please help a .20 descision- have ordered barrel -again - need chamber help

[Ogre6br]

HI
I have re-ordered a .20 cal barrel because the vendor claims they have no record of the order being placed even though I have a lay away card for the order.

Please help me settle which .20 cal chambering I get built- it will be a walk around varminator- shots from 25 to 250+ yards

Action- Sako 461 sporter
barrel- S/S upto finished length of 26 inch 1:10 twist
Game/varmints: Rabbits, foxes, dogs,cats etc

MUST FUNCTION AS A REPEATER!!!!!!!!!!!

Smith I'm going to use has reamers that might be considered usefull in, 204R, Body reamer for 223AI, 17 MK4, 222 min spec match body reamer, various straigh reamers in the 226 to 234 size.

Plan to use the 39 BK or 40 V-max.

I already own dies in 17mk4,standard), 222,standard and bushing), 223 standard and bushing, 223AI small base body die, 6x45 and 6x47 Rem,standard)

max range will be dictated as to where ft-lbs drops below 400.

So guys-- put foward your suggestions about what .20 cal chambering i should get made.

Thanks

later
P

 

[rstreich]

I'd either go Tac 20 or 20 Vartarg Turbo. If you go shorter than that, you wind up too short for reliable feeding from the mag. There are the "Practical" versions of each of these, but I'd rather have the slightly sharper shoulder myself.

For the Tac 20, you can use Lapua or RWS brass. For the 20 Vartarg Turbo, I'd go with RWS brass. I had a couple of lots of Lapua 222 brass that just weren't up to snuff.

robert

 

[bmx]

My next .20 will be a .20-.222. Easy to form brass and can be put in a sporter weight rifle and be super accurate. Extremely long barrel life with little throat eroasion.

 

[Fireball]

I just did an experiment at the range the other day with one of my .20-222s,my rebarreled Tikka Continental). I took one of the Winchester .222 cases I use for my .20-222 rifles and loaded and shot it at the range with as much N133 as I could stuff into it,24.8 gr.) sixteen times. I used a 32gr. Vmax and got 4000 fps for all sixteen shots. At the end of the shooting the primer pocket was as tight as when I began and the case had lengthened only .005". At this rate I will burn out many many barrels before I'll ever have to trim these cases. The neck was as good as new also. I have the case on my reloading bench with notes written on it. And when I am bored one day I will try to keep shooting it until it either fails or grows too long to chamber.

So the lesson of this experiment is don't get too hung up over shoulder angles and case tapers. They don't buy one as much as one might believe. Just take the great cases we already have and neck them down. I predict you will be very satisfied.

 

[caroby]

I just did an experiment at the range the other day with one of my .20-222s,my rebarreled Tikka Continental). I took one of the Winchester .222 cases I use for my .20-222 rifles and loaded and shot it at the range with as much N133 as I could stuff into it,24.8 gr.) sixteen times. I used a 32gr. Vmax and got 4000 fps for all sixteen shots. At the end of the shooting the primer pocket was as tight as when I began and the case had lengthened only .005". At this rate I will burn out many many barrels before I'll ever have to trim these cases. The neck was as good as new also. I have the case on my reloading bench with notes written on it. And when I am bored one day I will try to keep shooting it until it either fails or grows too long to chamber.

So the lesson of this experiment is don't get too hung up over shoulder angles and case tapers. They don't buy one as much as one might believe. Just take the great cases we already have and neck them down. I predict you will be very satisfied.

Excellent advice fireball...!

I have one Sako 461 action.....It is my favorite action hands down... A real sweetheart.
I feel the 20-222 is THE perfect balance between accuracy and speed in a .20. I will not be without one in my arsenal.

CaleR