Si-Snipe Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I decided to go the 20 Prac route after being with 17 Rem for a few years mostly for a change but also to broaden my calibre experience. For me 20 Prac has an advantage over 204 Ruger in that 223 Lapua brass can be purchased at a very low cost and easily sized into 20 Prac. I had 2 x 223 bushing dies available to use (Redding FL & Forster Bushing Bump) so high quality dies were ready to roll. I decided to go with Alan Maughan after the excellent job he did when throating my 223. I collected the rifle from Alan's a few weeks ago. My Tikka 595 was re-barrelled with a 10 twist 22" Sassen chambered in 20 Practical. The barrel was a light varmint profile. In line with what I've seen so far the standard of Alan's work didn't fail to impress me even down to the completely invisible 'invisible end cap'. ? Now to get these 223 cases sized and ready to load...... I looked at what people had documented on this cartridge and how the brass was most effectively sized. Using some old 223 Lapua brass I experimented sizing the necks down to 20 calibre. After deforming a few necks on the old brass by sizing them too aggressively I quickly devised the most efficient and brass friendly route before starting on my new cases. Here's the process I used for best neck concentricity; size the brass with a FL standard 223 die without expander fitted. This takes the neck down to around .240", then size with a 232 bushing. At this point I was now able to load the cases with the slightest of neck tension. Going to the .228 bush was too much at this point and when seating I was crimping the SBK's. I soon found a way round this and a way to improve concentricity further..... by sizing to the new cases with a .228 bush (after the .232) then using a 20 cal K&M expander I was able to produce more consistent seating forces and concentric necks. I decided to go one step further and neck turn to clean up any high spots. Sizing down so much will invariably push brass around and leave them a little out of concentricity, so neck turning is never a bad thing in this case, especially considering the necks had thickened to 14.5 thou (on average) due to the sizing process. There was thickness to spare. A couple of notes on the dies used; the 223 Redding S Type would require the expander cap retaining nut to be turned down or replaced with a 20 cal assembly. The 223 Forster Bump Bushing decapping assembly did not catch the 20 cal necks and was suitable as it was. I was able to use the 223 Redding Competition Seater without any modifications from standard. I hope this has been of interest. It has been an interesting process for me and well done Alan. My next test is 40g vmax, I will update this thread once I've tested. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swagger Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Interesting read as it's the next cal for me to fill! Lots of variation on how to form the cases too. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lapua Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I think your calipers need calibrating? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonl Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I think your calipers need calibrating? Zeroed at 0.20" ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I am also dubious of si-snipes group measurement method Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si-Snipe Posted February 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Zeroed at 0.20" ? Correct. Zero at 0.204" then measure edge to edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 I am also dubious of si-snipes group measurement method Why? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Why? Coz in the last pic they're showing .165" edge to edge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Oops!! Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Coz in the last pic they're showing .165" edge to edge They are my calibers, I set them at .204" and then zero'd them so the edge to edge shows the true centre to centre group size which is what really matters. Its sad when people nit pick at silly things like this, all it does is put some guys off sharing info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuck Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Jesus, does it really matter, it's an impressive group buy any means, irrelevant of what the calipers say. Looks good to me.. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
visiter1 Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 fantastic looking gun best of luck with it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunner Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Nice choice caliber if i may say , will be interested how the hornadys shoot . I initially set up with the 39sbk , tried the noslers after your recommendation but they didn't like my barrel . I bought 200 hornadys but never bothered as the sierra is so good and as i got 2x 500 boxes it just made sense to stick with the 39sbk , from my experience its realisticly a 400 yard max gun only wind reading being the issue / me ! yes it will go further but i have a 6br for the longer quarry . I too turned the necks , from memory its a 233 chamber and 230 loaded round and 229- 228 & 227 bushing available to neck size . I too use a rcbs competition 223rem bullet seating die , and 223rem bushing die and 223rem shoulder bump hence the name - as you already know . Its a great corvid round as thats its main use for me , the design of frangible bullets and low probability of richochet is good . Best of luck with it hope you enjoy it at least ½ as much as your 17 rem had served you ! All i can say is the vermin on your grounds had better watch out !!! all the best ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jockey Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Good groups, you must be really pleased. Alan's work is second to none. Well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AI Maxi Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Oops!! As in Oops I've made a mistake? If you zero the vernier on the bullet diameter you then can measure the group size directly making life easy. Thanks for sharing Si, good write up and nice groups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vermincinerator Posted February 23, 2017 Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Oops!! As in Oops I've made a mistake? Yes mate momentary brain fade Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si-Snipe Posted February 23, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2017 Thanks guys. Yes I am certainly pleased with the rifle. It's clearly a shooter. Roll on spring and the corvid cull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherlock Posted February 24, 2017 Report Share Posted February 24, 2017 Great looking rifle Si and another and deadly accurate rifle barrelled by Al. I think I would be tempted to cericote the barrel , or at least take the shine off that barrel if crows are on the menu. Have you crono'd your 20 pract yet with 39grn SBK's ? ... Wondered what velo you were achieving Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si-Snipe Posted February 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2017 Great looking rifle Si and another and deadly accurate rifle barrelled by Al. I think I would be tempted to cericote the barrel , or at least take the shine off that barrel if crows are on the menu. Have you crono'd your 20 pract yet with 39grn SBK's ? ... Wondered what velo you were achieving Yes that may be a good idea regarding crow concealment. Speeds are around 3500 fps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si-Snipe Posted February 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 Whilst waiting for my 6.5x47 to cool I checked the zero and the load in 1 x fired brass through my 20 Prac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AI Maxi Posted February 25, 2017 Report Share Posted February 25, 2017 Yes mate momentary brain fade Ian. Fair comment mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minkstone Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Nice looking rifle Si,..Looks like u got her singing nicely.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Si-Snipe Posted March 8, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2017 Nice looking rifle Si,..Looks like u got her singing nicely.. Hi Nige. Lovely to see your comment. I hope all is well man. Speak soon. Regards Si Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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