pieces - or 6.4 cents each. Seeing how it is appropriate to size and trim all brass before firing - even new, the only extra step on once-fired military brass which takes about 5 seconds per round is to swage the primer pocket on my table-mounted reamer. So - it takes me about 2.8 hours to perform that dreaded task on 2000 pieces. So your 2,000 pieces of brass cost you about $1,000 versus my $128.00 - or $872.00 more for the same amount. I don't mind getting out in the shop for a little solitude - especially if it pays me $311.00 per hour to end up with brass that performs as well as, and outlasts new factory brass in my A/R's. But - as you say - if it came to scrounging brass at a local range - count me out, too. One seldom has any idea of the history of what one picks up. I tend to do batches of anywhere from 2,500 to 5,000 at a time - which will last me several seasons -depending on how much I get out - so it does add up- despite brass being very inexpensive in the overall scope of shooting. I think of the pocket reaming as paying for my new barrels. We all have our ways of looking at this, don't we? As for calibers - I love the .20 Practical!

Great, but I don't need 4,800 pieces of .204 brass, don't want to have to rig up a "table mounted reamer" to remove pocket crimps, as it seems like I already spend about half my waking life in my basement reloading ammo and cleaning and working on guns, including getting the .204 rounds I need for shooting p-dogs every year. I have no desire to spend even more time prep'ing 20-cal brass, even if it would save me some money.

 

[searcher]

Great, but I don't need 4,800 pieces of .204 brass, don't want to have to rig up a "table mounted reamer" to remove pocket crimps, as it seems like I already spend about half my waking life in my basement reloading ammo and cleaning and working on guns, including getting the .204 rounds I need for shooting p-dogs every year. I have no desire to spend even more time prep'ing 20-cal brass, even if it would save me some money.

If you shoot a .204 Ruger, I surely get that.

 

[ballpowder]

I have a Cooper model 51 in 20 Tac and I love it. I took a nice Sitka Blacktail with it this fall just to test the ability of the little cartridge. Used the 45gr Hornady with LC brass. I saw someone on here was wanting to see how the LC brass compares to Lapua. I cannot answer that straight up but the surplus brass is tough but capacity is quite reduced. I have to really stuff the case to get the 45gr to 3800 fps and I am probably asking for trouble. If speed is your aim use Lapua

 

[DogBuster]

Having & running three as I may have posted before

14 years with the 20 Vartarg & 20 Practical

6-7 years with the 20-222......all heavy s/shot table guns--No carry

Dies & components for someone starting fresh may be an issue today

Which is my fav ? Hmmmm

Prob the 20-222

 

[ratbuster]

Make damn sure you get the right reamer if you go 20 P!!!!!!

Can you post a reamer print?

 

[Richard Jones]

Can you post a reamer print?

I would love to, but can't find one other than the PTG one that I posted earlier. Again, the .3743 dimension at the .200 datum line should be more like .3762-.3769, like @457ciSBC stated earlier. I have no problem with any of the other dimensions.

 

[Richard Jones]

As an aside, Redding makes a small base, bushing-style full length sizing die. It eliminates the step that some of us are/were using.

 

[457ciSBC]

I would love to, but can't find one other than the PTG one that I posted earlier. Again, the .3743 dimension at the .200 datum line should be more like .3762-.3769, like @457ciSBC stated earlier. I have no problem with any of the other dimensions.

20 Practical finish reamer- 0 freebore, no neck turn, no small base hassle and it takes into account thicker brass like Lake City and Lapua.