SmallCaliberCentral

Finally.........

I started this adventure last March with a search for a M700 17 Fireball donor action. Locally, between Bellingham WA and Salem OR, they weren’t readily available. In June, a SPS 17 Fireball finally showed up on the radar screen in Idaho on Cabela’s website, and as luck would have it, it was still available. With a phone call and a Visa Card I had the rifle shipped to the Lacy WA store. When it arrived, I went in, looked it over and decided to take er’ home.

Along the same time as the search began for the action, I ordered a Shilen “select-match” 1-12 twist from my gunsmith, Russ Haydon. By December and for whatever reason, Shilen couldn’t deliver one that met “select-match” criteria. After looking around I found that Lilja had some in stock in the correct contour so I ordered one and it was at my place within a few short days.



When the barrel arrived I delivered it and the action to Russ and of course, there were several jobs in front of mine. At Russ’s place we looked over the package and that’s when he pointed out that the SPS stock was pretty flimsy at best. Knowing it was going to be a while before he got to it I went looking for a HS Precision PSV-96 stock. Initially, I came across a PST-12 in black but I ended up using that one on a 40-X. I found a Remington VSSF-II take off [it’s black with a forest green finish] so I got a hold of it. In the end, that stock color, black action and stainless combo looked OK but it really didn’t suit me.

Moving FWD to this past May I ended up finding a beige with black web stock from “Stocky’s” and since Russ was winding down his work I put overnight shipping on it. However, not all went so smoothly. Somehow their shipping department sent my stock to someone in Pennsylvania and I ended up with theirs. In the end and to their credit Stocky’s had it sent to me over night from PA. I stuck the 17 Fireball action into the tan stock and that was “just what the Dr. ordered”. Incidentally, the green/black stock ended up on one of my M700 204 in place of a laminated “Thumbhole” stock and it looks pretty good to me.



While all of this was going on I had procured an older M700 trigger. For several years now the, most 700’s come with the X-Mark-Pro trigger and they are OK but not as good as the older ones IMO. After finding one I took it all down to Russ.

I picked up the rifle on June 30th. Truthfully, if Russ could have bead-blasted the barrel for a “satin” finish I would have probably left it as is. But he couldn’t and while the polish barrel looks nice it isn’t practical for a varmint rig, IMO. So I decided to have it coated. Again, Russ’s partner was winding down his business to go off to school so I went searching and found someone close by that does Cerakote finishing.

I was able to locate someone locally so, in the Bronco the rifle goes to get Cerakoted. I chose the darkest black they offer. When I picked it up he mentioned there was a problem with the hammer dropping with the safety on when cycling the bolt. That was finally resolved [or so I thought] and finally picked it up on July 7th and brought it home.
For “safety & peace of mine” sake I wanted a second opinion on the trigger. So, back to Russ it went and when the bolt was cycled hard and fast the hammer would drop. Well….FIDDKESTICKS! Russ fooled with it but was unable to turn the screw to give a little more sear engagement. He tried heat, KROIL and who knows what but that SEAR engagement screw wouldn’t budge. As it turned out, during this long wait I had found a M40X trigger and had bought it. So in it went and it is now set between 2 to 2 ½ pounds. I picked it up on Monday and here is the finished product.





In the meantime, I have this spare scope, a Leupold VX3 6.5-20x40 EFR scope on it but eventually, I’d prefer something else, probably a Zeiss Conquest or Leupold VX3 6.5-20x40 [or 50) 30mm long-range w/varmint reticle. I have both and like each one. Cost is pretty much the same. I’ve also considered a new Leupold VX6 3-18x44.







So at last, I finally have a 20 VT and hopefully, I’ll get out to the range on Monday to start the barrel break in and some case fire forming.

Jim

Very nice, Jim! Sounds like the hard part is over and now the fun begins. FWIW, I have had great luck with LC brass, 205M primers, H4198 powder and 32 Z-Max bullets.

RAMOS wrote:Very nice, Jim! Sounds like the hard part is over and now the fun begins. FWIW, I have had great luck with LC brass, 205M primers, H4198 powder and 32 Z-Max bullets.

Thanks. One thing I did notice was 18.5 grains of H4198 fills the case all the way just inside the case neck. I'm trying Nosler 32gr BT ballistic tips [maroon/purple color tip] and some FB 32gr Varmageddon's. Inhave Bukoos of 39 SBK so I may give them a try if the 32's down't work out [which I'm sure they will].

Gonna try and shoot it on Monday.

Jim

Jim, I settled on 18.7 of the H4198 in my Cooper. I worked up to it and that is where I found my best accuracy. Not seeing any signs of pressure but, could not have gone much higher as I was running out of room. Again, using Lake City brass. YMMV

Sweeeet

RAMOS wrote:Jim, I settled on 18.7 of the H4198 in my Cooper. I worked up to it and that is where I found my best accuracy. Not seeing any signs of pressure but, could not have gone much higher as I was running out of room. Again, using Lake City brass. YMMV

That seems to be the ballpark area for the best loads. I was reading Todd Kindler's book (Sensational 20's) and I don't see how he was getting over 19 grains in his cases because mine were definetly "topped-off" at that charge level. Hopefully I can get out and shoot it tomorrow.

Jim

Grendel wrote:Sweeeet

Thanks, it was a long time coming and I hope it shoots groups as nice as it turned out. It'd be a darn shame if it didn't.

Jim

Jim, I don’t think you will be disappointed with the accuracy of your new 20 VT. From what I’ve seen and experienced the accuracy is unbelievable. I had mine built for squirrels but am having just as much fun punching paper. Great choice for a stock, it really enhances the looks. Dan

TrapperDan wrote:Jim, I don’t think you will be disappointed with the accuracy of your new 20 VT. From what I’ve seen and experienced the accuracy is unbelievable. I had mine built for squirrels but am having just as much fun punching paper. Great choice for a stock, it really enhances the looks. Dan

I built it primarily for those pesky Oregon ground squirrels. The 204's are fun but they do heat up faster. Heck, when I shoot out the barrel of those I may turn one of them into a 20 VT. I'm going to try and experiment with feeding dummy case 20VT's in/out a STD 700 receiver and see how it cycles. If it works the only thing I'd need is the follower.

I was surprised the stock came out the way it did (color wise), I expected a little less black and the beige being a shade or two lighter.

Lookin' reeeeal good Jim, and welcome to the 20 VarTarg fraternity! That's a sweet lookin' rifle you've got there, and I'm guessing as it was smithed by Russ, it will shoot as good as she looks. Like the others, mine is fed both H4198 and/or RL-7 with the 32's, with the nod going to RL-7 for most rat shoots as it seems to be much more available around these parts. You've seen mine perform on Skippy in the field, so you already know just how neat this little caliber really is.

We're looking forward to seeing those bugholes when you get her all sorted out......good luck in the meantime with your new girl. Ain't a new rifle in a neat little varmint caliber just the best?

Range Report:

I took her out for the barrel break-in yesterday, starting @ 9:00 AM and wrapping up @ 5:00 PM. It was late getting home so sorry, no pictures yet. All shooting was done @ 100 yards, going FWD, all will be done @ 200 yards. I still have another 300 pieces of brass to fire form. Neck turning and annealing will follow suit this winter when the cold damp weather returns.

The first round out the barrel, 17 grains of Reloader-7 with a 26 gr Barnes Varmint Gernade, sounded like a very light load. The H4198 had just a tad more of report but either way, both were quieter than my 204's. I did the shoot-one then clean afterwards routine for 10 rounds (17 grains). With no copper signs, I moved to shoot-two and clean for 20 rounds. Still, no copper signs, I went to shoot-five and clean for 20 rounds. With no copper traces I figured she was done at that point. The last 40 shots were using 18.5 grains [both H4198 & Reloader 7).

I used my bench bags from Don Scott in Gladstone OR. I can hold much harder using my bench rest but for barrel break in I didn't feel it was worth dragging along and setting up. Once the scope was sighted in, I used a 25-yd pistol center-fire target using the "X" as the aim point. Shooting on low power (6.5x) and not really giving it my hardest-hold, 45 shots were all in .75(H) x .77(V) group.

I set up the Chronograph, and did some velocity test with .5 grain intervals from 17-19 grains. Most groups were round and right at the .5 moa. There were a couple with Reloader 7 that were in the low .3's and one with H4198 that had no verticle dispertion, but had a 1" horizontal spread. I got some chronograph data too but haven't plugged the numbers for AVG velocity, SD or ES. Hopefully, I can get the load testing done next week so I can finally get an 5 or 8lb jug of powder on order for it.

Cases were 221 FB with some real old CCI-450 primers in the small blue & red boxes. No telling how old they are but they did the job. Gonna finish up shooting my CCI-450's and BR4 before returning to my Remington 7 1/2's stash. On these loads neck tension was lighter than I like using a .229 bushing. Don't recollect the OAL but I believe it was 1.940". Don't know the bullet jump yet, still waiting on a 5/16 x 36 tap to come in to make myself one of those cases.

Rick... A new varmint rig is a nice commodity. I think back in my younger years when all I would look at is the big magnums. My...how times have changed. I still shoot them once in a while because they do help keeping the flinching down to a minimum but as I get older, I'm finding it harder & harder to hate myself that much.