The anticipation is killing me! Waiting on the new 20VT rifle...

[TheCZKid]

I was in the hunt for a new (to me) rifle in 20 VarTarg, and a good fellow on here offered one for sale. I sent payment, and now it's shipped, just waiting until it arrives on Monday at the FFL. And the scope for it should be here on Tuesday... already got the rings!

Taking on a new quest, to find the right rifle, then to start to form some brass for this new wildcat, and then I'll get the scope on the rifle... and see how she shoots!

Thankfully the seller sent along 30 shot cases, so I can get the chamber dimensions to form my LC brass appropriately for testing.

It's the anticipation of having some fun! I think this gun will be really accurate, and the load development should be a hoot! This is the kind of challenge I really enjoy! And the Sage Rats should be Nervous!

I was just curious how many of you can relate? I've been anxious about having to move soon, for a few months now, and I needed a positive thing to obsess about, focus on, and reloading normally fills the bill. And getting my first custom built rifle, very cool.

 

[Mark M.]

I was in the hunt for a new (to me) rifle in 20 VarTarg, and a good fellow on here offered one for sale. I sent payment, and now it's shipped, just waiting until it arrives on Monday at the FFL. And the scope for it should be here on Tuesday... already got the rings!

Taking on a new quest, to find the right rifle, then to start to form some brass for this new wildcat, and then I'll get the scope on the rifle... and see how she shoots!

Thankfully the seller sent along 30 shot cases, so I can get the chamber dimensions to form my LC brass appropriately for testing.

It's the anticipation of having some fun! I think this gun will be really accurate, and the load development should be a hoot! This is the kind of challenge I really enjoy! And the Sage Rats should be Nervous!

I was just curious how many of you can relate? I've been anxious about having to move soon, for a few months now, and I needed a positive thing to obsess about, focus on, and reloading normally fills the bill. And getting my first custom built rifle, very cool.

I can relate, having custom 20 practical build, should be done about the end of June, love the Persut of a new build

 

[GLShooter]

I understand the anxiety. Over the past couple decades I've been doing the same thing. In fact right now is the first time in many months I wasn't waiting for something. A word of advice is don't get hooked in to R&D with a bunch of firearm industry guys. They'll have you in that state constantly and your pocket book stays VERY thin!!

Congratulations in advance on the new adrenalin pump.

Greg

 

[TheCZKid]

I understand the anxiety. Over the past couple decades I've been doing the same thing. In fact right now is the first time in many months I wasn't waiting for something. A word of advice is don't get hooked in to R&D with a bunch of firearm industry guys. They'll have you in that state constantly and your pocket book stays VERY thin!!

Congratulations in advance on the new adrenalin pump.

Greg

The rifle I'm getting was built about 20 years ago, so there's no R&D, curious what kind of new stuff you've been playing with?
I'm actually selling an Aero AR-10 to fund the rifle, and a few scopes to fund the one new scope, as I don't have a bunch of money to spend, so my pocket book hopefully will get thicker again soon...

I've been anticipating what the rifle will look like in person, it's a 1956 Sako which began life as a 222 and is now a 20 Vartarg.

Mark - I was thinking about building a 20 Practical bolt project, as I have an AR version, and figured a bolt version might be just that much more accurate... But someone suggested the 20VT. My main focus will be shooting sage rats, and now I've done one wildcat, the intrigue of a new smaller version, still in 20 caliber, seems like fun!

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Well Doug, the adrenaline rush of anticipation waiting on a new rifle (or pistol or shotgun) is what it's all about! It brings back that same feeling we all had just before Christmas, hoping for that much anticipated BB gun or 22 so long ago. As my wife says, 'you're all just a bunch of kids.....just big ones". I think she may have something there.

As your neighbor, I'm also looking forward to seeing your new treasure. If it shoots anything like my 20VT does, you're in for a real treat. I don't think I've ever heard of a crappy shooting 20VT. If there's one around, it's been kept a secret. The sage rats are indeed in mortal danger!

Now you can put the stress of moving on the back burner and concentrate on brass forming and getting that Sako ready for the field.....good things to ponder while you have visions of flying rats!

 

[TheCZKid]

I got an update from USPS, and the rifle is out for delivery TODAY... except I looked that the stores hours for today, and they aren't open on Saturdays

But yes, we're just Bigger Kids with nicer toys!

 

[TheCZKid]

It's all good, nice to be able to anticipate exciting things!

 

[GLShooter]

CZ Ive been doing wildcats for about 20 years now heavily. Starting in 07 I really got into the AR stuff with a 20 Tactical upper. I became associated with some barrel people and over the past few years I've done 30+ uppers. I've participated in the design of several cartridges like the American 30, the 22 NXS, 25X6.8 and 6X6.8 to name a few. I have. They are now marketed commercially and the designs are proprietary on those specific reamers. I shoot five or six variants on the 6.8 and the 6.5. I shoot the 243 LBC in F-class and do well along with the 6X6.8.

One of my last two projects is a Ruger 6.5 RAP converted to 20 LBC and 243 LBC as a switch barrel. I am currently working with the 243 and it shoots lights out as it does in anything else. I'm excited about doing the 20 LBC as I have shot it in an AR years ago and it is a fun one to play with.

The other one is a 20 Practical done up on a 223 SPS that I got back from my Stepson on his death a few years ago. It was one of those Remington specials they did and it was his PD rifle. Here he is with it during load development on his 223.





I decided to do a 20 Practical as the AR I have is unreal for accuracy and it is such a nice balance. I ordered up a custom profile 20 Practical barrel from Tactical Ordnance and got a barrel nut from PT&G. Drove over to Timney and picked up a new bang switch and gave Stockys Stocks for one of their sticks. Meanwhile I obtained a nice Omega 300 suppressor. Over a few months this is what I ended up with.



This is one of my first efforts at the bench. It has potential. A better shooter could really make it sing.



So yes I understand your excited state..LOL I have several other ones I've done but this one is certainly in the top five of my favorites.

Greg

 

[TheCZKid]

Greg, definitely looks like you're having some fun with guns! That 20 Practical looks like a shooter if that's your initial testing. My 20P is an AR upper, 24" WOA bull barrel, and I'm still tweaking loads and testing. That wildcat case is so easy to make, in comparison to making the 20VT from LC 5.56 cases.

Lots of those wildcat rounds I'd have to look up as I have no idea what they are! It's pretty amazing the explosion of new calibers recently, and then add to that the wildcat variants, it's a bit mind boggling.

 

[GLShooter]

I'll have to post up on the various things over time. Just to keep your juices flowing. I'll give a bit of history as I go.

Greg

 

[TheCZKid]

Went to a local gun show, found 1 pound of Reloder 7... for $75! So I passed. Gouging still going on. I talked to a seller who sold a CZ 17 Hornet for $700 this morning, dang! That's not bad. So it was a mix. No 20 cal. bullets to be found, no H4198, I was hoping for one of those.

Anyone with a 20 VarTarg load CFE BLK for 32 grain bullets? I've got just a few "possible" powders which I want to test, before I spend more money on others, too expensive right now.
I also have AA2200, 8202 XBR, and TAC, of those the AA2200 probably has the most promise, but I'm curious if anyone has used these for 20VT 32 grain bullets, and what was your accuracy, load, speed?

 

[oldman1951]

The rifle I'm getting was built about 20 years ago, so there's no R&D, curious what kind of new stuff you've been playing with?
I'm actually selling an Aero AR-10 to fund the rifle, and a few scopes to fund the one new scope, as I don't have a bunch of money to spend, so my pocket book hopefully will get thicker again soon...

I've been anticipating what the rifle will look like in person, it's a 1956 Sako which began life as a 222 and is now a 20 Vartarg.

Mark - I was thinking about building a 20 Practical bolt project, as I have an AR version, and figured a bolt version might be just that much more accurate... But someone suggested the 20VT. My main focus will be shooting sage rats, and now I've done one wildcat, the intrigue of a new smaller version, still in 20 caliber, seems like fun!

What Sako action does it use? My Vartarg in on a Sako L46 action.It also was a .222. I have that barrel as well.

 

[TheCZKid]

What Sako action does it use? My Vartarg in on a Sako L46 action.It also was a .222. I have that barrel as well.

It's a Sako L46 Riihimaki action, started as a .222, appears to be from 1956. It's in what should be the original stock, has a Shillen barrel on it now. Greg Tannel put the barrel on about 20 years ago. It's scheduled to be delivered to my LGS by USPS today, and I'm hoping to pick it up this afternoon. Then I'll see it in person for the first time. So far only texted pictures.

 

[oldman1951]

Sako Riihimaki # 22359 Unsure of mfg date. PacNor did my conversion. Have fun!

 

[TheCZKid]

Here's a dating chart for Sako L46 action. so 1954-55 maybe?

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

There is a couple loads you have powder/32 gr bullets in the 20 cal guide.

 

[TheCZKid]

Okay, it's 9:20, and can pick it up at 10am. Will ogle over it and then take pics, and let you guys see the new 20VT

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Okay, it's 9:20, and can pick it up at 10am. Will ogle over it and then take pics, and let you guys see the new 20VT

Oh the joy!
There's nothing quite like a new rifle to a true Rifle Loony!

 

[TheCZKid]

Hey, I resemble that remark!

 

[TheCZKid]

Okay, it came, is in nice shape. Going to need to mount the scope in a bit, but here's the rifle I've been jonesing about. It's got a Shillen 1:10 twist barrel.