.20 Tactical - thoughts?

[Mike6158]

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]

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.

 

[sw282]

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]

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]

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.