20 Practical pet loads

[MahtewsSB]

About to start the process of building my first AR and I have decided to go with a 20 Practical. I am trying to decide what bullet I want to run so I can choose an optimal twist rate. I'm debating between the 35 berger, 40 berger, 40 vmax, 39 SBK. This will be a coyote rifle 99% of the time, and almost always in calling setups. I have some H4198 and IMR8208XBR on hand I plan to start with.

Rifle will be Rock River and Aeroprecision based. Planning to run a 24" barrel. Unsure on mfg yet.

So my questions are...

What is everyone's experiences with the bullets listed above? What are your pet loads? Velocities? Twist rates? Who makes a good AR barrel in 20 cal?

 

[MahtewsSB]

Oh I also have some benchmark laying around as well

 

[hogpatrol]

Ten or eleven twist, flip a coin.

 

[hogpatrol]

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/20-practical-ar-owners.3891695/#post-36683733

 

[MahtewsSB]

Ten or eleven twist, flip a coin.

I'm thinking I'm gonna do a 10 incase I ever decide to run something above 40 gn.

 

[Tommie]

1-11” is the way to go. I doubt you’d be happy with heavy bullets in a .20 Prac

 

[pacificman]

11 twist....40 grain v-max There are many good powders. I use RL-10X getting 3850fps.
I have a friend that bought a 20 inch DPMS barrel and the accuracy was awesome in his rifle. A 24
inch should get ya some more speed. When ya get it all together let us know how it comes out.

 

[MahtewsSB]

I know there are lots of 20P load threads, and I have read as many as I have found. But most are not current so I'm sure there is more recent data/experience/results to be discussed. What is everyone's pet load with 35 & 40 gn bullets? Primers, case, bullet, powder, jump?

 

[GAnderson]

DTECH 20 Practical AR, 10 twist, 20" bbl...using 8208 and 40gr BIB's, 39gr Speer, 40gr Nosler. CCI450 primers, WW Brass and bullets seated just shy of magazine length.
The 8208 seems to shoot best for me at/around max loads.

 

[nmkid]

40 gr. Vmax 25.0 grs.-H335-CCI BR-LC brass.

 

[Schism]

I have a DTech built 20P with a 1:10 Shilen that shoots the 40 grain Berger’s very well. I load them over a stout charge of Benchmark and Rem 7 1/2 primers. Approximately 40 coyotes have died from that setup so far this season. Kills well and is good on fur.

 

[B23]

The 35gr Berger sure seems to be a really popular coyote bullet for .20 cals of this size. For things like PD's where the extra BC of the tipped bullets will be beneficial due to longer shots, and the thin jacketed tipped bullets like the 39gr SBK sure are explosive on ground squirrels/PD's, but maybe not the best bullet choice for shooting coyotes. That's not to say any of them won't kill coyotes, because we all know they can and will, but are there better choices.

I just had a 20-222 built with an 11tw 26in Hart barrel, it's a little brother to the 20 Practical, and the first bullet I chose to use in it was the 40gr Bergers and they shoot exceptionally well with H322. Haven't had a chance to shoot anything with it yet as it was just completed a little before Christmas. Originally, I was going to start with the 35gr Berger but then I got a little BC drunk and went with the 40gr Berger instead. I think these tiny little bullets are easier to load when they have a bit of a BT versus are FB, too.

 

[MrMajestic]

I run H4895 with the 39 BK's, velocity and accuracy...

 

[LitLBoy]

8208 works great in the 20P

 

[Jdne5b]

I've been pretty happy with my Xcaliber blank that my gunsmith made into a 20Prac AR barrel. I've only used Benchmark and 40gr Vmax bullets that I coated with WS2. Works great.

 

[Justin B]

Black Hole 1:10 twist. It's a laser.

Benchmark powder. 7 1/2 primers 40g vmax

 

[Terry]

25 grains of benchmark, 40 grain bullet of choice, 450's.

 

[GrocMax]

My AR likes the same as the bolt rifles, around 25g Benchmark, 40vmax, 7 1/2 or 450 about .015" off the lands. 9 twist 24". But there are lots of combos that work great for people, try what you have first.

 

[nmkid]

I could be wrong but, I can't seem to ever having read anything about a 20 Practical not shooting good.

 

[Bill K]

Good timing on the 20 Practical discussion, etc. Check out the section re: it in the 20 cal (side bar) and also the new article and information on the daily notices, up now.