Helpme decide between .20 and .22

[Matt_3479]

If comp was in mind if probsbly swing more to a fast twist 223 or 223ai for brass availabitlu and barrel life. But something is appealing about the 22 creedmoor as well.

Personally I shoot a 20 tac and love the round. Have owned/shot and hunted with 223’s, 22-250’s, 222rem’s, 204 rugers and now 20 tac. It is so far my favorite cartridge for coyote hunting! Right now I’m running 39gr blitzkings at 3800fps on the dot into 5 shot groups a hair over .25”. Im not at max pressure and able to run a little quicker and keep groups under .4 but haven’t felt the need too. I think I’ll be sticking with this one for a while. Great brass (Dakota/lapua) lots of good 20 cal bullets, less powder then the 204 yet vertically the same velecitys, more room to seat bullets out allowing for more usable case capacity!! What’s not to love

 

[NorCalMikie]

.221 Fireball is nasty accurate. Good out to maybe 300 yards.
Anything 20 will also get the job done. Tried the 20 VT but wasn't that impressed. I'll admit I didn't/havn't given it much of a chance before I found my 20 TCM Wildcat.
Keep it simple and easy to make rounds and spend more time shooting than messing with making/messing with brass.

 

[snert]

So if I get you right you are shooting paper out to 300 mostly, cranking scope, and have desire to maybe play a bit at PRS. But you have guns for PRS.

So what you are saying is you want another gun, want something different, something smaller and the issue is you would like to shoot flat.

except for the last point I would say go retro and do a 222. But flat it isn't. You could do a 6x45AI, or a 223AI. Flat, fun.

But For flat and small think 20. So I am inclined to think one of the 20's based on the 223...TAC or PRACTICAl. Easy to do, and its not factory...you get the wildcat wow factor and it is still fun. I like the VT, but maybe too small for you?

 

[DogBuster]

simple........20-222........yes......

I also use a 20 VT...20 Practical.....223 AI

 

[Clancy]

My friend Hunter Phillips at HP Precision has been perfecting his 20 Practical load and reamer for some time now.

His most recent build produced a number of 3 shot groups in the double zeros. Yes .008” 3 shot groups, and 5 shot groups in the VERY low .1s Disclaimer: he tests indoors for the simple fact that he’s “into testing a rifle’s potential not his own.”

It’s a remarkable little rifle, considering it’s anything but a benchrest rig.

I know he used an Impact receiver and a 1:11 Krieger RVC but that’s about all I know.

Should you contact him, tell him I told you to ask about the “20 Pactical..... he forgot the “r” when he engraved that barrel.

 

[hunterp223]

Thanks Clancy. I learned from the best how to chamber a barrel and make a rifle shoot well. Hopefully doing a 204 this week, fixed some issues with the saami spec. Hopefully it’ll run.

 

[L.Sherm]

Did you get rid of the .100 freebore.

 

[bobcat93]

. 20 vartarg.. The perfect little cartridge.. The 20 practical is nice also with all your 223 brass..
I have a very nice 223 AI for sale if it helps you any

 

[fyrewall]

I have found the .20 P to be just about perfect for my needs that are volume shooting (lots of shots) and rodents. I use the 40 grain Vmax exclusively out of a 11 twist with IMR 8208. On a calm day I can bust Walmart quarter size hard candies at 300 yards - the ants get to eat the remnants. The only concern is the non-availability of hard bullets for targets bigger than 8 pound rodents - a .224 caliber would have better penetrating bullets, like the 65 Sierra spbt. The tiny .20 P is cheap to feed and has good barrel life (25.5 grains of IMR 8208) and plentiful .223 brass.

For "big game" I use a 7.7 twist .22-.250 (get the job done). A .22 Creedmore would provide more zip; I like the 75 ELD M bullet.

 

[munsonbw]

Over the last few months since I started this post not much has happened, at least not with what to build. I did connect with a forum member here to try out F-class shooting with and stumbled into a guy at the local gunshop that does PRS style shooting at a range close by. So, I have decided to just hang tight for now. Depending on how both of these endeavors go for the first couple of times out i will judge the next step. I am leaning pretty heavily towards .223 or maybe even a .223ai and shoot the smaller rounds and get some time under my belt and assess what to do next.

Thanks for the help!
Ben

 

[hunterp223]

Did you get rid of the .100 freebore.

Yes among a couple other things

 

[L.Sherm]

Dont know why Ruger did that, except to try and squeeze all the F.P.S for marketing.