Another build – 20 practical or 22 arc ??

[Leveraction35]

Do I buy a Drews Precision barrel and put it on my Ruger American action? Or do I buy a White Oak Armament upper in one of those 2 calibers? I’m a bolt action guy, but I’ve called in enough triples, quads, and fivesomes, where I see the benefit of a semi auto.

What has been your experience with these two cartridges? All of my coyote hunting is 300 yards or less with a huge majority less than 200 yards.

 

[GLShooter]

The PRAC will be running out of steam at 300, I have one, so I would step up to the ARC with something around a 60 grainer. I have been shooting the ARC as a 22 LBC since around 2012 and it does well on warm targets out yonder.

 

[Leveraction35]

Noted, but… I’ve never even taken a shot at 300. In 5 years my farthest coyote is 230 paces. Would that change your mind?

Another reason I like the 20 is less fur damage

 

[GLShooter]

If you have the nerves to hold yourself to 250 I'd go PRAC. I'd look at the 35 Berger for that work. I built a 20 PRAC REMAGE with a Tactical Ordnance barrel and a quick shake down with one powder and bullet gave me solid sub 0.5 MOA on it's first outing. My AR 20 PRAC shoots about a half with a BHW tube. My LBC is a solid 0.5 gun using a Black Hole Weaponry AR set up.

 

[Majday]

I have a prac and have no problems knocking down yotes at 200+. Never shot the arc so I cant say anything about that but youd have as much brass as you want with the semi auto. Losing a few cases wouldn't be a big deal. Haven't shot the 35 berger but 40 gr BIBS are all you could ask for in a yote bullet. Ive really had no issues with the 40 vmax either with good shot placement.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

My longest shot with my 20p AR, 286 yards(LRF) headshot a daytime sleeper. 40 gr NBT. It's really only few % slower than a 204R. Just not as many coyote bullet choices as a .224. An ARC with a slow twist and 40-50 gr bullets would be almost as easy on fur. As would 22/204.

 

[Leveraction35]

My longest shot with my 20p AR, 286 yards(LRF) headshot a daytime sleeper. 40 gr NBT. It's really only few % slower than a 204R. Just not as many coyote bullet choices as a .224. An ARC with a slow twist and 40-50 gr bullets would be almost as easy on fur. As would 22/204.

A 1:7 isn’t what you’d call slow I assume. I ask because I looked at a Ruger American gen 2 today with a 1:7

 

[spaniel]

The 22ARC was spec'd to shoot the 62gr ELD-VT so unless you go custom you will get a fast twist.

I have and like both. I think for coyote's I'd probably go with the ARC because it hits harder. For prairie dogs the Practical has a number of advantages -- but I run both.

 

[Leveraction35]

Bumping this up…

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Something I consider when multiple coyote may showup, whether day or night, how loud is the shot. Generally smaller diameter/lighter bullets make less noise. Even suppressed coyote respond differently to sound of a shot from a 22-250 than a 17 rem.

 

[Leveraction35]

No doubt about it. I doubt there’s much difference between 20Prac and 22arc though

 

[JB10]

If it was me id go 20p and never look back. Semi auto or bolt gun. When im by myself i take out an AR for fast follow ups if more than one comes in. The last year if im out with someone else my go to is my 20p bolt action. Just smooth shooting and quiet with the suppressor. Hits the coyotes with some force also. Im using 40gr vmax. I have some 40gr bergers i wanna try this winter.

 

[Woollybugger]

I have both. And they both shoot well. If you go with an AR in ARC and plan to run a suppressor, get a a barrel from Dustin at Drew’s Precision. He understands 3-4”+ gas for a suppressor. They still are dirty and louder than a bolt gun but his run better than shorter gas systems.

 

[Leveraction35]

It’ll be a bolt gun

 

[hogpatrol]

I have three 20Ps, AR, XP100 and Pierce bolt action. Cheap scavenged R-P range brass and 40 grain BIBs with VV133 takes out the groundhogs to 500 m. IIRC they're all 10 twists.

 

[AckleymanII]

45g Hornady in the 20 would hedge your bets. Bullet weight helps stop runners and floppers.

Coyotes are a different can of worms, vs pdogs and ground hogs.

 

[Leveraction35]

my main attraction to 20P was (basically) free brass and ability to load better bullets. As far as I know, HSM is the only manufacturer that loads 35gr berger HPs for instance. I figured if I’m going to have to handload, it might as well be for something where I can cut cost on brass… beyond that, I just thought it was a cool cartridge

Although…since I’m a low volume shooter, if I bought 100 204R brass I’d likely be set for life

 

[Leveraction35]

I will add… With a 20P, I won’t care about slinging brass out through the brush in the darkness/snow. If I use a 204, I think I would be more likely to try to find my spent brass.

 

[JB10]

I got to play some today with my 20p. Got 4 coyotes with the 40gr vmax. Now the coyotes in my area are not big, but damn that bullet does some damage. Got one in frontal chest shot with no exit. The other 3 were a gruesome sight. Ill have to load some 40gr bergers and see what they do. I will admit the vmax make one hella whap when hitting the coyotes.

 

[Leveraction35]

I got to play some today with my 20p. Got 4 coyotes with the 40gr vmax.

appreciate the feedback, that seems to be pretty typical performance with Vmax in the smaller cartridges