20BR Report!!!!!!

[xswanted]

Alrighty guys......I got my gun back a couple weeks ago and finally have had time to do some shooting!

I don't have any pics yet, but I wanted to post some information on this caliber for others to use if they are looking for a new project.....I couldn't find much when I was looking around!

SOooo....here we go.

I purchased some 22BR brass from another user on here....NorCalMike....he has a procedure for necking down the 6BR brass to 22.......When I received it, all I did is run it through a 20BR Full Length sizing die from Redding and voila......20BR brass. Chambered great.

The barrel is a Douglas Premium, 1 in 9 twist, #4 taper, in 24" (I built this gun specifically for a coyote rifle that I carry while on snowshoes or out walking)

I used a 700 action from an ADL I picked up.

Stock is a High Tech lightweight, BDL. I used a Pachmeyer pad, my Dad bedded the gun for me.

Got it all together and things look good....as soon as I get paint on it, I'll put up picks.

The big question I had was how is it going to feed?? Well the action I used was from a 22-250. With the stock follower and magazine box, with the shells loaded basically in the center of the follwer, it feeds like butter. However its picky as to shell placement...so I will have to tinker a little to make it reliable as can be but it was very encouraging.

Trigger is stock ADL Rem trigger "tinkered" with a tad.

I have a 4-12 VX2 on it.

It weighs in at 7 pounds!

I tried out only 3 loads tonight and am pleased to say I'm already done with load development! It was super easy. I used my depth gauge to determine OAL, and ended up jumping the 50 grain Berger ten thousandths.

I tried 29.5, 30, 30.5 and 31 grains of Varget. I stopped shooting after the first two rounds of 30.5 as it was showing pretty good signs of pressure.

29.5 produced a 5 shot group just under a half inch and velocity averaged 3600FPS with a ES of 15fps.

30 produced a 5 shot group in the high 4's and velocity averaged 3655 (not corrected) with an extreme spread of 12fps, followed up by a three shot group that is in the low 2's with similar velocity......I was done right there!

Recoil was like a .223 with 40 grain bullets....very fun to shoot.

Soooo....needless to say I'm excited to try this thing out on some coyotes.....a 50 grain bullet shooting 3675fps at the muzzle, with a BC of .281 is something that I think will be QUITE wicked to hunt predators with!!!

 

[Geronimo Jim]

WOW..........great stuff. Might be my next build. Thanks

 

[rich44]

My 20br loves RL15 I'm shooting the 55gr Berger around 3650 out of a 26" Pacnor 9 twist, I have only shot 1 coyote with it right in the boiler room about 300yrds it was DRT,

 

[xswanted]

Sweet! I may hvae to try R-15 for the heck of it but Varget shot darn good!

Can't wait to get out and kill some yotes with it!

 

[NorCalMikie]

It's been my experience with the 22 BR that working up a load can be a real PITA. All my loads are jammed into the lands.
Jumping .5 at a time on the powder charge can be a real problem so with that in mind, I'am thinking the 20 BR may be the same type animal?
What I''ve found is pressure showing up with the bullets set at a "jump but, that same load with the bullets set at a jam won't show pressure and you can go higher on the powder charge with no problems.
If it was me, I'd start at 29.0 with the bullets jammed into the lands and go up .1 click at a time. YMMV, Mike.

 

[FroggyOne2]

Awe you said that naughty "click" word! Have you no shame? :

 

[NorCalMikie]

Maybe I should have said "1/10 of a grain at a time? :-[
1/2 grain bump at a time in the 22 and maybe even the 20 BR can get you in a lot of trouble?
Two men and a boy to get the bolt open besides making your nice new brass junk, real fast.
What works for me may not have the same results for someone else but if my results are out there and it saves someone else from running into problems, it's worth mentioning. Good thing we all don't think the same. ;D

 

[FroggyOne2]

Mike,

If we all thought the same, it would be very boring!

 

[xswanted]

After my initial loads that I used here I would also reccommend, and will do it myself next time, that going up in tenths is probably a better choice.

I know how far I can get right now without having any bad issues but pressure comes up REALLY fast in this little guy!

But its a blast to shoot!

 

[brfun]

You guys are going to cost me more money! With a 6 and 22 dasher's three 22br's a 20BR is almost a need to have.
I see on Berger's web site they recommend a 8 twist for the 55 but it looks like some guys are using a 9 twist. comments? stability issues?

xswanted do you have any plans on trying the 55s?

Not trying to hijack this thread just curious and a post to keep it at the top for a bit. The more I read the more I want!

Brian

 

[JASmith]

You guys are going to cost me more money! With a 6 and 22 dasher's three 22br's a 20BR is almost a need to have.
I see on Berger's web site they recommend a 8 twist for the 55 but it looks like some guys are using a 9 twist. comments? stability? ...
Brian

I went with the 8-Twist for my project. There are a couple of places you can get bullets that are a slosh longer than Berger's 55 grain. The faster twist will give a bit of margin to handle them should you choose to do so.

Of course, the faster twist may help one get lead puffballs with the lighter (30 gr perhaps?) bullets.

I hope to find out starting in November when my barrel comes in...

 

[RIFLE1]

In my 20 PPC, Varget and a 9 twist does great at 3600 fps,.... @ about 400' above sealevel. It is one mean machine. Built it on of all things, one of the original ruger vt's in 22ppc,..... feeds like a fish!!!!

the Berger 55 is one great bullet,.... need to be throated accordingly though,... not long, real short. Not much bearing surface on that one compared to the 50 berger. I'd say .050" is probably more than you need with a BR or a PPC.

Rifle1

 

[xswanted]

You guys are going to cost me more money! With a 6 and 22 dasher's three 22br's a 20BR is almost a need to have.
I see on Berger's web site they recommend a 8 twist for the 55 but it looks like some guys are using a 9 twist. comments? stability issues?

xswanted do you have any plans on trying the 55s?

Not trying to hijack this thread just curious and a post to keep it at the top for a bit. The more I read the more I want!

Brian

I MIGHT try the 55's....I have it on good authority that they will stabilize in a 9 twist. However the same person tells me the 50s will come apart with an 8 twist when pushed very hard. I'm not 100% positve with either, but I may look into the 55s for some fun.

I know Unmusig (sp) makes a 62 grain 20 caliber bullet. That baby needs the 8 twist but its apparently wicked flat shooting. Very high BC i guess??

The 50s look to be pretty insane in this setup....its WAAAY too much fun to shoot for being a less then 1000 round gun. However I'll be using it mainly for killing coyotes from calling up in ND so it should last quite awhile!

 

[boltfluter]

I would like to hear some replies on expansion on coyotes with the Bergers. In my .22BR they seem to be either a bomb, or an FMJ. YMMV. I have had much better luck with the V-maxes in my coyote rifle. Good luck. And here is a pic to get you fired up. One I got last season. Happy hunting.

Regards, Paul

www.boltfluting.com

 

[topwater225]

I've killed a lot of coyotes with my 20BR and 55's. Can't give you a scientific description of the expansion as I believe they just come completely apart within the animal.

I will tell you that they do one awesome job, and never had one fail me. I would also add that in general they do less fur damage than you would think as well.

The 20BR and 55's are by far my favorite coyote combo!!!!

9 Twist by the way.....

 

[rich44]

I have no trouble with the 55's with a 9 twist from my 20br, I haven't shot many coyotes with it but the one I did shoot dropped like a stone at 300yrds with no exit hole, I was very impressed with the 55's on groundhogs also but mine is much to heavy for a coyote gun and I didn't have much luck getting it to feed so I had much lighter rifle built a 20-250 with a 9 twist it also shoots the 55's great.


20br 5 shot 100yrd group with the 55 Berger's

20br 2 500yrd 3 shot groups not the tightest but ok for shooting off the top of my truck

 

[xswanted]

Sweet guys! Lots of good stuff!

 

[xswanted]

I would like to hear some replies on expansion on coyotes with the Bergers. In my .22BR they seem to be either a bomb, or an FMJ. YMMV. I have had much better luck with the V-maxes in my coyote rifle. Good luck. And here is a pic to get you fired up. One I got last season. Happy hunting.

Regards, Paul

www.boltfluting.com

Thats a pretty dog for sure!

I actually have had the opposite of luck. I've had quite a few different polymer tipped bullets do too much damage and the match grade hollow points work pretty good for fur friendly ness!

 

[lpreddick]

i have two 22brs, a 22 brx, and a 6brx and love them. reading about the 20 br and am drooling! i shoot paper and ghogs and have killed 18 w/o a miss with a 12 twist 22 br, 63 cheeks and 64 bergers. you can guess my next project. plan on 55 bergers, so the twist seems to be 8 or 9 and i gather the 8 might spin apart 50s and lighter...comments. plan on david kiff making the reamer, so freebore is the next question. i like to seat bullets at a min .020 in into the lands. like to keep bullet base in the neck and there is obviously a short one here. appreciate any input or recs. thanks.

 

[xswanted]

i have two 22brs, a 22 brx, and a 6brx and love them. reading about the 20 br and am drooling! i shoot paper and ghogs and have killed 18 w/o a miss with a 12 twist 22 br, 63 cheeks and 64 bergers. you can guess my next project. plan on 55 bergers, so the twist seems to be 8 or 9 and i gather the 8 might spin apart 50s and lighter...comments. plan on david kiff making the reamer, so freebore is the next question. i like to seat bullets at a min .020 in into the lands. like to keep bullet base in the neck and there is obviously a short one here. appreciate any input or recs. thanks.

From what I have read and what I was told by a guy shooting a 20-250 the 8 twist CAN spin apart the 50s if its a hotter load. However the 9 twist will also stabilize the 55's so I went with 9 to be able to shoot both if I wanted.