20 vartarg accuracy

[luckde]

I'm down to the barrel purchase for my builder for a new 20 VT I have always found the small capacity efficient cartridges interesting. Up to now they have all been .22 based. Now that I have the action, Stock, trigger, and scope for this project I'm having some second thoughts.

1. Being brass quality. I have never found any Remington reloading component that compared very well o almost any other vendor.

2. In reading anything and every thing I can find on this cambering, I have yet to hear of one related experience of this cartridge shooting 1/4" or better. I know it's not a benchrest round, however when I approach benchrest money in a rifle, I would like to think under good conditions with me doing my part I could approach a shooting a 1/4" 5 shot group.

Thanks for the input!

 

[wildcatter1450]

You say approach 1/4" groups? I'd certainly think you should. My Cooper does it on a regular basis, often times with four of the five one holeing.

I don't know where or what you have been reading, but I have heard talk of it being used in BR in the near future.

There was talk of Lapua making brass for the VT, however, I think that deal got nixed. So, unless you want to take Lapua 222 brass and make your own VT's, Remington brass is the only game in town. That said, it does very well in my rifle.

Mike

 

[luckde]

Mike,

That is definitely what I want to hear! I have become very attached to the VT chambering based on the my perception of the potential of the cartridge. I find the efficiency, ballistics, and tolerance to heavy use in the field before barrel heat erodes accuracy all very attractive. I see it as my new, "Gap Wedge" for PD shooting.
I have a new Predator action, Lone Wolf Howler stock, Reamer, Leupold 6-18 Scope waiting for a barrel. I just think this cartridge should be able to shoot groups not much bigger than the 20 cal projectiles it' launching. I don't have a issue sorting, and truing brass.

Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[Goofycat]

I have a VT on order from Cooper, so I can't say a thing about accuracy, other than all I have read so far points to inherent accuracy with the caliber in a rifle with a 26" bbl. Lapua has no plans to produce 20VT brass or .221 Fireball brass, either.,I phoned them). Such a shame. The only way to get 20VT in Lapua is to reform the .223 cases that Lapua offers. A time-consuming process. But maybe it is a toss-up, considering that Lapua flash holes are drilled, rather than punched,which may obviate the necessity of deburring the flash holes??). Also, the cases are very close in weights.

I have spent many hours preparing primer pockets, deburring the flash holes on 500 Remington cases. I also weighed each case,the variance was l grain from the lightest to the heaviest case). The next step is to neck the .221 down to the .20 VT, using the Redding die, then work up a few cases at the range while performing the barrel break-in, make any final adjustments on the die,using a modified case in a Stoney gauge) and start playing with VV120 and H4198 powders with some Hornady and Sierra 32 grain bullets to work up to a maximum load for fire-forming the remainder of the cases, using a Pact chronograph to check muzzle velocity. I never realized the time it takes to get into a new caliber.

 

[luckde]

Barry,

I'm with you on the time consuming process of prepping brass. My gun safe is full a labor intensive chamberings. The perk is playing on the edge, learning something new, and the time spent on a "new Chambering" saves me money. I know that sounds odd, but as soon as I have worked a new rifle to completion, I start thinking of my next project...... If my wife had it her way, I would have to make my own brass from scratch!

 

[luckde]

Barry,

Just curious, how many cases did you scrap meeting you requirements for sorting the Remington brass?

 

[Forum Boss]

I have spent many hours preparing primer pockets, deburring the flash holes on 500 Remington cases. I also weighed each case,the variance was l grain from the lightest to the heaviest case). The next step is to neck the .221 down to the .20 VT, using the Redding die, then work up a few cases at the range while performing the barrel break-in, make any final adjustments on the die,using a modified case in a Stoney gauge) and start playing with VV120 and H4198 powders with some Hornady and Sierra 32 grain bullets to work up to a maximum load for fire-forming the remainder of the cases, using a Pact chronograph to check muzzle velocity. I never realized the time it takes to get into a new caliber.

I will probably build up a 20 VarTarg in 2007--like others I'm impressed with the efficiency of the little case. But I'm sure it will be more complicated than tuning an 8-twist 6BR--take Lapua brass out of box, chamfer neck, add 30gr Varget, seat 105s .010-.015" into lands, and you're pretty much good to go. Try some RL15 if you want to go 50-70 fps faster.

 

[DogBuster]

Target shown is from recycled 204 barrel....now 20 VT w/2700+ rds on it...load development shows H4198 works well with 32s or 40s....dot is one inch @ 100 yds & five rds...3636 fps....

 

[artbosco]

Want to know everything about the 20 VT ??? Go to the woodchuckden.com. Todd Kindler designed it and others around 1995. He'll be happy to discuss the cartridge.

 

[mkstjohn]

Right answer, call Todd. He just did a follow up article for the fall issue of Small Caliber News. Great info, in fact it enticed me into building one on a model 7 Rem action that I had which started life as a 223. You may also want to get his book on loading for the 20 cals. it cost about $30.

 

[Goofycat]

Just curious, how many cases did you scrap meeting you requirements for sorting the Remington brass?

Dennis, I have scrapped nothing. The range from high to low weights of the brass varied by a total of 1 grain. From all I have read, the consensus is that weighing brass is a waste of time. I did it only to see what the actual mean, median and mode would be just for my own amusement and to make sure the variance was not super-great. Sorry for not responding for three months, but I have not been keeping up with posts on the BR site since I had not received the Cooper yet. But.....I just filled out the paperwork today for this stunning rifle and will pick it up in 10 days. Then I have to work up loads, starting with H4198, bullets .010" off the lands, using 32 grain V-maxes and Sierras. I have no idea how the rifle will shoot.