.20 VT or .221 FB

[flashhole]

Nothing to add but I want to follow the thread.

I have a Rem 700 221 Fireball, love it. I re-form 221 brass from military 223. I also have a really nice Kimber 223 bolt action rifle. The idea of a 20 cal rifle is interesting to me but the two rifles I have perform so well I've not had a reason to take the plunge.

[moorepower]

Originally Posted by flashhole

Nothing to add but I want to follow the thread.

I have a Rem 700 221 Fireball, love it. I re-form 221 brass from military 223. I also have a really nice Kimber 223 bolt action rifle. The idea of a 20 cal rifle is interesting to me but the two rifles I have perform so well I've not had a reason to take the plunge.

Ok, the part about NEED is funny! I NEED another gun safe. I DON'T NEED another gun. FYI, I just tell my wife the first part.

[Don-T]

Originally Posted by moorepower

So the next question is on brass forming. Would I just run it through a .20VT die with out the expander and neck turn as needed, then anneal or is there more to it. I have read a few different methods and they seem to be all different. Hope to get the rifle sent out next week .

FWIW, I simply ran .221 Remington brass through my .20VT die with the expander installed and proceeded to fill them up and shoot them. Out of my original 800 cases, I've had three neck splits in over 5000 reloadings. If you use reformed .223 brass, you will need to turn the necks. I have 50 of them that I have to keep separated since the case capacity is less.

[moorepower]

That’s easy enough! I will start with the Remington brass I have and see where it leads.

[Hotshot]

5000 reloadings is very impressive. I have some brass with 8 or 9

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by Hotshot

5000 reloadings is very impressive. I have some brass with 8 or 9

My thought also, 5000 reloads on 800 cases, WOW. Bill K

[kenbro]

Originally Posted by Bill K

My thought also, 5000 reloads on 800 cases, WOW. Bill K

6.25 loads per case is not that many.
Ken.
PS. Am i missing something?

[Nor Cal Mikie]

20 VT or .221 Fireball?? Why not one of each?
VT brass? One pass thru a full length die gets you what you need.
You need to watch the neck size on the Remington .221 Fireball brass.
New stuff comes out pretty consistent while fired and reformed could be all over the place.
Solved that problem by having my custom made reamer cut with a .234 neck. That way, I could shoot everything.

.221 Fireball? Load and shoot. Deadly accurate as is the 20 VT.
Like I said, one of each will do nicely.

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by kenbro

6.25 loads per case is not that many.
Ken.
PS. Am i missing something?

If you did each one the 6.5 times, then not bad. But would a person really reload each case that way, or some groups/shoots the brass would be reloaded more often ? That was my thought about the total reloads for 800. Bill K

[chuckshooter]

I want to throw my two cents in. I think as a 221fb you are shooting a 22 cal bullet in the lower end of it abilities, where as the 20VT you are shooting a 20 cal bullet in the middle to high end of it's abilities. that's one of the reasons, I switched my 22k hornet to a 20 ah. you can only go so small in the 22 bullet before you are shooting a little round ball. my vote is 20VT all the way