Have one coming soon built on the new Savage action with a 26" 9 twist Pac Nor chambered by them. Want to shoot 50 grain bullets and wondering if anyone's had experience with the heavier bullets in this cartridge? Any tips on case/fireforming would also be helpful. Will be starting with Lapua BR brass and running thru my 22 BR FL sizer then into a 20 BR Redding neck sizer.

woodhick: there is some great .20 cal data on the 6mmBR site.
Also some 20BR shooters at saubier.com.

Your 20BR ought to have some bodacious ballistics!

Greg

Thanks for the sites. It should 'deliver' the goods, for sure. I'm hoping it shares the inherent accuracy of the parent case and look forward to working with the heavier 20 cal bullets in it...

ChopperGuy and I both bought 204 Ruger AR15 uppers with 1:9 twist barrels. Steve Saturn made them up for us, like you, I hope to shoot some of the 45-50gr bullets with them.

Steve has a great reputation for quality work. These uppers are among his first in 204 Ruger. I would think the 20BR would be even better.

If you havet already got one get hold of the book "The Terrific Twenties" by Todd Kindler from www.woodchuckden.com and also see back copies of Small Caliber News which you can also order from The Woodchuck Den.

A word of warning, tread warily with any load data. Some writers seem to ALWAYS have the rifle that achieves extreme velocities for a particular cartridge but they are always safe in their particular rifle.

That manual says to do what you are doing, form from Lapua 6mm BR by using a .22BR FL die with expander button removed and then in the .20BR die.

We would all love to hear how it goes, especially chrono data and some pics of your targets!

Thanks for the advice, Vince. I've got all the copies of Todd's SCN and they are THE magazine for us small caliber shooters....I figured on starting with max data for the 204 and going up from there.....

I'm hoping this Savage Target action meets my expectations. Kevin Rayhill is going to do any necessary cleanup on it and install one of Fred Moreo's triggers. We're waiting for PacNor to chamber the barrel, pending their receipt of a new reamer....

I'm hoping for better accuracy than the Swift/22-250s give with downrange performance similar to theirs, using 50 gr. 20 cal. bullets....

I will be waiting the hear how that turns out also.. I just can't get fired up on a 204... but a 20 BR, that gets my attention...

I will have one myself as soon as I can buget a little off to the side for it...

woodhick i have a 20 br that i am in stages of load development. the 50s do okay but havent found a load that realy shines yet the 40s look even better i used some of todds loads and found a lot higher velocities in my shilen 26" 1 in 9 bbl start low also using 22 br published load data and from hodgdon web site robert

Robert, please keep us all posted on your load developments.

I am considering various 20 cals for my next project and I am real interested in real world results.

Woodhick, you need the book but here are some loads out of it:

All taken in a 26" Douglas Barrel with 1/9 twist and reformed Lapua 6BR cases.

50 gn Berger BT - Todd coats his with SPL, a moly coating product.

Hodgdon Benchmark with Federal 205 Primer. Start load 27.6 gns and 3451fps, max load 31.1 gns and 3797 fps.

Ramshot TAC using CCI 450 primers, start load 26.8 gns and 3289 fps, max load 32.6 gns and 3828 fps.

Hodgdon Varget with CCI 450 primer, start load 28.5 gns and 3285 fps, max load 33.4 gns and 3786 fps.

Looking at Sierra .204 Ruger Data for 40 gn these start loads are well up on that as would be expected for a considerably larger case.

Your finished rifle with all the good bits sounds like it will be a great shooter.

I've been PD shooting, the last few years, with a 20BR on a Searcy action with a 10.0" twist 24" barrel. It shoots the 50LTB quite well, at elevations ranging from 982ft. to 4400ft. My working loads give 3950fps with the 50LTB, and 4150fps with the 40VMax.

Maybe this pic will work......

Friend Of The 17.....and 20
Kevin[IMG]http://outcast.homeunix.org/uploads/Searcy20BRwVMBLHsideF.jpg [/IMG]

Kev,

very nice looking rifle!!!! Sweeet!

How do you like that Hunter BR stock?

How does it handle from offhand shooting and/or bipod use?

Nortman,

The stock is extremely stable off of my shooting table......as my furthest PD shot, at 792 yards, can attest.

As for offhand, or bipod use.....I can't say...since I've only shot the rifle from a BR forend rest.

Seafire and Lofter......thanks guys!

Kevin

Yeah Kev,

I think that inspires me to have one of those in my future...

Might go the cheap route and get a 204 in a Savage and have it rechambered to a 20 BR...

Or maybe just go with a barrel for my Mauser switch barrel project here....

I had a Remington 40X 6MM BR converted to a .20 Dasher, it's basically a .20 BR improved with a 40 degree shoulder. Mine is a 1 in 11 twist as my goal was to shoot 40 Grain V-Max's real fast. The rifle is my "just a few shots a day rock chuck gun" as a guy could toast a barrel on it or the .20 BR real quick.
Here's a picture of some .20 cases compared. Left to right they are. .20 VarTarg, .20 Killer Bee, .20 Tactical, .20 BR, .20 Dasher.


Here's a pic of my rifle with three of the first 4 chucks it shot. 1st one was at 487 Leica'd yards.



While that's not a lot of damage if a guy is used to shooting a .243AI it is with a .20 cal at those distances. The big difference is with my 13lb rifle I see all the hits and don't loose it all in the recoil.

I totally agree with what was mentioned above about velocities and rifle to rifle variances especially in the small calibers. They spike pressure differently than things with bigger bores etc and in short things happen real fast with the small cals and the old adage start low and work up slow was never truer. With that said here's a picture of a chronograph report on my working load in my Dasher. Your .20 BR doesn't give up much to it (3.4 grains capacity) but keep in mind mine is twisted specifically for 40 grainers, and has a 27 inch barrel.
Your gonna love it!!!



This is a safe load in my rifle but it was worked up to .2 of a grain at a time. Have fun with yours.

Doug,

I LOVE IT!!!!

What's the details on forming the Dasher Case?

How does it compare to say a 20/250?

As to a comparison to the .20-250, ballistically it's real close but on a short fat BR case with the small rifle primer and small flash hole like a PPC.
As to forming it's duck soup. I run a Lapua 6MM BR case into a .22BR full size die without the expander and then run it into a custom full size .20 Dasher die Hornady made for me. I then run it on a K&M .20 cal expander mandrel and turn the necks to .011 per side (I have a .228 neck) and size with a 6BR Wilson neck die with .223 bushing. I prime, load and basically have a .20 BR case that mics .226 on the neck of a loaded round. I have it sized for a crush fit in the Dasher.
My fire form load clocks about 3,850ish with a 40 grain V-Max (about the same as my working loads for the .20 Tactical and .204.
I shoot it and bingo! .20 Dasher case.
If I were using Remington 6BR brass I'd anneal after forming before firing but the Lapua brass is already annealed.
Not really much advantage over the .20 BR I just like the look of the 40 degree shoulder and being contrary .
It shoots like crazy, Greg Tannel is an incredible smith.

Doug,

Thanks for the info!!!!



seafire