.20 caliber estate rifle build

[Hugnot]

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.

 

[akdad]

I love the idea of the 20p but i think for a lot people like factory ammo

 

[cdherman]

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.

Your heirs (estate) will likely appreciate you more if YOU sell some stuff and just put it in the bank. And you too, really. You know you have stuff that is valuable, but once you are unable, your heirs will have FAR more trouble establishing a fair market value.

I have several guns I need to get rid of. They have value to me, but far less to my family. In some cases, their value to me is also exaggerated. Exaggerated because of plans and emotions associated with the original builds, or who, what, when hunted with the gun.

All that sentiment passes when we do as well and we leave someone else the mess.............

 

[Hugnot]

LGS don't pay fair prices for nice but different rifles, it seems like common stuff sells best, little appreciation of fine barrels that can produce great results - this enables a consideration of keeping the .223 barrel on the rifle and selling it and including proceeds in an annuity where estate heirs would harvest remaining amounts after our passing. Anything less than a .224 might be considered as unusual in LGS's and .223 ammo is real cheap. Local guys seem happy with hat size hits at 300.

Another consideration is the 9 year old smart kid, real gifted, ID'ed as gifted by his school. Able to figure out & use Mil-Dot reticle after brief intro and able to use wifey's .204R, having Mil Dot reticle to pick off tiny targets at 300 and use reticle to size and range targets and make wind adjustments. Able to figure out .1 mil click was .36 inches at 100 yards. Liked to count 7 of Jupiter's many moons.

Careful estate planning is essential - my father was a banker in the trust department of a large bank. I often accompanied him when he evaluated estates. We often entered dark & musty houses having dusty furniture and other items that needed to be inventoried and sold without being part of heir inheritances - real sad & dark. Like what will happen to granny's silver and crystal collection? Many items were not included in trust documents or wills. All of our items will be either sold before life's final adventure or specifically passed on to individual heirs. We started process last year.

Looks like the kid will get a (2) type .204 R with a colorful laminated stock and a Vortex 4-16X44 Vortex HST (mil rad) scope. I will shorten stock .75 inches & include Pachmayr slip on recoil pad for bigger folks to use.

I still have much of my folk's & grandparent's stuff and admire & use the items daily.