20 vartarg barrel length

[Ledd Slinger]

I just ordered my action yesterday from Greg Taylor (Borden model BR) - I'm planning on running a 24" 1-11 twist in Vartag and a 24" 1-10 in 20 Tactical. (rifle will be a switch-barrel rig). Both barrels will be cut-rifled.

I have a 20 TAC as well. So much nicer using 223 brass because it is so abundant everywhere and much more affordable. Like it so much that I think any other 20 cal I do from here on out will be some derivitive of the 223 case.

 

[LA50SHOOTER]

I have a 20 TAC as well. So much nicer using 223 brass because it is so abundant everywhere and much more affordable. Like it so much that I think any other 20 cal I do from here on out will be some derivitive of the 223 case.

I fully understand using .223 brass, I couldn't resist on the Vartag because Lapua does the 221 Fireball brass though & my line of thinking was to have one for lighter bullets & the other for the heavier pills. - I know the 20 Tactical does outstanding with all the bullets & it would have been cheaper to just do it in 1 caliber but I couldn't resist. - And I want a nice 20 cal. set-up so I went for it.

- Ron -

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I fully understand using .223 brass, I couldn't resist on the Vartag because Lapua does the 221 Fireball brass though & my line of thinking was to have one for lighter bullets & the other for the heavier pills. - I know the 20 Tactical does outstanding with all the bullets & it would have been cheaper to just do it in 1 caliber but I couldn't resist. - And I want a nice 20 cal. set-up so I went for it.

- Ron -

I originally built a Vartarg thinking it would have a lot less recoil so I could "watch the action" on ground squirrels with a scope dialed up to 32x at 100 yards or less. Yeah...that wasn't really the case. It was even a heavy rifle, probably 13 lbs, but still kicked just a little too much even tho I was only running a mild load that pushed a 34gr bullet at 3520 fps. Out of all my 20 cals, the 20 Ackley Hornet is the only one that truly has very minimal recoil. Unfortunately it doesnt have the "disintegration ability" of the bigger 20 cals or my 6mm varmint calibers. Of course I can turn the magnification down a bit and watch the action with the other larger calibers. Just not as up close and personal. Been thinking about installing brakes on some of my varmint rifles to reduce the recoil even further because I always have hearing protection in while shooting them anyhow.

My 20 TAC is built on an AR15. So essentially it's already a switch barrel rifle if I want to add more barrels later on. The custom ARs are pretty damn accurate these days too. First couple loads I slapped together as part of the end of my barrel break in would put 5 shots together at 100 yards that can easily be covered up with a dime. Haven't even tuned a load for it yet and it shoots a couple different powders sub 1/2 MOA.

 

[Bill K]

Those set ups should work just fine for you. Keep us posted on progress and results. Bill K

 

[Pahunter1975]

Update talked to my smith the other day, should be getting my first 20 vartarg back very soon. Will post pic when I get it. Share what your shooting with everyone bonus if dead critters are in pic as well

 

[Pahunter1975]

Finally got it back can’t wait to shoot

 

[B23]

Pahunter1975, I like the look of that rifle, it has that old school Remington BDL Custom Deluxe style/look. Nearly all of my guns sit in either MCM, Manners, or HS Prec stocks but I have a 20-222 build going together right now and it will have that same Rem BDL Custom DLX look when it gets all done.

 

[Knifeman]

Damn fine looking rifle

 

[Pahunter1975]

Thank you all, it is my first bdl rifle. The caliber seemed very fitting to me. When I picked it up my gunsmith told me I did a great job specking out the rifle , he sad many times he loved the look. I purchased all parts except the barrel prior to him starting.

 

[Rallyant]

Anyone have numbers for 24" vs 26" velocity ?
I have to choose my barrel length for my first vartarg build. My smith says 22" but i want max FPS, minimum kick and minimum noise.
Im going with a carbon barrel and stock, it will be a light build. so a 26" wouldn't be heavy. But id like to know exactly how many FPS im loosing going with 24' instead
Anyone running one wiht 26" or there abouts. What is your FPS with what load?
Same question with 24" . Ive seen a few posts with speed on 22. so have a pretty good idea of that.

 

[Evan]

Anyone have numbers for 24" vs 26" velocity ?
I have to choose my barrel length for my first vartarg build. My smith says 22" but i want max FPS, minimum kick and minimum noise.
Im going with a carbon barrel and stock, it will be a light build. so a 26" wouldn't be heavy. But id like to know exactly how many FPS im loosing going with 24' instead
Anyone running one wiht 26" or there abouts. What is your FPS with what load?
Same question with 24" . Ive seen a few posts with speed on 22. so have a pretty good idea of that.

My 20 Vartarg custom

Jerry and I were out shooting last weekend and I snapped a picture of my 20 Vartarg with the 55gn Bergers next to his 300 Norma Mag with the big Bergers. Thought everyone here might get a kick out of the difference! Once weather gets a bit better and I can verify, I'll have some more load info...

forum.accurateshooter.com

I get to 3300fps with the 55gn Berger in my 26" Hart 9 twist HV contour. 40 VMax can hit 3600fps with some headroom still available if I switched to different powders - I just stopped testing the 40s since the Berger shoots so well.

 

[L.Sherm]

I really don't think you will gain much from going 24" 26" in the vartarg, doesn't take much to burn 19- 20 grains of powder + or- depending on which powder you use

 

[Evan]

I think you can look to the experimenting with the 6BR to guide this decision. Folks found that even 30 and 32 inch barrels saw increased velocity with the 6BR without any loss of accuracy in bench guns. I think this proves that more barrel length equals more velocity, even with small charge weights, and if you want to maximize how fast it will shoot a given bullet and don't care about weight or handling, then you go as long as you can.

 

[L.Sherm]

I've tested a 26" vrs a 28" in a 20BRAI 26 was just as fast as a 28 everything be equal. Same charge, brass, powder, 55 bergers and same 3G 9 twist barrels made side by side they were literally 10FPS of each other.

 

[Rallyant]

I've tested a 26" vrs a 28" in a 20BRAI 26 was just as fast as a 28 everything be equal. Same charge, brass, powder, 55 bergers and same 3G 9 twist barrels made side by side they were literally 10FPS of each other.

wow thats interesting.
I found a site with formulas to calculate the length at witch a barrel would achieve maximum velocity. Im sure it was in the meters long range, not inches. But I cant find that site again to do the calcs with this cal.
but im sure it reaches a point with diminishing returns.. be very interesting to find out.

 

[TAJ45]

And then there is always the "Fast bbl" and "slow bbl" reality.
The best laid plans "Gang aft aglay".

 

[Greyfox]

the balance of the rifle might be a better measure of how long you want the barrel to be. The varmint or piece of paper sure won't know the difference between a 22", 24" or 26". My vartarg is on an XP actioned rifle and 24" is fine but it could be a little better with a 22". It's a Criterion so I left it like it came. It's my favorite walkabout in a dogtown along with shooting sticks and a three legged stool.

Rick

 

[L.Sherm]

And then there is always the "Fast bbl" and "slow bbl" reality.
The best laid plans "Gang aft aglay".

I know there's the Fast vrs slow thats why I cut these 2 barrels from the same raw stick, used same bore reamers, same button, same heat treat and conture trying to keep everything as equal as possible.
They were also chambered on the same lathe by the same person using the same reamer I dont know how I could have tried to keep things more equally than that

 

[TAJ45]

---

Intesting Sherm. Cut from same stick? With you having been involved with bbl production, educate me abt the "sticks".... lengths before they do production lengths.
My idea of "same stick" would be 34" to make 2 for my XP.

 

[L.Sherm]

Got them in 12' - 1.25" sticks