20 Nosler

[410gauge]

Wyoming Drifter, since you are located in Wyoming, I will add some thoughts to the 20 cal 55 gr Berger saga...LOL! It has been discussed many times before on the forum at length about barrel twist with the 55 gr Berger 20 cal. . I built a 20-250 a while back to shoot the 55 gr Bergers at ranges beyond 700 yds...hopefully getting to 1000 yds plus. I decided to try a 10-twist Kreiger set-up only for the 55 gr Bergers...not knowing how well it would work out. I was hoping to slow the bullet rpm spin down to around 300K to help from tearing up (poofing) the bullets after the rifle had developed some throat erosion (which don't take a long with this round...LOL!). I travel a couple of times a year to Wyoming to shoot long range PD's with friends who think you are "murdering" one if you shoot it at 500 yds. These guys are serious long range shooters. Anyhow last summer I managed to connect a few times with the 20-250 (10-twist) and the 55 gr Berger out to past 1000 yds...if the conditions were ideal (for about :30 right after daylight...HaHa!). We were shooting at 6500'-7,000' elevation. I've found the 10-twist will stabilize the 55 gr Berger even at 4500' elevation where I live. There has been several posters in the past who have commented about the bullets coming unglued after 300 rounds or so and the velocity above 3750 fps. I was trying to avoid this potential problem by going to the 10-twist. I personally have not had that happen with 9-twist Bartleins or Kreigers in the 20 BR (3650 fps average) and the 55 gr Bergers. My point to all this is the 55 Berger will stay to gather in the 10-twist with a velocity as high as 3880 + fps and particularly in the higher elevations. On the other hand the 20 Nosler will probably not push the 55 Berger fast enough to cause you a problem. The 9-twist would probably work out great. Best of luck on your decision. 410gauge

[Wyoming Drifter]

Good Stuff !!

Living out here in this higher elevation, thin air and low humidity is totally differant than someplace like Iowa or at Bergers range in Arizona. If a guy wants to have some fun, play around with the Hornady Ballistic Calculator and use the "Advanced" option. See what the differance is at longer ranges between 1200' elevation and 7500' using eastern humidity of say 70% and Wyomings 30.

I call Coyotes and most of the time I have shots around 100 yards or a little more. I do know my rifles though and am comfortable with longers shots. I personally am not a long range shooter. I like this bullet for fur preformance and for wind.

[Wyoming Drifter]

Here is my reply to several private messages I've replied to.

Just ask PT&G to email you the print along with the 22 nosler (they did for me anyway) then you can see for yourself the differance. and yes, the 20 is a tad longer, but Im sure after necking down the 22 caliber brass and running it through the 20 FL die everything should be just right. I dropped everything off to the gunsmith this morning so i should be able to finish my report in a week or 2.
I wish I would have elaberated on my post about sizing the brass more than I did. I bought a bunch of brass from Midway along with a Redding 22 nosler S-Type FL die. I always take several steps when I'm necking down to a smaller caliber. Anyway, Once I'm done using the 22 Nosler bushing die a guy just runs the lubed brass through a regular Redding 20 Nosler FL die and that should be it. The Dogtown 22 Nosler brass I bought necks down to a loaded 20 caliber neck of ,2330 and the reamer cuts a neck of .2350 which should be perfect.
Up till a cple days ago a guy could buy the Dogtown brass from Midway for $49.00 per 250 cases. (I bought a cple thousand). They were on clearance sale. All that is left on sale now are boxes of 50 for around $10.00.. I weighed and measured quite a few and it's as close to lapua quality as I've seen. Won't know about the primer pockets until I fire my test brass a few times. I called Redding to see what it would take to get a 20 Nosler S-Type FL die sent to me, the guy who helped me (Jay) said it would be $185 and 16 weeks.

[Bayou City Boy]

Maybe I missed it being discussed somewhere here, but the Dogtown brass is indeed Nosler manufactured brass, so the quality should be pretty good.

From the Midway USA page:

"Dogtown, in proud partnership with Nosler, delivers premium reloading brass at volume prices. Manufactured with the traditional Nosler philosophy of uncompromising attention to detail, Dogtown brass is created to exact dimensional standards and tolerances, using quality materials for maximum accuracy and consistency potential while extending case life. Dogtown brass also undergoes rigorous quality control to ensure you receive the best product possible. Pair these cases with quality Dogtown bullets and you've got a combo that is sure to provide the accuracy and extreme terminal ballistics that varmint hunters demand. Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity topurchase premium brass at bulk prices. This brass is new and unprimed. This is not loaded ammunition."

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/10.../dogtown-brass

-BCB

[Wyoming Drifter]

Yes, it's actually some of the better brass I've handled in a long time.
It's headstamped, Dogtown 22 Nosler.

[Wyoming Drifter]

For those of you interested in this project, Hold off for a bit on buying anything. I found a problem between the reamer, brass and dies. I was reading the reamer prints wrong. Since the 20 is longer, the 22 caliber brass will be too short after fireforming. Dang it !
I'm calling Kiff back next week to see if the 20 reamer can be modified or if I need to start with a custom reamer, which I've done a few times through the past 25 years. Bear with me guys, because one way or another I WILL have a fast twist 20 caliber Nosler by next fur season!
This brass and it's case capacity is just to good to pass up. All I want to do is neck the factory 22 Nosler brass down to 20 caliber, load it with say, 30 grs of CFE 223 which should be around 3500 or 3600 plus fps. I'm a fast and Flat kinda guy.

[Wyoming Drifter]

My Gunsmith called a couple days ago and said to come picker up. He explained that he had to stop the reamer around 125 thous short in order to get the desired head spacing using a full length sized brass (the go gauge was useless)(remember the 20 is longer than 22 Nosler). Anyway I went home, cleaned the rifle and barrel good and found it chambered my dummy rounds perfect. Next was to find the lands. Using Berger VLD's the bullet needs to be seated about 100 thous (a long ways) out farther than it should be (only into the neck around 40 thous before making contact with the rifling)....

Anyway, I started my barrel break-in process with the 55's seated out as far as possible and with a light charge of Benckmark I found the reamer to match the Redding S-Type FL 22 Nosler Die very good. I worked the load up to where the pressure seemed about right according to the primer anyway and went to the bench. Over my Ohler 35 P I started out with a SD of 16 and average veloctity of 3425 with 5 rounds.

Although this chamber is useless to me with these bullets because I don't believe in much "bullet jump"there is hope. I just now got off the phone with Badger Bob and he's sending me a couple boxes of his heavier 20's. He says he runs an 8 ojive rebated bullet but can do the VLD's. This 8 ojive might just be the ticket for this reamer.

I did send a few of my dummy rounds with the proper seating depth to Dave Kiff at PT&G to have a Finish Reamer and Go Gauge made for the Bergers. The wait time is still out there a ways. I will keep you updated.

I will keep you guys posted if anyone is interested.

[foxhunter]

like you I too ordered a box of the Dogtown brass on sale and they were very consistent weight wise. the dogtown brass is about 8 grains lighter than the nosler so case sorting will probably be in order.
with .224 50 gr vmaxes and 55 nosler my 22 nosler shoots both equally as well with sub .50 groups with both brass from a ar-15 rifle.
I tried making 22 nosler from 6.8 spc brass and ended up with a very short neck case. you would have to use 30 Remington and form from there which would be very expensive.

good luck with your project

[Wyoming Drifter]

My project is taking shape.
My first reamer works but needs approximatly 25 thousands free bore so the Berger 55 VLD's, 35gr Varmints and Bob's 8 ojive 46.5 grainers will fit to my satisfaction. All 3 of these bullets will seat in the case neck perfectly and just touching the lands (take into considration the 35's are flat base) and of course will need a slower twist barrel.

I have pictures of loaded rounds, reamer prints and print outs of the velocitys from my Ohler 35P. I tried and tried to figure out this stupid picture process and finally gave up. Why does it have to be so complicated lol.

Anyway, my final reamer and go gage should be here in 5 or 6 weeks. The reamers new name is 20 Dogtown.

[trotterlg]

After you get your reamer and cut the chamber you should cast it to see what you really have. My experience with PTG is that they sell you what you ask for an send you what they want. Larry