20 TAC load data

[GAnderson]

Actually it was mainly the other way around, when talking to Todd Kindler, who invented the TAC, he indicated he had a lot of input with Hornady , who wanted a different configuration but he impressed upon them the benefit of a 40gr slug with a very high BC for that chambering when it was entirely a wildcat.

Not sure I follow "the other way around"...20 Cal 40gr V-max's or any other 39 or 40gr bullets were not being manufactured when Todd "invented" the 20Tac...while he might have been wanting a 40gr bullet out of Hornady for his 20Tac invention, the fact of the matter is, there were none available at the time the 20 Tac was introduced by Todd as a wildcat...and it is still "entirely" a wildcat today unless I am missing something. So how could Todd have invented the 20Tac "in conjunction with the 40gr V-max as you state...quote "the TAC20 was developed for and primarily in conjunction with the 40 Vmax"?
I guess my point is, the 20Tac has been around for decades...at the time of its inception to the public as a wildcat by Todd, heavy high BC bullets were not around.

Apologies to the OP...I am not trying to start a pi*$ing contest and don't want to run your thread into the ditch, but have had 20Tacs for decades and will always have one...a very efficient cartridge. It is nice to have the numerous bullet options we have today and some of the newer powders like 8208 really make this cartridge shine. X-terminator powder and A2520 are good powders as well and the 39 Sierra is hard to beat for accuracy...you won't find it hard to work up a good accurate load for your 20Tac using these powders and bullets.

 

[GrocMax]

12 twist at sea level DA and 12 twist at 3000 ft DA can be the difference between good and ugly in the 39g-40g bullets. It might keyhole at sea level and be good at 3000+ ft elevation.

20 Tac/Prac N133, Benchmark, 8208, H322, LT32, 2015 and others in that speed range you'll find one that works. I've shot more than a couple jugs of WC844 (H335) and it works quite well too.

Oh and a good place to start with the 40 vmax is about .015" off the lands.

 

[Tim s]

Not sure I follow "the other way around"...20 Cal 40gr V-max's or any other 39 or 40gr bullets were not being manufactured when Todd "invented" the 20Tac...while he might have been wanting a 40gr bullet out of Hornady for his 20Tac invention, the fact of the matter is, there were none available at the time the 20 Tac was introduced by Todd as a wildcat...and it is still "entirely" a wildcat today unless I am missing something. So how could Todd have invented the 20Tac "in conjunction with the 40gr V-max as you state...quote "the TAC20 was developed for and primarily in conjunction with the 40 Vmax"?
I guess my point is, the 20Tac has been around for decades...at the time of its inception to the public as a wildcat by Todd, heavy high BC bullets were not around.

Apologies to the OP...I am not trying to start a pi*$ing contest and don't want to run your thread into the ditch, but have had 20Tacs for decades and will always have one...a very efficient cartridge. It is nice to have the numerous bullet options we have today and some of the newer powders like 8208 really make this cartridge shine. X-terminator powder and A2520 are good powders as well and the 39 Sierra is hard to beat for accuracy...you won't find it hard to work up a good accurate load for your 20Tac using these powders and bullets.

What’s so tough here ? He developed the TAC, he was involved in the development of the Vmax 40......for the TAC as the ideal projectile.
Did anyone say these two things happened exactly at the same time.
It was done with a high BC slug of about 40 which did not exist and then he helped make it so.
You refer to them is heavy.....compared to what ?
First there were 32-33’s, then 39-40’s, now we have 50-55’s. Those I’d probably call heavy.
My whole comment is prefaced by the fact that the 40(ish) is what the optimum was supposed to be by the guy that developed the thing.
Any doubt, call him and ask yourself.

And FWIW, 8208 doesn’t do a thing that R10X or N133 won’t, as a matter of fact you might want to explore why nobody shoots it in BR any more after it was briefly the hot new powder.

 

[GAnderson]

Have talked to Todd over the years and several times regarding the 20Tac...see no need to "call him myself"...again.

Ironic that the 204 Ruger made its debut in 2004...not sure how long after that Hornady came out with the 40gr bullet. The Tac was being chambered a lot of years before that, so I would guess maybe close to 15+ years after the Tac was "invented" that the 40vmax became available...?? Manufacturers aren't very quick to change their thoughts sometimes...I am sure they didn't know what they were missing out on by not taking advice sooner...I wish the other manufacturers would listen up, but they don't seem too interested sometimes.
As for the 40's being "heavy"...I did not say that...post #18 put "the heavy craze" and 40vmax in the same sentence...I just took that as what "that person" thought "heavies" were...my bad if I took that wrong. In the custom bullet side we now can get 60+gr 20cal bullets...so 50-55 isn't the only "heavy" out there.
Also, I am fully aware of the initial 8208/BR saga...it was going to be the holy grail. I am fully aware of why it lost steam in the BR world as well...doesn't mean that it is not the cats meow for other NON BR cartridges. Maybe explore what it can do outside of the BR world sometime...you might be surprised??? FYI...I use 10X and N133 and have no issues with those powders whatsoever. I even use 10X in the Vartarg!
Tim, with all due respect and sincerity...I want to walk away from this and agree to disagree with you on some things and do not want any of this to be taken as personal...I know I don't take it that way. Your knowledge base as well as everyone else's is very valuable to the shooting world and one thing for certain, there is NO "absolute" in this industry.

Regards and good shooting,

Gene

 

[chuckshooter]

Have talked to Todd over the years and several times regarding the 20Tac...see no need to "call him myself"...again.

Ironic that the 204 Ruger made its debut in 2004...not sure how long after that Hornady came out with the 40gr bullet. The Tac was being chambered a lot of years before that, so I would guess maybe close to 15+ years after the Tac was "invented" that the 40vmax became available...?? Manufacturers aren't very quick to change their thoughts sometimes...I am sure they didn't know what they were missing out on by not taking advice sooner...I wish the other manufacturers would listen up, but they don't seem too interested sometimes.
As for the 40's being "heavy"...I did not say that...post #18 put "the heavy craze" and 40vmax in the same sentence...I just took that as what "that person" thought "heavies" were...my bad if I took that wrong. In the custom bullet side we now can get 60+gr 20cal bullets...so 50-55 isn't the only "heavy" out there.
Also, I am fully aware of the initial 8208/BR saga...it was going to be the holy grail. I am fully aware of why it lost steam in the BR world as well...doesn't mean that it is not the cats meow for other NON BR cartridges. Maybe explore what it can do outside of the BR world sometime...you might be surprised??? FYI...I use 10X and N133 and have no issues with those powders whatsoever. I even use 10X in the Vartarg!
Tim, with all due respect and sincerity...I want to walk away from this and agree to disagree with you on some things and do not want any of this to be taken as personal...I know I don't take it that way. Your knowledge base as well as everyone else's is very valuable to the shooting world and one thing for certain, there is NO "absolute" in this industry.

Regards and good shooting,

Gene

Gene
Like you I appreciate and respect the knowledge base of others on this forum, but I would like to clarify a couple of things, first, it is just my opinion. people can take it or leave it. I never said 40 grain V-Max and Heavies in the same sentence. But my whole post was about shooting 40 grain V-Max in a 12 twist Barrel. so in that context, I was calling a 40gr vmax a heavy. heavier than a 32. I stand by my statement, there is definitely a push, obsession or craze to shoot the heaviest bullet in each caliber that a person can get for a particular twist. I'm old enough to remember when reloaders were trying to shoot the lighter bullets and get more speed and now heavy with more b/c.
It has already been said "prairie dogs could care less what grain bullet hits them".. when it comes to talking to Todd, I couldn't agree with you more. again I am not trying to be argumentative, just doing the best I can to express my opinion with my limited writing skills.

 

[flatlander]

I did my 20 Tac on a Howa Mini (have four rifles built around these actions - not as sweet as a Sako Vixen, but they are available, and at very reasonable prices), using a Bartlein 1-9tw 5-groove bbl in #2 sporter contour. I didn't order the bbl built to those specs, just happened to find a couple of the 1-9tw blanks on their inventory list, and needed at least one for the Mini project. Mine shoots pretty darned good with 40gr & 55gr Bergers. I took it out to 600yds during its first outing, and was impressed with the results with 39 Sierra BKs as well as the 40 & 55 Bergers. Haven't had time to work with this rifle much since, but am looking forward to doing more shooting with these same three bullets, plus Hornady & Nosler 40s. Neat little cartridge - too bad I didn't have one back 45yrs ago when prairie dog towns were a dime a dozen in these parts....

 

[GAnderson]

Gene
Like you I appreciate and respect the knowledge base of others on this forum, but I would like to clarify a couple of things, first, it is just my opinion. people can take it or leave it. I never said 40 grain V-Max and Heavies in the same sentence. But my whole post was about shooting 40 grain V-Max in a 12 twist Barrel. so in that context, I was calling a 40gr vmax a heavy. heavier than a 32. I stand by my statement, there is definitely a push, obsession or craze to shoot the heaviest bullet in each caliber that a person can get for a particular twist. I'm old enough to remember when reloaders were trying to shoot the lighter bullets and get more speed and now heavy with more b/c.
It has already been said "prairie dogs could care less what grain bullet hits them".. when it comes to talking to Todd, I couldn't agree with you more. again I am not trying to be argumentative, just doing the best I can to express my opinion with my limited writing skills.

Hey chuckshooter, you are correct...you did not say that in the same sentence in your post(#15)...that is why I stated it was in Post #18 that it was put within the same sentence. Also, I agree wholeheartedly with you about the "heavy" craze...I really don't get it either...they probably have there place in the bigger capacity 20cals(20-250, 20x47, etc.) I also agree with you in the fact that when the 20's first came out initially in 33gr, then 32gr and then 37gr, that when the 40gr surfaced it in fact was the heaviest offering out there...so it was the "heavy" for its time. So I stand by your statements as well and nothing you have stated has been argumentative at all and was never taken that way.
Give me a 32gr v-max, 35gr Berger, 39gr Sierra, 39gr Speer and 40gr BIB for all of my 20's and 8208 or A2520 powder and the twenties will do everything they were designed to do and do it very well...and fast! I have 2 rifles with 12 twists that perform just fine with 40gr bullets, have several with 11 twists and a couple with 10 twists. Also, like I stated in a previous post...a PacNor 13 twist and 33gr v-max's was the ticket "back in the day"! Seems like those days were a lot simpler.

Regards
Gene

 

[Tim s]

Have talked to Todd over the years and several times regarding the 20Tac...see no need to "call him myself"...again.

Ironic that the 204 Ruger made its debut in 2004...not sure how long after that Hornady came out with the 40gr bullet. The Tac was being chambered a lot of years before that, so I would guess maybe close to 15+ years after the Tac was "invented" that the 40vmax became available...?? Manufacturers aren't very quick to change their thoughts sometimes...I am sure they didn't know what they were missing out on by not taking advice sooner...I wish the other manufacturers would listen up, but they don't seem too interested sometimes.
As for the 40's being "heavy"...I did not say that...post #18 put "the heavy craze" and 40vmax in the same sentence...I just took that as what "that person" thought "heavies" were...my bad if I took that wrong. In the custom bullet side we now can get 60+gr 20cal bullets...so 50-55 isn't the only "heavy" out there.
Also, I am fully aware of the initial 8208/BR saga...it was going to be the holy grail. I am fully aware of why it lost steam in the BR world as well...doesn't mean that it is not the cats meow for other NON BR cartridges. Maybe explore what it can do outside of the BR world sometime...you might be surprised??? FYI...I use 10X and N133 and have no issues with those powders whatsoever. I even use 10X in the Vartarg!
Tim, with all due respect and sincerity...I want to walk away from this and agree to disagree with you on some things and do not want any of this to be taken as personal...I know I don't take it that way. Your knowledge base as well as everyone else's is very valuable to the shooting world and one thing for certain, there is NO "absolute" in this industry.

Regards and good shooting,

Gene

Fair enough, thanks for the clarification on the “heavy” deal.
One point however, I am pretty sure I was shooting 40 Vmax’s way before the 204 came out,could be wrong, but don’t think so, I’ll have to go through my small caliber news pile.
I suspect the 8208 works but in my Predator With R10X, I get 3920fps with 40’s and they shoot in the .2’s so I'm good.

 

[fourpower]

Looking to work up a load for a new Hart barrel 20 TAC. Wanting to try something besides RL-10x that is Accurate and has the speed. What are you loading now with 39 sierras thats grouping good and around 3800 plus fps?? New RL-10x is slower than old lots

I have had a cooper in 20 tac for a long time and have always been in love with it but it will not shoot 40gr bullets worth a dam but 39grs okay! go fiqure. it loves 32grs so this is all I shoot. I have slowed them down a bit to make barrel last a little longer. have always used h-335 and it loves it.