20 VarTarg Reloading Dies

[wotam]

I recently ordered a rifle in the caliber & I am quite a newbie in reloading. In fact, it was only a couple of weeks ago that I started shooting my first batch of reloaded ammo for my 204 Ruger & 17 Fireball. Fortunately, after attending a NRA certified reloading class a nice kid working in the range where I shoot helped me set up all the reloading equipment I bought and walked me through all the basic die set up & through a few reloading sessions. Since it will be a few months before the rifle is delivered, I hope to buy the dies & reloading components before the gun is delivered. I found out that Hornady & Redding make the dies for the 20 Vartarg. I see that Redding only makes "S" or Bushing type dies & I have yet to know a person who has experience in this type of reloading die.

I will appreciate any tips in the die set up or reloading of this cartridge (die preference, what bushing to buy & use, recommended equipment, shellholders etc,..) By the way I also have the T7 Redding press. Thank you very much for your help.

 

[ab_bentley]

Pm incoming. I'll help you through. Adam

 

[Hal]

For more information on the .20 VarTarg. give Todd a call at the Woodchuck's Den.
He's the guy who invented it.
He deals in .17 and .20 stuff and has a couple books out on them.

Be careful when reloading these small caliber shells, a 1/10 of a grain of powder can make a difference.
Also a near max load that worked in the winter might prove to be over maximum in the warmer summer months.



Hal

 

[232]

Hornady dies are ok. The sizer die will work the brass a lot more than needed. Mine sizes the neck to .218. I will send it of and have it honed out one day. The seater die works nice with a micro-just added, but the seater plug will leave a ring mark on some bullets if there is much neck tension.

If you are wanting bushing dies, be sure to know the chamber neck size of gun and how thick the neck is on brass you will be using. This will save you from ordering bushings that may not work for your gun. Necking down 221FB brass or necking up 17FB will give you slightly different loaded neck sizes and tension on bullets. 223 brass can be used too, but even with a no turn neck chambering you will need to turn or ream at least a couple thousandths off the neck when using 223's.

I lucked upon a cheap Redding 221FB type s set that I use along with a 20vt body die. I also have 17FB and 17Mk4 bushing dies that work for me. These were just cheaper than 20vt s dies. Actually I probably would have been ahead to have bit the bullet and started with a competition type s set. They were too big a sticker shock at the time.

 

[ALBULLET]

I will second the last part of HAL's post.
The .20 cal. can take peek pressure to a dangerous level
faster than anything I have ever loaded. NO!! I have never loaded
for the .17 cal...
I was never happy with the fit of my VARTARG die to my chamber.
I had redding type S . The factory chambers may fit the factory dies better
than mine did.

scot g