20VT Fun w/Ground Squirrels

[Rick in Oregon]

Right now I'm thinking of the old adage "April showers bring May flowers". Right, that's all fine and dandy, but DANG!, enough rain, snow and wind already! Like most everyone in the country that owns a varmint rifle, we're gettin' a tad tired of cabin fever and ready to get out and warm some barrels.

So.....an early April outing was in order, despite some rain and mud, rats still frolic about anytime the sun shines. One of our favorite spots to set up for Skippy and his pals is on a low rise overlooking a 400+ acre alfalfa field with it's irrigation pivot. As the irrigation towers are evenly spaced, we use the tire tracks as crude range markers for quick shots. A laser rangefinder is used of course for anything questionable in regard to range.

My "morning office" complete with credenza, overlooking that squirrel-rich field with my 20VT guarding the position (my 100 yd. sight confirmation target can be seen just over my range bag. It's 509 yards across the field):



The crew spread out on the little rise, raining .20 caliber grief to all rodents below:



You can see by my wind flags that there was a cool breeze blowing virtually all day, sustained at about 5-7 mph, with unwelcome gusts to over 15 mph. Nice to have the Leupold Varmint Hunter reticle for the wind hold-off marks.......works as advertised.

This particular rat was quite proud of his areal rat-o-batics, with his gainer and a half landing pose to share with all (easy to do after a 12' lift courtesy of a 32gr NBT zipping along at 3,700 fps. :lol: ):



No Rat Report would be complete without showing the instrument of rodent death...in this case my Cooper M38 in .20VT, wearing her Leupold VX3 6.5-20X 40mm LR with M1 elevation. Stoked with 18.5 grs of RL-7 over any 32gr bullet, she's a ground squirrel's worst nightmare, and last.



On our way out of town headed home, we stopped for fuel and a coffee at a local outfit and spotted this sign. The first comment after spying it was "we must have come to the right place". :wink:



Now time to reload fired cases, deep clean rifles and get ready for more rat adventures, as we're promised by the "weather guessers" that good sunny weather is on the way......I'm hoping they're right, as we've got plenty of ammo left to 'unload'. :wink:

 

[Hoodoo]

Awesome report!

 

[steve123]

Right now I'm thinking of the old adage "April showers bring May flowers". Right, that's all fine and dandy, but DANG!, enough rain, snow and wind already! Like most everyone in the country that owns a varmint rifle, we're gettin' a tad tired of cabin fever and ready to get out and warm some barrels.

So.....an early April outing was in order, despite some rain and mud, rats still frolic about anytime the sun shines. One of our favorite spots to set up for Skippy and his pals is on a low rise overlooking a 400+ acre alfalfa field with it's irrigation pivot. As the irrigation towers are evenly spaced, we use the tire tracks as crude range markers for quick shots. A laser rangefinder is used of course for anything questionable in regard to range.

My "morning office" complete with credenza, overlooking that squirrel-rich field with my 20VT guarding the position (my 100 yd. sight confirmation target can be seen just over my range bag. It's 509 yards across the field):



The crew spread out on the little rise, raining .20 caliber grief to all rodents below:



You can see by my wind flags that there was a cool breeze blowing virtually all day, sustained at about 5-7 mph, with unwelcome gusts to over 15 mph. Nice to have the Leupold Varmint Hunter reticle for the wind hold-off marks.......works as advertised.

This particular rat was quite proud of his areal rat-o-batics, with his gainer and a half landing pose to share with all (easy to do after a 12' lift courtesy of a 32gr NBT zipping along at 3,700 fps. :lol: ):



No Rat Report would be complete without showing the instrument of rodent death...in this case my Cooper M38 in .20VT, wearing her Leupold VX3 6.5-20X 40mm LR with M1 elevation. Stoked with 18.5 grs of RL-7 over any 32gr bullet, she's a ground squirrel's worst nightmare, and last.



On our way out of town headed home, we stopped for fuel and a coffee at a local outfit and spotted this sign. The first comment after spying it was "we must have come to the right place". :wink:



Now time to reload fired cases, deep clean rifles and get ready for more rat adventures, as we're promised by the "weather guessers" that good sunny weather is on the way......I'm hoping they're right, as we've got plenty of ammo left to 'unload'. :wink:

I'm loading up my truck now, see you in two days, JK.

 

[CoyoteTan]

I shot ground squirrels near CA and Oregon border in early April for one week, had to turned around and came home one day early due to rain, overall it's a fun trip, shot about 1700 rounds of 223 and 1000 rounds of 17 hmr. My longest shot was 420 yards. The 2 friends I brought along this trip were hocked they're in deep trouble now, lol.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

The 2 friends I brought along this trip were hooked they're in deep trouble now, lol.

That is a true statement! Do they know their bank account will now diminish as a result of your "friendship"? Worse still, after a year of this "friendship", their wives will not want their husbands hanging around with you any more. Seen it happen myself......

BTW, your bench is the "Mod II MK I" much modified less expensive version of the BR Pivot I sold to Caldwell back in 2008. But I see you made a much more useful top for it....good job buddy! .

 

[B23]

Seeing/reading this and the fact you are using a 20 VarTarg is making me wish that .20 cal Hart 1-11tw barrel I recently ordered had been ordered a few weeks ago instead of only a few days ago.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Seeing/reading this and the fact you are using a 20 VarTarg is making me wish that .20 cal Hart 1-11tw barrel I recently ordered had been ordered a few weeks ago instead of only a few days ago.

B23: An 11-T rat rifle in 20VT will make you smile, that I promise! It won't matter if you want to shoot 32's or 40's either. What are you building it on?

Look at it this way, next rat season, you'll have your new Hart barrel, have loads worked up, barrel broken in, and really ready to start the 2019 rat season in real style!

 

[DogBuster]

Kool............20VT is super fun........

next month for me......

 

[B23]

B23: An 11-T rat rifle in 20VT will make you smile, that I promise! It won't matter if you want to shoot 32's or 40's either. What are you building it on?

Look at it this way, next rat season, you'll have your new Hart barrel, have loads worked up, barrel broken in, and really ready to start the 2019 rat season in real style!

It's kind of a crazy adventure on this one but I have a Rem VS SF .223 that hasn't seen the light of day in a few years. I'm stealing the stock off of it for a 22-243 Imp. build that I have going right now. That leaves me with a really nice little Rem 700 SS .223 action. I've got a brand new Rem BDL walnut stock I took off a 22-250 that turned into my 6-284 I had built quite some time ago and that BDL stock has just been collecting dust ever since. Nearly every single rifle I own has a varmint size, or larger, contour and I wanted something with no more than a #4 contour barrel. I've been wanting to build something with more of a old school classic Rem 700 BDL look so it just seemed like a perfect match to marry those two together. I'll have it Cerakoted black when it's all done. I'm a big fan of Cerakote and really like all their colors, just as long as they are black.

My original plan was to do a 17 Mack IV or maybe even a 17-222 but the more I thought about it a .20 cal version of the 221 Fireball just seemed like a perfect little gun for what I'll be using it for. You may want to cover your eyes on this next sentence but I'm probably going to just do a straight 20-221FB and not the 20 Vartarg, BUT, I've been known to change my mind a time or two, also.

 

[Idaho-45]

Rick, I, like most everyone here, really enjoy your great Varmint Reports!!!!! Love the Pics, and ALL your insight, & information!!!!! Hoping, "Someday" to be able to venture over into your part of the Northwest, & get to experience, first-hand an "Honest-to-Goodness, Rat Patch"!!!!!! Keep the articles, & Pics coming!!!!!!!!!!
Idaho-45

 

[Rick in Oregon]

You may want to cover your eyes on this next sentence but I'm probably going to just do a straight 20-221FB and not the 20 Vartarg, BUT, I've been known to change my mind a time or two, also.

Hey, we all change our minds, but do consider the 20VT with its 30* shoulder vs. the 23* of the FB case, will stretch a bit less (theoretically), and hold a mite more powder due to the increased internal volume. I'd just ask why you'd want to go that route instead of the wicked 20VT? Either version will put a smile on your face though.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Rick, I, like most everyone here, really enjoy your great Varmint Reports!!!!! Love the Pics, and ALL your insight, & information!!!!! Hoping, "Someday" to be able to venture over into your part of the Northwest, & get to experience, first-hand an "Honest-to-Goodness, Rat Patch"!!!!!! Keep the articles, & Pics coming!!!!!!!!!!
Idaho-45

Idaho-45: Wow, thanks there, buddy! Appreciate the accolades, even though I'm not sure they're really deserved (but I 'preciate it anyway).

As a day in a good rat patch is my personal idea of 'varmint heaven', I'm gearing up for another go of it very soon at a place literally infested with rats, and will post it up as soon as the barrels are cool and clean.

But just for fun, here's proof that the name really applies to "Skippy the Flying Squirrel"....Liftoff!



And re-entry:




And just for fun, in case anyone was wondering what effect a 20VT with a 32gr NBT at 3,715 fps would do at 237 yards on a big desert jack......well, here 'ya go! Purty much DRT!



This stuff truly IS the most fun you can have with a rifle!

 

[CoyoteTan]

This stuff truly IS the most fun you can have with clothes on

 

[jds holler]

Great posts guys. I'm a fellow Oregonian, and your pics look like country I know. I've been having a pretty wicked time with the squeaks this year with my little 20-222. Also took out the 22BR the other day, but it's got a straight 24X Leupold BR scope and I seldom get to witness the squirrelsplosion. I'll stick to my 20 for the most part. jd

 

[AckleymanII]

Squirrel shooting this time of year can run 100 rounds per hour easy...figure in your brass prep and cost accordingly.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Squirrel shooting this time of year can run 100 rounds per hour easy...figure in your brass prep and cost accordingly.

Right you are. We once figured out the total cost per squirrel shot, and the sum was not pretty when actual costs were figured in, such as fuel, rifles, reloading costs and logistics. As I remember when young and in the hot rod speed shop, there was a sign on the wall that read "Speed Costs...How Fast Do You Want To Go?"

Same could be said for flying squirrels....just how much is that rat launch worth to you? If the answer is something like "I don't care", then this pastime just may be for you. I know it is for me!

jds holler: We'd like to see that 20-222 rat rifle of yours in the field too. Don't be bashful buddy, post 'er up.

 

[B23]

Hey, we all change our minds, but do consider the 20VT with its 30* shoulder vs. the 23* of the FB case, will stretch a bit less (theoretically), and hold a mite more powder due to the increased internal volume. I'd just ask why you'd want to go that route instead of the wicked 20VT? Either version will put a smile on your face though.

The 20 VT certainly sounds like a great setup and obviously gives fantastic aerial affects on small game, but with all due respect, I doubt it does anything different than just a straight 20-221 and with regard to case capacity, I struggle to believe there would be much difference, if any because even though you are going to a 30 degree shoulder angle you are also shortening the body of the case by a slight amount so I'll bet there is a very minimal difference between the two.

Also, I'm looking for something that is just a straight neck down with no fireforming involved, although I've heard running a 221FB case through a 20VT die pretty much forms the case for you, not certain on that though. And, I already have a Forster Micrometer seating die for a 221FP but I could always have the sleeve reamed to 20 VT.

I guess you could say I'm still, somewhat, on the fence with these two but as of now, I'm still leaning to the straight 20-221.

 

[AckleymanII]

I lean towards a 20/223 (practical) or Tactical just because it is easier to fill up a five gallon bucket full of ammo.

 

[Hoodoo]

I lean towards a 20/223 (practical) or Tactical just because it is easier to fill up a five gallon bucket full of ammo.

Same here. That's what I went with. It's just so simple to make brass. One day I will have a VarTarg however...

 

[Rick in Oregon]

One of my prime reasons for settling on the 20VT vs any 223 based .20 caliber wildcat, was the amount of powder I'm burning just to shoot a squirrel. If I get real world 500 yard performance using 18.5~gr of powder, I just did not see any reason to do the same thing and burn more powder doing it. I shoot a lot during rat season, and economics enters into the picture.

But for sheer performance out there, I can truly see the logic in either the 20P or 20T, as they both nearly equal the 204R with even less powder burnt...more efficient. My CF rat calibers run from .17 with many stops in between to 6mm, but I find myself shooting my 221FB and 20VT more and more each season.