.20 Tactical - thoughts?

Mike6158 · Nov 25, 2024

I've got a Ruger American in .223. I have no shortage of 223 rifles. Bolt gun or AR. So I was thinking about rebarreling the Ruger. Since the 20 Tactical (cringe name) is a necked down .223 I could put the buckets of brass that I've collected, cleaned, deprimed, and annealed to work. I have a .20PPC and that thing is a shooter. But... the second Lapua turns loose their .220 Russian brass it's gone.

I know theres a 20 Practical, Tactical, and Vartag. I picked the one with the easiest to get brass. Are there any problems with it?

The one thing that I ran into was the two prefit barrel mfg's did not sell a 7 twist barrel. I want to shoot 55gr Bergers (that's what I shoot with the 20PPC) and the twist rate calculator favors the 7 twist for the velocity that I'd load for (3,500 - 3,800).

matt_3479 · Nov 25, 2024

I have run a 20 tactical for a little while now and love the caliber. Super accurate, super fast! Running 39's at 4050fps! Impressive little cartridge.

That said the practical is 223 necked down. A 20 tactical is shoulder pushed back, moved to 30 degree and longer neck. Still it's 1 motion normally with a die same as the practical but it isn't exactly a direct 223 necked down.

Once these barrels are shot out I'm considering the 20-223 ai instead.

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Ballistic-X-Export-2023-09-20 15:36:18.427923.png

sw282 · Nov 25, 2024

l have a Cooper 21Phoenix in TAC20. A TRUE 4000fps gun when shooting 30-35 gr Bergers or 32gr VMAX/NBT/SBK. Half the recoil of a max load 22-250. The brass is easily made from 223s. lt has a slightly steeper shoulder angle than a 223 to keep from accidentally firing in a 223. Lapua used to make TAC20 brass.
l hear the 204 Ruger killed the TAC20.

matt_3479: What gun is your 20TAC chambered in?

282

milestown · Nov 25, 2024

The .20 practical is easier. The neck angle is the same as .223
If your using a bushing .223 die just slip in a .20 bushing in your .223 die and your good to go. That's why they call it the practical.

With the .20 Tactial you need to change angle and buy another set of dies and reform the necks on all your cases.

Hal

Mike6158 · Nov 25, 2024

Ah... I got it backwards. I can work with either. I have to rework the 220 Russian cases for the 20PPC and 300 RUM cases for the .338 Edge so that's not a big deal. .20 Practical was what I was going for, I just mixed up the names.

DUCKMAN11 · Nov 26, 2024

My smith shoots a 20-223ai. He had a ton of 223ai brass and just necks it down. I wouldn't want to fire form a 20cal so I'd personally go with a 20practical.

I've been considering a 20 Grendel or whatever name that combination already has.

Justice1327 · Nov 26, 2024

20 Practical is the way to go.
I had a .20 Creed and the barrel went south quickly, but lots of smiles!
I am now having a 20GT and a 20 BRA being built…20 PPC will be next.

DUCKMAN11 · Nov 26, 2024

Justice1327 said:
20 Practical is the way to go.
I had a .20 Creed and the barrel went south quickly, but lots of smiles!
I am now having a 20GT and a 20 BRA being built…20 PPC will be next.

What kind of velocity did you see with the 20creed

matt_3479 · Nov 26, 2024

Justice1327 said:
20 Practical is the way to go.
I had a .20 Creed and the barrel went south quickly, but lots of smiles!
I am now having a 20GT and a 20 BRA being built…20 PPC will be next.

The 20gt and 20 bra are something I'm strongly considering as well! Both very impressive cartridges

rm76 · Nov 26, 2024

Unless you are planning for a long barrel and need max velocity, I would suggest that the 20 practical would be the way to go. I built a 20 practical on an 18" 11-twist barrel (for use with suppressor) and have no regrets. Grandson killed a 180 lb hog with it at 275 yards with 34 grain bullet, down right there with neck shot. So it plenty gun for many applications.

Dentite · Nov 26, 2024

I've got a .20 practical AR in a 20" barrel. Shooting 40 grain vmax at 3600 with good accuracy.

Justice1327 · Nov 26, 2024

DUCKMAN11 said:
What kind of velocity did you see with the 20creed

Faster than my LR could pick up. Now with the garmin it might work, but not building another one...so I will never know.

Dentite · Nov 26, 2024

DUCKMAN11 said:
What kind of velocity did you see with the 20creed

I second this...would love to hear what velocity and what bullets.

Mike6158 · Nov 26, 2024

rm76 said:
Unless you are planning for a long barrel and need max velocity, I would suggest that the 20 practical would be the way to go. I built a 20 practical on an 18" 11-twist barrel (for use with suppressor) and have no regrets. Grandson killed a 180 lb hog with it at 275 yards with 34 grain bullet, down right there with neck shot. So it plenty gun for many applications.

I recently put together an 8.6BLK, 24" barrel, 1" Varmint contour. 16# rifle. Soooo... I won't be going with THAT profile again but I haven't decided on what barrel length is going to be. Maybe 18" Heavy Palma. I have a 16" heavy Palma contour barrel for a 6.8 SPC build. It's not that heavy.

.20 Tactical - thoughts?

Mike6158

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matt_3479

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sw282

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milestown

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Mike6158

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DUCKMAN11

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Justice1327

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DUCKMAN11

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matt_3479

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rm76

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Dentite

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