20VT - "204 Lite" Redux

[Rick in Oregon]

It appears there's some out there that missed my post on the .20 Vartarg that was nuked recently because of the forum server crash. I took the little Cooper M38 VR yesterday to reshoot some fireform loads, and see what her field load would do. I was not disappointed.

I had just mounted a new Leupold VX3 6.5-20X LR M1 scope with the VHR (my usual) for the upcoming ground squirrel season here. Here's the rifle on the bench after range testing:



This shows how nice and low I was able to mount the 40mm objective scope over the bore using Leupold Low Rings:



For those that missed it the first time around, this is a comparison between a 204 Ruger and a 20 Vartarg (loaded to reach the lands for fireforming). Sort of just looks like a "204 Lite" eh? 221 Fireball case necked to .20 cal, shoulder angle increased to 30 degrees, and some body taper removed as well.



This target was shot with my fireforming load (221 Fireball brass to 20VT)....looks promising for shooting rats while fireforming cases:



And the highlight of my day, one of the smallest groups I've shot in a while. It seems this lot of RL-7 is alot slower than in the past, so I'll need to keep shooting this rifle and bumping up the powder charge until I reach my target velocity of 3,715 fps, but in the meantime, a field varmint rifle that shoots in the .1's works for me!



I might put this portrait in my wallet with my grandkids, both make me smile:



The upcoming rat season is looking very promising, and "Scooter" as she's now known, will surely rack up an impressive number of "Skippy Launches" of her own, shooting the way she does now. Come on sun!

[Joe O]

Rick
Thanks for the update,after the crash site.Hope that accuracy stays with your intended increase in velocity.
Still waiting for my 20AB.

[Rick in Oregon]

Joe: When that Cooper 20AB shows up, be sure to regail us with photos and a range report.

I bet during this wait, you feel like Ralphie on Christmas Story waiting and hoping for his Daisey Red Ryder BB Gun. Remember, the anticipation is half the fun......(yeah, right).

[hehunts]

I think I have seen that Cooper somewhere before
Looks better with the VX3 on "HER"
Groups are shrinking some to

I hope the first of the week for mine !!!

[Joe O]

Joe: When that Cooper 20AB shows up, be sure to regail us with photos and a range report.

I bet during this wait, you feel like Ralphie on Christmas Story waiting and hoping for his Daisey Red Ryder BB Gun. Remember, the anticipation is half the fun......(yeah, right).

Rick
Knowing what I know now,my first gun would have been a Cooper in 20VT.My G2 is the one waiting on the 20AB barrel.The wait has been longer than for a Cooper.
Hope posting pics has gotten easier on the revised forum.

[scootertrash]

Wow Brother.....great shooting!!!!! Ha, and I told you the newer lots of RL7 are slower. In fact, I was shooting a 30PPC in score shoots with RL7, and with the new lots of powder, I could no longer get enough of it in the case to get back up to the accuracy node velocity I had previously used.

The 30PPC was a great project, and is wicked accurate, but I ended up setting the barrel back an inch and running a "Robinette" 30BR reamer into it. We all know the 30BR is king of score shooting right now, and this one shoots very well too. Lot less case prep and more capacity is always a good thing too.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure the last guy who owned that 20VT didn't shoot many mid-one groups with it.......but he did shoot some very respectable high one low two five shot groups with it.

Mike

[Rick in Oregon]

Hey Mike, thanks. Now the pressure's on to keep her in the mid ones......yeah, right. I'm no BR shooter, and she's no BR rifle, but we'll see.

The slow lot of RL-7 really threw me. You were right, this new stuff is ALOT slower. Now I'll be working with a bit more powder and switching to the Nosler 32gr BT, as I have a purty good source for them. The rifle loves the Sierras, but when we're shooting 300 rounds a day at rats, cost becomes a factor, like ir or not.

While out shooting her the other day, and after shooting the nice three-shot group, I was too scared to blow it by shooting a fiver, so left it a three-shot. Once I get "the" load worked up with the Nosler BT's, I'll be shooting five shot groups again as usual.

Thanks for taking such good care of her during her 'formative years', Mike. She's comfortable in the safe all cuddled up with Rosa and Wanda. The three of them just "look right" in there. It's all good. Is it spring yet?

[NHS]

That is some fine shooting Rick with a beautiful rifle.

[Rick in Oregon]

That is some fine shooting Rick with a beautiful rifle.

Thanks pardner, 'preciate it.

[Silverfox]

RIO--That's a very nice looking rifle and on top of that the doggone thing shoots itty bitty groups!! Congratulations on a fine rifle. Keep us posted on how it does when you reach your target velocity of 3,715 fps.

[Rick in Oregon]

SF: Thanks bud. I'll be working this week on bumping up the powder charge to try to reach the target velocity. If the dang Vituvouri powders weren't so dang expensive, I'd be set now, but $30+ a pound for "rat powder" is just too much. I'll dial it in with RL-7 and call it good. Skippy won't know the difference, right?

[tt35]

She's purty Rick! I need to get me a Cooper .204 one of these days, right after my truck, Nightforce, and .45 XD I bought my .17 Fireball for squirrels and I just found a load yesterday with 8208 XBR that was just over .4" for three shots. Hopefully if that holds I'll be in business for squirrels. How does your .17 MachIV do on chucks? I shot 1 at 330 in august and it made it back down its hole even though I hit it well. I'm afraid that it will only be really effective out to 250 on chucks.

[Verminator2]

Sorry, tt35's post was me.

[Rick in Oregon]

Ben, when I saw that wish list, I figured it was you, and not your dad. He's probably got most his "want" toys by now.

17 Mach IV: Only used it one summer on chucks after I put it together. I much prefer a larger caliber for chucks....usually use one of my 223's most of the time, have never used any of my 204's on chucks, no particular reason. For work on local ranches here near town, I usually use my Low Wall 22 K-Hornet for the noise factor. The Barnes 30gr Varmint Grenade in that rifle is killer for rock chucks under 300 yards in the populated farm/ranch country I shoot here; always one-shot kills on large chucks. (It also loves the old 45gr Nosler Hornet).

My Low Wall 22 K-Hornet with some chucks from last year. Bullet was the 30gr Barnes Varmint Grenade; excellent accuracy too.



The Mach IV will do it also of course, but as I just used it one summer, can't really say it's great on chucks. By coincidence, I was just thinking the other day about using my M4 on the local chucks here this spring....guess we'll see.

[Sidewinderwa]

Rick, fine looking rifle you have there and impressive groups. Looks like you have a winning combination. I know I am very happy with my 20 VarTarg, it will always go with me for sage rats and prairie dogs now. Reloader powder seems to have variances between lots. That was an issue that was reported with Reloader 10X. Be sure to try some X-Terminator powder, works great for me.