Grendel wildcats?

[JSH]

Doing a bit of searching and coming up with little. Mostly interested in thoughts on a 20 Grendel.
I believe there are some out there but may have names that don’t connect them to the parent case easily.

20PPC also peaks my interest if any of you have toyed with one.

Jeff

[Gary in Illinois]

I have rifles chambered for both of the cartridges you mention. One is a Bat model S chambered for the 20 Titan (Grendel necked to .204 as per Todd Kindler) with a 9 twist Pac-Nor barrel. The Bat has yet to shoot a group as large as 1/2” in 25 groups of 3.

I also have a CZ 527 chambered for the 20 Titan (Pac-Nor 8.5 twist) for which I haven’t worked up a good load yet. I had this built for long range prairie dogs and haven’t been able to take it out west yet due to several false starts! The rifle was delivered with the barrel only loosely tightened to the receiver. I then discovered that one of the scope mount screws was loose! I spent precious load development time chasing my tail before finding these problems too late for my last prairie dog shoot. Needless to say, I have no plans to use this smith again. (Yes, I know I should have check both of these things myself.) I have been involved with other projects and haven’t gotten back to this one yet. It just brings back painful memories every time I see it in the safe.

I have had a 20 PPC Dakota Predator (9 twist Lilja barrel) for ~ 15 years. This rifle has just shy of 700 rounds down the barrel and still regularly shoots under 1/2”

Both are good cartridges but I suspect the 20 Titan may be approaching hot rod capacity.

[JSH]

Gary, thanks for the input.
What did you use for parent brass caliber wise?

Between the 20 Titan and the 20PPC, does one have anything better or easier over the other?

Jeff

[Gary in Illinois]

Jeff,
I used Lapua brass for both cartridges - 220 Russian for the 20 PPC and 6.5 Grendel for the 20 Titan. However, either case can be used to form either the 20 PPC or the 20 Titan.

Using the 6.5 Grendel case for the Titan works without the need to create a false shoulder and blow the shoulder forward as would be required if starting with the 220 Russian case.

Similarly, starting with the 220 Russian case eliminates the need to push the shoulder back if you were starting with the 6.5 Grendel to make the 20 PPC.

You can reload the 20 Titan using less expensive 20 PPC 7/8 x 14 dies by simply screwing the PPC dies in ~ .070” less than for the 20 PPC case (allowing for the longer headspace on the 20 Titan).

Both cartridges are good and accuracy is probably the same. My 20 Titan cases hold 31.5 grains of H380 to the base of the neck; My 20 PPC cases hold 28.6 grains of H380 to the base of the neck. I only used H380 for comparing the case volumes - I do not use it in loads for either cartridge.

It would be hard to go wrong with either cartridge. Obviously you have the ability to generate more horsepower with the 20 Titan.

[17VLD]

Have an XP-100 built by Greg Tannel in 17PPC,been thinking about getting a 20 caliber barrel for this pistol and have always thought the 20ppc or Titan would be a good choice.This thread is helping me alongneed to decide on twist and what bullets will be used the most.
Matt

[Jordan]

Todd Kindler pioneered the .20 Titan (6.5 Grendel necked down to .20 cal.)

[JSH]

Matt, just my thoughts.
204 vs 20PPC/Titan, may be little to argue over.
When the WSSM and WSM arrived on the scene my gunsmith at that time said they should be some of the more accurate production rifles ever. Short,fat reamer equal stiffer with less flex, should follow the bore better.

So that is where I go with thoughts on the PPC parent case.

My platform is one of the Howa minis. What I have read is the tolerances are held very close. More than one mentioned barrels taken from one and swapped to another action headspace good with no need of any work.
Jeff

[JSH]

Are 20 Titan dies available, I have looked around with no luck.

[Gary in Illinois]

Here you go:

https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.c...ngth-sizer-die

Just add the bushing in your choice of diameter.

Or, order one of these and use it for both forming the cases and reloading using appropriate bushing.

https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/21...ngth-sizer-die

Or, one of these will take you all the way:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/14...neck-sizer-set

Just screw the body die and the resizing dies in to the appropriate height for the Grendel and this will do it all.