My .20 Practical's Fathers Day Gift

[JLT]

I went to the range early yesterday morning. I was feeling a bit sorry for myself on Fathers Day, as I'm stuck in NY trying to sell three properties and the love of my life and our five children are in our new house in TX. Almost all of our household was moved in April, but I kept a few rifles and enough reloading gear to keep them fed - I needed something to do that didn't involve a paint brush or power tools. One of the rifles that stayed behind is a .20 Practical built on a Stevens 200 action. It was a budget build I threw together in the shop on a slow afternoon a few winters ago but it's always been quite the shooter and it's my first choice for varmints and vermin if the wind isn't blowing.

Anyway, I fixed a target at 100 and set the rifle up on the bench with an Atlas BT10 and rear bag. I was shooting 32 gr. V-Max in front of 23.7 gr. of H4198, LC brass and Tula primers. The first three shots on the target looked like this:



That there is a monument to positive-outcome probability, cause I ain't that good. I can't hold that well on a proper front rest, much less a bipod. I should have packed up then, but I kept shooting. That group brightened my mood, though, and it made me think of our oldest daughter at home. My Abigail, 13, loves shooting this little rifle and she shoots it like a pro. We've spent some bench time together with this one and she's shot her share of groups in the threes with it. Those memories made me smile . . . .

 

[Mark M.]

Thanks for sharing.

 

[DogBuster]

looks very good........

now try some 40 V's & H4895 or Benchmark......

 

[nmkid]

looks very good........

now try some 40 V's & H4895 or Benchmark......

Care to share any starting loads with those powders?

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Any time I shoot a three-shot group that looks anything like that, I just HAVE to take a photo, as no matter what I do, what I mentally chant to myself, how I hold and read the wind, that fourth shot absolutely WILL open up that sweet little bughole group shot two minutes earlier!

Nice group, nice shooting. Don't change a thing!

 

[GrocMax]

Care to share any starting loads with those powders?

For 40 vmax somewhere between .010"-.020" off the lands (around 2.225 OAL on a 0 freebore) and start at 24.5g Benchmark go up in 0.3g increments. Most people seem to like 25.0-25.5g and 3700-3750 FPS.

 

[snert]

Jose, nice job. Praying for you that the place sells quick and you get down to Tx with your family.

 

[hogpatrol]

Nice shooting. The 20P built correct is a great cartridge.

 

[pacificman]

WOW...you have a good shooter there for sure! The 20 practical is such a great caliber ...I own two
of them now...I think it's one of the best varmint rounds out there! You know the day will come when
your daughter will out shoot ya with your own rifle...LOL . My Son has done that to me a time or two.

 

[JLT]

WOW...you have a good shooter there for sure! The 20 practical is such a great caliber ...I own two
of them now...I think it's one of the best varmint rounds out there! You know the day will come when
your daughter will out shoot ya with your own rifle...LOL . My Son has done that to me a time or two.

That day is here, my friend! She wins handily almost every time we shoot the rimfire challenge course. Young eyes, nerves and confidence! She's a natural. And I'm getting old ...

 

[JLT]

Jose, nice job. Praying for you that the place sells quick and you get down to Tx with your family.

Thank you, Parker. Much appreciated.

 

[JLT]

Any time I shoot a three-shot group that looks anything like that, I just HAVE to take a photo, as no matter what I do, what I mentally chant to myself, how I hold and read the wind, that fourth shot absolutely WILL open up that sweet little bughole group shot two minutes earlier!

Nice group, nice shooting. Don't change a thing!

THAT'S EXACTLY why I stop at three! The fourth and fifth shots went to the same point of impact on the next target, then the wind started to freshen. Psych job - groups opened up thereafter!

 

[JLT]

looks very good........

now try some 40 V's & H4895 or Benchmark......

I do have a couple of loads with Benchmark for the 40 gr. V-Max and the 39 gr. BK. They work much better in the wind and they make crows disappear in a puff of black feathers. My barrel prefers the lighter 32 gr. bullets, but the 39/40s are at the very least respectable.

 

[hogpatrol]

Try the 40gr BIBs. I've found no more accurate bullet for my 20Ps than them. I'm using VV133.

 

[JLT]

Nice shooting. The 20P built correct is a great cartridge.

I agree completely. This rifle was my first sub-caliber and I don't know why I waited so long. It's a joy to shoot, great accuracy, easy to load for and messes stuff up on the receiving end. I help my neighbor (a dairy farmer and all-around great guy) with crows, groundhogs, coyotes and other assorted vermin and the 20P has been my first choice since I built it. He shot it a few times and liked it so much he had me build him one, too. I told him I'd trade him for his .257 Roberts AI that was built by Parker Ackley himself. He laughed. I tried.

 

[JLT]

Try the 40gr BIBs. I've found no more accurate bullet for my 20Ps than them. I'm using VV133.

I just looked at the BIB site. I'm going to give those 40s a whirl and the 110 gr. .257 caught my eye. Thanks for the tip!

 

[hogpatrol]

These are the BIBs out of an AR at 200 meters, R-P range brass, 133 and BR4s, .010 off. Aim point was the inner right side of the diamond. First three went low left, re-dialed scope and shot three more, then another at the bull. Good enough for the new Pennsy regs on the groundhogs.

 

[JLT]

These are the BIBs out of an AR at 200 meters, R-P range brass, 133 and BR4s, .010 off. Aim point was the inner right side of the diamond. First three went low left, re-dialed scope and shot three more, then another at the bull. Good enough for the new Pennsy regs on the groundhogs.
View attachment 1013152

Nice ... 3/8 MOA out of an AR - you got yourself a nice AR!

I've never tried VV133. Mind if I ask what your recommended starting load was for a 40?

 

[hogpatrol]

Nice ... 3/8 MOA out of an AR - you got yourself a nice AR!

I've never tried VV133. Mind if I ask what your recommended starting load was for a 40?

In the AR with the 40s I started at 23.0 grains. In the AR, I shoot a milder load than in the bolt (700) rifle.

 

[JLT]

In the AR with the 40s I started at 23.0 grains. In the AR, I shoot a milder load than in the bolt (700) rifle.

Thank you. I'll give it a shot.