20 practical or vartarg on a 223 remmy?
- Thread starter mg
- Start date
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
I believe your gonna have to get your bolt worked on to get it to feed or ptg makes on I think. I have a 20 prac.it jumps a little, think if you have a heavy barrel that would help. As far as reloading for it's about as easy as it comes, I use a redding 223 bushing die just neck down and ready to go if you do a no turn neck. The brass is going to be alot cheaper for the prac. especially if you already have it. The 20 VT. is more efficient probably a little less recoil, dies a little harder to come by and more expensive. My Prac. shots a 34gr. V nightmare at 3850fps and I've heard of guys getting 3750fps with 32gr bullets in the 20 VT. I just had a 20VT built but I haven't shot it yet so I haven't been able to compare. Both in my IMHO have their pros and cons. Good luck in your choice it will be a struggle both are great calibers.
CatShooter
mg said:
The 20-VT will have ejection problems.
Remington had to change the ejector location on the fireball bolts, because the short cases kept dropping back into the action and had to be picked out by hand, so they went with a higher ejection angle.
So if it is a 223 to start, then stay with a full length cartridge like the "Practical" or "Tactical".
The feed ramps are different too. I have heard mixed results on feeding issues with a 223 receiver. Just wanted to let you know so you can do some more research.
I do know that a sako style extractor will hell with ejection issues and sometimes a slight modification to the ejector button is necessary. It helps prevent the case from falling off the bolt before it is ejected.
I do know that a sako style extractor will hell with ejection issues and sometimes a slight modification to the ejector button is necessary. It helps prevent the case from falling off the bolt before it is ejected.
Phil
Gold $$ Contributor
Are you shooting 32 or 40 grain bullets????
No sense in burning more powder than necessary to do the job........
32`s.....I`d look into the vartarg or the 20-222
35-40`s I`d do the practical/tactical.
The vartarg case can be made to feed,but you will need a new bolt and internal magazine parts that match the fireball case,the others you don`t.
No sense in burning more powder than necessary to do the job........
32`s.....I`d look into the vartarg or the 20-222
35-40`s I`d do the practical/tactical.
The vartarg case can be made to feed,but you will need a new bolt and internal magazine parts that match the fireball case,the others you don`t.
hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
I have two 20Ps, one in a heavy varmint barrel, shoots the 32s at 3900 and recoil is nil. The other is the Whitley AR version. Same velocities and accuracy is phenomenal. One plus is the easy neck down operation to form the cases and I can't get any cheaper brass ( scrounged Remington and Lake City range brass). One suggestion I would offer is get the proper twist for the bullet weights you plan on shooting. My heavy is a 1-11 and the AR is a 1-10. They'll both shoot the 32s, 35s, and 40s equally well, just at different velocities.
tjtjwdad
Gold $$ Contributor
If you want a 20VT in a model 700 “and†you want to use it as a repeater, the best bet is to find a Fireball donor action because both the bolt head & feed ramps are different from a STD SA. The magazine parts are different too but these can be procured thru Remington. If you’re going to single load it, then it doesn’t matter that much but you would probably have to assist the round both in and out of the chamber.
As far as the cartridges, 20VT brass is a tad pricey, especially the brass. The dies probably are too [I don’t remember]. My 20VT [Remington 700] sends a 32 grain pill down the tube just a tad over 3900 fps but the accuracy isn’t there. However, my load is between 17 -18 grains of H4198 and it chrono’s around 3700-3750 fps at sea level.
HTH,
As far as the cartridges, 20VT brass is a tad pricey, especially the brass. The dies probably are too [I don’t remember]. My 20VT [Remington 700] sends a 32 grain pill down the tube just a tad over 3900 fps but the accuracy isn’t there. However, my load is between 17 -18 grains of H4198 and it chrono’s around 3700-3750 fps at sea level.
HTH,
Ive have two 20VT one is a single shot off a BAT action the other is off a 700 223. I purchased a 17FB box and follower only recently to make mine a repeater. I have to say it works flawlessly. This is my go to rifle for chucks. No recoil and its a tac driver. I convinced my buddy to build one after he shot mine.
BigDMT
Being a reloader, I have removed ALL the ejectors from my varmint rifles because I hate using two hands to catch brass coming out or searching for cases on the ground. If you remove your ejector button, the case just sits right in the bolt face when you pull the bolt back, then you just grab it from the end of the bolt and put it back in your ammo box. Much easier to keep track of brass and it can all be done only using your trigger hand.
I have a 20 practical and shot it today. I'm getting about 3990 fps at 3850 altitude with H4198 at 25.2 grains and Vmax 32 grain bullets. 3 shot group at 200 hundred today was about an inch and a quarter left to right. May have been me shaking as I was getting cold. I have a 26 inch Shilen heavy varmit barrel on a weatherby vanguard action. It's like shooting a laser pointer out to 400 yards so far.
hogpatrol
Gold $$ Contributor
Never owned a vartarg so can't speak on it.
Did however have a 20 Practical. Used a 26" 1:11 Criterion on a Savage PTA. 39gr Sierras over H4198 in WW brass were so accurate that they were boring.
Took the rifle to WY to shoot pds, it was an absolute laser out to about 400 yards, even in that WY wind! At first I missed more for holding over too far.
20 Practical is easy to form, easy to load, easy to shoot and makes hitting tiny little targets easier than it should.
No too hard on barrels either, best of luck!
Did however have a 20 Practical. Used a 26" 1:11 Criterion on a Savage PTA. 39gr Sierras over H4198 in WW brass were so accurate that they were boring.
Took the rifle to WY to shoot pds, it was an absolute laser out to about 400 yards, even in that WY wind! At first I missed more for holding over too far.
20 Practical is easy to form, easy to load, easy to shoot and makes hitting tiny little targets easier than it should.
No too hard on barrels either, best of luck!
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