jd's .20 Plain Jane -- First Trip Out

[jds holler]

First, here's a shot with scope mounted. This is a no frills rifle, and how "less frilly" can ya get than a Bushnell Banner. It's a 6x18, and is the same glass that the donor rifle wore. I don't exactly love it, but it's better than a lot of cheap scopes I've seen. I've shot a few good groups with it, and several coyotes and a truckload of squirrels.


I bore sighted the scope at the neighbors stovepipe, and when I got to the range it took just one sighter shot to get my bearings and adjust accordingly. This scope does adjust pretty accurately. Then---
I shot a ten shot group, cleaning between every shot with "Gunslick Copper-Klenz". I'd basically swab with a wet mop, and then a couple of patches to clean and dry.


That would have been a pretty good ten shot group until I stuck those two a half inch to the left of everything. with a 20% Mulligan factor, that would be about a .75" group.

Then I shot these groups, cleaning after every group. Nothing spectacular, but nothing horrible either.


These brass were new, unfired, and the loads were all pretty mild, not showing any signs of high pressure. I seated the bullets to be about .010 off the lands. An interesting "springback thing" occurred with the brass, in that I realized that I was getting easier bolt lift with the fired brass than I had with the unfired cartridges. AND, when I got home and measured the brass they were SHORTER than they were before I seated bullets in them. They fireformed to fit my chamber, and got shorter in the procsess.

I of course was hoping for nothing but one hole groups, but --- well I'm not unhappy. I don't think I'll have much trouble working from here and improving as I go. If nothing else, I've got a rifle that will shoot sub-MOA -- wait for it -- ALL DAY LONG!! (as long as I do my part) jd

 

[Tommie]

You're nowhere near done. Try some slower burning powders. I have no doubt you'll find the magic combination and have that rifle shooting half again tighter.

And I still like that rifle!

 

[TAJ45]

Well!! You just keep on doing your part - but be sure to have lotsa fun along the way.
I'll bet another .2 - .3 gr will start to suck'em in another .25.

 

[sundance]

I'll bet after 100 rounds you will see very small groups start to magically appear. I settled on 8208 for my 204 and h322 in my Tac 20.

 

[jds holler]

Next bullets I've got to try are 32 gr. V-Max's. I also want to try Benchmark. I also am hopeful that I'll notice a little improvement with these cases that have been formed.

One thing I'm not happy about is that I just got that pair of scope rings, and they are the "high" size. I now wish I'd got the "extra high". This rig would be more comfy on the bench if I didn't have to squash my face down on the stock as much as I do. Even that may help my groups. jd

 

[Eddie Harren]

Don't overlook the Sierra Blitz-Kings. They shoot great in both of my 20 Tac and in my grandsons also.

 

[jds holler]

Don't overlook the Sierra Blitz-Kings. They shoot great in both of my 20 Tac and in my grandsons also.

Are they a flat base or boat tail? jd

 

[Clavius-Walker]

Are they a flat base or boat tail? jd

They have a small boat tail, they also have the best light 20 cal BC by a good amount, you'd have to move up to the Berger 55s to beat them.

Probably the best 20 cal bullet out there in my opinion

 

[jds holler]

They have a small boat tail, they also have the best light 20 cal BC by a good amount, you'd have to move up to the Berger 55s to beat them.

Probably the best 20 cal bullet out there in my opinion

I'm thinking these in a 39 gr. will be my next purchase. That will give me a little more "bullet in the neck" than the 32's. jd

 

[snert]

Those BLC2 groups look promising...round

 

[LarryDScott]

I have owned four 204s & four 20 Tacticals, an never had any
of them that shot very well seated long. I used the 32Gr Hornady in the tacticals and the 39 Sierra in the 204s. In both calibers seating the base of the bullet at the neck/shoulder junction worked the best.
24 gr H4198 w/450s in the tacticals (ALWAYS use thick cup primers in this load combo)
25 gr Reloder 10x w/winchesters in the 204s
Your mileage may vary. LDS

 

[OKyote73]

I'm thinking these in a 39 gr. will be my next purchase. That will give me a little more "bullet in the neck" than the 32's. jd

Definitely loads on th light side! More powder

 

[jds holler]

After closer checking today with better technique, I find that my OAL on ALL these loads put my bullet in the lands. I'm betting that if I screw the pill in ten or fifteen thou, that it may be better. I think the quickest road to happiness will probably be the BLC load, carefully increasing in weight until some undetermined time before the gun blows. jd

 

[long40shot]

Did miss what cartridge it is?

 

[snert]

Did miss what cartridge it is?

20-222

 

[L461]

Can I suggest you try Benchmark

Start at around 23 and work up with the 32's

 

[Phil]

N-133???

 

[jds holler]

I got out again yesterday and shot some more groups. It's a challenge around here with almost daily wind that isn't conducive to good groups. I've been able to change direction of my shooting so as to shoot directly into it. I've been shooting five shot groups, and figure that If I have a bad shot -- well it might be because of wind or some fault of mine. Generally though I'm getting very consistent groups with repeatable results, and making progress.

Out of these last ones I got a few in the .4's with the BLC, and my best one in the high .3's with 8208. I'm sticking with a .010 jump for now, and when I settle on a few "best loads" I'll start messing with that. I'm trying to stick with one variable at a time.

This latest session, I shot forty shots without cleaning, and my last group was better than the first one with the same load. (both in the .4's) jd

 

[nmkid]

Are you planning on trying any 40 grainers?

 

[jds holler]

Are you planning on trying any 40 grainers?

Yup. I've got a box of 40 gr. Berger HPBT's to try. BC is .236, and they're called Match Grade. Our weather and wind has just been so crappy that I don't want to go try accuracy testing till I have a good day.

I did make it out to shoot a few squirrels last weekend with this rifle, and learned a little. Cross wind was pretty stiff at around 10-15 mph, and I wasn't doing to good out past 150 or so. Didn't have a lot of shells left, so when I was down to five I quit the squirrels and hiked a target out to the 200 yard mark. My group was OK especially considering it was with my tripod not bench. Would have been a little over an inch except for wider horizontal dispersion, but it was blown a full 4" right with the breeze.

I think 40 grainers might help that situation considerably. Over all though I'm getting pretty happy about the way this rifle is shooting. When conditions are good, I'm easily grouping under .5", and I've barely gotten started with testing. I also am not what would be considered a bench rest shooter, nor is my equipment.

I was gonna put a few pics up, but I'm having a glitch with my drag n drop right now. Maybe later. jd