Help with Build Decision 20 or 22 cal??
- Thread starter Bowhunter-tw
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urbanrifleman
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My 223 is in an AR so loaded to feed from the mag. It didn't touch the lands at that length and shot well so I have no idea how far from it is from the lands. Everything else is off the lands enough that a bullet won't stick as I'm constantly unloading between stands.
Being very old school, I don't have all the neat new tools. I black a bullet and seat it until there are no land marks on it and call it good. Surprisingly it seems to work for me, I might be losing a couple thousanth but the coyotes never seem to complain about not getting the bullet quite in the exact center of their heart.
Being very old school, I don't have all the neat new tools. I black a bullet and seat it until there are no land marks on it and call it good. Surprisingly it seems to work for me, I might be losing a couple thousanth but the coyotes never seem to complain about not getting the bullet quite in the exact center of their heart.
jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
So,I put together a primo squirrel rifle using 20-222, and a 26" #6 sporter barrel. Stock is a 40x rimfire - pretty heavy. I love it for squirrel shooting from my tripod or portable bench, but dang -- the rifle weighs 12.5 lbs with scope. It's great for burning through a lot of shots without heating up badly, and it's waayy accurate.
I love that cartridge, and have no doubts about it for coyote calling, but now I'm kinda wanting to get another barrel prolly a #2 in 22" or so, and stick it in a cheap tupperware camo stock or something I can drag around in the des.
I've got everything I need to do the whole project, except for the barrel. I'm also thinking Urban Rifleman if he's got 20 cals in 11 or maybe even 10 twist. jd
I love that cartridge, and have no doubts about it for coyote calling, but now I'm kinda wanting to get another barrel prolly a #2 in 22" or so, and stick it in a cheap tupperware camo stock or something I can drag around in the des.
I've got everything I need to do the whole project, except for the barrel. I'm also thinking Urban Rifleman if he's got 20 cals in 11 or maybe even 10 twist. jd
alf
Silver $$ Contributor
My fast & flat in a bolt gun for coyotes is a 22x47 Lapua, 52 Bergers at 3800 in an 18" Brux.
urbanrifleman
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Mine are 10 twist. I don't have a 20-222 reamer, however.
Btw, my 10 twist shoots everything amazing except the 55 Berger.
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jds holler
Gold $$ Contributor
Yeah, dang it. I guess I thought these were more common than they are. My barrel came from PacNor, with a JGS reamer print. I spose that it seems crazy to most folks to use the 222 case instead of the 223 these days. --And I might be a little crazy.
I'm gonna buy a barrel from you one of these days, but maybe this won't be the one. jd
I've built myself a couple of 20 Tacticals - 1st one on a Howa Mini in a Boyds Pro Varmint, 2nd on a completely trued M700 with a PTG custom bolt in a McMillan Game Scout. I've got a background in LR prone hi power (600-1000yd), and can't seem to quite convince myself to go with shorter, handier barrels, so these are 24" & 25" respectively - not what I'd consider handy for coyote calling in tight quarters. However, I found these two Bartlein 1-9tw blanks on their inventory list several years ago, and thought they'd work well with the Berger 55s, which they do. Have yet to take a shot at a coyote with either rifle, so don't know how well the 55s will expand on dogs. After working up loads in both rifles, I'm seeing 3200fps as close to a max load with H4895 - anyone have experience as to how well the 55 Berger works on coyotes in that velocity range?
Most recent build for coyotes is another Howa Mini with a 24" 1-8tw Krieger #4 sporter in 223AI, which I bedded in a B&C #1002 sporter style stock. It's a fair bit lighter than the 20 Tac in the Boyds laminated stock, and the 8-twist bbl allows me to get good accuracy with the Hornady 75 AMax. Downside is that I'm not seeing many dogs here locally - still hear plenty of yipping & howling on moonlit nights, but very little luck calling them in anymore - think the calling contests are educating more dogs than they're killing.
Most recent build for coyotes is another Howa Mini with a 24" 1-8tw Krieger #4 sporter in 223AI, which I bedded in a B&C #1002 sporter style stock. It's a fair bit lighter than the 20 Tac in the Boyds laminated stock, and the 8-twist bbl allows me to get good accuracy with the Hornady 75 AMax. Downside is that I'm not seeing many dogs here locally - still hear plenty of yipping & howling on moonlit nights, but very little luck calling them in anymore - think the calling contests are educating more dogs than they're killing.
If your hunting coyotes in heavily hunted areas you need to think outside the box. If your hunting the same place every budding coyote hunter hunts, things are going to go south. I've hunted places where coyotes never leave the cover and search the hillsides before ever thinking of committing to the call.. They don't give you any mistakes.
Does 20cal tend to erode barrels worse than 223 since its the same powder in a smaller bore or is barrel life pretty long with both?
B23
Gold $$ Contributor
Anytime you burn the same amount of powder but in a smaller bore diameter it's going to be harder on the throat. Is a 20-223 going to have a shorter barrel life then a straight 223, yes, but even though it may be a little shorter life the vast majority of shooters will never "shoot out" the throat/barrel of a 20-223, 204 Ruger, or the like.
Naturally, there's always exceptions to any rule so get one hot shooting PD's or at the range and keep plugging away at it and you can toast the barrel in anything in short order but used as a coyote hunting rifle where you don't have long continuous shooting and the barrel will last a lifetime.
Naturally, there's always exceptions to any rule so get one hot shooting PD's or at the range and keep plugging away at it and you can toast the barrel in anything in short order but used as a coyote hunting rifle where you don't have long continuous shooting and the barrel will last a lifetime.
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
If I read your post correctly - one reason you are considering selling the Howa is because you can't thread it for a brake? As long as it isn't a glass or fiber-wrapped barrel, you can easily install a Witt Machine clamp-on brake. While there have been many old clamp-on brakes that were "universal" and ended up flying off, such is not the case with the Witt brake. They are machined to fit your barrel (even if tapered) by following their measuring instructions. I put them on a number of my older rifles that didn't have brakes - and even a few new tubes. Never had one come loose in over ten years. Anyway - using that .223 with 50-grain Varmint Grenades is an outstanding coyote killer. You may already have all but a $100.00 or so brake to get you where you want to be. I have shot many, many coyotes with both .223's and .20 Practicals. The best thing results came from .223 shooting the 50 Varmint Grenades. The worst came from shooting 32 V-Max in the .20 practical. While shot placement is always key with any caliber, I shoot them while running and often from distance. So, for my needs, I want the bullet that will best knock them down no matter where hit. If shooting them with the .20, I'd opt for the 40 V-Max or 39 Blitz King. Of course, you can go fast twist and use a 50 grain bullet, but why do that when you can shoot 50's in your .223?
I should have clarified, threaded for suppressor, the current diameter wouldnt allow for a shoulder square up the suppressor to
urbanrifleman
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223 barely wears out a barrel. I have a space gun with about 5000 rounds on it. Still shoots quite well.
Ive narrowed it down to 22br or 223ai. 22xc was tempting but decided its a little overbore for me.
Both will be shooting 50-60gr varmint bullets
Ive found some 22br brass for a good price that would get me started.
I would need mags for either cartridge so thats a wash
I need dies for both - wash
Would need origin bolt face for 223ai
Have plenty of 223 brass of random head stamp
Both will be shooting 50-60gr varmint bullets
Ive found some 22br brass for a good price that would get me started.
I would need mags for either cartridge so thats a wash
I need dies for both - wash
Would need origin bolt face for 223ai
Have plenty of 223 brass of random head stamp
Its alpha brass, I was thinking it should work in the lapua no turn chamber @urbanrifleman does? Its on its 5th firing annealed everytime, I was hoping it would get at least another 10 firings?
L.Sherm
Silver $$ Contributor
Sometimes used brass has problems in a different chamber that the brass was fired in especially with a different reamer.
Oh, I see. I figured it would fire form or work fine after it was sized. Guess that might not be the way to go then
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