Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 20/222Rem

Is anybody shooting this wildcat? Interested in experiences as considering building one specifically to throw the 32/34gr projectiles.
Cheers...
Con

No, but something like that is waiting for me at my gunsmith's place.

I took a Mini-Mauser action and a 20 caliber Douglas barrel to him in order to make a .20 Tactical (223 brass necked to 20 cal). He says it's ready now. I already have a Sako 222, which is a favorite, so chose to use the 223 case. Todd Kindler of Small Caliber News has published some experimental reloads, although he admittedly was in search of 4K+ velocity . The dies from Hornady were reasonable, and the semi-inletted stock is already in hand, so this summer will be a good time to explore the possibilities.

I will be very careful while finding my way, working up an accurate load, using Kindler's data as the maximum until proven otherwise.

I started shooting smaller-caliber centerfires with a 17 Rem, which seems now like a little more power than necessary. The 17 Ackley Hornet was great fun but not quite enough oomph, so a 19 or a 20 looked like a good middle ground. The 204 Ruger was already a commercial success, but also seemed like it was too big a vessel. We shall see.

I have a go gauge for the Tactical if you want to use it.

have this one.........original chamber was a 20 BR.......thus I twisted it 9......for 55 Bergers

got bored fast with the 20 BR......had Pac Nor rechamber to 20-222......prob my fav dog gun

I run 40 V max.....as with my other 20's......Vartarg & Practical

Prob have been running this 7 years now......its a fuggin' laser..............

Savage target action.......17# as shown......

No experience with a 20/222 but I own a couple 20 practicals. I can't imagine the 20/222 is going to have anything over the practical except more expensive, harder to find brass. FWIW I can get to 4K with 35gr bergers and 32 gr Vmax pretty easily with the practical if that's what you are looking for.

I've formed 222 brass out of 223 without any issues for a Savage 340 that came my way one time...
I gave the gun away to a friend's son in Montana...

I make 20 Practical brass easily from 223, so I would be able to assume, in several steps one could form 20/222 from 223 brass....once done, then load and shoot...

personally, I think the 20/222 would be even more practical than the 20 Prac, as the longer neck would be handier and I really doubt you'd have much a velocity loss...

If someone had a good supply or source of 221 Fireball brass... I think a 20 Fireball would even be all the more efficient and practical for high volume varmint shooting... aka, Prairie Dogs or Sage Rats...

CON, its been a while.... glad to see you are alive and kicking Mate!

20-222.....Lapua brass is easy.......

H322 for fuel......soooo mild & pleasant to shoot

If you're gonna have two dog guns in the field.....

try the Duece 20.......its hard to quit shooting it !

someone say 20 Fireball (Vartarg) ?

Again Lapua 221 brass..H322 powder....40 V's

Mine is a little smaller.
Took a Rem XR100 had it rebarreled and chambered in 20 vartarg, and added a Sako extractor.
It’s a great gun for PDs off a bench.
I use Rem 221 brass , neck it down, load and shoot.
My bullet is 32 vmax

Thanks for the feedback. What I'm looking for is a relatively 'mild' cartridge (as opposed to my 22/250 ) with some reach for use on smaller land holdings ... hence the 20/222. I like its longer neck compared to the 20Practical. Being in Australia, 222Rem brass is still easily available from multiple sources, where as 221Fireball is more complicated, likewise locating a gunsmith with 20VarTag reamer. A 20/222 reamer is relatively easy to find, using a FL bushing die to size 222Rem necks down is also 'low maintenance' enough to keep me interested in it as a wildcat. I hate turning necks etc and heavy case forming.

The 20/222 also suits well our local ADI powders, particularly AR2207 (H4198) and AR2219 (H322). We also have one the US I believe doesn't see called Benchmark 1 which slots between these two in burn rate, and has the small kernel size of AR2219. So powders are freely available that 'maximise' the velocity without having to source harder to find powders like the Winchester or Reloder series.

My intention is to use it on rabbits, hares and foxes, on dairy farms where the 'shock and awe' of the 22/250 with a 40gr at 4000fps isn't appreciated. However also as a fun gun on a property where rabbits can be 'sniped' at all ranges from at your feet, out to as far as you can see them ... and I want to see the hits!!!

I just have to decide whether to pull a tiring Rem700 in 17Rem apart, or whether to use a Stevens200 action... whichever gets turned into a 20/222, I can see the other later becoming a 20Practical.

Does the 20/222 sound as if it fits the bill?

Seafire, yes, still alive and kicking ... kids are approaching their teens so between shuttling them to sports, pony club and school ... life's gotten a bit busier and less time to play on the forums. I was set to give up on the wildcats and just build a 204Ruger or a 17Rem ... but old habits die hard.

Cheers...
Con

tikkanut,
Do you run that as a repeater or single shot? I have a Stevens200 action, SharpShooter trigger, a Savage laminated varmint stock (just need to change the screw spacings a smidgeon) ... one consideration is to run a straight 1" tube as a heavy varmint gun.

And if that's a yellow felling wedge under the rear of the stock, I'm going to tip my hat to you for sheer practical 'redneck-like' improvisation.
Cheers...
Con

Con.........

all my p/dog set ups are solid bottom s/shots.....

some older series with the small shank.......s/shot

the others are on target action large shank actions...

this pic......

I'm sure you've heard of the ole 6.5x55 ?

eh ?

What is this 6.5x55 you speak off? Isn't the only 6.5 in existence the '6.5 Needmore'?

Funny how the old cartridges, with modern components, are better than ever...
Cheers...
Con

I have a 20-222 built by keven Weaver. Mine is a Stiller action and is set up as a repaeater. Though I normally block off mag box and run as a single shot. I use for sage rats and it and the vartargs are favorite .20 cals. I own tactical, practical, and 204 and I prefer the 20-222 and 20 vartarg. H322 and H4198 are the powers. Prefer H322. Neck down 222 brass and have fun.