Only one factory .20 caliber cartridge...STILL?!

[jcm24m]

Buy a Savage and get a PPC bolt head. Now you are ready to build a 20 PPC. Buy some Norma 22 PPC brass and neck it down to the MOST accurate cartridge you can get to hunt prairie dogs.

 

[Matt_3479]

It’s funny I never really thought about the fact the 204 was the only factory chambering. I know Cooper chambers 20 vartarg which is nice.
I’ve been using a 20 for probably 5-7 years now and love them. 2 204’s and getting my second 20 tac. They flat out work! I have had 6mms, and 22’s and for coyotes the 20’s are my favourite

 

[JSH]

Buy a Savage and get a PPC bolt head. Now you are ready to build a 20 PPC. Buy some Norma 22 PPC brass and neck it down to the MOST accurate cartridge you can get to hunt prairie dogs.

Is there a significant accuracy gain with a 20PPC? I toyed with the idea and several said to go to a 204 match chamber. Gives pretty much equal results not enough to argue over. Curious as to your findings.

I have thought a fair bit on a 20BR, I would think a heavier bullet would be inline, 50 grain and up.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Me thinks the caliber (ammo) market is geared towards the hunters not bug hole/target or critter shooters. Not many folks shooting ground squirrels on a regular basis with an 06 or any 30 + caliber for that matter. Little bitty bullets make little bitty holes.
Never heard of anyone shooting/killing deer with a .204 but, you know someone out there has done it.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

A new 20 cal would have to be faster than the 204r, or no marketing hype. Or 40% cheaper ammo than the ruger and huge availability, now that would get hype.

 

[L.Sherm]

20 Nosler is coming...

.20 Nosler – a New Cartridge that is Not Yet Announced?!

SAAMI has accepted cartridge and chamber drawings of a couple of new cartridges.Both are Nosler cartridges.One is the recently announced .22 Nosler, which we covered in a separate article.

www.thefirearmblog.com

I love my 204R. Have always had one in my arsenal since it’s debut in 2005. The main population of 20 cal shooters hand loads their ammo anyhow so I don’t think more commercially adopted 20 cal rounds is going to help that much.

The beauty of Wildcatting rounds is that it’s pretty easy and the world is your oyster. Necking down brass from any of the 22 cal rounds is very simple so no big deal there. I even neck down 6ppc which takes two steps but still simple to do and there is some 22ppc brass out there but it’s scarce.

I guess the cost savings with a new commercial 20 cal would be for those wanting to use a straight factory rifle. But that’s just not me... I think the nostalgia of wildcatting 20 cal rounds and building custom rifles for them is what keeps me coming back for more

This was 3 years ago, currently no brass in production

 

[shoot4fun]

First of all, I think the 20 caliber wildcats (many of them anyway) got their legs under them after the 204 Ruger. came out. I freely admit that I cared not for the 204 introduction. It seemed to me some gun writers trying to tell us the 204 Ruger was sliced bread and we should get rid of all our other small caliber rifles.
My first experience with it was in TX on a prairie dog shoot. Results were so-so and it sure didn't launch dogs into flight like the 22-250 does. I did get the urge for a 20 but went Vartarg because I read of it being a fast 20 without eating much powder. I was disappointed when I never got the speed I was seeing from others so I had my local smith bump it up to 204 Ruger. The scribes said I would never get the performance of Hornady factory ammo by reloading. Again, they were wrong. I'm a fan of the 204 now; easy to load and not too powder hungry. Plus I've made a few pretty incredible long shots with one too.
As for the 20 Practical, it has merit but do not expect it to be the 20 Practical unless the right marketing team can make the proper play on that name.

 

[chuckshooter]

since the 204 was introduced, we have had the 17 fireball and the 17 hornet come out, so the 20 cal. commercial development people are definitely lacking.

I am getting ready for my first squirrel shooting trip of the season and I usually only take 20 cal. rifles, this year, I may need to take a couple 22cal's in the mix because of the availabilities of reloading supplies. I don't even enjoy shooting the 204 anymore let alone a 22-250 when compared to my little 20 cal's. they do the job just fine with less powder, less recoil. oh how the times are a changing .

 

[NorCalMikie]

A new 20 cal would have to be faster than the 204r,

Speed don't mean SQUAT if you can't hit what you're aiming at. Speed just makes the barrel go away faster.
Slower is also better on brass, if it makes any difference.
Bad Ju Ju about Remington .221 Fireball brass. Never had any issues. Always heard it was crap. Mid range load gets the job done and the brass doesn't get beat up. To each his/her own I guess.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

It’s funny I never really thought about the fact the 204 was the only factory chambering. I know Cooper chambers 20 vartarg which is nice.
I’ve been using a 20 for probably 5-7 years now and love them. 2 204’s and getting my second 20 tac. They flat out work! I have had 6mms, and 22’s and for coyotes the 20’s are my favourite

I still love my 6mm’s too tho. A 75gr HP bullet crashing into a ground squirrel at close range after leaving the muzzle at 3500 fps is quite a sight to behold. Lol.

 

[B23]

This was 3 years ago, currently no brass in production

Maybe I'm easily amused but I think it's whacky as hell and funny how you can buy a 20 Nosler, not 20-22Nosler, reamer and Redding 20 Nosler dies but no 20 Nosler brass. What's that saying about don't get the cart in front of the horse... LOL

 

[Rustytigwire]

The technology we have access to makes whatever we might want available and is limited only by imagination and creativity.
What a great time to be alive.

 

[dedogs]

You guys should listen to NorCalMikie. He knows of which he speaks.
I get paid to kill varmints. For a lot of years I used a .17 Fireball with 20 or 25 grain bullets, depending on the target critter. Then I bought a used 20 VarTarg and started out pushing 32g V-Max. If you shoot a Rockchuck in the head with a .17 Fireball 20g V-max, most of it's head will go away but quite often not all of it. If you shoot a Rockchuck in the head with a .20 caliber 32 grain V-Max at any thing less than 200 yds. IT WILL HAVE NO HEAD! Both Rockchucks will be just as dead, just one a little more "dead" than the other. If I don't produce a tail, I don't get paid. Never had a crawl-off so far with the VarTarg. I have fallen in love with my VarTarg and because of this I now own several 20 caliber rifles and am in the starting phases of building another. They are all Wildcats. If any of them ever get to be a factory offering I will be sad. Part of my enjoyment in shooting Varmints is conceptualizing a cartridge, coming up with a proto-type, and working up an accurate load for said cartridge. Like Mike said "Speed don't mean squat". I never had a Rockchuck or Coyote or any other critter I shot complain that my bullet was going too fast (or too slow). Once I get my brass set up for whatever cartridge, I am no longer at the mercy of ammo manufacturers who want to cater to the flavor of the month in hot cartridges. Don't much care for that. By the way if you want a real "over-achiever" cartridge try a 20 BR with 55g Bergers. Performs way above expectations. dedogs

 

[Matt_3479]

I still love my 6mm’s too tho. A 75gr HP bullet crashing into a ground squirrel at close range after leaving the muzzle at 3500 fps is quite a sight to behold. Lol.

oh I still own 1 6mm, but it’s set up for the 105’s and has made its mark a time or too on crows and yotes. The 20’s and 25 creed see a bit more use now though

 

[Ledd Slinger]

You guys should listen to NorCalMikie. He knows of which he speaks.
I get paid to kill varmints. For a lot of years I used a .17 Fireball with 20 or 25 grain bullets, depending on the target critter. Then I bought a used 20 VarTarg and started out pushing 32g V-Max. If you shoot a Rockchuck in the head with a .17 Fireball 20g V-max, most of it's head will go away but quite often not all of it. If you shoot a Rockchuck in the head with a .20 caliber 32 grain V-Max at any thing less than 200 yds. IT WILL HAVE NO HEAD! Both Rockchucks will be just as dead, just one a little more "dead" than the other. If I don't produce a tail, I don't get paid. Never had a crawl-off so far with the VarTarg. I have fallen in love with my VarTarg and because of this I now own several 20 caliber rifles and am in the starting phases of building another. They are all Wildcats. If any of them ever get to be a factory offering I will be sad. Part of my enjoyment in shooting Varmints is conceptualizing a cartridge, coming up with a proto-type, and working up an accurate load for said cartridge. Like Mike said "Speed don't mean squat". I never had a Rockchuck or Coyote or any other critter I shot complain that my bullet was going too fast (or too slow). Once I get my brass set up for whatever cartridge, I am no longer at the mercy of ammo manufacturers who want to cater to the flavor of the month in hot cartridges. Don't much care for that. By the way if you want a real "over-achiever" cartridge try a 20 BR with 55g Bergers. Performs way above expectations. dedogs

Yeah but when you are shooting them at 300-500 yards or more on a windy day, that extra 200-300 fps makes a difference. Trust me, I’ve owned and shot em all from big to small

 

[dedogs]

that extra 200-300 fps makes a difference.

Get closer. dedogs

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Get closer. dedogs

They are usually spread from 50 yards on out. Why limit yourself to the close ones? And I like a challenge. Shooting all the “gimme’s” gets boring.

20 VT is great, but saying the larger 20 cals aren’t needed makes no sense. There’s a place for them all just like all the smaller and larger rounds in every other bore size.

And I’ll guarantee you there’s a lot more carnage than a 20 VT will ever deliver when a 39gr BK from my 204 Ruger at 3980 fps makes contact with a ground squirrel.

To go out even further yet, I like varmint 6mms in my Arsenal. Are those not needed as well?

 

[dedogs]

To go out even further yet, I like varmint 6mms in my Arsenal. Are those not needed as well?

So where did I say the larger 20 cals. are not needed? You apparently did not see my comment on the 20 BR. As I stated, I have and use several 20 cal. rifles. They all have their place and they all get used. However I do not and probably won't own a 204 Ruger. There are more efficient options if a guy wants to spend the time and money. Check out a 20 Grendel with a 40g V-Max. Not gonna argue with you. You go do your thing and I'll do mine. dedogs

 

[Rick in Oregon]

From NorCalMikie: Me thinks the caliber (ammo) market is geared towards the hunters not bug hole/target or critter shooters. Not many folks shooting ground squirrels on a regular basis with an 06 or any 30 + caliber for that matter. Little bitty bullets make little bitty holes.

I spent an hour in John Nosler's office a couple of years ago, trying to convince him to bring out a factory version of the 20VT. At the end of the conversation, it was quite apparent that the company only really caters to big game hunters, and 'bigger is better' in terms of cartridges. A dinky 20VT did not stir any interest at all, much to my chagrin.

So, don't hold your breath kiddies.

 

[Forum Boss]

The logical second commercial .20 caliber cartridge would be Robert Whitley's "20 Practical", which is just a .223 Rem necked down.

We don't really know why, but this has proven to be extremely accurate, and it is an ideal small-varmint round for AR platforms.

The .20 Practical AR — Wicked Accuracy, Low Recoil « Daily Bulletin

The new .224 Valkyrie for AR15-platform rifles has garnered lots of attention lately. That new cartridge has gotten people thinking about the options for an AR shooter beyond the venerable .223 Remington (and 5.56x39mm NATO). While the .

bulletin.accurateshooter.com