.20 practical

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brad555

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I have been doing a little reading on the .20 practical and I was wondering if any you guys had any experience with it? I have been wanting to try a .20 cal for some time now but have not taken the plunge. The reason I was thinking the practical over the tactital was for the simple fact that I already have a set of Redding Comp dies for my .223 and all I will have to do is change the bushing and neck size .223 brass and go. I have stocked up on .223 brass in the last while so it would be a good way to make use of some of it. I know it would be just as easy to buy a .204 but I thought it would be neat to have something different. Right now I have a Savage so i was thinking of getting a match barrel for it, Mystic can you get a pre fit barrel chambered in the .20 practical?
 
I am not impressed with the 204 Ruger at all. Other than brutal, freaky speeds and gopher guts it is not a precision round. I know one guy with a 20 practical and it is very accurate. If you have dies and are getting a custom barrel done, then yea, 20 practical all the way.
 
20 VarTarg will probably be the way I go if I rebarrel my Savage. Here's a link to one article. 6mmbr has some good info, but the site is down for maintainence right now.
 
Yes there are many different options for the .20 cal as you guys have mentioned, but my real interest is in the practical because I will not have to buy new dies or brass. I also have a 6mmbr so the .20 BR could be an option but it is built on a 700 action and I was planning on using the .223 Savage I have then the bolt face will be the same. If I end up going all new set up I will definitely be looking at all options. I was reading on the 6BR site that the 20 BR can keep right up to it big brother. But for now I think I might stick to the original plan and use the Savage if I can get a barrel, it will a cheap way to see if I like it or not.
 
Shillen does have a practical reamer. I got a five barrel purchase together for them and in return they bought the reamer a little over a year ago. I love mine. I am shooting 39gr Blitzkings at 3950fps using RL 10X. I also use a 223 redding competition die for sizing the necks.
 
MagnumPeanut said:
I am not impressed with the 204 Ruger at all. Other than brutal, freaky speeds and gopher guts it is not a precision round. I know one guy with a 20 practical and it is very accurate. If you have dies and are getting a custom barrel done, then yea, 20 practical all the way.
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I beg to differ :D I shoot everything from gophers, jackrabbits and coyotes with my .204 Nothing wrong wrong with a bullet traveling at over 4000 fps and giving me groups in the .3"s and .4"s
Here a couple of test targets on my new Tikka T3 Varmint, barrel isn broke in and these were starting loads Im yet to fine tune em. ;)

squares are 1/2" on the grid

IMG_5007.JPG


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IMG_50051.JPG
 
scott_r said:
Im amazed at how will this will rifle will group no matter what I feed. I can't say that about my previous Remington.
Sorry to get off topic :p
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I've owned one Tikka .223 and based on that, it won't be my last Tikka rifle.;)
 
scott_r said:
I beg to differ :D I shoot everything from gophers, jackrabbits and coyotes with my .204 Nothing wrong wrong with a bullet traveling at over 4000 fps and giving me groups in the .3"s and .4"s
Here a couple of test targets on my new Tikka T3 Varmint, barrel isn broke in and these were starting loads Im yet to fine tune em. ;)

squares are 1/2" on the grid

IMG_5007.JPG


IMG_5006.JPG


IMG_50051.JPG
Click to expand...

204 Ruger is a fine calibre. Just that some older Sako Vixens have limited space with regard to round OAL and magazine length. One has to seat 204 bullets very deep in order to get them to fit which then defeats the purpose of working up a pet load. I went for the 20 tac. as the case is slightly shorter than the 204. Performance is equal or slightly better, but at those velocities 1-200 fps more is not even notable IMO.
 
scott_r said:
Im amazed at how will this will rifle will group no matter what I feed. I can't say that about my previous Remington.
Sorry to get off topic :p
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I'm still rebarreling my 204 into a 20 practical. I've tried everything under the sun and consistently get 1.5 " groups. I've tried Varget (sucks in 20 cal I know), Benchmark, 4895. All with loads from the low scale to hot. I've tried 30g bergers, 32 Vmax, 32 Sierra, 40 Vmax with all those powders too. A year or trial and error with no luck.
It is on a Remington 700 SPSV, which I know, is no Tikka.

20 practical, here I come.
 
I have a Tac20 that I cobbled together. I have not had a lot of rounds through it but at a glance looks like it will be a real shooter. Does an amazing job on water bottles at 200 as well. Pacnor bbl that they chambered and threaded to my specs so I could turn it on. Dakota brass made by Lapua.
 
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