Is there enough barrel shank to make this work? I'm not worried about the barrel channel fit on the tupperware stock, just concerned about cutting back the barrel face to rechamber to the Vartarg and having enough shank left for the barrel thread.

Because somebody is sure to ask, I like the Vartarg cartridge and have already confirmed that it will feed.

According to ammoguide.com rebarrel/rechamber quide, not without barrel set back.

I don't see any gains by this rechamber. You would lose a lot velocity and have expense and headaches proceeding with this endeavor, unless you are doing it in a single shot. JMHO

Ruger generally makes a horrible, angled relief cut in their barrels at the shoulder. That combined with the fact that you will have to set the barrel back to 1/2 inch because of the shorter cartridge means that you're going to have to knock off the entire thread extension. Ruger generally makes abnormally long shanks and combined with the fact that its a small, Fireball based cartridge means that it can probably be done with no problems. I would think that there would be a loss in velocity of around 400 FPS with the smaller case which combined with the 204 Ruger twist rate of probably 1-12, may cause some stabilization problems. Especially with heavier bullets. I've never played with either cartridge but common sense tells me that the 20 Vartarg would require around a 1-10 twist to stabilize everything.

I'mn 10-4 that it's going to require barrel set back. And that I'm going to be running ~3500fps instead of 3900 fps. I have some experience with the Vartarg and it suits my sub 250 yard shooting just fine with a lot less wear and tear as I do about 100 rounds every 10 days through prairie dog and ground squirrel season. 1 in 12 stabalizes the 32 gr V-Max's fine in my other Vartarg (Hart barrel).


I think it will feed; I have another RAR in 300 BO, and it feeds/ejects 20 VT no problem. The magazine is the same for the 204, 223, and 300 BO.

Matt,
why not just load the .204 Ruger down to .20 VarTarg velocities?

GEorge

quote:

Originally posted by Matt Norman:


Because somebody is sure to ask, I like the Vartarg cartridge and have already confirmed that it will feed.

I could have TOLD YOU it wouldn't do any good to say that. But does anyone ever listen to me? NNNOOOoooo. And that's why I didn't say it.
LOL

Like I could stay alert ALL the way through one of Matt's posts.





George

quote:

I could have TOLD YOU it wouldn't do any good to say that. But does anyone ever listen to me? NNNOOOoooo. And that's why I didn't say it.
LOL

now you're beginning to sound like me

This conversation might be for naught....my 'smith is talking me out of this RAR conversion to Vartarg. Instead, he's suggest a CZ 527 as he's done several of those (204 to 20 Vartarg).

He doesn't want me to get too sensible/practical (like just going with a 204) as I think he's got a payment due on his F-250 and likes it when I walk in with ideas like this.

Sounds like you've already made up your mind and no amount of reasonableness or reason will change it and are looking for support for your idea or something to argue against...NO FLAME OR DISS OR POLITICAL BS.

NOTHING WRONG WITH EITHER...I do it all the time.

I have a 17 FB and 22 FB...a 17 Rem and 20 Practical and a 204 Ruger and SEVERAL 222/222M/223's along with several other small and medium varminters and I've burned out 3 - 17 Rem barrels(one in only one season) of rat shooting and several other hot rock barrels(over the years) so I do appreciate the smaller cased, small cal cartridges.

MY jury is still out as far as shoulder angle and whatever it is purported to do is actually true or just another load of horse pucky we ALL seen to ingest concerning this sport...lots of ink has been spilled, and lots of jumping up and down, over which is what.

In your shoes I would probably do a new barrel in Vartarg rather than muck about with messing up a good 204 barrel and keep it for a swap barrel...it is easy to do...just have your 'smith index the 204 barrel BEFORE pulling it off and mill a flat on the bottom of the chamber for a crescent wrench. I don't know how many times I've done this to Rugers and Rems...and I have 3 times more swap barrels for my Savage LA/SA's than I have receivers to put them on.

I usually don't worry about feeding in these types of rifles because I single feed for the most part, but if they do feed then fine.

The 17 and 22 FB and 20 Practical are standard, factory cases just necked down. I can't see ANY actual advantage to the various shoulder angles as far as MY shooting/rifle/cases go in the smaller cals. I think you would have to shoot up a ton of ammo and do an equal amount of very precise measuring over a long time period to actually determine what the heck and why for all the parameters...but if you feel there is advantage for you in some of the parameters..THEN GO FOR IT...that's what all this hoohaw is all about...DOING YOUR OWN THING.

I ran into the same conundrum you are facing many years ago when I got the "tiny case" bug and built the 17 FB(then the 17 MACH IV) and again when I started looking at the 20 cals...so as happens most of the time I ended up with the "larger cased" 17 Rem and 204 R, 20 practical and 223, and 17 FB and 22 FB and ALMOST filled in the missing case...20 FB/Vartarg.

In ANY event do what you feel is best for YOUR situation and thoughts and fully enjoy your toy.

Good Luck

I did my 20 VarTarg on a Rem XR 100 single shot platform and we shortened the barrel by 16 mm to get rid of the 204 freebore before rechabering to 20 VarTarg.
I run the 34gn Berger over 19.2 gn ADI 2207 - H 4198 for 3650fps and exceptional accuracy and with this load zero'd at 200yds I have a light rabbit load of 9.2 gn blue dot for 2700fps that using the same scope setting gives me a 100 y7d zero and has accounted for 100's of rabbits over the years sine I had this rifle done. I had tried a box of 204 ammo through the rifle before taking it to the GS for the conversion just to have put a few rounds through it and it tore the rabbits to pieces which the conversion dose not do. I like the mild manners and good accurcay.

I have 3 CZ 527's left that I was going to wildcat, check them out on the classified's. The 204R with the pencil barrel has really nice wood.