20 cal build for 55 Bergers

[B23]

Tragiq, do you have a specific velocity range you're looking to shoot those Berger 55's and when you say it will be a dedicated target shooting only rifle does that mean competition target shooting or recreational target shooting and to what distance/s will you be shooting?

Answering a few of those questions will help make for better suggestions.

For me, if I was looking to build a dedicated target rifle in .20 cal and the Berger 55's were going to be my bullet of choice and the range was going to be 600 yds or less, and, I was looking for a good compromise between velocity and barrel life, my first thought would be the 20 Practical aka 20-223. It's an easy peasy straight neck down cartridge that has top notch brass available for it but as well as any set of 223 bushing dies, with the appropriate size bushing, will make good 20 Practical ammo. Also, there's a pretty wide range of powders that'll work well to easily get you into the 3200-3300fps range using a 24in barrel.

If you want north of 3300 and as JSH mentioned, you don't want to ring its neck with excessive pressure to get there, then you'll need to jump up to something with more case capacity like a 20PPC, 20Nosler, 20BR and the list goes on. Just keep in mind, with extra velocity comes sacrificed barrel life. The faster you play, the more you'll pay.

[Gabe221]

20PPC, 20 Titan, 20BR,20BRA ,20-250 are the choices for 55gr Berger’s.


I shoot 600yd BR with a 20BRA.

[L.Sherm]

I would not go any smaller case than the PPC for the 55's a 20PPCAI would even be better.
Theres only 6" difference between the 40 vrs the 55 in a VT to 600.

[L.Sherm]

A 9 twist is your better option and im sure Gabe221 will confirm that especially at your elevation no matter what Bergers calculator says.

[Hal]

What kind of target shooting and how far will you be shooting ?

Hal

[Spook]

I built a 20 BRX for 55's that I really enjoyed shooting.
Thinking a 20 BRA would be nice as well.

[L.Sherm]

If your worried about barrel life i would Nitride a CM 9 twist and chamber it in a 20BRA for 55's.
I wouldnt nitride a SS barrel ive seen it screw some up but I haven't seen it with CM barrels.
I'm just about done with my test with a Nitrided CM 20VT
and its going well, my biggest reason for doing this was to see how it worked out, my next 20BRA barrel will be a Nitrided CM 9 twist.

[Hotshot]

I sure wouldn't fire those big expensive bullets out of a 20vt. Trajectory like a rainbow. Might as well go varmint shooting with a 30/30.

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by Hotshot

I sure wouldn't fire those big expensive bullets out of a 20vt. Trajectory like a rainbow. Might as well go varmint shooting with a 30/30.

You would be surprised how well the VT does with them, way out there.
Very close trajectory to many others. Within just a few inches more often than not.

[rickiesrevenge]

Originally Posted by L.Sherm

If your worried about barrel life i would Nitride a CM 9 twist and chamber it in a 20BRA for 55's.
I wouldnt nitride a SS barrel ive seen it screw some up but I haven't seen it with CM barrels.
I'm just about done with my test with a Nitrided CM 20VT
and its going well, my biggest reason for doing this was to see how it worked out, my next 20BRA barrel will be a Nitrided CM 9 twist.

Who do you use for nitride?