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  #1  
Old 01-07-2019, 05:56 PM
recoillug recoillug is offline
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Default Short Barrel .20 Questions

I am looking for input regarding several aspects of a short barrel .20 caliber. Am wanting to build a .20-223 AI with short barrel for use with a suppressor. Considering an 11-twist barrel shooting the Berger 35 or 40 gr. Not sure how short I can go without generating other issues. Thinking about an 18” barrel. I know I will lose some velocity but some of that velocity might be restored with a suppressor (as sometimes occurs). Another concern with such a short barrel might be powder debris blast into the suppressor. Perhaps that can be minimized with powder choice (such as a faster burn rate). Any experience or thoughts with short barrel .20s with regard to minimal barrel length and powder choice? Is 18” too short?
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  #2  
Old 01-07-2019, 06:14 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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Default Short barrel .20 questions.

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Originally Posted by recoillug View Post
I am looking for input regarding several aspects of a short barrel .20 caliber. Am wanting to build a .20-223 AI with short barrel for use with a suppressor. Considering an 11-twist barrel shooting the Berger 35 or 40 gr. Not sure how short I can go without generating other issues. Thinking about an 18” barrel. I know I will lose some velocity but some of that velocity might be restored with a suppressor (as sometimes occurs). Another concern with such a short barrel might be powder debris blast into the suppressor. Perhaps that can be minimized with powder choice (such as a faster burn rate). Any experience or thoughts with short barrel .20s with regard to minimal barrel length and powder choice? Is 18” too short?
Can not really offer any positive information, but personally I would not go shorter than 20 inch. 1/11 twist should be fine and adding your suppressor could help boost some FPS lose. Just my opinion, for what it is worth. Bill K
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  #3  
Old 01-07-2019, 06:24 PM
B23 B23 is offline
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I'm a big fan of short barrels and suppressors, one of my favorite coyote guns, that I run suppressed, is my 22-250 w/18 inch barrel.

No trying to talk you out of what you want, but I have to ask, if you plan to run it with that short of a barrel, why bother with the extra step of increasing case capacity by doing a 20-223AI? Nothing wrong with it, but in a barrel that short a straight 20-223, AKA 20 Practical, will shoot the same speed. In fact a 20-221 or 20-222, in a barrel that length will probably shoot within 50fps, maybe even less, of the 20-223AI and do so with a couple grains less powder and those are a straight neck downs so it'll save you the time of fireforming.

There isn't much gain in velocity when you screw a suppressor on the end, all my guns generally only gain 15 +/- fps with a suppressor on versus off.
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Old 01-07-2019, 06:45 PM
L.Sherm L.Sherm is offline
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I'm a big fan of the 11tw up to 39 and 40 with longer barrels but if you go down to 18" you might want to think about a 10tw.
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  #5  
Old 01-07-2019, 09:04 PM
recoillug recoillug is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by B23 View Post
No trying to talk you out of what you want, but I have to ask, if you plan to run it with that short of a barrel, why bother with the extra step of increasing case capacity by doing a 20-223AI? Nothing wrong with it, but in a barrel that short a straight 20-223, AKA 20 Practical, will shoot the same speed. In fact a 20-221 or 20-222, in a barrel that length will probably shoot within 50fps, maybe even less, of the 20-223AI and do so with a couple grains less powder and those are a straight neck downs so it'll save you the time of fireforming.
My thinking on the 20-223AI was mainly for case stability, but I also already have a bushing die set for the 223AI, so thought that would be easier than gearing up for 20 tactical. Your point is well taken though.

Quote:
Originally Posted by L.Sherm View Post
I'm a big fan of the 11tw up to 39 and 40 with longer barrels but if you go down to 18" you might want to think about a 10tw.
Can you elaborate on why a 10 twist would work better in an 18" barrel? I thought generally the faster the twist the less velocity for a given bullet and barrel length.
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  #6  
Old 01-07-2019, 10:15 PM
Ganderson Ganderson is offline
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If you are planning on this rifle being a repeater, you might have issues with properly feeding the AI cartridge. The 20 Practical or 20 Tactical would be a better choice as a repeater.

Gene
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  #7  
Old 01-07-2019, 10:29 PM
Bill K Bill K is offline
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Default Short barrel .20 guestions

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Originally Posted by Ganderson View Post
If you are planning on this rifle being a repeater, you might have issues with properly feeding the AI cartridge. The 20 Practical or 20 Tactical would be a better choice as a repeater.

Gene
Why ? My Rem 700 started out as a 20 Practical and I had the chamber opened to 20-223AI ( 20 Practical improved with 40 degree shoulder) and it feed before and after with no issues. Bill K
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Old 01-07-2019, 11:23 PM
L.Sherm L.Sherm is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by recoillug View Post
My thinking on the 20-223AI was mainly for case stability, but I also already have a bushing die set for the 223AI, so thought that would be easier than gearing up for 20 tactical. Your point is well taken though.



Can you elaborate on why a 10 twist would work better in an 18" barrel? I thought generally the faster the twist the less velocity for a given bullet and barrel length.
Your gonna lose velocity which in turn RPM's how much I dont know but a 10 twist would be cheap ins.
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  #9  
Old 01-07-2019, 11:47 PM
DAA DAA is offline
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I had my 12 twist .20-250 chopped from 25" to 19" when I had it threaded for a suppressor. Lost 240 fps with the working load using 38 gr. bullets. Runs 38's and 39's at only a flat 4,000 fps now.

Would not set out to get where it ended up, but that's where it ended up and it works pretty darn good.

I have no concerns with fouling the suppressor any more than anything else, which is to say, I have no concerns. It has a couple thousand rounds of various hot rods through it and I haven't even started to think about even cleaning it yet.

I haven't bothered trying different powders than the loads I had already worked up before shortening it. It's for punching coyotes, not paper.

The first triple with it after the chop and adding the can.



Couple other pics of it after the chop...









- DAA
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  #10  
Old 01-07-2019, 11:56 PM
Ganderson Ganderson is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill K View Post
Why ? My Rem 700 started out as a 20 Practical and I had the chamber opened to 20-223AI ( 20 Practical improved with 40 degree shoulder) and it feed before and after with no issues. Bill K
Having had a 223AI and 22-250AI...none would feed reliably as a repeater. This was from standard Rem 700 BDL magazine. The only way I ever got them to feed was out of straight line magazines...stagger feed magazines just never fed good for me.
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