20 Practical

[scope eye]

I am eying a 20 practical, but I do not know what I need, as far as dies or bushings to resize the 223 brass.

Dean

PS: what is the difference between a 20 practical and a 20 tactical.

[mattri]

Excellent choice!

I had a 20 Practical built on a PTA and a 26" Criterion that was the best shooting gun I've ever owned. It was so accurate it got boring, sold it like an idiot.

I used a 223 Redding type S bushing die with the proper bushings to neck down 223 brass to a 204 neck. I used two bushings to initially size the cases and then the final bushing to neck size fired case. For seating I used a Hornady 204 ruger seating die. Worked great- I'll try to dig up some specs and pm them to you but if you want an amazingly accurate round that has basically no recoil and will take pds out farther than you would believe than this is the round for you.

The difference between a 20 Practical and a 20 "Tactical" is 2 things- the "Tactical" changes the shoulder, an extra step that serves absolutely no purpose, and the 20 Practical doesn't have that godawful stupid name. The 20 Practical is just a 223 necked down to 204, and it is awesome.

Wish I still had mine.

[davemuzz]

PS: what is the difference between a 20 practical and a 20 tactical.

One begins with a "P" and the other with a "T"!! HA HA Ha.....Watch out Jay Leno....I'm next in line!!! But seriously, I have no idea what the difference is....so go with Mattri's answer. I do have a hunting buddy who has the Tactical for shooting P-dogs out west and he say's he may request the gun goes in his casket when he expires. That's how much he likes it as a varmit getter.

Can't say more for a caliber than that.

Dave

[mattri]

Ballistically they are identical, load data is the same too, Practical cases are just easier to form.

PM sent with die/bushing info and load data.

[scope eye]

So can you just use 20 tactical dies, and not worry about the shoulder?

Dean

[mattri]

I would think that if you formed your 223 brass with 20 tactical dies, then every time you shot those cases you would blow the shoulder back out to 20 practical specs. You might check over at subier.com, the guy that came up with the 20 Practical, Warren B, is a poster there, goes by fireball. You've probably read this but here's a link anyway.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/20caliber/

[scope eye]

OK tanks guys.

Dean

[Berniep]

Ballistically they are identical, load data is the same too, Practical cases are just easier to form.

PM sent with die/bushing info and load data.

Is there a rule about this or something?
seems like it could benefit a lot of people if posted here in the thread.
Just wondering.

[mattri]

There isn't a rule per say, but some folks get touchy about posting load data etc. I didn't know if anyone else would be interested so I pm'd the op, but I'll post what worked for me.

The die I used for forming 20 Practical cases was the redding type s bushing die, I just bought one for 223 and then used 2 bushings to size down cases. The first bushing I used was a .230 neck, followed by a .226 neck, then once the cases were formed I just left the 226 bushing in place and used it as a regular neck sizing die. This was with WW brass. I tried some Lapua brass, but had to stick with the bigger bushing as the necks were thicker. FWIW I saw absolutely no accuracy difference between the Lapua and WW cases.

For a load I found that 23gr of H4198 and a 39gr Sierra blitzking would give 3840fps out of my Criterion 26" 1:11 barrel. I could get up to about 4200 with 23.5 but saw pressure signs so backed down to where the accuracy was at. Other people have had great success with other combos but I stumbled upon this one early and never looked back.

This combo would shoot 1/2" @ 200 yards all day with just about any shooter. It broke 1/4" a few times and I really think it could have done so more often with a better shooter.

[scope eye]

WOW I can't believe that .5 gr of powder gave you 350 + FPS, that's my kind of loading,

Dean

[Berniep]

There isn't a rule per say, but some folks get touchy about posting load data etc. I didn't know if anyone else would be interested so I pm'd the op, but I'll post what worked for me.

The die I used for forming 20 Practical cases was the redding type s bushing die, I just bought one for 223 and then used 2 bushings to size down cases. The first bushing I used was a .230 neck, followed by a .226 neck, then once the cases were formed I just left the 226 bushing in place and used it as a regular neck sizing die. This was with WW brass. I tried some Lapua brass, but had to stick with the bigger bushing as the necks were thicker. FWIW I saw absolutely no accuracy difference between the Lapua and WW cases.

For a load I found that 23gr of H4198 and a 39gr Sierra blitzking would give 3840fps out of my Criterion 26" 1:11 barrel. I could get up to about 4200 with 23.5 but saw pressure signs so backed down to where the accuracy was at. Other people have had great success with other combos but I stumbled upon this one early and never looked back.

This combo would shoot 1/2" @ 200 yards all day with just about any shooter. It broke 1/4" a few times and I really think it could have done so more often with a better shooter.
Thanks.
Now the info is here for anyone who is researching this cartridge.
Including me for future reference because someday I WILL have a .20 something.
I have wanted one since I got my first air rifle, a Sheridan blue streak in 5mm.

[hcpyro13]

Dean, why do without when other cartridges can do the same thing with more powder? Why not look to the 204 or the 20 BR, they will give you that slight margin to satisfy your insatiable craving for velocity. While not ackley's or weatherby's, there is something soothing about their overbore nature. Just my .02.

[Dennis]

Dean, why do without when other cartridges can do the same thing with more powder? Why not look to the 204 or the 20 BR, they will give you that slight margin to satisfy your insatiable craving for velocity. While not ackley's or weatherby's, there is something soothing about their overbore nature. Just my .02.

I am asked the same question almost every week, why not the 204 over the practical?

Just my .02, Dennis

[scope eye]

It's all about the vapor trail, if there is no vapor trail it ain't going fast enough, I have even had range master call a ceasefire to come yell at me for using tracers, to which I reply that I am not using tracers, "still yelling at me says I can see them" I tried to explain it is a vapor trail
but did not want to hear it, he did not know what it was and why was I they only one experiencing this condition, I tried to explain but it fell on deaf ears, anyway I was asked to leave and said that he was going to report me to the grand Poobah, well later that evening I get a call from the head range master, and he goes on to say that if I use tracers again my membership to the range will be revoked, I then ask him if he has any military background he say's yes why, I then proceeded to tell him what was happening, and should educate they other guy on the subject among other things, he then says what the hell
are you shooting, I then rattled of my approach to which he said he believed me but wanted to see for himself, actually he wanted to see the trail the chrono and the grouping, so the next morning I showed up and the rest is history, he still shakes his head in disbelief when ever we cross paths, come to think of it I never did get that apology from they other range master that I was told I was going to get.

Dean

[scope eye]

I am asked the same question almost every week, why not the 204 over the practical?

Just my .02, Dennis

That's an easy one to answer, I can mutilate the brass to get the speeds I want, and not lose any sleep over it or affect my beer fund, since 223 brass is abundant, easy peasy

Dean

[scope eye]

A 20 practical AI, I call dibs on it.

Dean

[BillPa]

A 20 practical AI, I call dibs on it.

Dean


Your late......:p
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/619643/ptg-headspace-go-gage-20-223-ackley-improved-40-degree-shoulder

Bill

[scope eye]

DOH:Cry:

Dean

[mattri]

Thats a good catch on the load data. I know my final load was 23, maybe I went higher than 23.5 but I honestly don't remember.

[BTSniper]

Another believer in the 20 practical here! Got a 26" shilen barrel, loaded up some reformed LC brass with 26 grains of Viht 133 and 32 grain v-max.... AMAZING results on ground squirrels! Matter of fact I just ordered up another of the same barrels to put same gun together for my dad to shoot. Got the 20-223 FL sizer die from CH-4D and used the 223rem seating die to seat the bullets.

Don't know the FPS I was getting but I had to beleive it was in the 4100 + range.... AWESOME! Couldn't miss in the field either!

BT