First hunt with the 20VT

[randyman]

I wasn't looking for a thumb hole stock but it was the only way I could get the ventilated fore stock

.20 VT on table.jpg (76.43 KiB) Viewed 423 times

This guy was at 185 yds and didn't go far.

.20 VT and squirrel.jpg (127.25 KiB) Viewed 423 times

10-22 and squirrel.jpg (155.19 KiB) Viewed 423 times

I finally got my VT put together in time for a squirrel shoot up in NE Ca. I had planned to build it over the course of the summer but once I started I couldn't stop. I did a quick sight in between rain storms on Saturday but it was too muddy to venture out into the hay fields so I waited till Monday morning. I found a place to set up my table and thought I'd be lucky to get 10 or 12 and mostly just wanted to see how this gun would shoot. I ended up shooting for 3 hours and tagged quite a few out to about 230 yds. I was by myself so didn't have anyone to spot for me but eventually got it dialed in. After the squirrels quit running out on the dirt road I took my modified 10/22 and just wandered along the roads plinking them off as they came out of the alfalfa. I finally had to quit because I ran out of ammo but it sure was a lot of fun.
The photos show the rifle which is based on a Remington 700 SA, a 26" Criterion magnum sporter barrel, a Boyd stock, Vortex Viper 6.5-20 x 50 scope. I switched out the stock trigger for a Rifle Basix set at around 10 oz. My 204 has a 2 stage trigger that I've shot a lot and I only had one shot from the VT where I wasn't quite ready. All and all it was a pretty good day of shooting and the performance of the VT was exactly what everyone has told me it would be. It will now be my go-to squirrel rifle with the 204 being my secondary. I'll take more .22 LR ammo with me next time since the walk about shooting was so good. I'll have to remember to take my shooting sticks next time since that heavy barrel on the 22 makes it hard to shoot off-hand.

[Rick in Oregon]

Looks like a fun outing to me there, Randy!

Your comments about the 20VT mirror my own, and about everyone who shoots rats who's tried one. It's almost like it was designed exactly for that intended purpose.....oh wait, it was!

We always take our 10-22's also, and for the same reason you did. Great fun for casual walkabouts on the field edges, and almost always get a lot of shooting as a result.

Good pics, thanks for posting.

[Bill K]

RANDY. So glad you found the 20VT and how much fun and how well that caliber does do the job, we intended it to do. Looks like you ended up having a good shoot, and that just adds cream to the crop.. ha. Thanks for sharing that trip. And that rifle turned out very nice. Bill K

[Jim White]

Isn't that little caliber great? I really enjoy mine. Another one equally as fun is the 221 Fireball. Can't add anything more than both Rick & Bill have said already.

Jim