Hugnot
Well-Known Member
I plan to build a .20 caliber rifle that will be part of my estate but is not being built for that purpose. .
I have a .223 Ruger Hawkeye, latest version of M77 MKII, about 5000 rounds thru barrel during past 4 years by multiple happy users. Can't see much of leade no more. I tuned trigger, about 2# pull, breaks clean. Action timing great, bolt handle hits receiver bridge just right to open bolt real easy.
I am about to re-barrel this rifle that will be part of my estate and am asking for opinions of re-barrel & stock options. What would be the most useful & popular for shooters other than me? Is the .20P a "funny" round? How do others look at the selection?
Caliber .20P or .204 R, both with 11 twist. No bolt face enlargement. No unusual rebated brass. No exotic or boutique brass,
Barrels, 5R rifling, 11 twist & suitable/proportional for barrel & carry, high comb, wood or laminate stocks. Nothing garish or grotesque. No plastic.
(1) A light trim 22 inch #2 contour barrel with stock proportioned to match select grade Claro walnut or Bastogne walnut stock, either .20P or .204R. Easy carry, 7 pounds or less.
(2) A mid weight #3 or #4 contour, 24 inch long with above walnut or laminate stock and wider flat bottom forend. A compromise
(3) A real effective rodent rifle, having a #4 or #5 contour, 26 inch barrel with laminate stock and proportoned forend. Seeing bullet hits at distant targets is great. Sort of specialized.
An observation being the lady people admire the (1) type rifles having graceful nice walnut stocks but like to shoot types (2) & (3) more. Mastering .20P loading demands would be real easy but being able to buy a loaded box of 50 .204R rounds would be nice should you be living in a small apartment at some distant university town. Some still have much of 1st dollar ever earned, resale value important. Some are robust late teens having many tough sports abilities, weight no big deal..
Next - selection of scope, no less than 16X, 18X and more better, smallest prefered, good or better glass, 2nd FP, objective 50mm - don't plan on huge scope for type (1) rifle. Cost less than $750. Mounting options to match comb height, and get reticle center near bore axis on Ruger investment cast receiver. I have been using Burris Ruger/Weaver base adaptor & Wiegand 20MOA Ruger base that allow limited lateral movement of reticle centered scope to get sort of a good bore sight. Possibly there might be some other option? Drilling & tapping action for EGW 20MOA base is an option but I don't want to get a drill press, & taps & other for job or wait for a pro to do job.
For me, being real olde, the type (1) rifle in .20P having a better than select grade Bastogne walnut stock with short, light weight 15X or 16X, 42 or 44 mm objective scope would be my 1st choice. Should the results non definitive a (1) type in .20P will happen. I have lots of rifles.
I got a good deal on a 1" tube Swarovski Z5 scope, 1 inch tube, 3.5-18X44, just under 16 oz, but kind of long at 14 ". Might put that on rifle.
I have a .223 Ruger Hawkeye, latest version of M77 MKII, about 5000 rounds thru barrel during past 4 years by multiple happy users. Can't see much of leade no more. I tuned trigger, about 2# pull, breaks clean. Action timing great, bolt handle hits receiver bridge just right to open bolt real easy.
I am about to re-barrel this rifle that will be part of my estate and am asking for opinions of re-barrel & stock options. What would be the most useful & popular for shooters other than me? Is the .20P a "funny" round? How do others look at the selection?
Caliber .20P or .204 R, both with 11 twist. No bolt face enlargement. No unusual rebated brass. No exotic or boutique brass,
Barrels, 5R rifling, 11 twist & suitable/proportional for barrel & carry, high comb, wood or laminate stocks. Nothing garish or grotesque. No plastic.
(1) A light trim 22 inch #2 contour barrel with stock proportioned to match select grade Claro walnut or Bastogne walnut stock, either .20P or .204R. Easy carry, 7 pounds or less.
(2) A mid weight #3 or #4 contour, 24 inch long with above walnut or laminate stock and wider flat bottom forend. A compromise
(3) A real effective rodent rifle, having a #4 or #5 contour, 26 inch barrel with laminate stock and proportoned forend. Seeing bullet hits at distant targets is great. Sort of specialized.
An observation being the lady people admire the (1) type rifles having graceful nice walnut stocks but like to shoot types (2) & (3) more. Mastering .20P loading demands would be real easy but being able to buy a loaded box of 50 .204R rounds would be nice should you be living in a small apartment at some distant university town. Some still have much of 1st dollar ever earned, resale value important. Some are robust late teens having many tough sports abilities, weight no big deal..
Next - selection of scope, no less than 16X, 18X and more better, smallest prefered, good or better glass, 2nd FP, objective 50mm - don't plan on huge scope for type (1) rifle. Cost less than $750. Mounting options to match comb height, and get reticle center near bore axis on Ruger investment cast receiver. I have been using Burris Ruger/Weaver base adaptor & Wiegand 20MOA Ruger base that allow limited lateral movement of reticle centered scope to get sort of a good bore sight. Possibly there might be some other option? Drilling & tapping action for EGW 20MOA base is an option but I don't want to get a drill press, & taps & other for job or wait for a pro to do job.
For me, being real olde, the type (1) rifle in .20P having a better than select grade Bastogne walnut stock with short, light weight 15X or 16X, 42 or 44 mm objective scope would be my 1st choice. Should the results non definitive a (1) type in .20P will happen. I have lots of rifles.
I got a good deal on a 1" tube Swarovski Z5 scope, 1 inch tube, 3.5-18X44, just under 16 oz, but kind of long at 14 ". Might put that on rifle.
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