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20Dasher, 20x47 Lapua or other for long range varmint

I read a post somewhere they were drilling prairie dogs at very long distances with the 20 cal Berger 55 gn because the velocity was not high enough for adequate expansion. Has anyone else heard that?
 
ratbuster said:
I read a post somewhere they were drilling prairie dogs at very long distances with the 20 cal Berger 55 gn because the velocity was not high enough for adequate expansion. Has anyone else heard that?
Click to expand...

That has been my experience, anything past 400yds and the bullet doesn't expant reliably. I had a 9 twist 20BR which was unbelievably accurate but I was drilling holes through my quarry at distances over 400yds which I felt was unethical, bulluts need to fragment at the slower speeds that occur past 400yds, 55gr Bergers dont or at least not the ones I had didn't.
 
I looked at it this way....I can easily run the 58 grain 6mm at over 4000 FPS and the 65 6mm at 3800 in my 12 twist dashers. That is as fast or faster than any 20BR with the heavier 20 cal bullets with the same BC as the lighter 6mm's. The 40 VMAX BC is pretty much the same as the 65 grain 6mm....and the 6mm is less overbore. I realize that the 55 grain 20 cal Berger has a higher BC, but you are pushing it much slower, also.

Same with the 224 calibers.

On the other hand, there are an absolute PILE of 22 caliber varmint guns out there, so, what do I know? :(
 
4xforfun said:
I looked at it this way....I can easily run the 58 grain 6mm at over 4000 FPS and the 65 6mm at 3800 in my 12 twist dashers. That is as fast or faster than any 20BR with the heavier 20 cal bullets with the same BC as the lighter 6mm's. The 40 VMAX BC is pretty much the same as the 65 grain 6mm....and the 6mm is less overbore. I realize that the 55 grain 20 cal Berger has a higher BC, but you are pushing it much slower, also.

Same with the 224 calibers.

On the other hand, there are an absolute PILE of 22 caliber varmint guns out there, so, what do I know? :(
Click to expand...
These calibers you just mentioned how much elevation would it take to get to a 1000yds just curious.
 
I've had my 20-250 AI right at 4000 but it's best node is at 3770 fps... and it shoots lights out... like keeping them in a cigarette pack at 600 yds... with 55 bergers. I shot a coyote last year at 631 yds... rolled it over. I did aim at the shoulder of one at 185 yds.. a chip shot.. but the bullet did splash and it got up and ran away... but all the other coyotes out past 400 yds died easily when NOT shooting on the shoulder. My 22-243 AI with 80 amax going 3558 fps, hammers them really well. Below are the 1000 yd dopes on each one, with a 300 yd zero.

yds /drop inches/10 mph wind drift @3 oclock in inches/moa drop


22-243 --- 1000... 183.81... 65.59... 17.55
20-250 --- 1000... 199.22... 89.22... 19.02

here is a 243, 55 gr, 3850 fps... same zero and everything at 1000 yds.

1000 .... 260.69 .... 138.42 .... 24.89

here is a 22-250, 55 gr, 3800 fps... same as above...

1000 ... 312.13 ...165.88 .... 29.81

as you can see...

EVERYONE needs at least one 22-243AI
 
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4xforfun said:
I looked at it this way....I can easily run the 58 grain 6mm at over 4000 FPS and the 65 6mm at 3800 in my 12 twist dashers. That is as fast or faster than any 20BR with the heavier 20 cal bullets with the same BC as the lighter 6mm's. The 40 VMAX BC is pretty much the same as the 65 grain 6mm....and the 6mm is less overbore. I realize that the 55 grain 20 cal Berger has a higher BC, but you are pushing it much slower, also.

Same with the 224 calibers.

On the other hand, there are an absolute PILE of 22 caliber varmint guns out there, so, what do I know? :(
Click to expand...
How do you figure the 20 call 55 gn would be going much slower? It should run around 3900 from a dasher case. At that speed with its high BC it would have WAY better trajectory than a 6mm 105 vmax with wind performance almost the same
 
I have a BAT action, a 9 twist lilja and McMillan hunter benchrest stock sitting at my gunsmith and 400 lapua br brass (I have a 6br AI in the works too) and 1000 55gn bergers sitting on the shelf.

I guess case forming is just sizing the neck until it chambers as a crush fit. Should the powder charge be mild or a full load fireforming with a 40gn vmax? What powders do you recommend?

Thank you in advance gentlemen
 
Depends on the chambering if your just necking down not to much to worry about as long as your not trying to shoot max. loads right off the bat. If your trying to AI a shoulder then mild loads.
 
I have often thought about the .20BR AI or the .20 BRDX for launching the Berger 55`s..........:rolleyes:


Phil.
 
ratbuster said:
How do you figure the 20 call 55 gn would be going much slower? It should run around 3900 from a dasher case. At that speed with its high BC it would have WAY better trajectory than a 6mm 105 vmax with wind performance almost the same
Click to expand...

I didn't realize that you could push the 55 that fast out of a 20 BR case. If the bullet preformed like you like on critters it would be great!!

My bad,

Tod
 
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