20VT Questions

[Mike in Oregon]

Tell me the good, bad and ugly about this wildcat and convince me I need one. Then tell me what action I might want. Another Ruger No. 1, Howa mini, or custom? This will be exclusively shoot off the bench for sage rats.

Mike...

 

[L.Sherm]

Theres been a million threads on the 20VT the search function is your friend.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

Theres been a million threads on the 20VT the search function is your friend.

I don't want to read a million threads. I want to narrow it down to one.

 

[Gabe22BR]

Get one !!!

CZ 527 action feeds from mag
Can’t confirm Howa mini yet…

Single shot- any action

 

[SD guy]

Talk it over with your smith. My preference & yours may vary. Lot of ways to go.

 

[1raggedhole]

It’s one of my all time favorite prairie dog cartridges. Zero recoil, runs cool, shoots flat and straight. Easy to make the cases. Load mine on Dillon 550 for high volume. Love it in my Cooper 38, the real mini action. Mine shoots bug holes with 32 vmax at 3700 fps with barely over 20gr powder. The 204 Ruger is my favorite only for being a bit better in strong wind.

 

[TheCZKid]

Mine is made from a Sako L461, a CZ 527 is another excellent option, a Cooper is super-duper. It's an excellent sage rat shooting caliber, and if I was close to prairie dogs, that too! For longer range in 20 caliber, the 20 Practical is excellent, very similar to 204 Ruger, with cheaper brass!

 

[chuckshooter]

It's a shame you are unwilling to take the time to read some of the "million threads" that are already on this forum, there is a ton of good Information available from really good people who took the time to post.

 

[Mike in Oregon]

It's a shame you are unwilling to take the time to read some of the "million threads" that are already on this forum, there is a ton of good Information available from really good people who took the time to post.

I did take the time to read the several pages in several threads on this topic.

 

[17VLD]

Mike I started shooting pds in Colorado in '95 with a 17 Mach1v and the 22 Berger,my best shot at the time was 382 yards. Fast forward a few years and I was the proud owner of a Cooper 20VT,my best shot with the 32 vmax was 542 yards on a pd in Montana. My point to you is that the 17FB is a great place to start and once you've knocked a few pds over dead with it and then build a 20VT you really will appreciate the extra umpf the bigger heavier vmax offers. I absolutely love the 221 case and all it's variations but to me the 20 Vartarg really is the best for volume shooting.Find another #1 or perhaps a Cooper and have at it. Perhaps you could still get a BAT SV before they stop making them, I built my 20-222 imp with SV #8 and do believe the extra $$$ spent on a custom is negated by the expense of truing up a factory rifle. Either way you will totally enjoy the Vartarg.
Matt

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Mike, I wrote a lengthly article for Varmint Hunter Magazine on the 20VT titled "The 20VT, The Paradigm Has Shifted" in Issue No. 90 that answers all the questions you pose. Poke about, as these magazines are still out there, and I'm sure someone here has one they'll part with, or copy the article for you. Of course, all this information and more is right here in past posts on the subject.

And do that search here for more, as there must be at least 50 posts or more here on this caliber, making brass, pet loads, field adventures and rifles suitable for the caliber. It has been around since about 1995, so there's more than a lot info on it if you care to research it further. Shooting sage rats and chucks is about my most favorite pastime, and the caliber of choice for me is......the 20VarTarg of course (and I've got lots of other choices).

For what you want it for, I'll just say "get or build one, you won't regret it".

 

[Ilikepie7]

Just get one!

My 20VT is my favorite rifle so far. It’s a Zermatt SR3 in a McMillian A3A. I’m shooting 39gr Sierras at 3600.

 

[Varmint Shooter]

I don't want to read a million threads. I want to narrow it down to one.

a man with no patience

 

[HillbillyLongRifle]

20 Vartarg build one you are missing out until you do!

 

[JSH]

After building one and not listening to others……. If I had it to do over a 20-222 would be my choice.

 

[Bat Rastard]

After building one and not listening to others……. If I had it to do over a 20-222 would be my choice.

Please elaborate.

 

[JSH]

No brass finding/making issues. Able to use a lot of the powders the 20VT uses.
Feed issues with a magazine fed rig are not as bad, same with ejection.
Also have thoughts of the long neck being something good/better.

If one wants to squabble over a few grains of powder…. Guess I am not as tight as I thought I was.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

After building one and not listening to others……. If I had it to do over a 20-222 would be my choice.

Agree that would be a viable choice normally. But now considering the rising cost of powder, barrel life and all the other attributes of the VT, I want as many shots per pound of powder as I can get, and the longer barrel life using less powder sent downrange is a big plus for the smaller FB case IMO. I'm a cheapskate, I admit it. The performance of the 20VT with just 18.5grs of powder shooting the 32's on the rats leaves nothing to be desired.



My days of blasting PD's, ground squirrels and rockchucks with my 243 Ackley are now in the rear-view mirror. Great Rat-O-Batics, but at what cost?

 

[Gabe22BR]

I gotta agree Rick

My 223 just sets.. collecting dust-

my AI 20VT gets all the action in everyday use…plan on sticking a thermal on it this year for other varmint hunts..

 

[1raggedhole]

Local smith always grins at my ramblings about wildcats and perfect cartridges for this or that, and he simply replies to use the 223. Solves all the issues. I guess he’s right, but the issues are what makes it interesting.