20 PPC Looking for advise

J

JRB

New member
I am building a new rifle, and am looking for some help with setup, case prep and any experiences you may have had with the 20 cal?
The rifle will sport both a HV 6PPC barrel, primarily, and an 'Varmint' 20 PPC barrel as an option on a Bat action with all the usual set up.
I already have a LV 6PPC, for local club shoots, so am comfortable with the BR setup for 100/200yds. I have read that the '20' is a good choice in the switchy conditions at 200? Is that just unfounded drivel?
I shoot a 17 mach IV imp which is good out to 300 yds on varmints.
My questions relate to the 20 PPC for mid range varmint use.
I have gone with davidson bases so i can use a variable scope if needed with the 20 cal barrel
Can you offer some advise on forming 20PPC from Lapua brass, assuming i will turn the cases, i have .224/6mm mandrels. If i turn than reduce to 20 cal will any thickness variation occur?
What is the best way to produce high quality cases? Currently i use the false shoulder and hornady butter techinique, to form my 6 PPC brass.
What bullet /twist rates have you found best? what range does it work best?
Have you tried both heavier and lighter bullets and what did you find? I notice Berger are dropping their 55gn vld?
What powders liked what bullet weights? What velocities are achievable? so i can check some ballistics variables
Thanks in Advance
JRB
 
20 PPC is a great varmint round. Case prep for mine is to neck down 220 Russian Lapus brass to 20 cal in a full length die, seat bullets out far enough to insure bolt face contact and fire form. My reamer is a no turn neck so that's all I do. i shoot 32 GR V-Max bullets at about 4,200 FPS with N-133.
Dave
 
A friend bought a top end benchrest rifle from Butch Fisher, and had him rebarrel it to .20PPC. It has an 11 inch twist barrel, and he shoots Berger 40 grain bullets with 133. A meticulous reloader and shooter, his record book has a large number of groups in the ones that he shot with that rifle. I know that the combination should be "over bore" but it seems to work very well despite this. He does not compete, but I have shot beside him, and can verify his results.
 
Gentlemen, thank you for your help and advise.
Todd Kindler definately has done some experimenting and had lots of fun doing so.
I have not seen his sight before so will take some time to check it out.
Burtona, Has your 20 given you consistant accuracy at your chosen distance.
Was it hard to work a load, notice a 6PPC powder?
How far do you consider the 32gn good for? i know you can always stretch them a little further when needed but what is a comfortable range?
Have you tried other projectile weights?
What is the service life of the barrel?
Regards
JRB
 
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It's been a few years since I put the rifle together and I've never shot it in competition. I did a short load development at 100 yds but I had a reasonable starting load as a friend had put one together before me so I didn't have to start from scratch. Then I sighted it in at 200 yards and went ground hog hunting. The fields I hunted gave me shots from 100 yards out to about 700. I hit them easily from 100 out to 400. I think it's probably best out to 400-450 yards and after that there are probably better rounds for longer ranges. I never hit one at 700 yards with it, but I never hit one with anything else that far either. Usually one shot was all we'd get - sometimes a couple. It's been about 5 years since I hunted it as I moved away from the area.
My rifle is built on a Shilen DGA repeater action and has a 1 in 12 twist Lilja barrel. It likes the 32 gr. better than the 40 gr. (only other bullet I've tried in it). However I put another one together with a 1 in 9 twist and it was much happier with the 40 gr. V-Max bullets. I never hunted with it and sold it to a friend for crow hunting shortly after I finished it.
I have no idea about service life. Mine probably only has 100-150 rounds and it's as good as ever. Just thinking about it makes me want to get it out and shoot it.
Dave
 
20 ppc

This is a great chambering. My particular rifle is one of the Dakota varmint rifles. It uses no-turn neck (.237) and a 1-12" twist barrel.

I was telling somebody about this the other day on a different forum but it's powder preference was sort of surprising. In my mind, being that we are using same capacity as the 6 PPC with smaller bore, you would use slower powders on account of the lessened expansion ratio. Not really the case. I compared the 204 Ruger to the 20 PPC using H380 powder as a volume medium. The PPC had .7 gr greater capacity. I started with a middle 204 R load and they were quite squibish. Now I usually start seeing clean burning 2gr over 204 R book max.

Anyhow with 32gr bullets the powders in the 4198 to X-Term/H335 spectrum works and with 40gr anything from H322-RL10x to Hodgdon BLC(2) is good. Also keep in mind Berger is discontinuing their 50gr bullet but NOT their 55gr bullet. I have not tried these yet because I do not have correct twist. More and more I am intrigued by big bullets in little calibers...

Also go check out Saubier forum (not sure if promoting competing forums on forums is kosher???)


Tim
 
.20 cal cartrige

JRB said:
I am building a new rifle, and am looking for some help with setup, case prep and any experiences you may have had with the 20 cal?
The rifle will sport both a HV 6PPC barrel, primarily, and an 'Varmint' 20 PPC barrel as an option on a Bat action with all the usual set up.
I already have a LV 6PPC, for local club shoots, so am comfortable with the BR setup for 100/200yds. I have read that the '20' is a good choice in the switchy conditions at 200? Is that just unfounded drivel?
I shoot a 17 mach IV imp which is good out to 300 yds on varmints.
My questions relate to the 20 PPC for mid range varmint use.
I have gone with davidson bases so i can use a variable scope if needed with the 20 cal barrel
Can you offer some advise on forming 20PPC from Lapua brass, assuming i will turn the cases, i have .224/6mm mandrels. If i turn than reduce to 20 cal will any thickness variation occur?
What is the best way to produce high quality cases? Currently i use the false shoulder and hornady butter techinique, to form my 6 PPC brass.
What bullet /twist rates have you found best? what range does it work best?
Have you tried both heavier and lighter bullets and what did you find? I notice Berger are dropping their 55gn vld?
What powders liked what bullet weights? What velocities are achievable? so i can check some ballistics variables
Thanks in Advance
JRB
Click to expand...
better choice in my view would be the .20 Beggs. its really just 220 russ case with small change. no need ppc case @ size @ more barrel wear. Stu Harvey
 
JRB, Call Todd Kindler at Woodchuck Den and order a copy of his Terrific Twenties manual. It includes 20PPC info and load data. Don
 
Thank you for your reply's.
I will definately get one of the 20 cal reloading books! sounds like some good info in there.
I have been using a 17 mach IV imp and have been really happy with it, i have achieved good success out to around the 300 mark, so am looking for some more distance, and a new challenge.

Ball powder, thanks for the advise, also it is interesting about your finds with the powder, i was hoping to shoot the 50 berger? which is being dropped.
Do you know others who have tried the 55 berger?
I have a friend who shoots the 204 and i have been surprised by its capability, sound like the 20 PPC will do this and a bit more

Boyd thanks for sharing your friends experience, it makes the barrel cost, look well worth it. Look forward to getting it done.
If any one else has information on this round please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks again
Jim
 
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