Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 221 FB or 20 VT

Since you already have the .222 and .223 covered, I wouldn't think that a .221 FB would bring too much to the table that you weren't already getting with those first two. Then I read that you have a .204 and I'm thinking that the .20 VT is going to be real similar there too.

You didn't ask, but why not a little .17 FB then? Finding factory .221 FB for my Cooper is near non-existent, but the .17 FB factory ammo is around in lots of places.

I thought about a 17 FB but I already have a 17 Remington that I hate reloading for due to small bullets and fat fingers lol.

No experience with the 20 VarTarg yet. The 221 Fireball has been nice to be sure. Yet I got the bug this winter & ordered a drop in 20 Vartarg barrel for a CZ 527. Look forward to comparing the 17 Fireball, 20 Vartarg & the 221 fireball. Expect all good choices depending on the application.

All ya need is the Redding 221 FB bushing neck die & correct sized bushing

Forster 221 FB seater (or Redding)

Redding or Forster 221 FB FL die

Brass........

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1018049354?pid=799821

I think I have asked on here a few moons back but is there much going for a .20/222??

Get a wilson inline blank and have seater one made with a reamer and drop the bullet down through were the seating stem is no problemo

depends

Trying to 'member back on my 20-222 history

Original chamber was a 20BR......4000 fps...(9 twist)

Ran 1200 rds or so......got bored with it (need a 50 gr V Max)

Sent it back to Pac-Nor & rechambered to 20-222

Prob one of my fav dog guns...running 40 V Max

Savage Target action.....Vortex PST glass

Only current pic I have

A 40 should be pretty flat shooting.

I wonder what velocity one would run out of a 24" barrel.

3500 should be easily doable, 3700 with a 32-34 is what I run in my 24" Barrels with AA2200

From a 20-222?

Sorry I meant a 20VT but the 20-222 will probably be a little faster.

👍🏻

Thinkin'


222 brass may be more available than the 221 FB brass

Dies are just as easy too

Sherm
3700 + is what I get with CFEBLK. 2 Cooper 38's. They both shoot less than 1/2MOA.
204 used to be my favorite. V MAX shoot fine but I get more air with Blitzkings.

Spot on boatammo. CZ kid has got a bunch of 20VT brass made from LC223 on accurateshooter and saubier its good brass its what I make my own out of.
20VT brass is out there you just gotta look in the right places.

I have quite a bit of 222 brass, Remington and Winchester for my 222.

Would like to find some Lapua 222 brass but they have suspended production of quite a bit of brass that is generally available to the public.

I just think a little .20 would be fun.

Nosler is making 222 Rem Mag brass now. It’s decent. An 222 RM ackley would blow your skirt up I bet. 40’s at 4000? Probably.

Or just do a 22-204. Kind of sort of an AI of sorts.

I have a .20 VT on a TC Original Contender. MGM 23" heavy barrel. When I started with the cartridge all I could find was .17 FB cases and necked them up. Was a pain since I had to do some turning at the neck/shoulder junction. With my chamber, a simple neckdown of R-P .221 brass in a Redding FL size die gets me shooting. I did a bunch of fireforming of the .17 cases with 26 grain Barnes VG. Was accurate enough for killing gophers but nothing to write home about and was surprised out how non-explosive a lot of the hits were.

I have a pile of Accurate LT-30 on hand (and Hodgdon has data for it) so been trying that in my formed brass. Best accuracy with the 32 Nosler VG has been near book max. Hodgdon says 18 grains for the 32 grain Lead-Free...I am shooting the FBHP and have tested from 17.6-18.0. 6 groups (mostly 5 shots) and then tested 18.0 grains at four depths. 48 shots average 0.699". The best groups were .345-.55". My final load was 18 grains of LT-30 at 1.760" with a CCI400. I had some chrono issues and need to see what it is doing but guessing in the 3600-3650 range. Some earlier testing showed an above book 18.7 grains at 3752 with that bullet.

I am guessing some improvement is possible with alternative bullets (40 grain VMax is next on the list), powders, primers and depths but thinking right now with gophers popping out I would rather shoot critters than paper. May do some more testing with the 32s and 40s later this summer. Will dig around to see if I have some AA 2200 as that should add some FPS and sounds like it is working well for others accuracy wise.