Spec'ing a 20 Practical reamer

[geraldgee]

I am in the process of ordering a .20 Practical reamer with the following dimensions:
.233 Neck
0 Freebore
1°-30' leade angle
to be used in an 11twt bolt rifle, shooting up to 40gr bullets.

Comments requested from those you own/shoot a 20 Practical.
Thank you in advance for sharing your experience.

Gerald

 

[redrockranger]

I am in the process of ordering a .20 Practical reamer with the following dimensions:
.233 Neck
0 Freebore
1°-30' leade angle
to be used in an 11twt bolt rifle, shooting up to 40gr bullets.

Comments requested from those you own/shoot a 20 Practical.
Thank you in advance for sharing your experience.

Gerald

I ordered the Kevin Weaver and Fireball reamer from PTG. It's in the cover story in the 20 cal on home page .works for me. Use a Redding 223 type s loading die and 3 bushings to neck it down.

 

[pacificman]

Sounds perfect! I have two barrels ...one a Pac-Nor and a Criterion both 11 twist with .233 neck
and zero free bore. The Pac-nor is 28 inch tube getting 3850fps. The Criterion is 26 inch tube getting
3625fps. They both are very accurate and I would use those same chamber dimensions again.

 

[geraldgee]

I ordered the Kevin Weaver and Fireball reamer from PTG. It's in the cover story in the 20 cal on home page .works for me. Use a Redding 223 type s loading die and 3 bushings to neck it down.

I read the article and have a copy of the Weaver Reamer print. I will order from JGS. I have bought all of my reamers from them and they always take good care of me. Thanks for the comments.
Gerald

 

[geraldgee]

Sounds perfect! I have two barrels ...one a Pac-Nor and a Criterion both 11 twist with .233 neck
and zero free bore. The Pac-nor is 28 inch tube getting 3850fps. The Criterion is 26 inch tube getting
3625fps. They both are very accurate and I would use those same chamber dimensions again.

I am thinking 22" barrel. I know I am leaving some velocity on the table but the days of me lugging heavy muzzled rifles are behind me. Are these RemAge or Savage prefit barrels?

Thank you for your comments.
Gerald

 

[redrockranger]

I am thinking 22" barrel. I know I am leaving some velocity on the table but the days of me lugging heavy muzzled rifles are behind me. Are these RemAge or Savage prefit barrels?

Thank you for your comments.
Gerald

Mine is a Pac Nor #8 contour @ 26",11 twist.threaded into a Remington 700 action.Likes the 40gr Nosler BT and 39gr Sierra BK. IMR 4198 works well but pressure can spike quickly. Looks like it will shoot IMR 8208XBR well also. 8208 XBR seems to work well in many smaller cartridges.

 

[jepp2]

.233 Neck

That is what I use on all my 20's and I can use Lapua brass without neck turning. Not a lot of clearance, but it works.

 

[geraldgee]

That is what I use on all my 20's and I can use Lapua brass without neck turning. Not a lot of clearance, but it works.

Thank you for posting. I am expecting my bushings and seater stem, as well as some bullets this week from Brownells. I will measure once I get a dummy load put together. How much clearance are you seeing?
Gerald

 

[AckleymanII]

Gerald, clearance is a matter of preference. When you neck down, neck walls do not "neck down" concentrically, meaning that there will be thicker and thinner spots. Due to this issue, a .002 would probably be an absolute bare minimum, and .004 would not be unusual.

Best to neck down some of the brand of brass that you want to use(brands will make a difference), then measure with a micrometer, not a dial caliper.

If you want to shoot Many brands of brass, better neck down various brands, seat bullets, and best to use at least 5 of each.

Zero to .020 freebore is good, there is usually .014 that is a 45* chamfer coming off the end of the case neck.

 

[jepp2]

How much clearance are you seeing?

Loaded Lapua .2305" measured with a good micrometer, FC .229", LC . .227-.228".

I normally take my necks down in 3 steps, and when I have carefully measured, I find the variations in neck wall thickness do not change concentrically, just increase due to the necking down.

 

[geraldgee]

Gerald, clearance is a matter of preference. When you neck down, neck walls do not "neck down" concentrically, meaning that there will be thicker and thinner spots. Due to this issue, a .002 would probably be an absolute bare minimum, and .004 would not be unusual.

Best to neck down some of the brand of brass that you want to use(brands will make a difference), then measure with a micrometer, not a dial caliper.

If you want to shoot Many brands of brass, better neck down various brands, seat bullets, and best to use at least 5 of each.

Zero to .020 freebore is good, there is usually .014 that is a 45* chamfer coming off the end of the case neck.

Thanks for responding. I am looking for .004 clearance so I may have to adjust for that when I place my order.

Gerald

 

[geraldgee]

Loaded Lapua .2305" measured with a good micrometer, FC .229", LC . .227-.228".

I normally take my necks down in 3 steps, and when I have carefully measured, I find the variations in neck wall thickness do not change concentrically, just increase due to the necking down.

I intend for this to be a field gun and as such will probably want more that .0025 clearance. I certainly appreciate your help . This is exactly the real-life stuff I was hoping for.

Gerald

 

[nmkid]

My .20 P barrel from Pac Nor at 28"(finished) 1:11, loafs right along at 3750 with 40 gr. V-max's and H-335. Of all my guns, I believe this is the most fun to shoot.

 

[geraldgee]

My .20 P barrel from Pac Nor at 28"(finished) 1:11, loafs right along at 3750 with 40 gr. V-max's and H-335. Of all my guns, I believe this is the most fun to shoot.

That is the reason I am building this one - cause I just know it'll be fun to shoot. Thanks for responding.
Gerald

Dang it - I don't think y'all are going to let me get away with a 22" barrel but I am drawing the line at 24" - lol

 

[jepp2]

I don't think y'all are going to let me get away with a 22" barrel

26", 24", 24", and 24"

 

[pacificman]

I am thinking 22" barrel. I know I am leaving some velocity on the table but the days of me lugging heavy muzzled rifles are behind me. Are these RemAge or Savage prefit barrels?

Thank you for your comments.
Gerald

One is a remage and one is a Savage pre-fit. Both are shooters. You would lose a little bit of speed with 22 inch barrel but
you will love the accuracy.

 

[geraldgee]

Loaded Lapua .2305" measured with a good micrometer, FC .229", LC . .227-.228".
I normally take my necks down in 3 steps, and when I have carefully measured, I find the variations in neck wall thickness do not change concentrically, just increase due to the necking down.

Use a Redding 223 type s loading die and 3 bushings to neck it down.

You both neck down in 3 steps. I followed the suggestions I read on 6mmAR and ordered a .233 & .225 bushing planning on a 2 step process. Mind sharing what size bushings you are using in your processes?

Thank you.
Gerald

 

[jepp2]

Mind sharing what size bushings you are using in your processes?

Normally I am converting once fired 223 brass. So here are my steps, dies, and diameters:

Standard Redding 223 FL sizing die with the expander removed, .243"
Redding Comp bushing necks sizing die with Whidden .235" bushing
CH4D 20-223 FL sizing die with expander with neck honed by me to .226"

I put the 3 dies in a Dillon RL 550 tool head, and every pull of the handle is a converted 20P brass.

Probably obvious, but before I start my sizing process, I swage the primer pockets on a Dillon Swager (will not fit after sizing the neck down) and use my Lyman primer pocket deburring tool (also will not fit after reducing the neck diameter and swaging tends to close off the flash hole with the burr left after punching the hole). I have a K&M deburring tool for 20 cal necks, but use it on my .204 Ruger brass.

 

[geraldgee]

Normally I am converting once fired 223 brass. So here are my steps, dies, and diameters:

Standard Redding 223 FL sizing die with the expander removed, .243"
Redding Comp bushing necks sizing die with Whidden .235" bushing
CH4D 20-223 FL sizing die with expander with neck honed by me to .226"

I put the 3 dies in a Dillon RL 550 tool head, and every pull of the handle is a converted 20P brass.

Probably obvious, but before I start my sizing process, I swage the primer pockets on a Dillon Swager (will not fit after sizing the neck down) and use my Lyman primer pocket deburring tool (also will not fit after reducing the neck diameter and swaging tends to close off the flash hole with the burr left after punching the hole). I have a K&M deburring tool for 20 cal necks, but use it on my .204 Ruger brass.

Thank you. We are on the same page. I appreciate your help

Gerald

 

[nmkid]

I'm using Lapua brass and my loaded rounds measure at .2315/.232. I like light neck tension so I'm using a .230 bushing.