Oh what to do... howa mini

[boltman223]

I can't decide on what to do. I have a howa mini and a 12 twist 20 cal. blank. 204 ruger, 20 practical, or 20vt?

Mainly a paper puncher, but prairie dogs and coyotes are on the list too.

 

[strut64]

My vote is for a 20 practical. brass is easy, performs up to 99% of what a 204R will do.

 

[ND shooter]

My vote is for a 20 practical. brass is easy, performs up to 99% of what a 204R will do.

This^^^^^^

 

[B23]

Or, if you aren't in a hurry, you can wait for the 20 Nosler to come out, which I'm hoping is sooner than later.

But, if waiting isn't something you are interested in, I agree with the above, and would go 20 Practical.

 

[6xcshooter]

20 practical , will the mini howa eject a vartarg? 204R brass hard to come by, nosler bout the only 1 readily available, winchester was always my favorite brass.

 

[snert]

Sorry, i would go VT. So if you can't decide, send it to me...

 

[L.Sherm]

Or, if you aren't in a hurry, you can wait for the 20 Nosler to come out, which I'm hoping is sooner than later.

But, if waiting isn't something you are interested in, I agree with the above, and would go 20 Practical.

What 20 cal isn't already out there that wouldn't fill your needs that the 20 Nosler will?

 

[B23]

What 20 cal isn't already out there that wouldn't fill your needs that the 20 Nosler will?

It's not so much that there isn't already a 20 cal out there that'll do the same thing but there are a couple things that appeal to me with regard to the 20 Nosler. I have a really nice little Rem VS SF 223 that hasn't seen the light of day in quite some time. I like everything about it, except I've already got a bunch of 223's, so it doesn't get much use and I thought this would make a really nice donor gun for the 20 Nosler. Secondly, it would be really nice to just buy brass and not have to do anything to it except maybe a quick run through a sizing die.

This is all assuming Nosler actually comes out with a 20 Nosler. LOL

I've got a fast twist 20-250 that is going together and will be finished up some time in the next couple months and I've already got a CZ 527 Varmint 204 so I'm not really lacking a 20 cal but I do have another 1-8tw .20 Krieger barrel and if they do start making a 20 Nosler, Kiff already has reamers, and if brass becomes available I'll be ready and waiting.

 

[L.Sherm]

A 20 prac. With a bushing die is just neck down and shoot. A 20SCC or 20 Vt. Is no big deal either necking down 221 fireball brass with a bushing die too. It will supprise you how accurate they can be fireforming. The downside to the nosler cartridges is the price of brass, not much interest for me in the 22,26,28, or 20. But the 30 with 210 or 215 is a different story.

 

[Clancy]

I strongly recommend necking down with a non-bushing, full length sizing die, should you see the need.

20 practical sounds pretty cool.

 

[B23]

I strongly recommend necking down with a non-bushing, full length sizing die, should you see the need.

20 practical sounds pretty cool.

I'm assuming you are suggesting a standard FL sizing die because a bushing die won't size the full length of the neck, yes? Problem is I don't think anyone makes a standard FL sizing die for a 20 Practical, do they??

Though a bushing die will leave a portion of the neck unsized, it should sort itself out in the first firing. I'll be using Redding 22-250 bushing dies for the 20-250 I'm having built but my gunsmith is going to make me a special bushing to use for necking down 22-250 brass so it sizes the whole neck down instead of leaving a false shoulder.

 

[L.Sherm]

I strongly recommend necking down with a non-bushing, full length sizing die, should you see the need.

20 practical sounds pretty cool.

I use a 223 bushing die and have no problems. You are correct nobody does make a die unless you do a custom.

 

[Clancy]

I'm assuming you are suggesting a standard FL sizing die because a bushing die won't size the full length of the neck, yes? Problem is I don't think anyone makes a standard FL sizing die for a 20 Practical, do they??

Though a bushing die will leave a portion of the neck unsized, it should sort itself out in the first firing. I'll be using Redding 22-250 bushing dies for the 20-250 I'm having built but my gunsmith is going to make me a special bushing to use for necking down 22-250 brass so it sizes the whole neck down instead of leaving a false shoulder.

What will keep the bushing from falling out of the bottom of the die? Is it tapered?

 

[B23]

What will keep the bushing from falling out of the bottom of the die? Is it tapered?

I'm not really sure how or what they are going to do it, was their idea not mine, I'm assuming it'll be tapered, but you know what happens when you assume. lol

This is another reason the 20 Nosler appeals to me. Can use a small bolt face action, ready to use brass, standard available dies, and performance somewhere around the same as the 20BR. What's not to like.

 

[6xcshooter]

Here's what I did to neck my 20prac. down from 223 brass. I got a 204r fl die, cut off some of the bottom of the die so it would come down to the shoulder of the 223 brass. Then after the 1st firings I use a bushing die. the 223 brass has a 23 degree angle and the 204r has 30 degree angle so the 223 brass will go into the 204 without touching the shoulder. works great for me.

 

[TrappernGa]

The .20 Practical is an amazing cartridge that just begs to be shot. Easy to make out of inexpensive brass, less powder, less recoil less expensive to shoot than most all the other .20's. 11 twist, 24" barrel.

 

[Knifeman]

20 Vartarg.

 

[flatlander]

I'm looking at the same situation, but had been wanting another 20VT ever since I sold the M700 17 Fireball that I'd re-barreled to 20VT. Have already done one of the Howa Mini rifles in 6RAT - started with one in 6.5 Grendel, pulled the factory bbl, replaced it with a 24" Bartlein 6mm/1-8tw light Palma bbl chambered for the RAT, and bedded it into a McMillan Sako Varmint stock. McM wasn't doing the inlet for the Mini action, so I had to send them another Mini (this one in 222) to model the inlet for the Sako stock. It's a sweet-shooting light rifle, so am looking forward to finally getting that 222 Mini back, along with another stock with the Mini inlet - this one a Game Scout. I've got a couple of 1-9tw Krieger 20 cal blanks, but would prefer something with less case capacity than either the 20 Practical or 20 Tactical. What's Todd Kindler think of a 20-222? Not sure it's worth screwing around with another 20 cal wildcat though, since I've already got the reamer & dies for the 20VT.

I do still have one more Mini in 6.5 Grendel - could pull that factory bbl & replace it with a 20 PPC...but that means another reamer & custom die set.

 

[garym]

I can't decide on what to do. I have a howa mini and a 12 twist 20 cal. blank. 204 ruger, 20 practical, or 20vt?

Mainly a paper puncher, but prairie dogs and coyotes are on the list too.

Ina e had a 20 Tactical, I have a 204, I have a couple of 20 Vartarg's. I shoot the Vartargs the most.

 

[boltman223]

Ina e had a 20 Tactical, I have a 204, I have a couple of 20 Vartarg's. I shoot the Vartargs the most.

Yeah, I'm thinking 20 vartarg too. It's still kinda tough to decide though. It would be nice with the 20 prac to just neck down 223 Brass, I have a lot of it...

I also want a 20-222, but like others have said that would be another reamer. For a small light rifle the 20 VT is probably best fit for me. And, about 100 more rounds out of a pound of powder is nice too.