Shooting 20 cal 55 berger

[B23]

Just remember, all the speed in the world don't mean diddly squat, if you can't hit what you're aiming at. So if you have a load that is 3800 or even 3800++ but it shoots groups THIS BIG, versus one that shoots tiny little groups at slower velocities, which one do you think matters.....

[Bill K]

Originally Posted by B23

Just remember, all the speed in the world don't mean diddly squat, if you can't hit what you're aiming at. So if you have a load that is 3800 or even 3800++ but it shoots groups THIS BIG, versus one that shoots tiny little groups at slower velocities, which one do you think matters.....

Slow but deadly, trumps speed and misses, any time in the critter patch. , so you are right on. Bill K

[L.Sherm]

Ct17 i wouldn't worry about the 55's coming apart at 3750 or faster in a 9tw, an 8tw may be a different story.

[steve123]

Been there, done that.

Having the fever to push the 55's as fast as I could I had a 20x47L barrel done for my tactical rifle, a 9 twist 27" Krieger sendero contour. FPS was 3830 fps in the high node.

All went well till between 300 and 400 rounds when the 55's started blowing up. I discovered it when shooting at 1000Y for the fun of it.

I slowed them down to 3600 but the barrel was messing up the jackets if I were to guess. I cleaned real good but no joy.

Out of desperation I tried 40 vmax ???, which for whatever reason work and my load is a light 4100 fps.

I don't want to worry anymore about burning barrels too quickly since I'm not a GS. $600 by the time I buy a barrel and have it chambered etc.

Personally I wouldn't go more than the BR case or it's offspring for a 20 and to be more secure, off the grendel case.

To be quite specific I wish I had stuck to my first thought when considering the 20x47 or the 22x47. I could have been shooting 75 eld's with .467BC at 3400 fps and had a dandy long range varmint cartridge with no problems. I still might do that. Or the 53's with .290 BC at 3700 fps or so.

Anybody want, barrel for M700, dies, brass, reamer, loaded rounds in 20x47 let me know. Or I'll trade for the same in 22x47L.

[squirrel_slayer]

Interesting you said that steve123. another thread had almost the same response only his started at 250 rounds. said the throat was so rough it was eating up the 50 and 55gr jackets and blowing up the bullets. he was able to dial them back a hair under 3800 with good results but who knows how long that held up.

[steve123]

Originally Posted by squirrel_slayer

Interesting you said that steve123. another thread had almost the same response only his started at 250 rounds. said the throat was so rough it was eating up the 50 and 55gr jackets and blowing up the bullets. he was able to dial them back a hair under 3800 with good results but who knows how long that held up.

Yep, the overbore condition is pretty severe. 39-40 gr

Maybe the jackets are on the thin side as well???

Seems like the 55's work better in some barrels vs others.

The other thing I didn't mention is how quickly the barrel would get hot. By 7-8 rounds it needed to be left to cool.

Fortunately I had one super fun and memorable event with it just after load developement was done with the 55's. On vacation in Wyoming there was a rockchuck at the tip top of the highest rock on a large hill. No wind, first thing in the morn at 20 degree angle, lased 427Y shot, SHOOTER program gave .7 mil which I dialed. I had to get the cooler out of the SUV, put it on a mound to lift the muzzle high enough, harris bipod on top of the cooler, very unsteady and uncomfortable and old backbone don't bend to well, but after the shot when the rifle recovered I saw the chuck helicoptering off the back of the rock. It was a cool!!!

[blackblue]

Originally Posted by Ct17

I know it’s not gonna have the case capacity I want to know what the 224 Valkyrie necked down to 20or 17 will do

I had the same thought. Wonder how it would do with the shoulder moved forward. Pic I saw shows the neck is .270 long so plenty of room, someone with more experience would know better.

[squirrel_slayer]

Originally Posted by blackblue

I had the same thought. Wonder how it would do with the shoulder moved forward. Pic I saw shows the neck is .270 long so plenty of room, someone with more experience would know better.

You may gain 2-3gr capacity. if you used the new 22 nosler as it's parent case and blew it out like the Valkyrie you may get even more then. but not sure it would play nice in a gas gun with the bullet length/mag length issues. that and brass quality reports haven't been the greatest.

[blackblue]

Not a fan of the rebated rim on the nosler and the brass not being very good.... Starline making 224v brass got me thinking. Something mid-range between 204 and 20-250 would likely build of the Nucleus action.