Small caliber choice conundrum

[Jonoton]

Hi all,

I am stuck deciding what to build with an accurized Model Seven action I have on the way. It has a .378 bolt face, and I kind of regret not going with a mag instead but oh well. I also have an accurized 7 in 7-08AI on the way, and am otherwise set in 6.5mm, 7mm, and 308 rifles. Also a .223 barrel for the same action as the 6.5.

So I need to decide what to do with this action.

I don't think I want to build a 300blk or 350 legend. There are a bunch of cheap and decent rifles in those calibers, and they run out of useful range (imo) before accuracy becomes a concern.

I have more than enough .223 / 5.56 rifles as it is. But I also have a bunch of ammunition and components. 223AI is interesting.

I am leaning towards a lighter weight varmint gun in .204 Ruger, 20 Practical or one of the other small caliber rounds.

Any thoughts on the small diameter rounds?

 

[shortgrass]

6mm/223

 

[matt_3479]

I've ran 2 204's and 2 20 tacticals. I love the 20 tactical!!

 

[ducky]

You have a lot of choices, there are a bunch of wildcats based of the .223.

I personally have used 6X45, .25-45, .277 Wolverine, and .300 BO. The middle two were strictly AR-15 rifles, the last one in BA and AR. My two favorites are the 6X45 and .300 BO and the reason why is bullet selection and suppressors.

I built my Savage 6X45 with a 1:7 twist so I can pretty much handle any bullet out there, but I do run out of magazine space. It does shoot 55 grain bullets gaster than a .223 by 200 +/- fps, and 70 grain bullets equal a 55 out of a .223. My long range hunting bullet is a 100 grain Sierra GK with a MV of 2700 fps, and I use the Sierra GK 80 grain HP as a second choice.

The .300 BO is just a lot of stupid fun shooting subsonics suppressed. In a bolt action it basically sounds like a springer air rifle, in an AR all you really get is noise from the action cycling. It is so popular that there are a lot of great bullets made for it both for supersonic and subsonic use for hunting. I've killed two deer with this cartridge using 125 and 130 grain bullets, and I've finally got some 190 Sub-X Hornady bullets to try this fall from the deer stand. I've shot steel to 400 yards with this cartridge, but I'd really try for 200 yds or less hunting.

I really like the .277 Wolverine, but finding bullets like my favorite 90 grain Gold Dot is hard. And since you shorten the case to get things to fit in the magazine the 130 grain bullets run out of steam to quickly IMO. We never got 3000 fps from 87 grain bullets in the .25-45 and once you go over 100 grains you start to loose out to the magazine length.

I have the .204 Ruger as well in a slow twist factory rifle, I find it just okay. However, it lacks the versatility of the .223 so I rarely find myself using it. Also my 6X45 is a better LR rifle than the .204, with bullet BC always beating the velocites of my .204. I'd build a fast twist rifle if you do anything in a .20 cal, and I'd probably opt for the Pratical.

 

[Jonoton]

Thanks, guys!
I think I have decided upon 20 Practical.

It is different enough than my other rifle chamberings. I don't need this rifle to be especially versatile. Zippy bullets wrecking varmints with little recoil is what I'm after.

Looking at a 1:10 twist in a light palma finished at 24" or so in an adjustable Boyd's stock and AICS DBM with a high power middle of the road scope.

 

[matt_3479]

Thanks, guys!
I think I have decided upon 20 Practical.

It is different enough than my other rifle chamberings. I don't need this rifle to be especially versatile. Zippy bullets wrecking varmints with little recoil is what I'm after.

Looking at a 1:10 twist in a light palma finished at 24" or so in an adjustable Boyd's stock and AICS DBM with a high power middle of the road scope.

Right on well let us know how it finishes off. I have 1 1:11 twist and 1:10 twist. Both shoot awesome. I debated the 20 prac but I stumbled across a bunch of 20 tac brass so it just made sense. I think if I were to try another it would be a 20-223ai

 

[Flintlock shooter]

I recommend 223AI. Plug numbers into your solver and look at the difference between all the ones you have thought about. Use a 50 yard zero and 5" kill radius and see what you get. Mine drops 5.01" at 311 yards with a 75gr ELDM.

 

[shortgrass]

Jonoton must live in the part of Texas that's not as windy as the Panhandle and Western Oklahoma is. I've watch several with .20s and .17s just get "ate up" by a 10-20mph 'breeze' that's common around here.

 

[Dentite]

I have both .20 practical and .204 Ruger and they are both fun.

Advantage of .204 Ruger is slightly more case capacity.

Advantage of .20 practical is that you have the choice of any .223 case. That means nice stuff like Lapau, or you have the ability to convert a bunch of .223 you already have on hand.

.20 practical dies might cost a bit more up front as you need a .223 bushing die and 2-3 bushings. Of course there's no difference in cost if that's the type of die you buy for .204 Ruger as well.

Either way, they are fun cartridges.

 

[md66948]

6mm/223

Very Interesting.

 

[TR1Hemi]

20 Practical would have been my choice in a 20. It only gives up 100fps to the 204, IIRC, and you can make brass from the billions of 223/5.56 brass out there with only a Redding Bushing die. You were going to have to buy a die anyway. I never really understood the whole 204 Ruger based on 222 Mag brass. The extra FPS just are not worth the extra cost!

 

[sable tireur]

I never really understood the whole 204 Ruger based on 222 Mag brass. The extra FPS just are not worth the extra cost!

Different strokes for different folks. You're just bent different from others who find that the .204 Ruger is a superb cartridge for varmint shooting. Besides, for those who might have a different idea, there is factory ammunition available to take some of the pressure off of having to reload.

Other than that, gathering components is the same for everyone. When brass becomes available, buy it. I have found some excellent prices occasionally and buy what I choose to afford. So far, I haven't run short for a couple of decades and I shoot mostly all wildcat cartridges. The .204 Ruger is one of the very few available in factory loads which I use for test firing.

Fortunately there are dozens of small caliber cartridges to keep virtually everyone happy. Try one, try 'em all!

Enjoy!

 

[Orange Dust]

I would do a straight neck down of a .223 in .17, .19, or .204. You choose, they are all good, and don't think you will ever hurt for brass, well at least you won't if you load up on it before the military dumps the .556.

 

[TR1Hemi]

Nothing against the 204. I just think it was an answer to a question that had already been better answered with the 223 based 20P. Ruger and Hornady could have SAAMI'd the 20P and called IT the 204 Ruger. The only reason it exists is because to some, 4000fps is some magical mystery thresh hold. A prairie dog wont know the difference.

But in a better answer to the OP. It is a question best answered with a question. Do you reload? If yes, 20P. If no, 204.