Suggestions for LR Varmint Shooter.

[ARCambo]

Hi everyone.
This has probably been done to death, but I am trying to decide on a caliber to shoot varmints here in NZ.
Rabbits, hares, wallaby's, plovers, wild cats etc. Nothing bigger than a wild goat though.
Been having lots of fun shooting these all with .22lr, .22wmr, and an AR in .223rem.
After something a bit "different" that will only be an occasional shooter. More doing it just for fun really, and seeing some spectacular vapourising of said pests.
Been thinking of a 20BR up till now, but I've been having difficulty in finding a decent donor action. (Been specifically trying to find an old Remmy BDL 22-250)
Now am thinking of getting a new Howa barrelled action to do the build, unless something else turns up.
Unsure on what direction to take in caliber now though. Maybe something like these...... 20BR, 20-250, 20-204, 6mm/204, 22-243?
20tac and 20practical seem far to easy lol. I like to do things a bit differently to everyone else.
I'm fairly new to the building of a wildcat so any ideas would be much appreciated.

Must haves are: must be able to do explosive impacts on soft fluffy things. Don't want a single feeder. Anything else is a bonus. Not worried about barrel life as it will only be a now and again sniper shooter on pesky pests.

 

[dedogs]

AR, HOW FAR?

 

[Jonathan Zimmerman]

I just started a .20-250 build. Best I can tell you because I haven't shot it yet is it should do great at long range with Berger 55's. Shorter ranges (say 400 and in) would be explosive with a V-Max. Feeding should be great from any previously .22-250 barreled action setup. Brass is formed easily with bushings, and Lapua brass is available. Those are the reasons I chose the round over some of the others. They would probably all do you well though. It is certainly fun to think about! Jonathan

 

[SmokinJoe]

My $0.02, 20PPC or 20-223AI. Either will get around 4,000 fps w/40's, and do pretty well with the heavies I would expect. For the 20PPC, use Lapua brass of course. With 20-223AI, I am using IMI brass, but if you can't get that, probably Lapua Match or LC.

 

[IMMORTAL]

Might want to look into a 22BR. Love mine.

 

[40X Guy]

If you want vaporization, look no further than the .220 Swift! Brass seems to be hard to come by lately, and i can't really say if its because of a resurgence here in the US about the caliber or if they quit making brass for it.

You can look at all the wildcats you want and build anything you want which i have in last 25 years but I have stuck with the Swift simply because it works! I have a 13 twist for close in shots of 400 and in and an 8 twist for way out there based on 75 A-Max. Both are devastating and a lot of fun!

Frank

 

[CJ6]

6-284, 12 twist, 87gr Vmax or 88 Bergers. If it's furry ,it's gonna have a BAD hair day
.

 

[ARCambo]

AR, HOW FAR?

Been using the AR to shoot bunnies and wallaby's out to 400 easy.
Hit gongs with it out to 600 as well.
55gr Nosler Shots using 25gr ADI BM2 powder and CCI primers.

The wmr hits well also. Best hit so far is the left eye at 199m ranged. Had no exit hole just turned the skull into soft jelly. Only skin was holding it together.

And the 22lr is great using subs to 120-130m on bunnies. For the wallaby's I have to be a bit closer use HV ammo and aim for the head but it still drops them.

Have been talking to a local that builds wildcat rifles and am looking a bit closer at his 22 Terminator.
Really like to see some spectacular hits with what I build.

 

[ARCambo]

If you want vaporization, look no further than the .220 Swift! Brass seems to be hard to come by lately, and i can't really say if its because of a resurgence here in the US about the caliber or if they quit making brass for it.

You can look at all the wildcats you want and build anything you want which i have in last 25 years but I have stuck with the Swift simply because it works! I have a 13 twist for close in shots of 400 and in and an 8 twist for way out there based on 75 A-Max. Both are devastating and a lot of fun!

Frank

Used a 220 swift before and loved it.
Also used a 204 when they first came on the scene here. Also very good.
But the whole idea of me building a smoking hot caliber is to not go for something factory or easy lol.
If I wanted easy off the shelf, I'd get either of those two.
I want something different but still does spectacular smack downs.

 

[ARCambo]

6-284, 12 twist, 87gr Vmax or 88 Bergers. If it's furry ,it's gonna have a BAD hair day
.

Sounds good, but I really want to keep it in a smaller caliber like a 20 or 22 cal.

 

[22DASHER]

22 Dasher!

 

[Sniper338]

22BR, 22-250AI, 20-223AI, 20BR,

personally Id do a 22BR.. or 22 dasher

 

[boltfluter]

.22 or 6 dasher with an 8 twist. ;D can you say bomb!

Regards, Paul

www.boltfluting.com

 

[L.Sherm]

Don't how easy it is for you to get brass but you obviously have 223 brass so why not a 20 prac. Or 20 Tact. If your 223 die is a bushing die you have to do is change bushings for a 20 Pract.

 

[5spd]

Look at doing a 6x6.8 (the 6.8 spc necked down to 6mm)
I built my 1st on an AR15 frame and now have it on a Savage action.
Easy shooting to 700 yards, 400 will be a chip shot with it.
55g bullets to 3685 fps so far.
95g bullets at 2900+
80g at 3000.
Very accurate rigs, not a ton of powder to spit them out, just darn perfect.
I also have a 20P on an AR15 frame, 22' bbl. Just darn accurate, 3700-3800 fps w 32g bullets, just so easy even a monkey can reload, build one.

 

[ARCambo]

Yup 20BR, 22BR, 22dasher (will look into that 1) all sound good.
I keep going back to my 20 BR original plan for some reason. 8)
Sorry but, 20 pract and 20 tac too easy and been done way too many times. Not really wanting to go there.
For this project I'm looking at using a Howa SA or mini action, or a Remmy 700BDL if I can find a decent donor.

 

[ARCambo]

Only problem with a BR is they generally don't feed well and end up being a single shot.
I'd really like something that will feed OK, which takes me to a the likes of a 22Terminator.

 

[22DASHER]

You shouldn't need more than one shot with a BR or a Dasher! ;D

I don't think you could go wrong with a 22-204 either... And there happens to be a 22-204 fanatic on here.... Let's see if he will chime in....

 

[ARCambo]

You shouldn't need more than one shot with a BR or a Dasher! ;D

I don't think you could go wrong with a 22-204 either... And there happens to be a 22-204 fanatic on here.... Let's see if he will chime in....

I really like the performance of the 20's. Something about them just pulls me in lol.
Must be the short fat cartridges of the BR's that attract me.

 

[roadkill61]

FOR A REPEATER WE BUILD OUR 20br,S ON A TIKA ACTION. tHE 22-250 MAGS WILL WORK. AND YES IT IS DEVASTATING WITH 40 V-MAX