loads for vt 20

[ronbla3]

Any help on loads for the vt 20, seating depth(touching not touching),for cooper m-38.

[Gary in Illinois]

You will find some .20 VarTarg load data here: http://www.6mmbr.com/20caliber.html#20VARTARG

Todd Kindler's "Terrific Twenties" reloading guide also has .20 VT load data but be aware that Todd loads them up pretty hot. Start low and work up.

Seating depth to reach (or not reach) the lands depends on the individual rifle and the individual bullet. I am able to reach the lands with both my Cooper .20 VT's using 32 grain bullets with an overall cartridge length of slightly more than 1.9 - depends on which bullet and even individual bullets from within the same box.

The method I use for determing the seating depth is to just barely seat a bullet in a case and polish the bullet using a 3M polishing pad twirling the loaded round as if trying to unscrew the bullet from the case. After chambering the round, the land engagement marks on the bullet will show up very well under magnification. Measuring the length of the engagement marks on the bullet will tell you how much to screw the seating stem in to be just touching the lands.

I think there are various devices for measuring the correct overall length but the above seems to work for me.

Good luck,
Gary

[Alex]

... using Sierra 32 grainers, WSR primers, seated just off the lands uses:

N-120 --- 17.1 gr. to start, 17.7 gr MAX

RL-7 ---- 17.8 gr. to start, 18.4 gr. MAX

Work up in no more than 0.3 gr.

Alex

[17VLD]

I use Fed primers and any good 32 grn bullet.
About 19.0 will shoot very well,you'll have to check your rifle for its prefrence,
as Alex said start low and work up in .3 grn increments.It really is a fun cartridge.
TTFN
Matt

[montdoug]

Mine is seated with a SPL'd 32V-Max just into the lands using weight segregated .221 cases and 7 1/2BR primers. I use 18.7 grains of H4198 which sets right at the juncture of the neck and shoulder and clocks just under 3,800fps. Quite temp stable and extremely accurate. Start lower, that's at the upper end of things.
If I had to vote on the all time best varmint round for colony rodents the .20 VarTarg might well get the vote (at least till next spring when I get to wring out the .20 Killer Bee in the p-dog and gopher fields, heh-heh-heh). In a magazine rifle it'd still win out due to being rimless and how well it feeds in my CZ.
Fantastic round!

[Alex]

...probably even worse than me. I'll bet your previous "darlin'" was a 17M4. Well, maybe a 17AH. Or maybe.......

Alex

[montdoug]

Alex I have a new favorite every time I get a new rifle. I'm like a sultan with a harem, I'm what you'd call a promiscuous gun lover. If it goes bang I'm in love with it...at least for a while.:D
P.S.
Your right about the .17M4 and the .17 AH and the.......