Cooper .20 Vartarg & Rockchucks

[Rick in Oregon]

Today was a good day. Got a call from a horse rancher lady to come out and thin her rock chucks before they got thicker with the new litters. I always leave some for seed, but got 9 today, recovered 8 of them. One was so far down in his pile of huge bolders, he could not be retrieved.

I took my Cooper M38 in .20 Vartarg, loaded with RL-7 and Nosler 32gr BT's at 3,680 fps. It seemed to do the job quite well:



The country is pasture mixed with rock piles the chucks just love do den up in. This is a typical view of the area; the rock pile way in the center background had a huge one on board that met a 32gr BT in the morning shade:



I was amazed at the damage the little cartridge can deliver on a critter the size of a chuck inside 300 yards. This is typical terminal performance:



Average shot distance is about 250 yards, so after shoting ground squirrels at 400+ days earlier, chucks appear huge in comparison. The little Vartarg was perfect for the area, as there's nearby houses on small ranches that don't want bigger boomers about. This little ."204 Lite" is really becoming a personal favorite. I'm liken' it alot. It's like shooting a 450 yard capable pellet gun.

[Neil S.]

You sure are having a blast with that rifle Rick! Thanks for sharing!

-Neil

[Song Dog]

Thats awesome! Nice pics

[wirelessguy2005]

Nice Shooting Rick! Keep up the good work!

Brad

[Trent]

Dang Rick. That is one ugly rifle. I am flying into Portland this Friday, you should meet me there and I'll take that ridiculous thing off your hands.

[Sidewinderwa]

TOLD YOU SO Rick! The 20VT will get to you and worm it's way to the top of the favorite things to make red mist with!

[Joe O]

Nice tale,great pics,and good shooting.Thanks Rick.

[Ray P]

Way to Go Rick. Nice write up and pics. Looks like some wants to buy your rifle, after you got her dialed and broke in.........haha!!
Happy Easter to all!!
Later
Ray P

[Rick in Oregon]

Thanks you guys.....the enthusiasm is high this time of year.

Dang Rick. That is one ugly rifle. I am flying into Portland this Friday, you should meet me there and I'll take that ridiculous thing off your hands.

Trent: Hope you enjoy your stay in Oregon, and okay....I'll meet you at the airport. I'll be the guy with the rifle case, and you'll be the guy with the "briefcase-o-cash". Don't think so really though, this little rifle has really endeared herself to me. Hey, never hurts to try, right?

I thought I'd throw in a pic of the boys (and gals) in their more typical setting. They blend in with the rocks well, but their orange belly color gives them away as they bask in the morning sun. If they see movement, they dive for cover, so you gotta be sneaky, even at over 200 yards.



Close-up of an island rockpile that always has at least one chuck on it every time I visit the ranch. This time was no exception, and I smacked one right in front of the center juniper tree. There's a bit of a mess on it right now, right at the base.



I'm starting to think a guy could get almost all his varmint chores done with a pair of .20's......a 20VT and of course a 204 Ruger.



These cover about 80% of varminting chores, but that would be no fun not having a zippy .17 or two, and a guy always has his standby .224's, and then there's the 6mm's for more range and fighting the wind......okay, we need 'em all!

[Sidewinderwa]

Great pictures Rick. Yes it is always nice to have a well equipped tool chest for Skippy and varmint control. Great looking rifle ya got there.

[Clint E]

That 20vt seems to open them right up for a peak inside.

[GlennGTR1]

I am really missing Eastern Oregon, looks kind of like an area near Crooked river ranch. Never hunted there, just fished the D. That Cooper sure does look nice with that background. I have been thinking of getting a Cooper in a light weight walking configuration, problem is from what I read at the website all you can get is a one in fourteen twist, why not 12 or 9? Talking 223 of course.

[Rick in Oregon]

Glenn: All that took place just east of Bend. I'd sure miss it too if I was removed from 'here'. Don't blame you a bit.

I've wondered about Coopers 14 twist rate for the 223 also, but mine shoots both the 40gr and 50gr BT's into bugholes, so I've not thought too much more about it. I don't shoot 55's in my 223's often, usually just in my Swift, so it would be no big deal to me if the 14 twist did not shoot them.....just never tried.

Here's a couple of targets from my Cooper 223 load development......



If you're interested in the 40's and 50's in a 14-twist walkabout Cooper, don't fret for a single moment.....she'll shoot them just fine, I promise.

[GlennGTR1]

Glenn: All that took place just east of Bend. I'd sure miss it too if I was removed from 'here'. Don't blame you a bit.

I've wondered about Coopers 14 twist rate for the 223 also, but mine shoots both the 40gr and 50gr BT's into bugholes, so I've not thought too much more about it. I don't shoot 55's in my 223's often, usually just in my Swift, so it would be no big deal to me if the 14 twist did not shoot them.....just never tried.

Here's a couple of targets from my Cooper 223 load development......



If you're interested in the 40's and 50's in a 14-twist walkabout Cooper, don't fret for a single moment.....she'll shoot them just fine, I promise.

I like to shoot bullet weights up to 65 grains in weight, sometimes heavier. I own a Ruger Hawkeye Predator with a one in nine that shoots great, just a pain to pack around on snowshoes and up in high steep places. I tend to do more walking and shooting than sitting at a bench. If I could find a good 50 grain bullet that I wouldnt worry about using on a cougar or coyote then I would be ok with that twist rate. Seems like NPs and other stoutly constructed .223 bullets tend to be 55gr or heavier. I use the 223 as my all around, off season, walking varmiter and patrol rifle. I think from cougar sized critters on down it is a great cartridge. My other rifle is a light weight Rem 700 in 308 win. that handles all my big game hunting chores. I will be taking the boy down for some camping in June, probably stay out at Billy Chinook, then cruise the back roads and do some flyfishing. I will have a rifle handy. Thought it might be nice to have a Thompson Center pistol with a 14 inch barrel in 204, and 221FB. It would be a great truck gun and I imagine that you could get reasonable accuracy out to 300 yards in a 204, even out of a 14 inch barrel.

[Rick in Oregon]

Glenn: When I'm not at my bench sniping varmints in alfalfa fields, my own .223 Rem walkabout rifle is an old nice and handy Sako Vixen. I usually shoot anything from 40gr BT's all the way to the Sierra 63gr Semi-Pointed in it's 12 twist barrel.....works great. It's the nicest small bore walkabout rifle I've ever owned:



One evening I spotted a small badger at the crest of a hill at a lasered 426 yards. I waited till he popped his head up for a peek about, and popped him right behind the ear with a Nosler 40gr BT. So much for the notion that skinny barrels aren't any good for anything past 250 yards, eh?



Even the 63's fly very well out of this 12-twist....never felt the need for heavier bullets in a .223 Rem, but that's just me. I've got a Swift to push 55's or heavier slugs as fast as needed. To me, the 223 case seems perfect for 40's and 50's.....but again, that's just me. I'd not hesitate one second to pop a kitty (cougar) with a 50gr BT out of my .223 Rem.....I've got a buddy that has taken over 200 of 'em with his Marlin .22 Mag.